Free Dangerous Assignment (Aegis Group Book 4) by Sidney Bristol Page B

drill here, how the authorities would handle the situation. Jordan was a peaceful country that didn’t get mixed up in the turmoil of the Middle East.
    What did he do? Who did he call? Where was Abigail?
    More security moved between the survivors, helping some up, others had First Aid kits open, administering what care they could.
    The guard jerked his head toward the double doors and lowered his weapon.
    Luke nodded, though he could only barely hear and picked his way across the rubble. Was he under arrest? Did they consider him a suspect? He hadn’t liked the Smiths, but he’d done his job to the best of his ability.
    He paused at the doors, glancing into Abigail’s room. She stepped out, her jacket gone, a bit of the blood wiped away, but it still dripped down her cheek. A security guard followed her, his weapon trained on her, a bag in hand that Luke recognized. He’d carried it from the plane for her.
    Abigail didn’t look at him. Not once.
    Shit.
    After last night he was certain she was in intelligence or undercover work, something like that. But she couldn’t have set a bomb.
    Why was she being held at gunpoint?
    Why did security have her luggage?
    Did they know who she worked for?
    Was she okay?
    A hand shoved him forward, and this time he heard the Arabic barked at him.
    Luke followed Abigail and her armed guard out of the suite. He turned, catching the guard’s eye.
    “Ethan—the other American? I’m looking for him.” He could barely hear himself talk. His ears throbbed, and the ringing split his skull.
    Luke drew back the side of his jacket, offering up his firearm. This wasn’t America, and he had to play by their rules. Usually, when he did a job like this on foreign soil, he did his homework. The Smiths had taken that element of preparedness away from him and now he was floundering with no idea what came next.
    The guard edged forward and snatched the gun out of the holster.
    “I want to find my friend. Ethan,” he said again.
    The guard jerked his head.
    Luke could only assume he was supposed to follow in Abigail’s wake, that as the bodyguards, they’d be suspect. He quick-stepped to keep up with her. He’d lost Ethan, he couldn’t lose her, too. They had to stick together now.
    Christ, Ethan was gone.
    He tipped his chin up, staring at the lights overhead.
    The loss was too new. He couldn’t allow himself to grieve or even process it because they were not yet out of danger. Until he had confirmation Ethan was gone… He couldn’t go there.
    Abigail and Luke were escorted to the first floor and placed in a conference room with only one small window. From the looks of it, this was for staff use only. It lacked the opulence evident in the rest of the hotel.
    A guard remained in the room, his eyes focused on Abigail.
    “Abigail, what’s going on?” His voice sounded weird, but the temporary hearing loss was abating. He needed to know the whole story. Now. So they could make a plan. Figure out a cover story. Something.
    She didn’t look at him. She didn’t speak. She stared out of the small window onto the side street.
    Could she hear him?
    He was just barely beginning to hear again.
    Hell, she might as well be a statue.
    Was she in shock? He couldn’t see her setting that bomb.
    “Abigail, look at me.” He grasped her by the elbow.
    She jerked her arm out of his hand, darting a quick glare his way. She was distancing herself from him. Why?
    “You’re hurt. Let me look at it.” He held up his hands.
    “Don’t,” she said, her tone sharp, her gaze back on the window. “Stay away from me.”
    She had to be in shock. He circled her, searching her face for the signs of concussion, but her eyes were clear and focused. She regarded him with none of the warm familiarity they’d found. In fact, she stared at him like he was the enemy.
    Did she think he was at fault? That he’d set the bomb? Or someone connected to his team was behind this?
    The door opened, and a man in uniform