Rescuing Piper (NCIS Series Book 5) by Zoe Dawson

Author:Zoe Dawson [Dawson, Zoe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blue Moon Creative
Published: 2020-10-15T18:30:00+00:00

Bagram Airfield, Parwan Province, Afghanistan

Austin was at his computer again, running another search for any information on Lieutenant Kaczewski.

He sent sidelong glances in Derrick’s direction. Derrick knew the language. That only added to the mounting evidence in Austin’s book that he’d pegged the reserved special agent and colleague correctly. He had been a spook.

CIA.

As in black ops, the deep state, experienced at assassination, blackmail, instigating coups, torture and even brainwashing. Something about Afghanistan was getting under Derrick’s skin and it wasn’t just the sand. Had something happened to Derrick here, something that had him quitting the Company? Sending him to NCIS? Austin was convinced Derrick had been here before. His gut was never wrong.

“You keep looking at me,” Derrick said without taking his eyes from his own computer. “You have something on your mind?”

“You know the language.”

Derrick sighed. “So. A lot of people know Pashto. What’s your point?”

“That’s not the only language you’ve mastered. You know my point. There are other tells, too.”

“My sports car with the machine guns in the tailpipes?”

Did that sleek car Derrick drove have…damn the man. He sounded completely sincere as usual. “You’re always playing your radio at work, and screw it, but you look like the kind of guy who would fit right in.”

“You know, for a guy who’s so good at hacking, I don’t see much result, surfer boy,” Derrick said.

“Go ahead and try to change the subject by taking potshots at my ego.” Austin smiled when Derrick gave him one of his intense looks. But Austin was sure he liked to keep him off balance. It annoyed Derrick that his attempts never seemed to affect Austin. Surfing was all about balance, and Austin paid his dues and then some.

“Why don’t you tell me about the Marines, especially about that embassy takeover? Weren’t you the hero of the day? Saved the ambassador’s very pretty wife after three days barricaded with her and fighting for your lives. Didn’t they pin a medal on your chest for that?”

“Shut up, Gunn,” Austin growled. Damn him. He’d been rummaging around in Austin’s record. Maybe he wasn’t the only primo hacker here. “How do you know that?”

“You talk in your sleep, Beck.”

Austin’s phone rang, and he answered, “Beck.”

“Hey, this is Amber. I’ve been going through Lieutenant Kaczewski’s file and I found a commendation he received for helping an Afghani man sort out a case of mistaken identity.”

“Okay, how is that relevant?”

“He lives in a village about ten miles from Bagram. Safid Darreh. His name is Raffi Jamal.”

Austin sat up straighter. “Hey, Gunn, Kaczewski saved some villager by the name of Jamal. He lives about ten klicks from here. Safid Darreh.”

“First name?”

“Raffi.”

If Austin didn’t know Derrick as well as he did, he might have missed the imperceptible tightening of his fellow agent’s mouth and the narrowing of his eyes. “Let’s check it out.” He sounded apprehensive, which was another red flag in Austin’s book. Derrick never sounded anxious.

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