Captive

Crosby and I woke up to the six o’clock alarm in the same position we slept in.

“What the fuck is that?” Crosby asked annoyed.

“It’s the reveille,” I mumbled without moving a limb.

“The what?”

“Military wake up call. But I’m off duty. Sleep.”

I missed everything about my job and the military life – except that annoying sound.

“I’m awake now,” Crosby spoke as he made his way to the bathroom.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled cockily when he caught me with one eye open watching his naked form.

He was given a senior officer room, which meant a private bathroom. I thought about all the things we could do under a warm, private shower as I followed behind him.

A forty-minute shower later, we got dressed and decided that breakfast was in order.

The hall was empty as soldiers and officers were at their routine morning drills. As we headed to my room so I could change into my uniform, Greg stopped at my door.

“Morning, Captain, Mr. Crosby,” he said while giving us the once-over.

“Morning, Sir,” I said, feeling my cheeks burn.

“You missed breakfast, but I’m sure Michel will prepare you something special again,” he said then smirked at us.

After breakfast, Greg took us to the clinic as planned. When I was brought in here yesterday, I was so distracted that I didn’t properly take in my workspace that I’ve been away from for three months. Everything looked the same: the beds, the stations, the screens, and that annoying rustle of the air conditioner. I breathed in the air and smiled.

“Earth to Shaw,” Greg exclaimed with a chuckle. “I said, he’s in room #4, are you ready?”

I looked at Crosby and we nodded in synchrony.

The mailman, or Kassem, was lying in bed, with an IV hooked to his left arm. He seemed to have gained some strength since yesterday. His mother sat at his side while Zahra stood at the window, glimpsing at the busy city.

“Mia,” Zahra smiled when she saw us. “Thank you, now he is good,” she said pointing to her dad who remained quiet. Then she looked behind me and frowned when she saw Greg and the two guards assigned to the room.

“That’s Major McConnell, he’s a friend, he’s not gonna hurt you, okay?”

“You have 15 minutes,” Greg said before leaving the room.

Crosby focused on the mailman and seemed to be thinking hard. Worried that he may get worked up over seeing Kassem, I started talking.

“Listen, Zahra. Since your dad is doing okay, there will be no need for him to stay at the clinic anymore. I had told my colleagues that you have helped us escape. But I also had to tell them that you helped Hassan imprison us because they need to know the truth. Do you understand?”

She frowned but nodded.

“I take the blame, she followed what I asked,” Kassem spoke. “She’s kid.”

“Unfortunately, it is not within my power to make those decisions. But I did put in a good word for her. It will be in the Iraqi police’s hands but the Canadian Forces have some leverage, especially that what happened affected us. She will be treated as a minor.”

Zahra looked scared as she wiped her eyes.

I sat at her side on the couch, “look, if you tell them what you’ve told me about Hassan, it will change everything. You were threatened and hurt,” I whispered quietly, but Crosby who appeared at my side has heard.

His eyes were so wide, “that asshole,” he said between gritted teeth.

“He’s dead but have men,” Zahra said. She was right. I feared for her and her family, too.

“You will stay at a safe location, I promise,” I said.

It was one of the things I wanted to take care of before going home despite Greg’s reassurances. He said the Forces would protect them for as long as necessary and guarantee them a fair trial, with the knowledge that they were threatened and forced to do what they did.

Kassem covered his face, seemingly upset at his daughter’s distress.

“We needed money,” he said. “Daesh stole everything.”

Crosby fell into a chair. He clearly wasn’t given all the information because he seemed surprised. He shook his head and pursed his lips.

“You go home?” Zahra asked, tears filled her green eyes.

“We are,” Crosby said with a raspy voice. He looked up at the teenager and she smiled weakly at him. He removed his watch and fiddled with it.

“I don’t have money on me, but this is worth a lot, you can sell it. It could provide you with a least a few months worth of food,” he said softly, stretching the expensive item towards her. She just looked at the shiny thing then back at Crosby and shook her head.

“Zahra, it’s okay to take a gift,” I said as I placed my hand on her arm.

Crosby crouched in front of her, “Take it as a thank you for helping us. You know, I have a sister who’s a little older than you. She would have refused this too because, just like you, she is proud. But that never stopped me from giving her gifts,” he said with a smile and wink.

Zahra wiped her tears and with shaky hands, she took the costume-made watch.

“If you say it’s Sidney Crosby’s, you may get more money for it,” I joked.

With a deep frown, Crosby went to Kassem’s side.

“And you, you will make damn sure you don’t get your daughter in those kinds of situations again, do you hear me?” he said with a hard expression, his voice loud enough and intimidating.

Our mailman nodded, sadness clear on his tired features.

Crosby seemed quite shook by Zahra’s distress. What he’s done for her was heartwarming; especially with how dear this watch was to him.

Greg came back into the room. Sensing the unfinished business, he gave us a tight smile, “two more minutes.”

“They will transport you somewhere safe during the investigation, okay?” I told them.

Crosby sighed loudly, “take care.”

The teenager ignored his stretched hand and surprised him with a quick hug. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Crosby nodded and on his way out of the room, he placed his hand gently on the worried mother’s shoulder and smiled.

“Goodbye, Zahra,” I said as I hugged her. She tightened her arms around me as if she did not want me to leave. She was scared of the unknown, of what was waiting for them outside the safety of our walls.

“Bye, ma’am. Thank you for the food. Zahra, make sure she takes the vitamins the doctor gave her.”

I looked at Kassem, the mailman who religiously brought us food and clothes every day, at the man who did bad things to provide for his family, hurting his daughter in the process. He thought he was doing what’s best for her. I was not a parent, but I could understand why he did it. The mother of two came to my mind again. People go to extreme length to protect their loved ones.

“You may get a second chance, Kassem. Make the best of it,” I said as I pointed to his mother and daughter.

“Thank you for helping me,” he said pointing to his wound.

I gave him a small smile before walking out of the room and away from the cast of my captivity.

I stood between the guards feeling numb. Crosby and Greg who were chatting looked at me with concern.

“Are you okay, Shaw?” Greg asked, giving orders to get me a chair.

“I just, it felt like…”

“Like it’s finally over?” Crosby said as he crouched in front of me.

“Maybe, I don’t know,” I breathed out.

Was that closure? Facing someone who has caused you pain and distress usually helps. But were Zahra and the mailman the ones to blame? Or was it Hassan?

That was certainly not closure, because facing them when the tables have turned has caused me more pain and distress. I sympathized with them, forgiving them for what they’ve done.

With Hassan dead, there was no one else to blame for what I’ve been through. That’s why I wasn’t feeling well. That’s why I needed out of here. Crosby was right; I needed to go home.

*****

Most of my morning was spent filling paperwork for my leave. Around noon, Miller and I were in Jake’s office going through some charts when we heard a commotion in the yard. Jake stood at the window and chuckled.

“Well, I guess the boys managed to pull it off after all,” he said.

“Pull what off, Sir,” I asked curiously.

“Come see for yourself,” he gestured.

The basketball yard was transformed into a rink where a game of shinny was about to take place.

Nine of our soldiers were arguing on how to split teams while Crosby quietly inspected a stick. Soldiers of various ranks stood in a circle around the makeshift rink to watch the best hockey player in the world play.

“Permission to join them, Sir,” I asked, praying that Jake wouldn’t deny me out of jealousy.

He nodded and I was out the door at lightning speed. I made my way down the two flights of stairs and joined the spectators. Soldiers were still acting like children, fighting over who would get to play on Crosby’s team.

“Why don’t you let Mr. Crosby decide,” I said out of breath.

“Captain,” junior officers stopped the shenanigans to salute me.

“No, he’s your captain now,” I pointed to Crosby and smirked at him. He looked nervous. I took him to the side, “are you okay?” I asked.

“Yeah, it’s just a little hot in here,” he said, but I wasn’t convinced.

“You don’t have to play if you don’t feel like it,” I said.
“I want to, it’s just,” he looked at the worn hockey stick and turned it in his hands. “It’s been a while.”

I chuckled, “are you scared that a bunch of clumsy soldiers will beat you? No matter how rusty you are, trust me, they suck,” I whispered in his ears, then remembered that we weren’t alone.

“Okay, listen up, Mr. Crosby and I just discussed strategy,” I said with a wide grin. Crosby gave me a questioning look.

“Pass the ball Sergeant, and your stick too,” I spoke authoritatively. “I’m gonna head towards the net, or those two rocks you set up, and score. Whoever manages to stop me, get to be on Captain Crosby’s team. So, who’s up for it?” I said raising my eyebrows.

“That’s some confidence there, Captain Shaw,” Crosby said in my ear.

“They suck, remember,” I said.

“I didn’t know you were that competitive.”

“There are many things you don’t know about me.”

Crosby gulped and his eyes darkened. “Can’t wait to find out.”

“Captain, if you’re as good as you think you are, Mr. Crosby may have to play alone against nine,” Greg said.

“Major McConnell!” I was shocked he was taking part in this. I chuckled and said, “no, we’ll be two against nine. I was his first pick, right Captain Crosby?” I asked and he lifted his hands in the air and nodded, “I had no choice.”

“Can’t let you have all the fun without me,” I announced as the game begun.

Two out of the nine managed to stop me, Greg being one of them. It wasn’t fair, because we’ve played street hockey before and he knew all my moves.

We split into two teams of five, giving Greg the choice of one more person to join our squad. The lunch bell was the final whistle our fifteen-minute game. We have won 12 to 2 with Crosby scoring 10 of them, and Greg and I split the other two.

“So, feeling rusty still?” I asked Crosby as we both wiped our sweaty faces.

“I’d rather be on the ice, it’s so fucking hot in here.”

“You will be. Soon,” I said. My throat tightened at the thoughts of him going back to his superstar life.

For a brief moment, I wished if we could just stay one more day and one more night here in this war zone – because once we’re home, another war will begin, and that war would be inside my heart.

Notes