Page 47 of Faron
A bullet ripped across my side, searing heat along my ribs. Cyclone took a hit near the temple—blood streaming down his cheek, but he stayed on his feet. Grayson was yelling something from behind cover, trying to regroup. Luca was down to his last mag.
“Fall back!” I shouted.
But the words barely left my mouth before pain exploded in the back of my skull. My knees hit the dirt. My rifle slipped from my fingers.
Then came the boot—slamming into my wrist as I reached for it.
Rough hands flipped me. My vision blurred.
Taliban.
Not scattered. Not desperate.
Organized. Waiting for us.
I saw Cyclone forced to the ground, zip ties biting into his wrists. Grayson groaned, curled on his side. Luca was already gagged and bound.
Blindfolds followed.
The last thing I heard was laughter—cruel and close—as the world went dark.
Later…
The prison smelled like rot, piss, pig sweat, and despair.
They yanked my blindfold off. Light hit me like a punch, and I squinted through the blur.
Barred windows. Stone walls. A rusted bucket in the corner.
“Another American,” someone rasped from the shadows. “Make yourself at home.”
I turned.
Conner, he was one of the Army Rangers I ran into a few times.
Gaunt, bruised, barely recognizable—but alive. His voice was dry and cracked, but steady.
Next to him, Kash leaned against the wall like he belonged there. His lip was split, one eye swelling shut, but his grin was stubborn as hell.
“Well, shit,” Kash said. “They sent the cavalry—and the cavalry got caught.”
“Not cavalry,” I muttered, sliding down beside him. My ribs screamed, my head throbbed. “Just two dumbasses walking straight into a trap.”
He laughed softly. “Welcome to hell, boys.”
44
Faron
Ileaned my head back against the stone wall and listened.
Silence. Dripping water. Grunts of pain. That was it. Conner was either sleeping or unconscious—I couldn’t tell anymore. Gage paced like a caged lion. Cyclone sat across from me, still and coiled, every muscle taut.
Two days. No food. Barely enough water. No answers.
The guards dragged Grayson out hours ago. He hadn’t come back.
“How long were you two here before we showed up?” I asked Kash, keeping my voice low.
