Page 8 of Her Chosen Protector

Everyone, including Max, looked at Kane incredulously. “Civilians?” Max demanded.

“We don’t have any choice,” Kane said.

“Do you think they wear capes?” Cullen asked. “I can see it now, staid little banker suits, their hair in buns, but when they’re called into action, they shake out their hair, rip off their skirts to show garter belts—”

“Shut up, you idiot,” Raiden growled. “You’re getting on my last nerve.”

Asher saw that Kane was trying to cover a grin. Then he started speaking again.

“Look, even if they are banker ladies, they’re all we’ve got. The security team is either stuck at the Central Bank guarding the Banking Coalition, or they died at the Embassy. Carter from CIA is coordinating with Azua and a couple of others that he thinks are worth a damn in this type of situation.”

“Who are they?” Max demanded to know.

“We’ve got three to choose from. The first two are Heinrich Becker and Leland Hines. Leland’s the CEO of USForce Bank. He’s kept his head and he and the translator have helped keep the others calm. Hines’s been around the block a time or two, he was with the SAS thirty years ago. Doubt that kind of training ever goes away.”

Everybody nodded. They had all served with the British special forces before—they were good men and women.

“And the translator, what’s he like?” Ezio asked.

“Her. Eden York,” Kane answered. “Azua and Hines have taken the leadership roles, but they couldn’t have done it without York. She’s the glue. She keeps the communication going. All I’ve got is the resume and application she gave to the International Money Fund three years ago. No background check. She speaks six languages, has degrees in political science and animal services. She was born and raised in Montana and went to school in Idaho.”

“And the third?”

“Heinrich Becker. He has degrees and awards coming out his ass. He’s been in charge of the International Money Fund for over ten years. It’s amazing they’ve kept his involvement under the radar. Ten bucks says he takes the lead on all of this.” Kane finally took a breath and sighed, knowing some smartass question was coming from Cullen, and he was not wrong.

“So, what should we expect from Super Banker Babes? Are they meeting us at the rendezvous point?” Cullen asked.

Kane nodded his head.

“Yes, you’re going to see your ladies in garters and capes. Basically, there have only been two little changes to our mission. Instead of meeting with a security team, we’ll be meeting with the SBB’s. Then instead of taking the Banking Coalition from the embassy to the airport, we’ll be taking them from the Central Bank.”

Asher rubbed the back of his neck, then winced when his hand touched his bump—okay, goose-egg. There were a hell of a lot more than two little changes, and the way Kane couldn’t meet anyone’s glance proved it. This mission was FUBAR. If someone died when they were out in the field, then the mission was Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition, full-stop! Let’s not also forget Leo is more than likely out of commission. Then, and he hated to admit it, he was not exactly in prime condition.

Kane sighed now as he looked around at the group. “One good thing is the suits have a plane on

stand-by in Guyana. Once we give them notice, they can have a plane waiting in Caracas in two hours to fly them to safety.”

“Exactly, Kane. We need to stay focused on the positive. I have faith in the Super Banker Babes.

They’re going to come through.”

Ezio looked at Cullen like he was out of his mind. Which he very possibly was.

Asher just knew there had been sparklers involved in that karaoke contest. He just knew it.

Asher must have hit his head a whole hell of a lot harder than he thought. The birds were beginning to sing, and he had just managed to slog his way through the twenty kilometers of jungle, and here he was looking at a brightly colored food truck. Ash watched as it lumbered up the last little bit of hill toward the clearing.

Even in the dim light, the garish paint job couldn’t be missed. The bottom third was red, the middle of the truck was surrounded with a stripe of blue and the top third and roof were painted in yellow. Just so nobody could mistake it, the blue was covered with stars, so it was clearly a representation of the Venezuelan flag.

Asher and his team all stayed hidden.

Fuck me. A food truck? Please tell me the Super Banker Babes aren’t giving us a ride in that thing.

Whoever the driver was, laid on the horn. It sounded vaguely familiar. For just a moment, Asher was back in his childhood chasing after the ice cream man with his little brother during those hot summer days. He shook his head to get back to the here and now.

“Stay put,” Max whispered.

The music stopped and a woman’s voice began talking in English over the loudspeaker.