We should take a chance.
It’s not worth it.
Not worth it? That was new coming from her. In the past, she was usually always up for trying something, anything to get out of a tough situation or to complete the mission. He wondered if her head injury was answering for her more than her instincts were.
I’ll take care of you. Trust me.
There was just the barest shake of her head, which looked as if she were simply trying to shift some hair back, but he knew better.
He knew her, after all.
Both of us have to be on top of our game. Berlin requires coordination which we can’t do through tapped messages.
She was right about that. Too much could get lost in translation, so to speak, so they’d need to talk it out.Where? And how?
I’ll fake an injury. You come with me and we talk it out.
It might work, but he wasn’t sure. The bomb squad they were with seemed to want to leave the building in a hurry. That meant there was something they weren’t telling them about the situation at the theatre, maybe something big.
Something else is going on. Another bomb, or a different type of bomb than we’ve seen already.
She seemed to digest that information, then tapped,I see that. No royals injured during initial attack. They’re coordinated and likely have a backup plan.
Another bomb?
Maybe, or an airborne chemical they could release through the ducts. There was chatter about something like that a few weeks ago but it died down. Did you get anything off the man who tried to kidnap you?
No. We don’t have time to search for both the terrorists and what they might have planted. We’ll need to choose.
Do you still have your phone? Can you reach Marcello?
Yes in my front coat pocket. Fake an injury and grab my phone when I pick you up. Then you send a message while they’re distracted and slip it back. Do you remember my phone unlock code?
Don’t ask stupid questions. Also, why haven’t you changed your code in three months?
He nearly laughed. Only she would berate him about security protocols while they were plotting an escape, while also trying to hunt down perpetrators of a terrorist attack.It’s useful to have the same code right now, isn’t it? Fake the injury two doors down. The room on the right should have a hidden passage.
Won’t be so hard actually. My foot does hurt.
He smiled, remembering another foot ‘injury’ she’d had the first time they’d met.
He looked to her and caught her watching him. She squeezed his hand, subtly letting him know that the same memory was clearly on her mind, too. God, that had been so long ago.
Anda looked away first and, when they got close enough to the room, she called out. “Ooh!” She let go of his hand and started reaching towards her foot. “Ow!”
The people surrounding them immediately moved forward to help her, but Ethan brushed them off. “Did you step on something?”
She nodded and winced. “Yes, sorry. We didn’t have a chance to grab any shoes before we left my dressing room. Can I just sit down for a second?”
One of the men in the squad stepped forward. “I can carry you, Miss Salamanca.”
Ethan just bet he could. The guy’s eyes were already bugging out of his head. He could understand why; how often would the guy get to be a hero for a movie star?
But she washismovie star, and a fuck of a lot more. He’d lost sight of that a few months ago, but he wouldn’t let her down now.
“I’ve got her. I’ll just take her into this room and just check her for injuries before we move on.”
“Your Highness, we really need to get going. We can just carry her out of the building.”
