Emily paced the room. Once he had been untied, they had taken Sonny away and had brought her back to their concrete prison.
It had been two days, and there was a terrible feeling in her gut. She couldn't come to terms with the fact that he was either dead or that they had taken him away to finish the job.
When the door opened, she stopped moving and took a step back. She swallowed uneasily. It was dark outside, and she could see nothing. Finally, four men entered the room, carrying Sonny. They placed him down on the mattress face down. Two other soldiers entered and brought a bucket and rags.
When they left, Emily walked hurriedly towards the mattress and knelt down next to it. Her eyes moved up and down as she scanned his back.
She placed her hand on his head. "Sonny? Can you hear me"?
He didn't respond and she pinched her lips. She put the rag inside the bucket and cleaned the dried-up blood on his back, as gently as she could. When she was done, she caressed his head and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"I won't let them break you", she whispered in his ear. "This is where it ends".
She stood and headed for the door. She closed her hand in a fist and energetically beat on it. Seeing she was getting no response; she repeated her action. This time she didn't take a step back when it opened.
"I want to talk to your superior", she said.
"You are in no position to demand this", replied one of the soldiers.
"Do you know Navy insignia"? she asked showing her open winged eagle. "You think because I'm a woman that he is the highest up in rank. You are wrong. I'm the one your leader should be interested in".
He talked to another soldier standing behind him. This one took his place as the one she had been talking to left. After a few minutes he returned.
"Let's go", he said as she ushered her with his rifle.
They entered a room that was just as unpleasant as the one they were held captive in. In it a few soldiers and the man who was more than obviously their leader. They made her stop within a few feet from him. He looked her over. He had never officially seen her, giving most of his dirty work to others.
"My soldier is indeed correct, you are indeed the highest in rank, Captain…."?
"Captain Emily Blackburn", she replied standing firmly her ground, showing no fear.
"You asked to speak to me, what is it that you want"?
"You want my men out of your country; I can help you with that".
He leaned back in his chair and joined his hands. "And how do you plan on doing that"?
"I will send them a message, the same way you most probably sent out the torture session you put Officer Quinn through".
He raised an eyebrow. She was smart.
"And I'm more than certain that you want something in return. If you think I will spare your life, you are wrong. You will be an example for others like you, who think they can come and tell us how to run our country".
"We did not come here to tell you how to run your country. We came here to evacuate American Citizens hence your civil war exploded".
"You were the first to open hostilities", he replied matter of fact.
"One of my men, disobeyed a direct order and jumped the gun. He was reprimanded. Our intention was not and is not to start an international war".
"So, what is it that you want in exchange"?
"I want you to release Officer Quinn".
"Why would I do that"?
"It's a win-win situation. You release him, my men leave the country, and you get to execute me on international television for the world to see your strength and power".
He remained silent for a few minutes carefully studying her proposal. "I have to acknowledge your courage and honor to save a fellow soldier. However, what you ask is impossible and will never happen, it will only show weakness on our part, that at the first negotiation we give you Americans what you ask. You and your officer, will be executed at sunrise in three days. But don't mistake me, you both will be given the opportunity to say goodbye to your fellow countrymen and families".
Emily was brought back as the sun rose. When they let her in the room, Sonny was sitting on the mattress, he was wearing a black t-shirt, probably handed over by one of the soldiers. He was weak and the pain could be read on his face.
He rose and looked at her from head to toe. "Are you OK? What did they do to you"?
"I'm fine. They didn't do anything to me".
He scanned her eyes. "Then where were you"?
"Doing my job", she replied solemnly.
"What are you talking about"? he was starting to panic. This wasn't Emily Blackburn standing in front of him, it was Captain Blackburn.
"I was trying to save your life".
He narrowed his eyes as he looked at her. "That's not your call".
She took a step back. What was wrong with him? She was trying to save his life and he was sassing her?
"It is my call. I am your superior and if I can negotiate your release and your life, I will do it".
"At what cost"?! he said as he took filled the gap between them.
"At any cost. Even if it means my life".
He shook his head. He didn't know he wanted to hit her or hug her. To prevent himself for doing either, he turned heels and walked away.
She closed her eyes and sighed as he headed to the opposite of the room.
They staid like that, without really talking to each other, for most of the day. They even ate in silence, the dried bread and left-over rice and dried fish meal, that the soldiers hadn't eaten.
When the soldiers had come to get the metal plates, she looked at him.
"Why do you feel like your life has no value"?
He shrugged. "You've got kids and you have Jason to go back to. I have no one. So, if someone needs to be saved, it is you".
She tilted her head to the side and stood. She wanted to slap him across the face for having such little faith that people would miss him.
She sat down in front of him. "Because I have a family doesn't mean I have more the right than you to live. Life, it doesn't work like that. We don't get extra points because we are higher in rank, because we are married, have kids, or a dog running around the backyard of a white picket-fenced home. Every life is important, that's why we do this job isn't? We go in, no matter whose life is at stake".
He said nothing but simply gave a nod of the head.
"Now what"?
"It's not good", she replied. There was no point in lying to him. "We have, if my calculations of today are right, approximately 48 hours before we get executed".
"2 days….", he said his voice caught in his throat.