"Jaz, don't fight. McG, get up here." Amir's voice rolled low and certain over the com link as he flew up the stairs. Jaz fought to obey while every instinct promised regret if she complied. Startled, she heard his voice again. This time not in her ear, but from down the hall shouting in Arabic that he'd found her as McG exited the stairway door.

An enraged Amir stomped toward the hotel guards spewing curses at Jaz. He broke the tirade and fiercely motioned McG to take her even while he thanked the soldiers in smooth Persian. Recognition broke through her confusion as Jaz began to cry and beg for his forgiveness. McG wrestled her from the men just as Amir struck her face, knocking her to the floor. She forced herself to remain face down, shakily covering her head and neck, begging for her life. McG used his own angry disapproval to their advantage. He snatched Jaz to her feet, pulling her protectively close as Amir nodded to the guards, unconcerned with their suspicion, and turned to leave.

The man closest to Amir reached out his hand to stop them. He spoke graciously but demanded the girl stay. Amir spat that Jaz was his wife as he stepped backward, jerking himself away from the man while accusing her of sneaking out to an affair. McG matched the movement, pulling Jaz with him, and the group inched closer to the stairs. Countering that a woman matching Jaz's description just murdered an important official upstairs, the man matched Amir's step effectively narrowing the gap.

Undeterred, Amir glared at Jaz and icily asked the guard to confirm his wife was a spy. When the man offered no reply, Amir motioned to McG and defiantly walked toward the stairs demanding he be allowed to publicly turn her over to a commanding officer himself.

Leaving the guard on his radio, Amir whispered, "Okay Top, be ready. Moving to the lobby." McG drug a visibly frightened Jaz behind Amir until he approached an officer near the front door.

The team heard Hossein caution the security chief was heading back to the lobby when McG and Jaz saw Preach drive past the front entrance. They suddenly blitzed through the front door catching the attention of everyone in the room. Amir let the crowd of soldiers carry him out of the hotel. Safely concealed by the commotion, he rounded the street corner and ran hard to reach the car.

Dalton's eyes widened as Jaz slid across the back seat to the window. "What happened?" He barked as McG slid close to Jaz making room for Amir. "Amir hit her," the medic answered reaching for his pack.

"Amir what?! Dalton bellowed trying to turn around as the last man slid into the car.

"I hit her," Amir answered, his voice laced with concern, "harder than I wanted to. Jaz, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," She answered.

"You knocked the shit out of her, man", McG complained digging through his bag and pulling out an instant cold pack.

"I said I'm fine." Jaz insisted, "Top, how are we getting out of here?"

"Working on it."

Amir clasped his hands behind his neck and looked at the floor in response to the evident annoyance in the team leader's voice.

"Here, let me see it," McG's tone turned tender as he broke open the compress.

"It's not that bad." Jaz turned her cheek away, but not before Preach saw fear overtake her mouthy bravado in the mirror.

"Jaz, let him check it." Dalton ground out louder than necessary eliciting a raised eyebrow from Preach.

Jaz silently turned her head so McG could prod the quickly darkening bruise with his fingertips. Her eyes pleading for mercy, Joe shifted so that no one could see her melt into his palm as he tilted her head and carefully watched her eyes for pain.

"Doesn't feel like it's broken but it's hard to tell with all the swelling. Keep this on it," he directed. "Top, she needs an x-ray."

Preach watched the stare down between Jaz and McG in the mirror before glancing sideways at the way Dalton's fists clinched in his lap while He listened to instructions from DC. Preach casually turned left as instructed and looked back to see Amir holding his jaw tight and his gaze steady.