Lucy Chen is in the army, mirroring Tim Bradford's experience

The breaking point

Days bled into nights, though Lucy had long since lost her sense of time. The cell was her world now—four walls, a cold stone floor, and a heavy iron door that sealed her fate. She couldn't remember how many times they'd dragged her out of that room for another round of interrogation, nor how many times she had been tossed back, bruised and bleeding, barely able to stand.

Each session was a blur of pain, threats, and promises of more to come. Her captors alternated between the brutal force of fists and the psychological games that left her mind reeling. They'd starved her, deprived her of sleep, and threatened Evans in an attempt to weaken her resolve. Every moment was a battle to maintain control, to keep the information locked away in the recesses of her mind, no matter how desperately her body screamed for relief.

Lucy had no illusions anymore. She was trapped in an endless cycle of suffering, and escape seemed less likely with each passing day. The constant pain had dulled her senses, made her question everything. Why hadn't anyone come for her yet? Didn't her team know she was alive? Was she even alive? The doubt gnawed at her, and as the days dragged on, it became harder to resist.

Another round of footsteps echoed outside the cell, and Lucy's pulse quickened. She barely had the strength to sit up, but she had to. If she showed weakness, they would exploit it.

The door creaked open, and two guards entered, their expressions as impassive as always. They crossed the room in a few strides and yanked her to her feet, the sudden movement sending a fresh wave of pain shooting through her body. She clenched her jaw to keep from crying out. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

"Back again, Sergeant?" one of the guards sneered as they dragged her down the dimly lit corridor. "We were starting to think you'd had enough."

Lucy said nothing, her teeth gritted against the pain. Her vision swam as they moved, the combination of hunger and exhaustion making it hard to stay focused. The walls around her seemed to close in, the air thick and heavy. She forced herself to take steady breaths, to remind herself that she was still here, still fighting.

They shoved her into the interrogation room, and she stumbled forward, barely catching herself before hitting the ground. Her legs trembled beneath her, but she straightened, glaring at the man who waited for her in the center of the room. The shorter officer, the one who had led most of her interrogations, stood with his arms crossed, his eyes gleaming with a cruel satisfaction.

"Sergeant Chen," he said slowly, circling her like a predator stalking wounded prey. "You've been a very stubborn guest."

Lucy's stomach twisted, but she kept her face blank, her jaw tight. She wouldn't let him see how close to breaking she truly was.

The officer's smile was thin and dangerous. "You know, most prisoners don't last this long. You should be proud of yourself. But it's time to stop pretending that you can hold out forever."

He stopped in front of her, his eyes narrowing as he studied her face. "Tell me what I want to know, and this can all end. You can go back to your cell, no more pain. Just a few simple answers. That's all."

Lucy's throat was dry, her voice hoarse when she finally spoke. "Go to hell."

The officer's expression darkened, and he motioned to the guard standing by the door. Without warning, the guard struck her hard across the face, the force of the blow knocking her to the ground. Pain exploded behind her eyes, and she tasted blood as her lip split open. She gasped, struggling to catch her breath, but they gave her no time to recover.

The guard grabbed her by the hair and yanked her to her feet again, her vision swimming with black spots. Her head throbbed, her entire body screaming in protest as the officer stepped closer.

"Still so defiant," he mused, almost as if he admired her resistance. "But it's getting you nowhere, Sergeant. We know there's more to this mission than simple reconnaissance. Your team wasn't just gathering intel, were they?"

Lucy's heart skipped a beat. He didn't know, she reminded herself. He was fishing, hoping she would slip up and reveal something. She had to keep her mind focused, had to stay one step ahead.

The officer's smile returned, colder than before. "You see, Sergeant, we've been studying you. We know what makes people like you tick. You're trained to withstand physical pain, to endure torture. But everyone has a breaking point."

He motioned to the guard again, and this time, the man walked over to the far side of the room, opening a metal cabinet. From within, he pulled out a device Lucy had hoped she would never see—electrodes, wires, and a small generator. Her blood ran cold.

"We call this persuasion," the officer said lightly as the guard began attaching the electrodes to Lucy's wrists and ankles. "It's amazing how quickly even the most hardened soldiers break when faced with a little... electricity."

Lucy's breath quickened, panic clawing at her insides. She had heard stories about this kind of torture, knew what it could do to the human body. The pain would be unbearable, and worse, it would leave her mind fractured, making it nearly impossible to maintain control over what she said.

The guard stepped back, his hands on the switch, and the officer smiled down at her one last time.

"Last chance, Sergeant. Tell me what I want to know."

Lucy met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the fear rising, threatening to swallow her whole, but she forced herself to stay calm. She had to. For her team. For herself.

"I'm not telling you anything."

The officer's smile vanished. "So be it."

The guard flipped the switch, and the world exploded into pain.

It was unlike anything Lucy had ever felt before—searing, all-consuming agony that seemed to tear through her very soul. Her muscles convulsed violently as the electric current coursed through her body, every nerve screaming in protest. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, the pain overwhelming every other sensation.

Her vision blurred, dark spots dancing in front of her eyes as her body jerked uncontrollably. She bit down hard on her lip, desperate to keep from screaming, but it was no use. The pain was too much, too intense. A raw, guttural scream tore from her throat, echoing through the small room.

And just as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Lucy slumped forward, gasping for breath, her entire body shaking. The world spun around her, her mind struggling to make sense of what had just happened. She barely registered the officer's voice as he crouched down beside her.

"Are you ready to talk now?"

Lucy's head lolled to one side, her body limp. She wanted to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. Her body had been pushed to its limit, and her mind was close to breaking. She couldn't take much more of this.

But she had to. She had to hold on.

For her team. For her country.

With a trembling breath, Lucy forced her eyes open and met the officer's gaze.

"No."

The officer sighed, disappointed. "Very well. We'll try again tomorrow."

The guard flipped the switch again, and the room was once again filled with the sound of Lucy's screams.