Page 70 of Defenders of Jawhara

“Our man seems to be a little agitated this morning.”

Talib looked at PJ as she slipped her boots back on before asking, “What aren’t you saying?”

“Man, stay calm, but it looks like he backhanded her pretty good.”

“What!” Talib roared, muttering under his breath in a flurry of Arabic that PJ had no chance of understanding.

She watched him as she spoke to Carlos. “He hit her?”

“Yeah. The bastard hit her hard enough to knock her off her feet.”

“Did she get back up?” PJ asked, wanting to know if they now had a seriously injured captive to rescue.

“Not right away. And when she did, she immediately doubled over again. He didn’t even try to help her, just threw something at her and walked off.”

“What did he throw at her?” Talib asked, his voice very quiet and calm.

“It must have been a veil, because she picked it up and pulled it on over her head.”

“He’s making her hide her face. Is everyone in place?” PJ could tell by Talib’s tone that he was more anxious than ever to get this guy and rescue Miss Malone.

“Slade and Blaine went in on foot and have a visual on them right now. Brock and Tim are a few hundred yards from your position. I’m ready to put everyone on com if you are.”

“Go ahead.”

“Slade? Brock?”

“Slade here. The target and his captive are heading in your direction, Talib. Slowly, but they are moving. Do you two have a plan in place?”

“Good morning to you too, Slade,” PJ said.

Slade chuckled through the line. “Same back at ya, darlin’. Now, a plan. You’ve got maybe twenty minutes at the rate they’re moving before they have a visual on you.”

Talib took the helm, answering for them both. “PJ’s going to be outside the tent, while I stay hidden. While I haven’t spent much time at the palace since he was hired, there’s still a chance that he will recognize me, so I will be wearing a keffiyeh that will cover the top of my head and the lower part of my face. She’s going to invite him into the tent to speak with her husband and share some refreshment. If he takes the bait, I’ll disable him at that time.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Slade asked, “is there a plan B?”

“Plan B is to do whatever is necessary to gain Miss Malone’s release,” Talib replied.

“Blaine, did you bring your girlfriend this trip?” PJ asked with a smirk in Talib’s direction.

“Girlfriend?” Talib mouthed to her with a raised eyebrow.

She made a quiet sound with a finger over her lips as Blaine responded, “You know I did. Never leave home without her. What do you want to use as the signal?”

Talib let out a little huff of irritation. “Explain. What’s he talking about?”

“Blaine was a sniper in the Marines. He can take out a target at a thousand yards without blinking an eye. Especially on flat terrain with no wind. We call his rifle his girlfriend.”

Talib nodded. “Blaine, when this is over I would love to look at your girlfriend and see her in action.”

“Not a problem, man. So, PJ, what signal are we using this fine morning?”

Slade answered for her. “PJ, I’ll have constant eyes on you. All you have to do is say or mouth the word ‘now,’ and I’ll relay that information to Blaine. There’s no need for a big drama scene here.”

“Sheikh Kamal would like the kidnapper taken alive—” Talib began.

“So that he can have the pleasure of putting him before a firing squad?” PJ interjected, cutting him off.

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