Page 130 of Lethal Game

The explosion that resulted after the flare ignited the formalin and methanol tossed all of them on their backs.

Akbar was thrown only a few feet away from her, facedown in the sand.

She sat up, glanced at him. He seemed down for the moment, so she grabbed her microscope and walked away toward the hospital and refugee camp.

People in the hospital stared at the fire burning behind her with their mouths open. Well, most of them did. One man, dressed in a traditional robe, came straight toward her.

She’d know that face anywhere. Connor.

He met her halfway between where her lab had been and the hospital. He had no rifle or weapon that she could see, just a grim set to his mouth.

Now what had she done wrong?

He took her by the arm.

“Ouch.”

He adjusted his grip instantly and asked through clenched teeth, “Are you injured?”

She shook her head. “Just a lot of people grabbing me there today.”

Behind them someone yelled in Dari.

“Fuck,” Con breathed, looking past her shoulder at something and dragging them to a halt.

“Is there more than one?” she asked.

“Not yet.”

“How close is he?”

“Ten feet.”

“Wait here.” She turned, then nodded at the man with the rifle and walked toward him.

Behind her, Con sucked in a breath.

Four feet away from the gunman, she stumbled, then spun and bashed him in the shoulder with the microscope.

He went down with at yell, and Con was on him within a second or two, punching the man a few times, then taking his rifle.

“Come on,” Con said, looking angrier than she’d ever seen him.

They made it into the hospital tent, where everyone ambulatory was rushing to see what was going on and watch the fire.

Con pulled her into a cluttered corner of hospital supplies, and made her sit down in the middle of them. “Was Akbar with you?”

“Yes. He brought in trucks. He was trying to get me to pack up my lab so he could move it.”

The rage on Con’s face hadn’t lessened a bit. “And you too.”

“I suppose. I doubt that’s going to happen now. I sort of blew him up with the rest of the lab.”

“How do you sort of blow someone up?” Con asked, his voice rising. “Is it the same as getting sort of pregnant or sort of dead?”

“Why are you so mad? Would you rather I let him kidnap me and my stuff?”

“No, but I do mind you trying to kill yourself.” He leaned down to say, in a dangerous tone, “And you promised you wouldn’t.”

---