Before long, the GPS indicated they had crossed into Turkey, and shortly afterward, they saw the lights of an airstrip to the north.
“We’re not going to roll right up,” Bash said firmly. He watched the lights, and when they were about a quarter of a mile away, he instructed Sean to stop. “We’ll go on foot from here, but I want you to hang behind, Sean. Just like when we met Mansur, okay?”
“All right.” Sean nodded in acceptance, and the three of them left the car.
“You’re with me,” Bash told Mansur, gesturing for Mansur to walk by his side. “Not that I don’t trust you, but I don’t trust you.”
To his surprise, Mansur smiled. “Nick told me your paranoia knows no bounds when someone you care about is involved.”
Bash gave him a narrow-eyed glare, but he decided to let the comment pass. Instead, he looked ahead at their destination, seeing that the airstrip was precisely that - a simple runway, a couple of small, arch-roofed metal buildings that likely served as hangars, and nothing else. There was a plane on the runway, one he recognized immediately — an Embraer Phenom 100 emblazoned with the Galanos Enterprises logo.
“Unless you’ve hijacked one of Nick’s planes, your credibility just took an upward turn,” Bash said. As they drew closer, he saw the passenger door was open, and at the bottom stood the familiar figure of Anton Zvedzy, Nick Galanos’s personal bodyguard and closest friend.
When they walked into the light, Anton mounted the steps into the plane, and a moment later, Nick Galanos stepped out. Bash was surprised to see the head of Fortress himself was there to meet them; normally Nick kept away from actual operations, since he was a well-known public figure. As if on cue, Sean let out a startled exclamation before he stepped up quickly to Bash’s side, no longer hanging back.
“The Nick you mentioned isNick Galanos?” he asked in disbelief. “The billionaire? That’s who you work for?”
“Um… it’s complicated,” Bash replied, but didn’t elaborate further. He would let Nick explain or not, however he saw fit.
When they reached the plane, Bash drew himself up, barely stopping himself from saluting. “Kilo Actual reporting, sir.”
“You’re overdue, Kilo Actual,” Nick replied quietly, his pale eyes searching Bash’s face. Bash hadn’t been aware Nick was tense until he suddenly relaxed, his shoulders settling down beneath the tailored sports jacket and a frown line between his heavy brows smoothing out. “And you’ve picked up a couple of strays.” Nick nodded to Mansur, then turned to Sean, smiling with the charm which had helped make him famous.
“Your Highness,” Nick said. “I’m honored to meet you.”
Bash glanced at Sean, reading the discomfort in his expression, but Sean stepped up and shook Nick’s hand. “Mr. Galanos, please, it’s just Sean. Thank you for coming to my rescue — or perhaps for coming to Bash’s rescue and allowing me to tag along.”
“A bit of both, perhaps,” Nick acknowledged easily, then inclined his head toward Mansur. “Your uncle has a bit to do with it, too.”
“Whatever the reason, I am very grateful,” Sean said, and Nick, still holding Sean’s hand, turned toward the steps. Bash, after giving Mansur a respectful nod, followed in their wake.
“Why don’t you come aboard, Sean?” Nick asked. “We have a bit of a flight ahead of us. In the meantime, let me ask you… have you ever heard of Fortress?”
10
Sean stepped out of the shower and reached for the plush white towel hanging on the heated bar, wrapping it around himself and relishing the sensation of being clean. Or perhaps, he acknowledged, it was the sensation of having the freedom to shower because he wanted to, rather than being told when and where he had to do it. His captivity had given him a new appreciation of the simple liberties he once took for granted.
After drying himself, he draped the towel around his waist and tucked it in before moving to the sink. The mirror hadn’t fogged up despite the steam from the shower, a flow of air from a vent above it both keeping it clear and providing a decadent flow of warmth across Sean’s skin. The suite he’d been given in Nick Galanos’s mansion was more luxurious than any place he’d ever stayed before, with every convenience he could imagine and some he’d never dreamed of. Which was saying a lot; Sean may not have been raised as a prince, but he’d still come from a well-to-do background, although it hadn’t shielded him from racism and classism. Faisal, damn him, had been right about that, but Sean hadn’t needed four months locked in a cell to realize how fortunate he was.
He was even more fortunate Bash had come to his rescue. He didn’t want to contemplate what might have happened if he were to have remained at Faisal’s mercy, especially if his grandfather had ever suspected the real reason Sean would never provide him with an heir.
He stared unseeingly at his reflection in the mirror, wondering how things were going for Bash. The flight from the remote airstrip in Turkey to Nick Galanos’s private island hadn’t taken long, and most of the conversation had consisted of Nick asking questions about Sean’s incarceration, as well as his opinions about Akkadia and his grandfather. Sean had probably talked too much, but he had the feeling Nick was skilled at getting information out of people, and after months without company, Sean had found it a relief to have someone to talk to.
As usual, Bash had sat back and said little, but he watched Sean with a slight smile on his lips. But as to what Fortress was and why Nick had asked him about it, Sean had no more information than he’d had when they’d taken off. Nick had promised to speak to him once he’d finished Bash’s debriefing, and within ten minutes of landing on the island, Sean had been brought to this suite, while Bash had been whisked away to parts unknown.
The sound of a knock on the outer door of his suite drew his attention, and Sean grabbed a thick bathrobe hanging on a hook by the sink, slipping it on and tying the belt as he crossed the room. He opened the door to find a neatly uniformed older woman standing on the other side, holding a stack of clothing, with a shoebox balanced on top.
“Mr. Galanos sends his compliments, sir. I brought you some clothing, and if it doesn’t fit or isn’t to your liking, I can provide something different.”
Sean smiled in relief. He had no desire to put the stolen guard uniform back on, but he didn’t know who to ask about borrowing clothing.
“Thank you so much,” he said. “I’m sure it will all be fine.”
The woman returned the smile. “My name is Christina, sir. If you have any issues, pick up the house phone and dial 444, and you’ll be taken care of immediately.”
Sean thanked her again, then closed the door and moved to the bed. The clothing comprised boxer-briefs, an undershirt, black trousers and a knitted silk sweater in dark green, all of which seemed to be in the correct sizes. There were socks as well, and when he opened the shoebox, he discovered black leather slip-ons that were obviously new, and were also the correct size. He dressed quickly, then returned to the bathroom to comb his hair and brush his teeth with the toiletries they had provided him.
Once he was clean and dressed, he wondered what he should do. But before he could decide, there was another knock at the door. He hurried to open it, and he was both surprised and pleased to find Bash on the other side.
