Risk and Rebel's Guide Book

OPEN > EXCERPT

CAIRO, EGYPT

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Jaguar was always pretty smiles and dazzling eyes. She'd never had a problem talking her way into or out of a situation -- a sweet smile here, a fleeting touch there, and she'd have them. There was no going back.

Yet for all her wiles, there was only so much Jaguar could do when an espionage assignment took a turn for the worst. It wasn't as though her training was inadequate -- she was extremely skilled -- nor was she incapable as an individual. It just happened that one individual faced with two dozen men who were involved in a smuggling scheme couldn't do very much alone. Not when all two dozen men were armed and staring her down simultaneously, at least. Had she had the time to go through them individually, even take them two or three at a time ... she could've dealt with the situation without a problem. 

But sometimes, missions went south.

Jaguar was expecting this to be an assignment where she'd have to signal for the emergency backup that Boss kept on hand. She figured she'd have to suffer through her entire op having an intervention, not to even mention the lecture she'd get from Boss upon her return to headquarters.

But then, the scene changed.

Jaguar was about to make a coy remark, call in the cavalry, when out of the shadows stepped a familiar figure. With strong shoulders and a wicked gleam in her dark brown eyes, Open emerged from where she had been watching the entire ordeal. Never really one to take the secretive route in any assignment, she'd been having a hard time sticking to the background while Jaguar worked her magic. But, as Boss had anticipated, Jaguar's magic could only go so far in this situation.

That was why he sent Open. Because if anyone could handle an entire mob of angry smugglers, it was her. 

No sooner had she made her presence known than did many of the weapons twist toward her, their wielders confused at this appearance of a second female. Jaguar couldn't stop the smile that tugged at her lips as it fully registered who had been sent to help her. 

"Don't mind me," Open remarked calmly. In spite of the devious look that had settled into her eyes, her face remained otherwise apathetic. Even as she strode toward the men, the fingers of one calloused hand moving in a manner that Jaguar recognized well.

Each of the weapons held by the smugglers followed the maneuvers of Open's fingers, first removing themselves from the hands that held them, then twisting so that the muzzle was pressed firmly to the men's foreheads. It happened so quickly, none of the smugglers had the chance to fight back -- they had been too surprised by the fact that their weapons were moving as though they had minds of their own.

Open hummed as eyes grew wide and hands began to tremble. She twisted gracefully on one heel to look at Jaguar. "I was told to look after you," she informed her fellow LASAR agent in a calm and even voice. "The rest of the assignment is yours."

"You mean now that I'm not in immediate threat of dying?" Jaguar said, arching a brow at the levelheaded Mongolian before her.

Open gave a dismissive shrug. "As I said: I was told to look after you." She gave a gentle wave over her shoulder. "They mean nothing to me. Though their array of weaponry is fascinating. I suppose that's to be expected, since they're smugglers."

"I suppose so," Jaguar agreed with a touch of sarcasm, looking past Open at the men. "You know, typically I do better at this."

Open gave a small smile. "I am afraid that they were tipped off as to the real reason for your presence."

Jaguar's brows furrowed immediately. "Tipped off by who?"

Open gave another passive shrug. "I handled it." The way her eyes darkened and hardened told the rest of the story. She nodded toward the smugglers once more, "Let's do what you came here to do. I'm not a fan of all of the ... sand."

Jaguar snorted at that, yet still bypassed Open so that she could finish the assignment.