Acquiring Trouble

to get them. If there was one thing Miles really knew how to do it was interrogat e . As the calmness t hat accompanied his anger spread over him, his mind took him back to his last interrogation.
     
    Afghanistan, s ix y ears ago…
     
    The cave was dark. The only light came from a small bulb powered by a generator. "We captured him crossing over from Pakistan. We know he's part of the terror cell that has mad e numerous threats against the W est, but he's not talking. We did find a picture on him though," Lieutena nt Pike informed him.
    "Of who ?" Miles asked as he looked back into the cave at the man handcuffed to a chair in one of the military's secre t safe houses along the border.
    "Mariah Brown, the Secretar y of State's daughter. She's near the Afghanistan and Tajikistan border with her sch ool on an archeological dig." Lieutenant Pike handed him a picture of a pretty blond e -haired girl smiling into the camera.
    "Okay. I'll see what I can do." Miles tapped the photo against his camouflaged cargo pants and headed toward the man. Miles slowed his heart rate and breathi ng. He banked any and all of the emotions he felt as he approached the man . His deadened eyes reflected his dark thoughts . He had found that if terrorists saw any emotion they’d try to play on it. However, if they thought you didn't care i f you died along with them, they'd tell you anything you wanted to know.
    "I want to know everything you know about t his picture," Miles said calmly as he turned the picture for the bearded man to see.
    "Why should I tell you anything ?" h e ask ed in English accompanied by a heavy accent .
    "Because, my government does not recognize that I’m here. I can do whatever I want to you and no one will ever know. Let me be clear on one thing. Look into my eyes as I tell you this." Miles paused and waited for the man to look him square ly in the eye s. "I will kill you if you don’ t cooperate and it won't be quick. Do you believe me?" The man's eyes went wide and he slowly nodded. "Good. Now tell me everything you know about this woman ."
     
    Miles walked back out of th e cave and handed the picture back to Lieutenant Pike. He took a deep breath and blinked to bring himself back from the dark place he went for the job.
    "There's a caravan tomorrow. She'll be there. Cade," Miles said loud enough for his brother to hear and to come over to join them. "Cade and I wil l go secure her. You take him to the base in Afghanistan. Just drop him off gift wrapped at the gate. Our presence here is classified , so I don't want you talking to anyone. Go dressed in local attire. You know the routine.”
    "Yes, Sir." Lieutenant Pike saluted before stepping into a side cavern to change clothes along with ano ther member of the Delta Force.
    "You scare the hell out of me when you do that dead eye thing and you're my brother , " Cade tried to joke as they saddled up their horses. The area was so rocky that horses were the best means of tra vel. They could also avoid check points easier by cutting through the mountains than taking the local roads.
    "I sc are myself too, " Miles whispered as he slipped on a long white Kameez shirt over his uniform and wrapped the patterned scarf around his head. "Let's go rescue this girl."
     
    *      *      *
     
    Miles bounded up the stairs to Morgan's floor. When he found her door he took a deep breath. He banked his emotions, hardened his eyes and swore to himself that he'd make her pay for wh at she had done to his friends.
    He knocked calmly against the door and waited. Nothing. He knocked again, this time a little harder . Nothing. Miles pressed his ear to the door and heard a voice. She was definitely in there, but was ju st refusing to answer the door.
    Miles pulle d out the small leather case from his inside coat pocket. He was going old school to get this door open. Pulling out his pick he inserted it into the manager’s override lock and in short order heard the sound of the lock releasing. He put away the picks and opened the door to Morgan's room.  
    The first thing he saw was the towel on the floor . The second thing he saw was Morgan's back to him. Her black hair was wet and skimmed her naked shoulder blades as she slid into a pair of dark purple lace panties that sat low on her hips. A small black tattoo of a horse was low on her back and drew his eye instantly. She wiggled her hips and broke out in song . It was then he saw the small white buds in her ears as she