guys only to have some politician let them go.
“We have evidence that a group led by Anas is behind a recent attempted attack on Fatima Gailani, one of the negotiators representing the government side opposite the Taliban. There’s concerns they’ll try again in advance of the peace talks in Doha.”
“The same peace talks Anas is participating in on the Taliban side?” Pops’ brows rose.
The commander nodded. “Anas claims he’s a poet. An informant interviewed about the Gailani attack says otherwise.”
“Why attack Gailani?” Jack asked.
Zig snorted. “She’s a woman. The Taliban will probably think that’s reason enough.”
The commander tipped his head. “There’s some truth to that. Most likely Anas wants to disrupt the peace talks. But he doesn’t have the exclusive on wanting to harm her. Her father was one of the leaders of the mujahedeen guerrillas. She took over as spokesperson during the end of the conflict with the Soviets in the eighties. Many of the guerrillas did not share her father’s moderate views. Given the reason attempt on her life, she’s obviously still a target. That’s the bad news.”
“Is there good news?” Gage asked.
“There is.” The commander nodded. “We have solid intel as to where Anas is right now and where he’ll be until he travels to Qatar.”
And with that, he had his answer of what Haqqani was up to and most likely where he’d be heading with the team.
“Afghanistan should be lovely this time of year,” Joker mumbled, apparently making the same assumption as Brian.
“Wheels up at seventeen-thirty. You’ll be briefed on the details on the transport,” the commander wrapped up.
Team leader Bear Black hopped down from the desk he’d been sitting on. “You heard him, boys. Get your shit together. We’re heading out.”
Funny how things worked out. He had been thinking how he wanted some action and now it looked as if they were going to get it.
Perfect. A mission was exactly what he needed to clear his head of his fake girlfriend and his very real emotional hangover.
Liam glanced his way as they funneled out of the room and into the hallway that would lead them to the cages where they stored their equipment. “Don’t forget to call the new girlfriend before we leave.”
He narrowed his eyes at his friend. “I’m going to guess that you’re so worried about me and my relationship because you have no hope of getting one of your own, so I’ll let you sticking your nose in my business go this time.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Liam rolled his eyes and walked on ahead. But the comment had brought up a good point.
Should he call, or even text Alicia before he left? He wasn’t sure. It was a tough call to make.
Theirs was a confusing situation. Business partners—as she’d put it—who’d fucked a couple of times. More than a couple of times actually.
As her partner in this fake relationship, he should let her know he’d be out of town for a while, in case some event came up.
But then again, she already had a plan to lie to her sister about his being deployed so it wouldn’t matter whether he was in Coronado or not.
All the swirling thoughts dominating his mind did was prove one thing—nothing about dating, even fake dating, was simple. And Alicia was going to be very hard to forget.
Worse, he was starting to realize something—he didn’t want to forget her.
Shaking that thought from his head, he shoved away all of his confusion and feelings about this relationship shit. It was time to focus on the op.
He’d figure out his personal life later. After they stopped any nefarious plans Anas had, saved Fatima Gailani’s life, and secured the safety of the Afghan peace talks.
No problem.
TWENTY-ONE
“Guess what?” Shelly asked, sounding excited.
“I couldn’t even begin to guess.”
“I got out of work early.”
Alicia laughed. “Good thing you told me because I never would have guessed that.”
“I know. Saturday off and now out of work before sunset. I’m on a roll. So let’s go to McP’s and make up for lost time. Do you have plans already?”
“Pfft.” She blew out a breath. “What plans would I have?”
She pretty much had no social life except for the occasional girl’s night out with Shelly.
“Let’s see. You could be going to your sister’s house. You could have another date with your Navy man.”
“Fake date,” she corrected, trying not to remember the feel of Brian on top of her so very recently.
“Real sex,” Shelly reminded.
“Which is not going to happen again,” Alicia added.
“Whatever,” Shelly said, dismissing the very crucial