Page 63 of Her Tempting Protector

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Cullen walked away from the dead man. He wanted to slam the medical kit into the back of the truck for all the good it had done. He’d heard Raiden, but he needed just thirty seconds to get his head on straight before the next crisis, so he took it by tying down the bag into the truck bed.

He peered into the back seat where Shada was, the cloth that had been covering the back window was long gone. He could see that even with her naturally dark skin tone, she looked pallid and wan. He still wanted to get his hands on the man who had beat her up. The thought of torturing that bastard put a grim smile on his face. He turned to look at Raiden.

The man already had the nozzle of the jerry can shoved into the filler neck and was transferring fuel into the truck. “What’s going on at the city? Why the hell is Carys’ name on a hit list? Who was killed? Basically, what in the hell went so damned FUBAR in Khartoum?” Cullen demanded low enough so Carys couldn’t hear.

Raiden’s face went blank. Stone cold solid. Cullen’s stomach clenched.

It was going to be bad.

So bad.

“It started out fine. It always starts out with good intentions, doesn’t it?” Raiden’s voice was a trace of its normal level, but his words’ impact was easily heard over the highway traffic. “The people had had enough of the brutality of the Rapid Support Forces. The killings and rapes had started, but when two people were doused with gasoline and…”

Raiden didn’t need to finish the sentence. The same things had occurred last summer. The same violence had precipitated Hamdok coming into power.

“The people took to the streets. First it was the students, in less than twenty-four hours it escalated to tens of thousands. They were out for blood. They wanted to take down everybody in authority. They set the first government building on fire thirty hours ago. Soon, not just the RSF were targeted, but anyone in uniform. Countries all over the world have sent in their special forces to get their people the hell out of here. Captain Hale came in with the Midnight Delta crew to help us get the rest of the Americans out.”

“Why? I thought we had it covered with the Marines coming in on the two Ospreys. Wasn’t it just two days ago or a day and a half?” Cullen ran his hand over his head. He was confused at the timeline, just too little sleep. “Anyway, Kane told me that it was less than two hundred Americans left to be evacuated maybe a day and a half ago, so shouldn’t they all be gone? Why aren’t we done?”

“There’s a problem with that. The bomb that went off at the embassy hit their computer system. They gave us the wrong initial numbers. We’ve since got updated numbers from the back-up server in the US. So as of an hour ago, we have over three hundred Americans to evacuate, that’s another reason why Captain Hale is here.”

“FUBAR,” Cullen bit out.

“You do have a way with words,” Raiden said.

“You still haven’t answered my other questions.”

“Now isn’t the time. I’ll tell you when we get to the hospital in the city.”

Cullen nodded. “Where’s Kane? I thought we were convoying.”

“I’m taking the lead. Kane’s two klicks up the road, he’s going to come in on your tail.”

Cullen nodded, they gripped hands and stared at one another for a moment. Everything was conveyed without words.

“Still think I should lead, your Toyota is a loser.” Cullen scoffed.

“But I’m the better driver,” Raiden smiled before he hot-footed back to his truck.

* * *

Why do people, men in particular, think that they can say things and not be heard?

Why?

She waited to ask until after Cullen got buckled in and the truck started up. She wanted to make sure they could ease up along the shoulder and were able to safely follow Raiden.

“What is—”

“Fouled Up Beyond All Recognition,” Cullen answered her question before she had a chance to ask it.

“How did you—?”

“I didn’t leave the window rolled down even a little bit. Now it is. You were listening.” He glanced over at her and gave her a wide grin. “I totally would have done the same thing.”

“You guys use a different word than ‘fouled’ don’t you?”