Page 47 of Shadow Target
Willow saw the grimness in Luke’s gray eyes. “What does THAT mean?”
Luke gave Shep and her a warning glance. “I’ve been in constant touch with Tal Culver at Artemis over this attack on the two of you. Wyatt Lockwood, her husband, and the Mission Planning department head are all over this. They are having a meeting tomorrow morning, their time, to make some final decisions that are being considered.”
Willow looked over at Dev, who had her hands around her cup, looking equally unhappy as Luke. “What final decisions, Luke?”
“Tal wants to take you and Dev out of Ethiopia,” he said.
Willow clamped down on a retort, waiting, because she knew Luke would give them more intel. She saw Shep give her a glance. She knew he still wanted her and Dev out of the country, despite her repeated insistences to him that they stay. Her fingers gripped the mug a little more tightly. Impatience ate at her, but she sat on it.
Luke lifted a shoulder. “Wyatt thinks you should stay in Ethiopia doing what you’ve been doing. He’s got his group working on a secure way of keeping you safe as you fly the region, if you want to stay here.” His mouth thinned. “But he knows, like I do, there is no such thing as safe when a terrorist group targets you.”
“Yeah, well I’m staying,” Willow told him.
“So am I,” Dev muttered, giving Luke an angry glance.
Willow saw Luke’s scowl deepen. Obviously, there had been some kind of argument between these two, because she felt she could almost cut the air between them with a knife. They certainly weren’t on friendly ground with one another, that was clear. “So, they’ll convene and make their final decision tomorrow?” she demanded.
Luke nodded. “Yes. The general’s people, the ones interrogating the captured soldiers, are getting a lot of information out of them. He’s sending the info directly to Artemis. Whatever they find out from these soldiers, will factor into whatever decision Tal Culver eventually makes,” Luke told her. “Right now, everything’s up in the air. My task is to keep you two safe. I’ve got two of my people out at the airport, keeping your Otter secure so that no one can sneak into the Delos hangar and plant a bomb in it, or try to destroy it, or whatever.”
Wiping her face, Willow uttered, “This sucks. Big time.” She dropped her hand, staring at Luke and then Shep. “I’ve got to think that David is after more than just us two.”
“We’ll know more about that, I hope, after Hakym’s men get done with those four soldiers,” Luke said wearily, finishing off his cup of coffee.
Shep got up, bringing over the pot and refilling everyone’s mugs. “Do you think that David will back off after being attacked by the army?”
“Don’t know. I’m not that familiar with him and his tactics, but Wyatt has his African consultant, Cav Jordan, on this. They’re gathering every scrap of intel they can on Tefere David from every major top-secret source. The NSA, CIA and other military departments, are sending everything they have on this dude. We’ll have a better picture of how he engages with his enemies by tomorrow, I would hope.”
“So?” Willow said, “All of this factors into Tal’s final decision regarding us?”
“Yes. To be frank about it, Willow, I think you and Dev need to be removed from this country immediately. Tal is supporting replacing both of you with two male pilots to take over your priorities with the charities, as well as helping with the ongoing construction work.”
Willow glared at him. “That is NOT gonna happen. Not in a million years.”
Luke sighed and avoided the sharpened, angry look shot at him. “Listen, I have NO authority in this decision. I was asked my opinion. It will be factored into a lot of other information we’re not privy to back at Artemis.”
“Crap,” Willow muttered, giving Dev a searching look.
“I’m right there with you,” Dev growled. “That little shit, Tefere David, isn’t going to scare me off from what I love to do. We’re a damned good flight team, Willow. We know our business. I told Luke earlier that we could be brushed up on our shooting skills, take more security precautions, and still be able to fly for Delos.”
“No kidding,” Willow said, meeting and holding Luke’s gray stare. “You aren’t dealing with two civilian women. We’re both military and we’ve seen combat. I grant it was in the air and not on the ground.” Willow gestured toward Shep. “I told him earlier that you could bring us up to the level needed to handle a pistol, and also how to be more security conscious as we went about our duties.”
Nodding, Luke said, “I grant that. And I know Wyatt’s leaning toward allowing the two of you to stay precisely because of your military backgrounds. I’ll be more than happy to get both of you to a shooting range, and work with you on upgrading your skills. That’s the easy part of the puzzle. I feel strongly that one of my security teams should be with you when you fly at all times. I’m going to keep a permanent sentry post on the Delos hangar and your plane. Wyatt’s sending over another ten security contractors to join us, and they’ll be under my command. We can do this. But it keeps you two at risk if David is determined to go after one or both of you.”
Willow could feel Shep’s reaction. He was worried for her. He was a male, and all males worth their salt were protective as hell of those they loved. It was just part of their makeup. She gave Shep a tender look. “Want to fill them in on our latest news?”
He nodded. “Yeah, some good news, for once.” He turned, giving Luke and Dev a very shortened version of their decision to live together, to try and get back together once more.
Willow heard Dev gasp as she placed her hands against her mouth, tears of joy in her eyes. She grinned over at her best friend, giving her a thumbs up. Dev dropped her hands, wiped her eyes, smiling with her. Willow glanced toward Luke. He didn’t seem moved one way or another by the news, and she’d expected that. She was sure that Luke knew they had been married and divorced, but this latest news probably didn’t factor, at all, into his security concerns.
“So, that’s the plan?” Luke asked. “Here? In this condo, then?”
“Yes,” Shep said. “Today I’m going to move my few clothes and other things up here to Willow’s home.”
“Okay,” Luke said, “that’s good. It is better under the circumstances because you’re an extra layer of protection for Willow, Shep.”
“That crossed my mind,” he said.
Willow looked to Dev. “What about you? You’re alone in that condo.”