Page 107 of Fade (Fighting Fate)

Chapter 58

Daniel

Deployed time: 35 weeks

MIA: 25 weeks

Amy, You’re my everything. You’re all I have. You’re the only thing that makes me want to take my next breath. I miss you so much. Please, be happy. Daniel.

Six months. Give or take a week.

That’s how long I’d been in this hellhole.

As hard as I’d tried to get some form of answer as to what they wanted with me, I still had no idea. There were others, just like me. Some who’d been here longer. But none of us knew why. Some thought it was to break us. Slowly reduce our mental state until we were nothing but pure despair. Others thought it was just a strategic game, waiting for the right price.

I didn’t know. It really didn’t matter. Either way, they were winning.

With legs spread out across the dirty concrete floor, I slumped back against the wall and closed my eyes. It had been over a month since Mali had left her note for me. At the time, I’d taken it to mean help was on the way. My hope had risen, my adrenaline spiking, ready for action.

Now, I had to admit I’d most likely misinterpreted it. She’d obviously meant she would try to help. And it seemed she’d failed. I hadn’t seen her since that day. I prayed she hadn’t been caught trying to do something to save me. I didn’t know if I could handle having that added to my list of regrets. What I carried now was already so heavy.

Bringing up one of my favorite memories of Amy, I drifted off, immersing myself in the only form of happiness I had left. Occasionally, I would picture her with a baby bump, my heart softly humming, knowing she carried a part of me with her. Sometimes I wondered if that helped her get by. Did the baby distract her from the pain I was sure she would be feeling with my disappearance? I hoped so.

I wondered what she would be doing right now. Did she have a nice Thanksgiving? Had she started shopping for Christmas? What

colors did she decide to decorate the tree with? What kinds of gifts did she dream about buying for the baby? Did she know if we were having a boy or a girl? What names did she like?

I pondered for a minute about that. Of course, I didn’t mind whether the baby was a boy or a girl. If it was a boy, I could teach him the importance of respect and being a gentleman, and if it was a girl, I could show her just how strong she could be to make her own mark in life. It was just so easy to picture both. I wanted the chance to experience it so much.

“Stephenson.”

My eyes flashed open at the sound of my cell neighbor’s voice.

“Listen.”

Picking my head up, I strained to hear. There were explosion’s going off in the distance, but that wasn’t uncommon. Closer, though, I heard gunfire. That too was fairly common, but it was slightly different this time. It sounded more sporadic and calculated. Like an infiltration.

Or extraction . . .

There were no guards in the cell room at this time of night, so I couldn’t get a feel for what was going on from their point of view.

The other prisoners started murmuring to each other. We all felt it. Something was going on.

Pushing myself to my feet, I tried to gather my wits. If this was an extraction, I needed to think clearly. I didn’t know who it could be they were there to extract, but I wanted to be sure I would be going with them. I wanted to make sure we all got out, if possible.

Gunfire sounded. Louder now. Just beyond the outer door. My pulse raced. I heard one of the guards shout, before more gunshots rang out.

Silence fell.

Hurriedly, I ran through the calculations. As far as I was able to tell from the other prisoners, there were a total of eight cells, each with a locked door. Mine was the third cell from the end, on the right-hand side. I was sure whoever was coming would have explosives to take the locks out, but if they didn’t, I knew where the guard kept the key on his person. In my head, I went through the motions of how I would get the key, and the order in which I would unlock the doors.

The main door blew open. Concrete and dust flew everywhere, reducing visibility to a minimum.

“Lance Corporal Stephenson!”

Emotion swept through me like a freight train. “Sir! On your right. Second cell.”

More gunfire came outside, then the sound of an explosive charge to my right.

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