Page 39 of Delta Mission
“It’s okay. She asked her son to turn around.”
“Tell her to get her hands up,” Ghost said.
Jabeen raised her hands. Her understanding of English was better than I had thought. But her eyes were wide, terrified, confirming that she believed she was a long way from being safe.
Ghost shifted her stunning blue eyes to the boy. “I don’t like this.”
I indicated with my hands for Ghost to relax. “It’s okay. Jabeen risked her life to give me information about this village. I trust her.”
“Pat her down, Makenna,” Ghost said.
“Okay.” Releasing a slow breath, I met Jabeen’s gaze. I’d put a huge amount of trust in her. If she had explosives or weapons beneath her clothing, that would ruin me. “I need to check beneath your clothing, Jabeen.”
A tear spilled from her left eye as she nodded.
“Keep your hands up.” I patted along her arms first, feeling skin and bone beneath.
I finished with the rest of her body and inspected her legs by asking her to lift her skirt, which she did without question.
Relief washed through me. “She’s clean.”
“Check the boy,” Ghost said.
I instructed Insaf to keep still and checked that he didn’t have grenades strapped to his torso.
He didn’t. I gushed out a breath and nodded at Ghost. “All good.”
Ghost lowered her gun. “Let me check Jabeen.”
I nodded and stepped back.
“It will be okay. I promise.” Ghost smiled at Jabeen, and it was so genuine, I relaxed even more.
A small smile crossed Jabeen’s lips, but it was enough to reveal a missing tooth.
“We have to roll, ladies,” Blade barked from outside.
“Hold your horses,” Ghost called to him and rolled her eyes at me. “He’s so impatient.”
Ghost was gentle and respectful with Jabeen as she repeated the search I had done. She turned to me when she finished. “It wasn’t to undermine you. Just protecting my team.”
“I understand. We good now?”
“We’re done.”
I guided Insaf back to his mother, who had redressed in her burqa.
Ghost adjusted her weapon in her hands. “Come on, I need a cold shower and a hot feed, and I’m sure you do too.”
She exited the door and waited for us outside. “We’re good to go, Blade.”
“Roger that. Let’s move.” Blade led us to the helicopter, and Channing and Wasp marched behind us. They still had their weapons drawn, and they all still seemed to be on edge.
It came with the job, though. None of us would relax until we returned to America.
And for the first time in years, I was ready to go home.
I glanced over my shoulder at Channing, and his eyes seemed to dance as he met my gaze. Going home with him made the idea even sweeter.
