“Zain!” Mila heard his voice from outside. She was shaking as she stood up slightly light-headed.
“Zain?” the man asked from the floor as he looked around the room.
Zain burst into the room with his father on his heels and then Mila was in his arms. She felt the tears flow as the lights flashed around her.
“She’s going to pass out. She’s been shot,” Cade said gently as she heard the sound of ripping fabric. Mila cried out as Cade tied a strip of bed sheet tightly around her arm. The pain chased away the darkness as she felt herself being handed over to Cade.
Zain’s breath came quick and shallow as he saw the gaping bullet wound on Mila’s arm. The man responsible was lying on the floor, guarded by Abby, who had murder in her eyes, a bloody fist, and a shredded vest. Miles and Jackson turned to watch him. Zain handed Mila to Cade. If the person lying on the floor weren’t already dead, he would be soon.
“Who is it?” Zain asked as he walked closer.
Jackson and Miles stepped aside and Zain felt it like a punch to the gut. “Kareem?”
Zain heard his father curse and speak into his phone. He was surely calling Dirar.
“Wait,” Kareem looked back and forth between the brothers.
Zain lips snarled. “Oh, you see my brother is back in town. While you were here, I was conducting a meeting at the house. The nanotech lab panel is underway. Everyone is there. You didn’t stop anything.” Zain looked down and saw the knife sticking out of his leg, the bullet hole in his shoulder, and his bloodied face.
Zain reached down and grasped the handle of the knife. “Cade, please take Mila out of here.”
“I’m not leaving.”
“Out!” Zain yelled. He heard Cade fighting with Mila but he didn’t want her to witness what he was about to do. He didn’t want her to see the darkness that had come over him. He was pissed. The desire to cause excruciating pain to the man who had betrayed him was overwhelming.
“Do what you need to, but I’m not leaving!” Mila called out as she struggled with Cade.
A streak of brown fur shot out from under the bed and ran toward Mila. Zain turned and saw Squirrel leap onto Cade’s back. Cade screeched, let go of Mila, and started spinning around to dislodge the squirrel hanging onto his back.
Mila jumped out of Cade’s grasp. “Squirrel! It’s okay, baby. It’s okay,” she said softly as the squirrel jumped off Cade. Mila bent and picked up the little creature—the little creature that had distracted Kareem long enough for her to stab him, so she could hold him against her chest. “You think I can’t handle this? Can’t handle what you’re going to do to get information out of him? Well, I can. The bastard shot me. He’s threatened your family, your people, and your country. Do what you need to. But you’ll be doing it with me by your side.”
Zain saw the determination in her face. Fine. If she wanted to see what lurked beneath his finely polished exterior, then that's exactly what she’d get. Zain didn’t bother giving her another look. He twisted the knife. Kareem cursed as he sat up and swung out at Zain who blocked the punch and slammed his fist into Kareem’s face.
“Who is behind this?”
Kareem shook his head and Zain twisted the knife again. He felt Mila flinch next to him, but that didn’t stop him. “Who are you working for?” Zain dug the knife in deeper and saw the sweat trickling down Kareem’s face.
“Surman. It’s Surman.”
Zain shook his head. “No, it’s not. See we already know about Suri’s secretary. She was your co-conspirator. You two were working to create distrust between our two nations—to drive a wedge between our countries. Why?”
“We know,” a female voice said from behind him. Zain turned and saw Bridget standing with her arms crossed. “You should have found a better partner, Kareem. She spilled her guts with only a couple of threats. Annie’s real mad she didn’t get to shoot her.”
“Who is it?” Zain asked.
“It’s Kareem’s father,” Bridget told him.
“Your father?” Zain spun on Kareem and saw him tighten his jaw and look away. “Why would your father want Rahmi to collapse? He’s our ambassador.”
Kareem didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes and Zain fought the urge to pound his fists into his face until he opened them.
“There’s more,” Bridget said as she nodded to her husband.
“You have a phone call you need to take,” Ahmed said as he walked past his wife and handed Zain the phone. Zain saw his father look at Ahmed in confusion as Zain lifted the phone to his ear.
“Hey, Zain.”
“Nash! Where are you? What the hell is going on?” Zain asked as he stood to listen to his friend.
“I’m in Tahjad. I have the ambassador in custody.”
“Is that why you had to leave Keeneston?”
“No. I was just brought in on this, and my contacts discovered the ambassador’s attempt to overthrow Rahmi. He was boarding a military boat with three thousand Tahjad men dressed as Rahmians. They were even flying the flag of Rahmi. He was going to lead an uprising of so-called citizens.”
“But why? What does this have to do with the nanotech lab?” Zain asked.
“The lab was just the last straw. Between his position and Kareem’s, they caused the tension between Rahmi and Surman. The nanotech lab could put an end to those tensions so they wanted to stop it. What better way than framing Surman?”
“Why would they want instability?”
“Because they’re on Tahjad’s payroll. Their so-called king is paying them handsomely for it. He’s a warlord. He doesn’t know anything about economies or allies. Omar has bled Tahjad dry, and Rahmi is an oasis in his mind. He wants the oil and the money it brings in. He also wants the nanotech lab and the money it will generate. So Omar sought to destroy the royal family, bring war, and then swoop in and eliminate any remaining resistance to declare himself king,” Nash explained.
“Exactly like he did with Tahjad.” Zain couldn’t believe it had almost worked. If Dirar had gone after Suri immediately, then Surman would have declared war on Rahmi and walked right into Tahjad’s trap.
“Thank you for saving our country, my friend. When are you coming home?” Zain asked. This was the first time in months he’d talked to Nash, and he didn’t know if he’d get another chance.
“My mission is not complete. I must go. Before I do, can I ask a favor?”
“Of course.”
“Tell Sophie I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“She’ll know. Goodbye, my friend. I don’t know when we’ll speak again.”
“You know your home is always here. We are waiting for you.” Zain didn’t hear anything for a second and then the line went dead.
Zain handed the phone back to Ahmed and then looked around the room. These were his family, his friends, his town. They had put themselves in the line of fire to help him. They had saved a country that few of them might ever see. And he’d be damned if he was going to take the diplomatic approach to punish Omar. He turned to Mila and kissed her hard. Without saying a word, he walked out of the room.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Mila looked around the room. Everyone stared at the empty doorway. “Miles, take Kareem to Nabi. He’ll be going back to Rahmi to face charges,” Mo said as calmly as he could before taking off after his son.
Miles reached down with one hand and hauled Kareem to his feet. Abby reached over and yanked out the knife. She wiped it on her pants legs and handed it back to Mila. “Here you go.”
Bridget walked over and hugged her daughter. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”
Abby pulled off the vest with Bridget’s help and lifted her shirt. Mila gasped. She could hear Ahmed grinding his teeth. How had she even moved? Her whole midsection was bruised and covered with red welts. “It hurts like a bitch, but I’ll be fine.”