Page 9 of Hot Soldier's Rescue

Drago rolled his eyes and muttered rapidly to one of the revolutionaries. “It’s taken care of. Now get in the car. We’re leaving.”

Her gaze narrowed. She never had dealt well with high-handed men. “Don’t give me orders, buster.”

Enrique cackled from the other side of the injured man’s stretcher. “Oh! The little nun has claws! Be careful Drago, or you’ll get torn up like Robson here.”

She knew better than to rise to the revolutionary’s bait and merely climbed in the back of the Jeep beside her patient in grim silence. It annoyed the hell out of her to have gotten so close to her goal, only to have to retreat now. But she’d be back, by golly. Those children, and Father Ambrose, were counting on her.

Chapter Three

Ted glanced in the rearview mirror yet again and grinned at the thunderous scowl on the nun’s face. Didn’t like being manipulated against her will, did she? Feisty little thing. “How’s he doing?” he asked.

“In shock. But at least he’s not flailing around.”

“Think he’ll make it?”

She shrugged like a seasoned medical professional. “I give him about even odds. It’ll depend on how strong and healthy he was before and how well his system fights the infection.”

“The locals are tough. Surviving this jungle is not for the weak.” And speaking of which, now that he had her by herself, he demanded, “What were you really doing out there? Why did you want to march into that camp? There was no way you were getting out alive without me. Do you have a death wish?”

“Do you always ask so many questions?” she replied blandly.

Irritation flared in his gut. “Answer me.”

Her dark gaze met his in the rearview mirror. She stared at him for a long time as if measuring him. She stared for so long he actually began to worry that she might be seeing more than he wanted her to. She was a nun, after all. And people of the cloth were in the business of knowing human nature. Did she see through the ruse? Horror washed over him. She mustn’t blow his cover! He broke the eye contact and focused on the dirt road before him.

“Who are you?” she asked.

He swore under his breath. She knew he wasn’t what he appeared to be, dammit.

“My name’s Drago. Drago Cantori.”

“Where are you from, Drago Cantori? Why were you hanging out with the Army of Freedom? You’re not Colombian.”

“I’m French. Or more precisely, Basque.” Please God, let her not speak the Basque tongue. It was a thankfully rare language, but he’d been completely hopeless at mastering anything beyond a few of the most basic phrases of it in the few days he’d had to prepare for this mission.

“Hmm. I had you pegged for an American.”

He jolted and grasped the steering wheel more tightly to hide his shock. “Why’s that?” he asked cautiously.

“Your accent. There are shades of American vowels in your Spanish.”

She must have a hell of a good ear. He usually had no trouble passing for a native South American. Enrique had pegged him for a Peruvian. Of course, the insurgent hadn’t looked too far past the duffel bag full of weapons he and his men would give their right nuts to have.

“I spent some time in the States,” he explained cautiously. And please God, let her not ask for details.

Thankfully, she pressed him in another direction. “What were you doing with Enrique and his men? You’re not seriously planning to give them grenade launchers and missiles, are you?”

Thank goodness. Safe ground. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I was about to close a deal to sell them a supply of basic firearms and ammunition when Einstein, here, went and got himself hurt. Instead, I’m an ambulance driver now.”

“Ingratiating yourself to Enrique, are you? Was he reluctant to do the deal?”

He swore mentally. This woman was entirely too perceptive for her own good. “Not at all. He’s eager to introduce me to his superiors so I can do an even bigger deal for the entire Army of Freedom.”

She tsked. “And here you are, having to rescue the nun and the hurt guy, instead. It must gall you to have to play Boy Scout.”

“You could cost me a great deal of money if I lose this sale,” he allowed.

“I’d apologize, but I can’t say as I’m sorry that hundreds of people won’t be gunned down by your weapons.”

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