His eyebrow shot up. “Do you know how to cook?”

She glared at him. “I’m a perfectly good cook. I’ve been polite not wanting to get in your way. I’ve noticed you have a tendency to be territorial.”

Before he could reply, the radio crackled again. Rio spun around and rushed across the room to snatch it up. There was a moment of silence. “It’s a go. We’ve got a go.” There was more static and words Rachael couldn’t catch.

“What are they saying?”

“I’m listening to them talking to one another. They’re going in to get out the victims. They’ll have to go in like ghosts. With one, it’s more a grab and get out, but you’re talking several victims. There’s bound to be one that panics and that’s what makes it so dangerous.”

“What happens if someone panics?” She could feel the tension in the room rising. Rio paced back and forth with quick restless steps. She watched him from the safety of the bed. He seemed to flow across the floor, every bit as graceful and fluid as a jungle cat. And just as caged there in the house with her.

Rio paused beside his rifle, slid his hand over the barrel. “This is where it could get bad. Conner better be watching out for them,” he said in a low tone, almost to himself.

“This Conner is doing your job, is that it? What exactly do you usually do?”

“I protect them. I can hit a bird on a wing in a high wind. So I lay up above them where I can sight the entire camp and I keep the bandits off of them. I provide cover fire and lay it down thick when they retreat. We scatter, each man assigned a job, taking the victims into the forest. Drake usually gets them to the helicopter while the rest of the team goes in every direction. I draw the bandits after me. I provide heavy fire and keep them busy and following me until I hear from each team member they are safe and we can stand down.”

“The bandits chase you through the forest.”

He grinned at her, a small, mischievous little boy grin. “Several forests. There aren’t any such things as borders or rivers or places we can’t go. We do have to be a little careful in their territory. They’re like rats, they go underground in their maze of tunnels in the fields. That’s why we lead them into the forest. We scatter, the men change form and I’m the bandit’s only hope of retribution.”

She was furious all over again at the elders. So much so that she balled the pillow into her hand and threw it against the wall in a small fit of temper. “They take advantage of you, Rio. You’re risking your life to help them get away.”