Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
“Good morning!” a man’s harsh voice called out.
Josie woke with a start but didn’t move from her position on the floor. She opened her eyes to see the man, Nate, in the cell next to hers being hauled to his feet by three other men. This was the third day he’d been there, and every day he’d been dragged away and returned hours later, bloody and beaten to hell.
But this time was different. There was a man who spoke English. And instead of dragging Nate away to torture him, someone brought in a chair and plunked it down in the middle of his cell. They forced Nate to sit, and then began beating him right there.
Josie wanted to close her eyes. She didn’t want to watch, but somehow she couldn’t seem to tear her gaze away from what was happening. The man began to question Nate in English, wanting to know exactly what the US government knew about his organization. What other groups the US was targeting.
But Nate didn’t speak, simply took whatever this man and his lackeys dished out.
The man speaking English—clearly a leader of some kind—got more and more frustrated. Eventually he lifted a foot and kicked Nate in the side, and he toppled over onto the floor like a sack of potatoes. He was facing Josie, and seeing the blood oozing out of his nose and from numerous cuts on his body made a growl escape from deep within her gut.
She wanted to cry out. To beg the men to stop, to leave Nate alone.
But all she could muster was that deep, hateful growl.
The terrorist leader didn’t even turn her way. He hovered over Nate and stared down at him with a look so terrifying, so full of anticipation, it made Josie’s skin crawl. This wasn’t a man to cross, and Nate had done just that simply by remaining silent.
“That all you got?” he mumbled from his vulnerable position on the floor.
“You think you’re tough?” the leader asked. “Big tough US soldier? We’ll see how you feel tomorrow when we increase our techniques to make you talk.”
“Waterboarding? Oh good. I am a bit thirsty,” Nate taunted. “Your people seem to have forgotten to bring me any sustenance. I’ve come to enjoy Damavand water. It’s produced right here in Iran, right? Delicious.”
Josie could see the leader’s lips turn down in a furious scowl. She wanted to tell Nate not to antagonize the man. For someone who claimed he didn’t talk much, he certainly couldn’t seem to keep his mouth shut at the moment.
“You want to be waterboarded? We can accommodate you,” he said, before his leg swung back and he aimed his boot at Nate’s head.
This time, Josie hissed. She couldn’t stop herself. But thankfully, Nate jerked his head back at the last second, and the man’s boot only grazed his temple.
The leader said something in his language to the other men, and they filed out of the cell, taking the chair with them and leaving Nate lying in the middle of the floor. His hands were still shackled and attached to his ankles, and he looked…broken.
For the first time in weeks, since the first days of her captivity, tears dripped down Josie’s cheeks.
At the last moment, before he left the room, the leader turned and looked directly at her. Josie froze. Having someone notice her was something she both yearned for and dreaded.
He asked one of the other men something as he gestured toward her with his thumb. The other man responded with a shrug. The leader barked out what sounded like an order, then she was once again alone with Nate.
Shivering—Josie didn’t like the look in the leader’s eye as he left—she used her fingers to wipe her cheeks of the lingering tears. She was probably smearing dirt from her hands to her face, but what did it matter? She was so dirty, she didn’t even think about what she looked like anymore.
Glancing over at Nate, she saw he hadn’t moved. Was still lying on his side, each breath he managed looking labored and painful.
She opened her mouth to say his name, to ask if he was all right, but nothing came out. It was stupid anyway; of course he wasn’t all right. Josie had no idea what to do. But the truth was, she couldn’t do anything to help him. They were both in big trouble, she knew that down to the marrow of her bones.
But then it occurred to her—something she could do to help Nate.
Turning, she looked at the cup of water at the corner of her cell. Nate had to be terribly dehydrated. Thirsty. He’d said as much to the leader guy. No one had brought him any water or food since he’d arrived. And he’d been beaten every day.
Her mouth felt as dry as cotton, her lips were cracked and bleeding from lack of moisture. But Nate was worse off.
Moving carefully, Josie picked up her precious cup and slowly scooted across her cell floor. This was the first time since Nate had arrived that she’d moved away from the wall she considered her safe base. But he was hurting. He needed this more than she did.
Nate must have heard her moving, because his eyes opened and he watched her scoot toward him.
“I’m okay,” he slurred. “Piece of cake. Those assholes hit like girls. Wait, that was rude, I know some women who hit pretty damn hard. I’m not gonna break, if you were worried.”
Josie kept her gaze on his as she approached. He was lying about three feet away from the bars that separated their cells. She carefully placed the nearly full cup of water on the floor and pushed it toward him.
Nate frowned. “What’s that, Spirit? ”
He’d started calling her that the day before, because even though she’d obviously been through hell, he could see her spirit shining through her eyes, refusing to give up. At least, that’s what he claimed. He’d said he needed to call her something , and since he didn’t know her name, that would work until she felt safe enough to share her real name with him.
But it wasn’t a matter of feeling safe or not. It was that she literally couldn’t speak. For whatever reason, every time she opened her mouth, no sound came out. A psychologist would probably have a field day analyzing her and coming up with all the reasons why she couldn’t talk, but at the moment, it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but making sure this man lived. And he needed water to do that. And that was something she could give him.
She nodded at the cup, but Nate didn’t even look at it, his gaze locked on hers.
He spoke again, but this time his words were barely a whisper. “They’re coming, Spirit. It won’t be long now, we just have to hold on until they get here.”
Josie gaped at him, equally surprised by his words…and the swift anger they caused inside her. How dare he try to raise her hopes! Insist that some mysterious rescue team would just swoop in and take them out of here.
Brows furrowing, she impatiently pointed at the cup of water. But Nate’s gaze didn’t leave hers.
“I’m a SEAL,” he told her. “I can take whatever they dish out. It’s only a matter of time.”
She didn’t want to listen to what he was saying anymore. She leaned forward, stuck a hand through the bars and pushed the cup closer. When he still didn’t look away from her, she growled, then lay on the floor to push the cup as close to him as she could manage.
It wasn’t until it was practically under his nose that Nate finally glanced down. One of his brows lifted. “Water?” he asked, as if not believing what he was seeing.
Josie nodded, but his gaze was fixed on the cup. He licked his lips, probably unconsciously. Then he finally tore his gaze from the water and looked back at her.
“Where did you get that?” he whispered, almost in awe. She pointed at the corner of the room. He probably couldn’t see the water dripping there, but he nodded anyway. Then he said, “I can’t take this. You need it.”
Josie huffed out an exasperated breath.
“I can hear your exasperation with me even in that small sound. I still can’t take your water,” he told her.
But she was done with his martyr act. She wanted to tell him that she’d had her usual cupful a couple days ago. That she could go another day or two without. But he couldn’t. He needed the liquid so he could stay strong.
Instead, all that came out was a small hiss.
Annoyingly, Nate smiled at her. “You’re like a small kitten, hissing in irritation.”
Josie wrinkled her nose.
“Sorry, probably not the best way to describe you if I want to stay on your good side. Are you absolutely sure?” he asked, still not reaching for the cup.
Josie gave him a small nod.
“Thank you,” he said simply, as he did his best to sit up, then reached for the cup with both hands. He couldn’t move far, not shackled the way he was, but he managed to bring the cup to his lips. Josie watched as he closed his eyes when the first drops of water hit his lips. He didn’t guzzle the liquid as she expected him to, as she’d done the first time she’d gotten enough to drink. Instead, he savored it, every swallow treated as if it was pure gold he was ingesting.
When the cup was empty, he placed it back on the ground and slid it toward her. His intense blue gaze met her own. “I will never forget this,” he said solemnly. “It hasn’t escaped my notice that you haven’t been given anything to eat or drink since I’ve been here either. For you to give me the water that you so desperately need…” His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath, then winced. “Ouch,” he joked. “Need to remember not to do that again.
“Sharing your water with me,” he went on in that low, serious tone. “I’ve never had anyone do anything so selfless for me before.”
Josie wanted to tell him it wasn’t that big of a deal, but deep down, she knew it was. She would suffer for her good deed. But this man was suffering more than she was. At least she wasn’t the recipient of their captors’ ire.
Reaching forward and snatching the cup back through the bars, she quickly scooted over to her spot against the wall. She carefully placed the cup back under the drip, and the first tinny sound of water hitting the bottom soothed her. For her, it was the sound of life. Literally.
Groaning, Nate eased to the floor and onto his back. “Fuck,” he muttered.
Josie couldn’t help but smile. That was the first word she’d ever heard him say, and she felt a little nostalgic about it already. Which was stupid, but then again, this wasn’t a normal situation.
Nate began to talk again, and Josie wanted to tell him to hush, to save his strength, but she couldn’t deny that his voice soothed her. Made her feel not so alone. Gave her more of that dreaded hope. Even if hope was dangerous for a woman in her situation. A nobody. Forgotten, thrown away to rot.
Having Nate there, sharing her miserable existence if only for a few days, was a boon she never expected nor thought she deserved.
If there was anything she could do to help him, she would. Without reservation. Her body was giving out. She was well aware that she couldn’t go indefinitely without food. Having water was keeping her alive, but eventually her organs would fail. One day, the captors would come in and find her rotting corpse. It was a morbid thought, but nothing much fazed her anymore.
But before she died, if she had the opportunity, she’d do what she could to help Nate.
Blink’s mind spun. What he’d just experienced…it was humbling. Spirit was slowly starving to death. It wasn’t hard to see. And yet, she’d still given up the only thing she had to sustain her life. To him .
He’d tried to tell her that help would be here soon, but he could see his words simply upset her. He still believed down to his soul that help was coming. Enough time had gone by to put together a plan for a rescue mission. He’d participated in more than his share during his time as a SEAL to know how they worked.
He was still thirsty, but that cup of water had given him new life. He could literally feel his cells soaking up the liquid. He would’ve been okay for another couple of days, but the fact that she’d given up something she so desperately needed hit him in a way nothing ever had.
As he lay there, contemplating how big her sacrifice really was, Blink heard a sound that was completely out of place for his situation.
Forcing himself to sit up, he stared at the wall where the sound was coming from.
He gasped at what he saw. To many people, it would look like an alien tentacle or something equally as foreign, but he knew exactly what it was.
He grinned and waved at the thing like a total dork.
It disappeared in an instant, but Blink wasn’t alarmed.
Within seconds, a small black earplug was shoved through the hole, falling onto the floor. Suppressing a groan, Blink scooted on his ass, moving closer to the wall. He leaned against it as he placed the earpiece into his ear.
“Hey, Blink! How the hell are ya?”
“Flash? Is that you?” he asked in a voice so low, it was almost a whisper. But he had no doubt his teammate would hear him. The technology in the radio receiver was that good.
“It’s me,” Flash reassured him. “You done with your little vacation yet? Want a ride home?”
“Fuck yes,” he said, relief swamping through his body.
“Right. Saw the jewelry you’re wearing, and we’ll have to get that off first thing. But we’re gonna make a hole into your cell, pull your ass out, then head off into the night. The natives are restless, so we’re gonna try to do this quietly. Got you a nice disguise to put on and with any luck, we’ll get to the taxi stand without attention.”
Blink frowned, and his gaze immediately went to the woman in the cell next to him. “Got a friend,” he told Flash.
There was silence for a moment. “Shit. All right. Where?”
“Ten feet to my right.”
He wasn’t surprised when the fiberoptic camera at the end of the fiberscope returned through the tiny hole and was pointed toward the other cell.
“Intel?” Flash demanded.
“Not much. Small, under five feet. No shoes or appropriate clothing. I’m not leaving her.”
“Roger. This changes plans. Can you hold on a few more hours?”
Blink would hold on as long as it took for Spirit to be rescued alongside him. “Yes.” He wouldn’t think about the torture his captors had in store for him. He’d take whatever they wanted to dish out if it meant getting out of this hellhole.
“All right, we’ll be back. Be ready.”
“I was born ready,” Blink told his teammate.
There was a pause, then Flash snorted. “Are you sure you’re Blink? You’re awfully talkative.”
“Just get us the hell out of here,” he told his friend. “We’ll be ready.”
“Roger.”
Then the camera disappeared through the hole once more, and Blink knew his friend was gone. He looked over at the woman.
And just as he thought, her eyes were open and she was staring at him from her spot along the far wall. Moving painfully, Blink scooted toward the bars separating their cells. He spoke in a low, even tone. “That was my team. They’ll be back tomorrow to get us out. Don’t know the plan yet, but all we have to do is go with the flow. Do you think you can walk?”
Her serious eyes bore into his own, but she didn’t respond. Didn’t move. He didn’t think she was even breathing.
“It’s okay if you can’t. You’re tiny. I can carry you easily enough.”
She finally moved, lifting her foot and pointing to it.
Blink was thrilled she was communicating with him. It was surprisingly easy to have a “conversation” with her, even without her saying a word. “My team will take care of shoes and clothes for us both.”
Her gaze went from him, to the door of their prison, then back to him.
“They’re devising a new plan, but whatever it is, it’ll work. I trust them with our lives, Spirit.”
She frowned and looked toward the door once more, then back at him. She curled her fingers into a fist and swung it in the air.
“Oh, them? It’s fine. They aren’t going to kill me. I’m too valuable.”
The woman growled deep in her throat once more. As if arguing with him.
“Did you hear me? Talking to my teammate?” he asked .
Her chin dipped.
“I could’ve left tonight. They were ready to implement their plan. But I’m not leaving without you. I can take whatever that asshole wants to do to me, but what I can’t take is knowing you’re still here while I’m free. Not happening, Spirit. So tomorrow, I’ll deal with whatever they have in store for me, then we’ll get the fuck out of here. Okay?”
Her eyes were big in her face as she simply stared at him.
“Right. I need you to take this,” Blink said as he reached into his ear and took out the tiny receiver. “I can’t have it in my ear when they come to beat on me some more. They’ll find it, and then we’ll really be in a world of hurt. Put it in, and if you hear my team talking, let me know. I realize you can’t talk back to them, but if you tap on it, they’ll hear and know we’ve got ears, even if we can’t respond.”
The woman didn’t move. Her gaze went from his to the receiver in his hand, but she made no attempt to come toward him.
Internally sighing, he wished he could touch this woman just once. Reassure her that they really were going to be rescued from this prison. But he had no idea what she’d been through. It was possible being touched was the last thing she wanted from anyone.
Thoughts of this tiny woman being at the mercy of the assholes who’d been beating on him for the last few days made a red haze descend over Blink’s vision. But he forced himself to stay calm. She needed him in control, not out of his mind with anger.
He reached between the bars and placed the small receiver that looked like a little earplug on the floor. She couldn’t know how hard it was for him to give up the connection to his team. For a SEAL, communication was everything. And being in the dark about the plan made his skin crawl, but it couldn’t be helped. If his captors discovered the device, he was as good as dead. And it would suck to be killed right before a rescue.
Blink moved away from the bars and lay down on his back once more. The position took some of the pressure off his aching ribs. He didn’t know how much longer he had before the assholes came back to torture him some more. But he’d be ready. He had no choice.