Trial And Error

Chapter Sixteen

A/N Trigger Warning ahead I'll mark it with * from beginning to end *

Kian's POV

Under the scorching sun, Kian found herself blinded as she leaned against a tree, struggling to conserve her dwindling energy. The last two days had been spent trekking towards the village where she hoped to find a way to relay a message back to her base. Though her wounds had clotted and she managed to clean them in a nearby lake, she still felt utterly filthy and her body ached relentlessly. The unbearable heat began to take its toll on her weary body, and gradually, her mind began to feel the strain as well.

Everything was a blur - she honestly had no idea how she managed to escape. A group of hostiles pursued her for over an hour, but she finally lost them. She just kept running as bullets whizzed past, remarkably missing their mark. Once night fell, she found a spot far enough from where they were attacked and hastily set up camp. Kian lit a small fire for warmth but extinguished it soon after to avoid detection. She slept fitfully in a bush with her back to a tree, ready to defend herself if found. Each noise startled her awake, though it was likely just wildlife. With only her Kevlar vest for warmth, she shivered through the long night.

Kian hauled herself off the ground, stretching out her aching limbs. By her estimate, the village couldn't be more than a couple of miles away now. But that also meant she had to be extra vigilant for any hostiles.

Spotting an approaching vehicle, she dove behind a nearby bush, burrowing into the soil in hopes of better concealment. She could hear men speaking Pashto as they drew nearer. Peering carefully, she saw they wore mismatched camo with aged bulletproof vests and carried AK-47s - likely Taliban.

Heart pounding, Kian tightened her grip on her own rifle, ready to fight or flee. She held perfectly still as they searched the area, mere feet from her hiding spot. One wrong move could expose her.

In a flash, she felt the cold metal kiss of a rifle muzzle against her skull. Before she could even react, her world exploded into darkness.

She drifted back to hazy consciousness, blinded and restrained. Muffled voices surrounded her, the truck rumbling along a rough road. Kian strained fruitlessly against her bindings, disoriented and panicking. But it was no use. Her chance to escape had passed. Now her survival was entirely in their hands.

*Day 1*

Another explosive punch landed, her head snapping sharply left from the force. Her entire face throbbed in agony as she spat blood onto the concrete floor.

"I don't know anything! How many times must I tell you?" she rasped defiantly.

"You think I am a fool? That you can deceive me?" the bearded man questioned in a heavy accent, leering menacingly.

Through her one unswollen eye, Kian glared up at him. After being abruptly awakened, the brutal interrogation immediately commenced. She remembered little after being captured, only being dragged onto a truck and blinded by a filthy bag over her head. From the gloomy basement appearance, this was likely the enemy compound Lucas had warned her about. Small windows lined the top of the walls, barred and inaccessible. Another bucket of fetid water was hurled at her without warning. She gasped and sputtered, the rank liquid filling her mouth. Kian shivered violently in her drenched uniform, eyes burning with fury and defiance.

"You Americans have been here a long time! We've studied your ranking system - we know you are a Lieutenant," he sneered, walking over to her belongings on the table. "Or should I say, Lieutenant Shepard."