Earlier that day

“What do you want?” the bossman said dryly.

“To speak with the man in charge,” I answered monotonously.

“So speak.”

“I know Selman and Khalid. I’ve met them.”

Silence. I heard him shuffle chairs around.

“So?” he said, getting closer to me. My heart raced because I couldn’t see and that made me feel more vulnerable.

“I’m a nurse, but you’re aware of that. I was in charge of their care in Baghdad,” I said hesitantly, unsure of his reaction.

“I know they’re in Baghdad,” he chuckled. “That’s old news, Officer Shaw. Now, you’re just wasting my time.”

“I don’t think they’ll go to jail back home, if that’s what you’re trying to stop.” I was hoping to get his attention.

“What are you talking about?” he asked curiously.

Taking a deep breath, I said, “At least not Khalid. He, um… has a mental disability. In court, this will be taken into consideration.”

I heard him sigh. “You see, how can someone like Khalid hurt anyone, hmm? But of course, the Canadian Forces can never be too cautious. They get a tip and they’re all over it before even checking the facts.”

I wanted to scream at him for underestimating our operations, but I restrained myself.

“We’re humans, we can be wrong sometimes,” I said quietly.

“Are they kept in the East or the West Wing?”

“I don’t know.”

He slammed his hands on the table making me jump. “I thought you had valuable information, Shaw!”

“What difference does it make if they’re in one wing or the other? Our fences are impenetrable.”

“It tells me if you’re of any use, or whether you’re just stalling and lying to me.”

“I saw them in the clinic only. I don’t go to the prison side; guards would bring them to us. And that’s the truth.”

He did not say anything in return so I took my chance to continue.

“I saw the brothers more than you would think. They’re in good hands if that’s of any interest to you.”

He was quiet. I must have gotten to him.

“In good hands? You’re holding them prisoners,” he said, his voice filled with resentment.

“The same way you have me here!” I said, my voice rising.

“How will I know that they’re not getting tortured to give intel, huh?”

“Because that’s not how we do things. We even saved their life. And when the time is right, they will have a fair trial like many others who joined terrorist groups,” I said, trying hard to control my tone.

“I personally cared for them. Selman was hurt; he almost went into a diabetic coma if it weren’t for us. He would come to my clinic twice a day for his insulin shots. He told me that he’s had type I diabetes since the age of 10. And Khalid has autism. My team provided the adequate meds and our psychologist was following him, too. So yeah, they’re in good hands.”

“Selman has a distinct birthmark on his back,” he said more calmly this time.

“You mean Khalid, yes. He has one in the shape of a half-moon. ‘Hilal’ as you call it here. His mother thinks it’s a blessing sign.”

The bossman cleared his throat, “so, you spoke to them.” It seemed that I passed the test.

He seemed too invested in their wellbeing. He even knew about Khalid’s birthmark. That was a very intimate detail. How interesting.

“Yes, I have. They were okay when I last saw them, the day you… bombed us.”

I felt him near me and his hand was too close to my face. I pulled my head as far back as I could in response. He jerked down my blindfold and suddenly I could see.

I saw the bossman a few inches away from my face.

“I need to look into those beautiful blue eyes to see if you’re telling the truth,” he said, only this time, his tone was void of any authority or sarcasm.

I blinked a few times as he carefully looked at me. “I’m not lying,” I whispered under his scrutiny. I was terrified of the fact that he allowed me to see his face. I may never leave this place after all.

He had long dark hair that went just below his ears. He had a light beard and brown eyes. His typical middle-eastern features looked oddly familiar.

“Do you recognize me, Mia?”

I gulped. Was it a good idea to admit that I knew who he was? Or was lying the better alternative?

“I’m not sure, I… you look like someone I know, I think.”

“And who would that be?” he asked with a tilt of his head.

“I… I’m not sure.”

“You see, sweetheart, these pretty eyes can’t lie. You know who I am, let’s at least be honest with each other.”

I nodded. “You were in the Air Forces.”

“Yes, I’m the infamous traitor.” That, he was.

“There are two sides to every story, I’m sure,” I said looking at him.

“Indeed there are,” he smiled faintly.

“Listen, Hassan. I don’t really know what your plan is, but you know better than anyone that the forces will not stop looking until they find us. The ending is not going to be pretty for everyone involved.”

“Are you gonna suggest for me to release you and that you’ll keep your mouth shut? You’re not just a pretty face, you’re funny, too.”

“You do know that they will not negotiate with you, so why bother? If the Ali brothers were found guilty, they will not be released, regardless of your threats. You’re committing needless crimes. If anything, you’re hurting their case. What’s your end game?”

“Should I remind that you’re not the one asking questions here, Mia,” he said with a tilt of his head. “I did not ask for your advice either.”

“I’m sorry. I just… I want to know what you want from me? Why am I here? Sidney Crosby is enough for your hostage exchange plan.”

“Is Khalid okay? He was injured during the operation,” he asked, completely ignoring my question.

“He’s okay, it was not a serious injury. Little cuts here and there. We also gave him a different medication from the one he was on. He said it’s working better for him,” I mumbled. My eyes were fixated on my feet. I tried to control my emotions as I realized that this conversation was going nowhere.

“If it’s of any reassurance to you or ISIS, they did not provide any intel.”

He sighed and kneeled in front of me. “Listen, Mia, no one will torture you here. It is not my intention to hurt you.”

“Really? Then what do you call being trapped in that tiny dungeon for a whole month?” I said furiously.

“I do believe that my brothers are okay because I’m well aware of the medical team’s code,” he said with a kind smile, ignoring my outburst.

His brothers? Did he just slip or was it okay if I knew since I will not live long enough to tell? They did not share the same last name. The forces were surely unaware of this small detail.

“I do appreciate what you’ve done for them. And for that, I’m going to extend you the same courtesy.”

And thus began a more interesting discussion about how Hassan could make our stay more tolerable.

*****

If I were to ever tell my captivity story, I would describe what I had with Sidney Crosby as an epic love/hate relationship. At times, I couldn’t get enough of him, and at times I would consider escaping for no other reason than to be far away from him.

After our dinner party came to an end that night, we were back at our dusky cell. We both stood facing the door the mailman had just locked.

“Now, would you tell me what happened?” Crosby asked. His nostrils were flaring and his voice was hard.

I ignored his tone and sat down below the window.

“Well?” he spoke impatiently.

“Hassan –” I started, but Crosby interrupted.

“Hassan? Oh, that’s right, you’re on first-name basis with him now,” he said mockingly and shook his head.

“What is your problem?”

It wouldn’t be the first time we get derailed from the more pressing issues because Crosby had something stupid on his mind.

“My problem is that I was locked up in here all day worrying about you while you were making friends with the man who put us here in the first place!”

“Making friends? I did what I had to do for both of us! Yes, you sat here worrying, but I was the one who put her ass on the line, so don’t you give me that attitude!”

With his hands at his waist, he narrowed his eyes at me, “Tell me one thing, Mia. What did you do to convince him to let us out of the cell, huh? What kind of smooth – ”

Before he could finish his sentence, my hand collided with his face. He stood there shocked. His hand went to his cheek in disbelief.

“I saved his brother’s life, that’s what I did,” I said, with a strained voice. “The same way I saved yours,” I added, disappointment weighing on my chest. I could feel the lump in my throat. “At least he’s shown me some respect and gratitude.”

I walked passed him and got under the blanket in bed. I took the whole space making sure he gets the message to stay away. He can sleep on the concrete floor for all I care.

“I’m sorry,” he spoke after a few minutes of silence.

“Save it, it’s getting old.”

His hurtful words sounded like a broken record, so did his apologies.

“I am grateful. I’ve told you that I owe you my life,” he said quietly. I couldn’t see him but from his voice, I could tell he was getting closer.

“I didn’t say what I said to get a thank you. It’s just… do you think this little of me? For you to imply that I seduced him? What kind of person do you think I am?”

I had my back to him; I did not want him to see my tears. I felt the bed shift, then I felt him near me, but I kept my eyes on the wall.

“Mia, I didn’t mean it. It was my anger and exhausted brain talking. I spent the whole day imagining all kinds of disturbing scenarios happening to you. I almost threw up at the thought of him… touching you. Then I saw you being all friendly with the man and calling him by name. It upset me, that’s all. But I shouldn’t have said what I said, I’m so sorry. It just came out and…”

“Please stop, I can’t hear this right now, it’s been a long day,” I said, still facing the wall. I wasn’t ready to forgive him, not this fast. This time, he’s hurt me more than any other time.

Instead of “I’m happy that you’re okay,” or “hey thanks for risking your life to get us out of here,” I got the insult of the year. It came from the man I almost had sex with. The man who has been kissing me and holding me in his arms every night.

“Mia,” he whispered.

“You were okay with sleeping on the floor before, so go on.”

“I will, but only if you sleep next to me.”

I almost heard the smile in his voice. He can be so cheesy sometimes.

“No, thanks. I’m quite comfortable here… alone for once.”

“You don’t mean it. You will freeze all alone.”

He was more tenacious than me, I give him that.

“I’ll be fine.”

His sigh may have been a sign of surrender, but I should have known better.

His large body pushed mine, almost crashing me into the wall. He squeezed himself next to me and pulled the blanket over his legs.

“Hey! I didn’t say you could join!” I sat up and protested.

“I didn’t ask for permission. This bed was meant for me I believe,” he said smugly, getting comfortable with his hands behind his head.

“Oh please, if it were meant for you, they would have at least had it in queen size!”

“Don’t act as if you don’t like my ‘bulkiness.’ You said it yourself.”

“When did I ever say that? I believe what I said was that your ‘bulkiness’ was what made you look different in real life compared to the TV. I never said I liked it!”

“Oh but your eyes did, Mia.”

I was relieved it was dark because my flushed face would have given me away. I rested my head against the wall and had nothing to say in response, and the cocky bastard knew it.

I knew he was trying to change the mood and it almost worked. That fact got me more upset with him. I cannot simply forget what he had said to me just a half-hour ago.

“Fine, you can have it to yourself,” I finally said as I scooted off the bed.

I stood at the window and held on to the bars. The good progress I made with our abductors should have lifted my spirit, instead, I felt down. My grandma, who was widowed at the age of 35, would always say, “If you feel hope, don't waste it, nothing in life is for granted.”

But my cellmate seemed to always find a way to kill my positive mood and hamper any hopeful plan I had. “Rain on Mia’s parade” should be the title of his sex tape. I almost chuckled at my own joke. If Tara were here, she would have surely said it in the style of that detective comedy show we were both obsessed with.

As an image of Andy Samberg floated briefly in my mind, and I realized that he looked like someone I knew, the man who was now standing close behind me. In fact, he was too close that I could feel the warmth of his body.

“Mia,” he whispered. And there it was again, the way he said my name would get to me every single time. It almost made me forgive him earlier.

“Sidney, please leave me alone, I need some space.”

“Not until you forgive me. I should have never said those things. I’m not myself. We’ve been stuck in this place for over a month. This prison is suffocating us both. Come on, let me make it up to you.”

I turned to look at him. “And how exactly are you gonna do that? Buy me ice cream?” I asked sarcastically. I saw his wide smile in the moonlight; there was no mistaking that huge lopsided grin of his.

“Is ice cream the secret way to your heart, officer?” his voice was filled with amusement. Damn him and his charms.

“I’m not giving away any secret ways to my heart,” I mumbled. I couldn’t help but smile a little. Once again, Crosby broke down my walls and climbed up the high tower.

His fingers reached for my chin, and with the breeze of a touch, he lifted my head up and kissed me softly.

He placed his forehead on mine, “I missed you,” he whispered, his revelation causing my heart to jump.

“I was so scared,” he added.

My heart took a detour from jumping to sinking. Crosby missed me because he was scared to alone stay in prison. Whatever his feelings towards me were, they were tied to fear and me being the only person he had, the last hope he had. Maybe I felt the same way too, and maybe I didn’t. How can I be sure with the mess we were in?

Like I said, our story would be the tale of a love/hate relationship. That night would be the chapter that ends with me recounting to Crosby the details of my encounter with Hassan and what it meant for our survival and freedom.

Notes

Hi everyone!

Thanks for reading and let me hear your thoughts on this story :) It'll pick up some speed in the coming chapters, so stay tuned.

Charlie