A man answered. His eyes widened, and he reached for her hands. “Please, Sunny, come in.”
Sunny climbed the steps into the motorhome.
Dash remained on the ground.
She turned. “You, too. You heard the base commander. I’m not allowed to go anywhere without you.”
He nodded and followed her into the unit. Inside, the motorhome was set up like a small apartment with a fully-equipped kitchen, a comfortable living room and hallway, leading to the rear where Dash assumed was a bathroom and bedroom.
“Lloyd, this is Dash—or rather, Ryan Hayes.” She gave him a crooked smile. “The base commander assigned him to me as an addition to my security detail.” She turned to Dash. “This is Lloyd Pendleton, the USO coordinator for this tour.”
Lloyd frowned. “I don’t understand. You already have four bodyguards.”
Her lips firmed. “And yet, someone was able to get past them to bag me and carry me off without one of them noticing. If not for Dash, who knows where I’d be right now?”
Lloyd held out his hand to Dash, his eyes narrowing. “Hayes.” He gave a brief nod. “What qualifications do you have to make you a better fit to provide for Miss Daye’s safety than her four bodyguards?”
Dash took the man’s hand in a brief, yet bone-crunching shake. “Sir, bodyguards in the States might be sufficient. However, in this theater of operations, you might be dealing with the Taliban, indigenous people who will do anything for money to feed their families and mercenary contractors, who would rather steal money from the government than do the right thing. Stateside bodyguards might not be as effective against them.”
“And you will be?” Lloyd challenged, tugging on his hand.
“I’ll do my best, sir.” Dash released the man.
“Good.” Lloyd rubbed his right hand with his left. “Miss Daye is our main attraction. I’d hate to lose her.”
“And I’d hate to disappoint the troops,” Sunny added. “They work hard. They deserve a little entertainment.”
Lloyd faced Sunny. “Are you sure you want to continue this tour? Even though you’re the main attraction, if it’s not safe, maybe we should put you on the first plane home.”
Sunny was already shaking her head. “I signed on, knowing the risks. The least I can do is see it through. There are a lot of troops out there who’ve risked their lives for us. I’m not going to leave at the first sign of trouble. They don’t have that option.”
“Yeah, but is it worth risking your life when you’re an actual target?” Lloyd asked. “This isn’t the first sign of trouble.”
“I know,” she said.
“Hell, you had just barely gotten off the plane in Kabul when someone tried to snag you.” Lloyd shook his head. “It was a good thing you had the wherewithal to clobber the guy with your carryon bag.” Lloyd grinned. “I’d have given my full month’s salary to have seen that.”
“Sir,” Dash interrupted, “would it be better to fly Miss Daye to her next location? Traveling by road in Afghanistan is iffy at best, dangerous at its worst.”
Lloyd’s grin sobered. “I understand, but we don’t have it in our budget to fly our people around. Besides, the Army is providing a security detail for our convoy.”
“And you think it’s sufficient?” Dash asked.
“So far.” Lloyd glanced at Sunny. “She was attacked here in the compound. I’d say the security on the base is lax if someone was able to get inside and grab Miss Daye.”
“I can’t argue with you there,” Dash said.
Again, Lloyd glanced toward Sunny then nodded toward the door. “Miss Daye, you might want to get some sleep in what’s left of the night. We leave first thing in the morning.
He nodded toward Dash. “In the meantime, where do you want him to sleep?”
“I don’t need sleep,” Dash said.
“You’ll need it if you want to keep up with Miss Daye.” Lloyd walked with Sunny and Dash to the door.
“One other thing,” Sunny said.
“Yes, Miss Daye.”
“The Deltas brought in a truckload of women and children who’d been targeted for human trafficking. They were being auctioned as the Deltas closed in on them. Are there any blankets or pillows we can spare to give to those poor women and children. They have nothing but the clothes on their backs. They need somewhere safe and warm to sleep while they’re waiting to be reunited with their families.”
“I’m sure we can come up with some items,” Llyod said. “I think there are spare blankets and pillows in the closets. Let’s check it out. I’m sure I have two blankets and some pillows in my unit. We can check with the other trailers and see what we can find.”
Sunny glanced down at the outfit she’d performed in. “I need to grab something from my quarters before I go.”
Dash and her bodyguards, followed Sunny to her motorhome and waited outside while she threw a loose cape over her shoulders that covered her from neck to toe, hiding her sequined miniskirt and sparkly tank top.
In the next fifteen minutes, Lloyd, Sunny, Dash and the bodyguards knocked on the motorhomes, woke their occupants and collected eleven blankets and as many pillows.
“Well deliver these to the refugees,” Lloyd said.
Sunny shook her head. “I’m going with you,” she said. “I can’t imagine what those women and children felt like. I was lucky. I wasn’t taken far from familiar surroundings. Dash saved me before I was subjected to the humiliation of being auctioned.”
“I’m not sure they’ll let you into the tent,” Dash said.
Sunny’s lips thinned. “Whether or not they let us in, we’re carrying these items to those people. I’m sure they need whatever comfort they can get.”
Dash crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. “As you wish.”
“Let me get the camera crew,” Lloyd said. “This would be a good opportunity to get some PR.”
“I don’t need the PR,” Sunny said. “I just want to help those women and children.”
“I understand,” Lloyd said. “But the USO could use the PR. So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to record you helping the people of Afghanistan. If we get footage of the troops assisting as well, then all the better. Good PR all around.”
Sunny sighed. “All right. I’ll agree with that. But I’d rather have more video of the troops helping out than me.”
Lloyd grinned. “Deal.”
With her arms filled with blankets and pillows, Sunny Daye marched across the compound to the tent that had been erected for the victims who’d been rescued earlier.
Dash followed, carrying blankets and pillows as well. He didn’t like that his hands were full. He’d have to drop everything, if he had a need to pull his rifle up to firing position or grab his handgun from the holster at his side. But the woman he was protecting had insisted that they help others. He admired her dedication to serve and assist those in need.
A perimeter had been set up around the tent with soldiers stationed in a circle, ten yards out with fifty feet between each. They were there to protect the women from intruders and to keep the women and children confined to their tent and the immediate vicinity.