She looked up at him, her face streaked with tears and once more with blood that was not hers. “Thank you,” she said, then released her father and threw her arms around him. “I knew you’d come.”

He helped her to her feet but didn’t let her go. The feel of her in his arms was too perfect to just relinquish right away.

Four Secret Service agents ran into the room and straight to the vice president. Two of them stood behind him, and the other two moved a little farther back and into the crowd of people.

Vice President Myers held out his hand. “Captain,” he said, “thank you. How did you know to come?”

Rick squeezed Cynthia close. “Your daughter called me, sir.”

With a quizzical look, the vice president asked her, “How?”

“The waiter out in the ballroom had the Chukuwereije scar on his wrist,” Cynthia said. “At least, I saw the edge of it and thought that’s what it was. So I wanted to call Rick—I mean, Captain Norton—but didn’t because I thought I was being paranoid. You know, kind of a post-reaction to everything happening.”

He raised his eyebrows. “And?”

“And I watched the waitstaff really closely. I kept waiting for one of them to, I guess, do what they did. I kept my phone in my lap and had Rick’s number ready.”

Rick was so proud of Cynthia’s insight and the way she’d trusted her instincts. As much as he didn’t want to, he reluctantly let her go and looked down at her. The shadows in her eyes had started to dim. She looked more in control, less terrified. “You going to be okay?” he asked gently.

She gave a closed-lip smile and brushed at his uniform jacket. “I am now.”

President Akinjide approached. “Mr. Myers, I cannot express my horror over what happened tonight,” he said. “I feel like apologies will never be enough.”

The vice president held out his hand. “None required, Mr. President. I’m thankful for the quick response of my team here.”

“As am I, sir. As am I.” He turned to Rick. “We owe you and your team our lives.”

Rick didn’t know how to respond. He didn’t often come face-to-face with presidents of countries where he’d been assigned. “We’re thankful for the quick thinking of Doctor Myers that allowed us to respond quickly.”

The door burst open, and the members of the press corps descended.

Rick spoke into his mic. “Exfiltrate through the kitchen. Try to keep from getting your face photographed on the way out.” He looked at the vice president. “We can’t be here with the press, sir. With your permission, I’ll get my men back to the embassy.”

The vice president nodded and rubbed Cynthia’s shoulders before he turned toward the group crossing the room.

Chapter
Eighteen