Bliss

29- Sky

The truck slows down and stops. A group of men stand outside the door to our left, in front of the vast parking lot that spans the area around the flat building.

There are four men in the group, three significantly shorter than the one standing in the front. All four are wearing army uniforms, but they are not like the ones that I have seen, not from the side that I used to be on—the side that I left. The word NELE is embroidered into their caps in golden, shimmering thread, and their eyes are covered with darkened glasses to shield them from the setting sun. Their jaws are set firm, they stand with their feet shoulder width apart, and their hands are held behind their backs. The tall man is the first to speak as the door opens.

"It's about time, gentlemen."

Louis fixes the collar of his shirt before the three of us in the back jump out of the truck. Our driver salutes him, more rigid and not at all relaxed compared to the ride here. I see the same seriousness now embedded in Zayn's face, in Louis's and Liam's, their hands also in saluting position. I press my back against the truck to balance.

"Sergeant Darren," Zayn says, voice clipped.

"I was expecting four of you," Sergeant Darren says, followed by his head turning in my direction curtly. I can feel my face pale. He corrects himself, "Four of my men, not three of my men with one Specialist hiding his ass in enemy territory and the a Private missing with no excuse."

Zayn gulps and licks his bottom lip, which had started to chap. This might be the first time I have ever seen him nervous. "Niall had unfinished business, Sergeant."

Through the glasses, I can barely make out Sergeant Darren's eyes narrowing. I look down at the ground, focusing on the miniscule cracks running over the hot asphalt.

"We'll discuss this later. Now, we need to go in before sundown. This lady here will be taken to camp with the other escapees to await further orders. And you three—you three are coming with me. Your mission isn't over yet."

He turns on the heel of his black, shiny boots, and two of the three other men around him follow, but stall enough to let Louis, Zayn, and Liam walk forward in front of them. The third man grabs my arm and starts tugging me to another direction.

"Wait—what is going on?" I tug against his grip, but it tightens and turns almost painful. "Where are you taking me?"

Louis, Liam, and Zayn are already moving fast down the lot, and the people that are moving from vehicle to vehicle turn to face them, turn to face me. I feel my voice rising.

"You can't just take me away from them!"

I turn towards the man, searching his face for a response, but it remains rigid, hidden away behind his darkened glasses, behind the shadow of his cap.

I pull against his grip again, but all it does is make me wince. I try to dig my heels into the ground, to somehow break free, but the man isn't affected by this at all.

"Louis! Louis, help me!" I yell. "Don't let them take me away. Please! Louis!"

He doesn't even look over his shoulder.

"Louis!"

He keeps walking, so distant now, so far away. Tears sting the corners of my eyes. Are they allowed to just take me away like this? He said something about their mission not being finished. Is this the last I'll see of them?

I shouldn't have run away. I shouldn't have trusted them. Ingrid was right. Ingrid was right all along, and I was so ignorant and dumb. And for what? Maybe this isn't Harry's fault at all. Maybe it's all mine. I fell into some sort of trap.