Out Of The Night by Geri Foster

Tony is back to his old self in time to secure Joe. He’s been a friend to both of us for many years.” Frank looked away. “If Tony can’t get Joe out of there, you know what he’ll be forced to do.”
    “I know.” Vince rested his head against the back of the chair and stared at the ceiling. “I can’t understand how Mitchell got so careless. With all his years of experience behind him, it would take a complete mastermind to abduct him.”
    “That’s true. But it won’t take much to break him.” He stared at Vince and said what they both already knew, “He’s fifty-seven years old with a bad back and knees ravaged by arthritis.”
    “His last physical didn’t go so well, either. Doc put him on high blood pressure medicine. I doubt he’s getting it,” he said sardonically
    Frank could hardly believe the news when the president had called him about Joe Mitchell’s capture. He immediately put Tony on the case and sent him to Syria where they suspected Mitchell might be hidden. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but according to A.J. and Mac, Tony isn’t doing much better. Somehow the Russians kidnapped him and pumped him full of truth serum. Now, Tony is walking around with an empty head.”
    “It’s temporary, right?”
    Frank shrugged. “We’re hoping.”
    “Isn’t there anything we can do to speed up the process?”
    “Mac’s filling him in today to see if the information jars his memory. Hopefully, he’ll come up with a plan.”
    “I feel in my heart that Tony’s the man for the job. But do you have other agents standing by, just in case?” Vince’s sharp brown eyes gave his tan face a slightly sinister look. He was definitely not a man to mess with. At fifty-five, he was still physically fit enough to stand his own with anyone.
    “I do,” Frank said, nodding. “But I want to make absolutely sure Tony is out of the game before I pull anyone else in. I have Arman and Jake waiting for him in Cairo.”
    “I agree with that. Especially Arman. Isn’t he from Pakistan?”
    “Yes. He’s still familiar with the land, the people, and the customs.”
    Vince straightened. “I had my sources in the Middle East do some checking. They claim there’s nothing anywhere about an American being kidnapped. So, I keep trying to figure out who wants this information so badly they’d resort to capturing a CIA operative.”
    “Lots of radical groups in that area would love to kidnap any American just for the notoriety alone.” Frank looked away. “I want to find out who turned Tony over to the Russians. He was on his way to Syria and nowhere near Russia. So, as a suspicious man, I have to ask, who knew what?”
    Vince rubbed his chin and slowly nodded. “You’re right. I don’t think it’s from my department, but it’s worth looking into.” Vince stood. “You have time for lunch?”
    “You bet.” Frank grabbed his phone off the desk and turned toward the door. “Want to go to that Italian restaurant around the corner ?”
    Frank noticed the determination in Vince’s eyes. He clutched his friend’s shoulder. “It’s going to work out.”
    “I know it will,” Vince said. “If not, I’m resigning.”

 
     
    CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
    Damascus
    Hussein paced his cousin’s apartment frantically. Sweat dripped off his face and soaked the back of his shirt. “Hana is getting nervous. She worries we will be caught by the Americans and punished.”
    “When hasn’t she been nervous? The woman drives a man crazy.” Nadir shoved h is cousin and wished he were a true believer in the destruction of America. A thread of disgust raced thorough him. “You’re just as scared as a woman.”
    “An American CIA agent is behind my house in a cellar.” Hussein thumped his chest. “If I’m caught with him, I am dead and so is my family. We’ve had him sixteen days now. Where is el Jibar?”
    Nadir raised a warning finger. “Do not speak his name. Do you hear me?”
    Hussein lowered his head.