Chapter 2 #2
Grover sounded so confident, Sierra wanted to believe him, but she’d also had her hopes dashed way too many times.
Once, she’d heard soldiers speaking in English right outside the house where she’d been stashed in the small town.
She couldn’t scream and risk alerting the guard right outside her room, but still…
she’d sworn she was about to be rescued.
Instead, they’d walked right on by, of course; hadn’t even knocked on the door. It had taken weeks to get over that disappointment, the despair of listening to those voices grow distant, then disappear.
Now, she was much less likely to be optimistic about being rescued.
“We’re gonna find out who Shahzada is and kill him too,” Grover said. “That asshole needs to be stopped. We’re gonna make sure he isn’t around to kidnap anyone else.”
Sierra blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“What do you mean, what do I mean?” Grover asked.
Sierra would’ve laughed at that, but she was too shocked he wasn’t aware of Shahzada’s identity. “Shahzada was here earlier. He was one of the men beating you up.”
Silence met her statement.
“Grover?”
“Which one?” he growled.
“Well, I mean…I didn’t see them beating you, but I heard him.”
“Would you recognize him if you saw his face?” Grover asked.
“Of course. And you would too. You’ve met him, Grover.”
“When?”
“A year ago. On the base. He goes by Muhammad Qahhar there. He’s one of the translators the Army hired.”
“Fuck! I knew it!” Grover swore.
Sierra heard loud thumping sounds coming from the niche next to hers, and she winced. When it was quiet once more, she said, “I thought you knew.”
“No,” Grover said. “I actually didn’t recognize any of the guys beating on me, at least at the time, and no one’s ever been able to describe the man.
He’s been like a ghost. I had a gut feeling that whoever was kidnapping the contractors had to have a connection to the base.
It just made sense. I’m guessing some of the other translators are also a part of his faction. ”
Sierra didn’t say anything. She’d suspected that, but hadn’t recognized anyone else she’d come in contact with while in captivity.
“I’m going to kill him.”
Grover’s words were all the more powerful because of the lack of emotion behind them.
“Okay.”
“I am,” he promised. “Now, talk to me about the schedule around here. Are we going to be interrupted in the middle of the night so they can beat on us?”
Surprisingly, his change of topic seemed to relax Sierra a little.
She told him everything she’d learned over the last several months.
Described which of the men seemed to be less enthusiastic about torturing the prisoners, and who hit the hardest, relished it the most. Explained that when it was just her in the cave, there could be days when she didn’t see or talk to anyone.
She described the meals they brought—when they bothered to feed her—and did her best to share everything she saw as their faults when it came to security.
In return, Grover told her exactly where the caves were located. How far the mountain was from the Army base, and how many men he’d seen guarding the opening as he was brought inside.
They exchanged information for the next hour or so, and Sierra had never felt as valued as she had while they talked.
Grover wasn’t treating her like she was weak or someone to pity.
He praised every scrap of information she offered…
and before long, she felt the tiniest trickle of hope welling deep within her belly.
It was dangerous to her psyche to hope, but she couldn’t help it.
Grover was so sure his team was coming. That they’d both be free soon.
Free.
She’d dreamed of walking out of this cave more times than she could count.
Of sitting on the porch at her parents’ house in Colorado.
Of seeing snow again. Of actually being cold rather than hot all the time.
Though that’s all they ever were—dreams. She was too afraid to believe freedom was just around the corner.
“I swear to you,” Grover said as if he could read her mind. “We’re gonna get out of here. Also, I should probably warn you…I’m gonna want to continue to get to know you when we get back to the States.”
Sierra blinked. Did he just…? “Are you asking me out?” she blurted.
Grover chuckled. It was a bit rusty sounding, but it still sent goose bumps racing down her filthy arms. “Yes.”
“Um…no offense…but…I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Here’s the thing,” Grover replied quietly.
“You intrigued me when I met you the first time, Sierra. And now that I’ve found you, and realize exactly how damn strong you are—you have to be, in order to survive what you have—I’m even more interested.
I have no idea what will happen when we’re back home.
Hell, I don’t even know where you live. But I’m just saying…
I want to continue where we left off a year ago.
We were robbed of the chance to get to know each other, and that pisses me off. ”
Sierra’s heart was pounding in her chest. Grover sounded too good to be real. Then she thought back to her reaction to him when they’d first met…and realized she wasn’t all that surprised by his confidence and assertiveness.
“Fine,” she said, trying to sound as strong as he thought she was. “If we get out of here, I’ll let you take me out on the usual three dates I give any guy before I decide if we’re compatible. But if they suck, all bets are off.”
“Deal,” Grover said immediately.
For a second, Sierra wondered what she’d just agreed to, but he spoke again before she could reconsider.
“And it’s when, not if we get out of here. Where you from, Bean?”
Sierra frowned. “What did you just call me?”
“Shit…um…nothing. Sorry.”
Hearing Grover sound so embarrassed was kind of adorable. “Seriously. What did you say?”
“Bean,” he mumbled. “I just…I considered Flame, because of your spark and your red hair, but Bean just popped out. It’s because…God. It’s because you’re small and cute. Shit! Ignore me.”
Amused, Sierra shook her head. She’d never had a nickname before, and even though Bean sounded a little juvenile, she couldn’t deny she preferred that over Flame. “It’s okay,” she said. “I know you military guys can’t resist giving out nicknames, Grover.”
“At least I got mine because of my last name, not because I resemble the puppet.”
“Are you sure?” Sierra teased.
“Shit, I walked right into that, didn’t I?”
Sierra chuckled—and realized it had been a very long time since she’d laughed about anything.
Even if the worst happened in the next few days, she’d always be grateful to Grover for bringing a bit of levity to her life in this moment.
“My parents live in Colorado. Up in the mountains. They have a big house with an amazing view. I swear I can see for miles and miles. It always felt too remote though. I didn’t like being so far from the hustle and bustle of the city, and the winters…
lord, they’re long and cold. But now that sounds like absolute heaven. ”
“You’re gonna see it again,” Grover promised.
“I always wonder how my parents have been holding up,” Sierra said quietly. “Sometimes I think they have it worse than me. I can’t imagine not knowing what happened to your child. It has to be gut-wrenching.”
“Only you would think your parents have it harder than being an actual prisoner of war,” Grover said. “But you just need to hold out a bit longer, then you can see them for yourself. And…just sayin’…you’re gonna hate being cold.”
“I am?” she asked.
“Yeah. After being here in the desert for so long, even mild temperatures are gonna make you seem as if you’re freezing.
Texas has those same wide-open spaces, and it’s warmer,” he said, almost nonchalantly.
“Not as many mountains, unless you live in the extreme western part of the state, but it’s pretty in its own way. ”
Sierra blinked. Of course, the darkness around her didn’t change, but she had to have misunderstood what Grover was implying…hadn’t she?
“It’s hard to take you on dates when I’m in Killeen and you’re on top of a mountain in Colorado,” he went on.
Sierra had no idea what to say to that.
“Remember Aspen? She was the combat medic attached to the Ranger team when we were here last. She ate with me and my team?”
It took Sierra a moment to get her brain to switch gears. “Oh, yeah, I remember her. Why? Is she okay?”
“Yes, she’s fine. She married Brain. They had a baby boy a couple months ago.”
“Holy shit, really?”
“Yup. She got out of the Army and is working as an EMT for a local ambulance company in Killeen. The other guys all are settled down too. Lucky married my sister, in fact.”
Sierra wasn’t sure what to say to that. “Um…congrats?”
Grover chuckled. “Thanks. All the women are tight. They’re there for each other no matter what’s going on with the team.
You should’ve seen them when Oz’s nephew and niece went missing.
They banded together like nothing I’ve ever seen…
outside of my own team, of course. And when I left to come over here, they were organizing meals for another teammate’s woman, Ember, after she was shot. They’re pretty amazing.”
Sierra understood what Grover was doing. It was…sweet. Though rather unrealistic. “I’m sure I have nothing in common with them,” she said.
“I wouldn’t say that. You already know Aspen. And I think you’d be surprised. Hell, Ember Maxwell is one of the most famous women in the country…if she can fit in, I know you can.”
“Wait, Ember Maxwell? The Ember Maxwell?”
Grover chuckled. “Yup. She and Doc are a couple now. She moved to Killeen and started up a gym for kids to teach them the modern pentathlon sports.”
“Oh shit. I forgot the Olympics happened while I’ve been here. Did she make the team?” Sierra asked.
“Yes. But there was a terrorist incident the evening before she competed, and her shoulder was dislocated.”
“Oh no!”
“Yeah. She still managed to come in fifteenth though.”
“That’s amazing,” Sierra said.
“She reminds me of you.”
“Right.”
“She does. She’s sweet and friendly. She’s tough. She also knows about you, and is worried enough that she posted your picture on her social media account, asked that if anyone had seen you to report it.”
Sierra gasped. “That was her?”
“What do you mean?”
“Not too long ago, my captors were in a tizzy because my picture was suddenly all over the internet. They were afraid someone might say something.”
“Damn! It worked,” Grover said, laughing lightly under his breath.
“I can’t believe Ember Maxwell posted my picture. That she knows who I am.”
“Everyone knows who you are, Bean,” Grover said.
“At least in my circle. They’ve been just as worried about you as I’ve been.
Okay, that’s probably not quite true…but they know.
And care. And they’d do whatever it took to make you feel more comfortable in Texas…
if you decided you might want to make it your home for a while. ”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re not very subtle?” Sierra asked.
“Not trying to be.”
A noise from somewhere in the cave system caught their attention, and when Grover spoke again, his tone was no-nonsense and serious once more. “I can take whatever they dish out,” he told her. “Our only job is to hold on until my team arrives.”
“Okay.”
“Try to get some sleep,” Grover ordered.
Sierra nodded, though of course he couldn’t see her.
Just knowing he was on the other side of the rock wall made her feel so much better.
She had no idea if his team would find them or be able to get them out, but for the first time in ages…
she thought maybe, just maybe, this time would be different.