Page 7 of Her Righteous Protector

Max managed not to react. He knew damn good and well that Simon had this situation on lock-down, so how in the holy fuck did Kostya know what was going on?

“Look, Max,” Kostya started. He was sitting with his knees apart and his hands clenched together between them; he was definitely tense. “I’m not going to tell you how I know, but I do. What I am going to ask…plead…with you, is to take me with you on your assignment.”

Max kept his features blank; he had no choice. He knew how Kostya had gotten his information. It was the same way that he always got his information, and that was from his second in command, the man who handled all of his team’s communications and commuter intel, Gideon Smith. But what reason did Kostya have for wanting to get involved with Lark Sorensen’s rescue?

“Kostya, I’ve known you for four years. We’ve been on three missions together, and I would literally trust you with my life. But this?” Max raised his eyebrow. “You’re going to have to give me more.”

Kostya swallowed down a sigh. “I know. I know.” He stood up in the small room. “Max, I know that you and your men have done what you could to support the men and women who aided you during your time in Afghanistan.”

Max nodded. Nobody talked about it outside their own teams, but it was something that definitely went on. They had done what they could for those people who had risked their lives again and again for them over the years to make their country better.

“That’s true,” Max agreed. “But what does that have to do with Ms. Sorensen?”

“The reason she wasn’t evacuated with everyone else was that she wouldn’t leave Ebrahem Nuri’s family.”

“Nuri?” Max pictured a short man that he had met once in the middle of the night outside of Kabul. He had provided some necessary intel that had been critical to his team, then had disappeared into the darkness.

“You mean Ebrahem didn’t make it out of Kabul? Didn’t he and his family get Special Immigrant Visas?”

Kostya’s expression turned bitter. “He was killed before he could apply, and by the time his wife and kid’s visas finally got approved there was no way for them to get out of the country. Max, that man is the reason four of my men are alive today. I won’t turn my back on his family. I can’t.”

Max couldn’t imagine what he would do if he were in Kostya’s shoes. He thanked God that his team’s assets had all made it safely out of Afghanistan.

“Have you talked to Simon?” he finally asked.

“You know he wouldn’t allow it. This is your op.”

It was true.

“How good is your intel that the Nuri family is with Ms. Sorensen?” Max asked.

“It’s golden,” Kostya assured him.

Fuck. Well, he wasn’t a special forces lieutenant for nothing. It was his job to make quick decisions. He’d come up with some reason why it was critical to have Kostya on this mission… At least by the time they got to Afghanistan.

“Get your shit, then meet up in the briefing room.”

* * *

Most of his team had gotten some shut-eye during the flight from Virginia to Souda Bay in Greece, even Kostya. They all knew that they would need it. Max watched as they all unbuckled themselves from their jump seats and stretched.

“I’ve been in touch with the base commander,” Max called out. “We’re going to leave all of our weapons in the armory here on Crete. The last leg of our trip will be a commercial flight from the UAE to Pakistan, so there isn’t going to be a way for us to take our weapons with us. All of our other gear will be fine.”

The plane door opened, and a middle-aged bald man appeared at the top of the steps. “Lieutenant Hogan?” he asked.

“That’s me,” Max stepped forward.

The man stepped into the plane. “I’m Commander Andino,” he said with a thick Greek accent. “I’ll show your men around.”

“How long before we’ll be ready to depart for the UAE?” Max asked.

The commander looked down at his watch. “No more than two hours. Hopefully a lot sooner. I’ll show you where the mess is, and where the armory is.” His tone was no-nonsense.

Max nodded. “I appreciate it. A couple of us have a few things we need to finish up, then we’ll find you, will that be all right?”

“Of course.” He looked at the rest of Max’s team who had stood up. “Please follow me.”

Kane kept his seat, staring at his screen and planning on making a report to Simon, while Zed was the last one out of the plane. Max watched him carefully. He’d been off disability for a year, but his injury had been life-threatening, and even though Zed was one of the biggest and strongest men on his team, Max still watched out for him. He turned his attention to Kane.