Free Final Vow by Kathleen Brooks Page B

hadn’t realized just how much he had fallen into the void of revenge until he thought of her . . . his light, his hope, and his dream for the future.

    Bridget arrived at the UN with the Secret Service for the third morning in a row to help sweep the UN building for bombs. She hadn’t heard from or seen Sarif, Sergei, or Ahmed. She was beginning to think her dad had sent her here to keep her safe. She just hoped Ahmed was safe. He was battling demons and she couldn’t help worrying that he would do anything to achieve his revenge.
    “Springer ,” Agent Woodberry called to her from across the stage of the UN, “are we clear?”
    “Yes, sir. All clear.”
    “Good. The vice president is arriving soon. We need to meet the teams out front.” Bridget tossed Marko a tennis ball and played with him as she made her way out front.
    She stepped out into the cold fall morning and approached the street with Agent Woodberry. As she stood talking with him, she saw a car driving down First Avenue. She didn’t know why she was drawn to it, but as Agent Woodberry talked, she kept her eye on it. When the tires squealed, she darted out into the street with her gun drawn. Something wasn’t right. The door opened and a man was shoved to the ground. In the split second before the door shut, she saw him. It was Ahmed.
    “Springer , get back!” Agent Woodberry called as he shoved her behind him and yelled the details of the car into his radio.
    Agents stopped traffic and surrounded the man in the street. Bridget pushed her way forward and looked down at him. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw his eyes start to flutter. “Isn’t he one of Sergei’s men?” Bridget asked innocently. She knew the answer. That’s the only reason Ahmed would have this man.
    “Sergei?” Agent Woodberry said with wonder. He was only one of the most wanted men in the world and to nab an associate of his would be major in terms of his career. “Quick, call the director and tell them of our capture,” Woodberry said as he hauled the man up and waved for a car to be brought around.
    “McDowell , you’re in charge of the vice president’s arrival. I’m taking this bastard in.”
    Bridget tried not to smile. While they would look into the car that drop ped him so nicely wrapped at their feet, they would never find Ahmed. And further, the man they arrested would rather face Sergei than Ahmed so he'd keep his mouth shut. She had wondered if she would find Ahmed and now she knew she didn’t need to worry. He’d find her.

CHAPTER SEVEN

    Ahmed stood still as he waited for the representative of the sheik. After a phone call from Mo to the ambassador of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed had headed over to the embassy to meet with him. He stood in the luxurious sitting room and glanced around at the pillowed couches with gold accents. A large table sat next to a fireplace with a roaring fire inside. The table had an ornate chair at the head that he assumed was for the sheik or his representative.
    The door opened and Ahmed turned and bowed to the group of men who entered. “Thank you for agreeing to see me.”
    “Of course. Rahmi is a neighbor of ours. What was so important that it could not wait?” the representative asked as he took a seat in the elaborately carved chair at the head of the table.
    Ahmed bowed his head , asking permission to sit. The man lowered his chin to his chest quickly and Ahmed took a seat. “I’m afraid it is in regard to King Sarif. We have heard he intends to speak at the United Nations this afternoon to lay out his case for a coup in Rahmi.”
    “We have heard this, too.”
    “But, what you haven’t heard is there is evidence his claims to the throne are nothing more than delusions of a greedy and irresponsible man longing only for power.” Ahmed kept his eyes locked with the representative and then handed the package of copied documents to one of the men surrounding the room.
    The man took the package , walked around the table