“Where is the serum?” he demanded angrily.
Oh, god. He knows.“W-what do you mean? I told you, it would take—”
“Two weeks,” he finished for her.
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“You’re lying.”
“What? No—”
Bukhari grabbed the front of her scrub top and pulled her to the side. Kat cried out when he slammed her back against the wall. Her still-tender head made contact, but thankfully the cut Walker had stitched up was on the side, so it hadn’t taken a direct hit.
With his meaty fist pressed against her chest, he held her in place. “I spoke to one of my country’s top scientists. He told me if you knew the formula and had all the supplies, it would take days, not weeks to duplicate.”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
She had to think. “Y-your scientist isn’t familiar with my work. It’s not like I’m whipping up a batch of cupcakes. I told you before, this project is complicated.”
The man released her, and for a second, she thought it was because he believed her. She was wrong.
His hand moved lightning fast, the blow sending her straight to the ground. Kat didn’t even have time to recover from that first hit to her face before his booted toe made contact with her ribs.
Crying out in pain, Kat curled into a ball, doing her best to protect her internal organs as he drew his leg back and kicked her again. And again.
“Bukhari!” Walker’s voice echoed down the hallway. “What the hell are you doing?”
“She lied,” the monster accused.
Walker came up beside him. “About what?”
“She said it would take two weeks to make the serum when it should be done by now.”
Kat flinched, making herself even smaller when she saw Bukhari’s foot begin to move again. Walker stopped him.
“Wait.” Walker pulled him back. “Even if what you’re saying is true, she’ll be no use to you dead.”
“I will not tolerate being made a fool of. Especially by an American bitch like her.”
“I get that, but you need to calm down a minute and think. You beat her senseless, she won’t be able to make the product until after she recovers. That’ll only add to that damn timeline you’re so worried about.”
Lying silently on the cold, concrete floor, Kat prayed Bukhari would listen. When he crouched down beside her, she tried to move away from, but her body hurt too bad to make any progress.
Grabbing the hair on the back of her head, he pulled her face up to meet his. Fire burned in her already-tender scalp, and she was certain he was yanking the hair from its roots.
With his nose next to hers, he warned, “You have one more day to get me my serum. After that, I’m sending Walker to finish off your precious Bravo Team.”
Though she fought them, tears fell from Kat’s eyes.
“One by one.” Bukhari finished the threat. “Starting with that boyfriend of yours.”
Chapter 16
“Good to see you again, Turner." The man known to him as Ghost shook Matt’s hand. “Wish it was under different circumstances.”
“Hey, Ghost.” Matt gripped the man’s hand tightly. “Trust me, so do I.”
The six-one Delta operator nodded his understanding.
