“I’m not complaining, I’m commenting.” She was on edge, and that remark had suddenly sparked her anger. “And you wouldn’t be barking at me if you weren’t worried that something might go wrong. Yes, you’ve done a good job, but nothing is ever totally without fault. Neither of us expects it to be.” She took a step closer to him and said fiercely, “And I know it’s a question of timing. You’ve drilled it into all of us all day. You’re sending Margaret to show the sharpshooters and the team you’ve designated to take out the sentries their exact locations, but they can’t make a move before your drones attack at the camp. Our two trucks with another team will approach from the west, park in the jungle a mile from the main camp, and wait for the big boom. But we’ll have to wait, too. Because you’re timing the drones to hit Masenak’s troops at exactly one forty-five.” She threw up her hands. “Boom! Presto. No more army. Fire and death raining down from the sky. Smoke to cover us when we go to the prisoner tent to get those girls and take them to the trucks. Then the sharpshooters surrounding the camp will hopefully give us cover fire for the few soldiers left in the camp after your bomb does its work.”

“Not hopefully,” he said sharply. “They know their job and they’ll do it.” He turned to Margaret. “Any complaints from you?”

She shook her head. “Just about your bad temper. But Alisa’s right, you’re only on edge because you know you’re not perfect, and it bugs the hell out of you.” She chuckled. “What a terrible burden when everyone on earth believes you can’t be anything but flawless.” She shrugged. “Though I imagine you might have come pretty close with this plan. It will be clean and unexpected.”

“Thank you,” he said dryly. “I can only try to please you, Margaret.”

“Then you shouldn’t have been an ass to Alisa. She didn’t need that bullshit tonight and you know it.” She turned to Alisa and gave her a quick hug. “I have to go join my team. It’s time for us to start that hike through the jungle. I don’t have the luxury of hopping a ride in a truck to Masenak’s camp like you. I’ll see you and Sasha back here later.”

“Yeah, later. Take care.”

Margaret smiled over her shoulder. “Always. You, too.”

Alisa felt a ripple of trepidation as she watched her friend move toward the forest. Margaret was supposed to be guide, not warrior, but roles and situations changed constantly. Margaret wouldn’t hesitate if she thought Sasha needed her.