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Chapter 4
6 months earlier
Shay
I wake up, blinking rapidly, trying to clear the fog that looms over me. I can remember the forest incident, following those guys, seeing the compound we were brought to, but nothing after that. I try to sit up, but my whole body feels heavy. I don’t feel that excruciating pain, but right now, that isn’t very reassuring. Anything could have happened to me in the time I’ve been out of it.
“Hi, sleepyhead.”
I look over to where the voice is coming from and see Keir. He’s sitting at a desk, writing on some file. I try to clear my throat and sit up, but none of that is possible. I feel like my body isn’t my own. Every limb is protesting.
“Where am I?” I ask croakily. “Where’s Josh?”
“You’re in the medical wing. I’ve been looking after you. Josh is around. He didn’t need much medical care when we arrived here. Not like you.”
“Not like me. What did you do? And don’t bullshit me, I’m a trauma medic, if I haven’t already told you.”
He nods, stands, and walks away from the desk. “You have told me, several times.” He smiles warmly at me. “Your legs were pretty badly burned by the explosion. I’ve managed to remove a lot of the dead tissue, which will allow new tissue to grow and heal. I already see a difference. Maybe, in time, a proper plastic surgeon will be able to help. I did what I could to save your life, Shay.”
Without even blinking, I feel tears roll down my cheeks. I’m going to be disfigured for the rest of my life. This is all my own fault for staying in the army. I should have gone home when my time was served. Now who’s the fucking hero? What do I have to show for my heroics? Disfigurement, no boyfriend, and nothing to fall back on.
I clear my throat. “And Josh?”
“He has a few cracked ribs. I bandaged him up and gave him some breathing exercises to do. He’s lucky his ribs didn’t break and puncture his lungs while carrying you around.”
It all suddenly hits me how much I owe Josh. I owe him my life. Without him, I probably wouldn’t have gotten off that battlefield. I’d be pushing up the daisies instead.
“When can I get transferred home?”
Keir shuffles from foot to foot uneasily. “I’m afraid that won’t happen, Shay. Please believe me when I say I wish I could have left you to die out there, but my medical degree wouldn’t allow me to. I help people in need. I couldn’t let those soldiers kill you.”
He isn’t making any sense. Why can’t I be transferred home? What is this place?
“This camp, it’s despicable. It’s beyond your worst nightmares. You’ll see some sights here. Some that go against what we believe in, but if you agree to help them, they’ll let you live.”
“Help them? Help them how? It’s not like I’m well enough to do anything. I can hardly lift my head up without the room spinning.”
“Yet. You’re not well enough, yet. But, with my help, you will be. They need more medics here. I need more help to save these women and babies. There are too many for one doctor, Shay.”
“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like what’s coming next?”
He shakes his head. “It’s not pretty. This camp has gone unnoticed for many years. It’s hiding a human trafficking ring. Girls of all ages are brought here. They’re here to be sold to the highest bidder. They’re here to breed. Babies get sold to childless couples on the black market.”
“Are you being serious? How did you end up here?”
“The same way you did. They found me, wounded and barely conscious. I’ve been here for three years. I have no way out. I’ve tried. How can you leave somewhere with no passport or money? They provide me with my meals and essentials, that’s it. This compound is made up of soldiers. They’re ruthless. They will put a bullet between your eyes, no matter who you are.” He shakes his head at the thought. “I’ve prayed that someone comes and helps us get out of here, but with the people running this place, it’s highly unlikely.”
“Where is Josh?”
“I think he’ll be getting trained to be one of their soldiers. At first, he’ll only be allowed around the compound. He’ll have to earn their respect. Again, a process that is long and cruel.”
The thought of Josh being tortured to help them is enough to turn my stomach. He’s a damn good soldier. It will take death to break him, to get him to work for the other side. He won’t go against what he believes in.
“And he knows all of this? He knows what he has to do?”
Keir nods. “I told him when I was dressing his wounds. He’ll do all he can to find a way out of this mess for you. He told me he made a promise to get you out of here alive.”
The stupid man will end up getting himself killed to get me out of here. I growl out my frustration and throw my head back against the pillow. I shouldn’t have done that because the harsh movement makes my head pound.
“Now what? What do I do now?”
“You relax. You get better. I’ve told them you’re a medic and you’ll be placed in my care. When you’re well enough, I’ll show you the ropes, or you can show me your skills. Whatever. I don’t know. I’m hoping that the army doesn’t give up on you and your boss, and one day they’ll come looking for you.”
I laugh. “You clearly don’t know the army. The only people who would fight for me are here or at home.” I shrug weakly. “I think you need to keep looking for a way out of here, Keir.”
And as much as it kills me to say that, it kills me more to think about my family believing I’m dead or lost forever. Why did I have to give so much time to a job that has taken so much from my life? I’ve lost everything, and what for? To say that I’ve served nine extra years in the U.S. Army. Yeah, now who cares? I’m stuck in this Adolf Hitler-type camp, and I’m yet to see or hear how bad things are out there.
I need to close my eyes because they feel so heavy. Everything will still be here when I wake up again. I doubt anything will change any time soon.
