Page 42 of The Angel and the Agent

“Oh, is that all?” she asked. “We just have to survive a night in a country that wants to kill us so we can sneak into another country that wants to do the same?”

“Once we get out of the northern part of Cameroon, it will be better, as long as we don’t go too far west because they’re fighting in that part, too. Southern Cameroon is on the ocean. It’s kind a resort place, believe it or not.”

“Will we have time to go to a spa?” she asked.

“You’ve got to be joking,” he said.

“I am,” she assured him.

“Good because I promised your boyfriend I would return you safe and sound as soon as possible. And Maggie and Ridge, I have no idea if they know we’re gone. I couldn’t get ahold of them before I left. The Colonel was going to try.”

“Quick question: who is the Colonel? Because every time you mention him, I picture the unseen villain inInspector Gadget, the one who sits in the chair and pets the cat.”

“That’s probably a fair depiction. The Colonel is my boss. Actually, my boss’s boss. He’s the intermediary between us and Congress.”

“Do you like him?” she asked.

“If by ‘like’ you mean fear and respect? Then yes, I like him so much I tremble every time he enters the room.”

“Am I allowed to talk in this town?” she asked.

“I think so,” he said. “Was there something particular you wanted to say?”

“Yes. ‘Where is food’?” she said.

Carnot was a bigger city. They followed the sounds to an outdoor market where people had laid their wares in the dirt. Amelia stopped to look at several stalls and, despite his scoffing, bought a headscarf. Several street vendors were selling food. They bought the cleanest looking, best smelling morsels along with bottles of Coke. The Coke was warm, but so was the food, and Amelia thought it delicious. The bread reminded her of naan, only thinner, and she also ate okra and some type of meat.

“Goat, if I had to guess,” Ethan said. When their bellies were full, they found someone to give them a ride to Gamboula. He saw Ethan’s gun and nodded in approval, adding his own weaponry into the mix.

“The road is danger,” he said when he saw Amelia eyeing his gun. It was something they’d already been warned about.

Despite the danger, despite the painful bouncing on the rutted road, it was nice to rest a while, to sit in the back seat with Ethan and feel his arms around her, safe, warm, and secure. If not for the fact that she had to hold on tightly to avoid being bounced out of the car, she might have fallen asleep.

The driver took them to a place he knew in Gamboula, a makeshift hotel of sorts that would keep them overnight. It was basically a tiny room in someone’s home, but it was private, and they had indoor plumbing. After taking turns in the bathroom,they met back in the bedroom, eyeing the tiny bed. Amelia peeled off the hot, heavy robe until she was wearing only her shorts and t-shirt, unwound her hair, and climbed in, patting the spot beside her.

Ethan set his pack on the floor beside the bed and climbed in beside her, still wearing his Kevlar vest.

“That vest may be bullet-proof, but it won’t protect you from my advances,” she said.

“I’m sorry, but years of training have taught me I need to be ready to roll at a moment’s notice in situations like these,” he said.

“When an attractive woman is beside you making kissy faces?” she asked, scrunching her lips together in an exaggerated kiss.

“When a town could be thrown over by an armed militia at any moment and we might have to flee for our lives,” he clarified.

“Oh, that,” she said. She rested her palm on his chest. “I can’t even feel your heart through that thing.”

“That’s how you know it’s well made,” he said. “They tried making thin, see-through ones that had a big outline of the heart on them, but they weren’t popular sellers among soldiers and policemen for some reason.”

“I’m glad you’re protected, but I was really hoping for a bit of warm comfort tonight,” she admitted, sounding uncharacteristically serious and maybe a little bit needy. Her cheerful demeanor had fooled him into forgetting how much she’d been through the last couple of days and how much it had to be affecting her.

He sat up, took off the vest, laid it on his pack, lay back down, and opened his arms to her. She snuggled close to him, resting her head on his heart. His hand smoothed over her hair.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

“You’re right, this is way better,” he said.

“I meant thank you for everything. Thank you for coming to get me, for saving my life.”

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