Page 133 of Promises in the Dark

Chapter 35

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the engine roared as we barreled down the rough road towards Helmand Province. Raven was behind the wheel, her eyes locked on the rough road ahead. Dust and dirt kicked up by our wheels, blending with the arid, sun-baked terrain.

The horizon was a blur of jagged mountains and endless, barren stretches of land. The villages we passed were little more than clusters of mud-brick houses, the occasional goat or child wandering aimlessly. This place was a far cry from home. It reeked of death and despair.

Helmand was notorious for being a fucking hotbed of insurgent activity, and the tension in the vehicle was so thick you could choke on it. Everyone was on edge, locked and loaded, eyes darting out the windows, waiting for something to go sideways.

I glanced around at my team—everyone was tense, Viper included, sitting in the back with the others. I was up front, next to Raven, keeping an eye on the map and GPS.

We all knew how fucked this could get if things went bad. And for some reason, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this mission was going to be a fucking disaster.

The sky was a relentless, cloudless blue, the sun beating down on us like it had a personal grudge. The heat seeped through the vehicle, making the air inside stifling and thick.

“Hey, Rogue,” Viper called from beside me, dragging me back to the present. “Where’s Pyro? Thought he’d be with us.”

I didn’t even bother turning my head. My mind was already miles away.

“I asked him to stay back at the base,” I replied, eyes flicking to the horizon. "Needed someone reliable there.”

Viper raised an eyebrow but didn’t push the matter. He just nodded, accepting my answer. I knew he probably had his own thoughts about it, but I didn’t give a fuck.

Pyro was back there for one reason—Red. He was one of the few people I trusted to keep an eye on her, and I needed that peace of mind.

The vehicle jolted like it was about to fall apart as we hit a rough patch of road. I gripped my rifle tighter, my eyes scanning the horizon. We were deep in enemy territory now, and there was no turning back.

We finally rolled into the outskirts of the village in Helmand Province. Dust was fucking everywhere as we slowed to a stop, and I could see the locals gathering, drawn by the promise of supplies. The place was a mess—war had chewed it up and spat it out, leaving nothing but rubble and desperation.

Raven killed the engine, and we piled out, stretching our legs and taking in the scene. The kids ran around barefoot, their faces caked with dust, while the adults stood back, hesitant yet curious about the supplies we were bringing. It was clear these people had seen hell, and we were just another set of armed intruders.

We started unloading the supplies—food, water, medical kits. The locals moved in slowly at first, then, when the word spread, it was like a flood. One kid, maybe ten years old, stared up at me like I was fucking Santa Claus as I crouched down and handed him a bottle of water. He grabbed it with both hands, clutching it like it was the last thing he’d ever get.

“Thank you,” he said in in heavily accented English before scurrying back to his family.

I ruffled his dirty hair, forcing a smile that felt as fake as it sounded.

“Stay safe, kid,” I said, moving on.

I kept handing out supplies, all the while keeping an eye on Raven and Viper. They were doing the same. The air was still tense, but manageable. We were here to help, but these people had been through hell. To them, we were probably just another part of it.

An old man, weathered as fuck, with deep lines carved into his face and a turban that looked like it’d seen more wars than I had, approached me. He spoke in Pashto—thanked me, maybe welcomed us. I caught a few words, but most of it was lost in translation. I gave him a nod, hoping it conveyed whatever bullshit feeling I was supposed to give in return.

Raven was off in the corner, talking to some women using half-assed phrases and a lot of hand gestures. They seemed to understand, nodding and smiling, though their eyes said they didn’t trust us for a second. Viper, meanwhile, kept his eyes on the crowd while handing out antibiotics and painkillers, his face set in that usual ‘don’t fuck with me’ expression.

After about an hour, the crowd thinned out. The supplies were nearly gone, and the locals had mostly backed off. I motioned for Raven and Viper to head over as I finished up.

“Alright, we’ve done our part here,” I said, lowering my voice. “Now we need to get some intel. Split up and see if you can find anything. Not many of these folks speak English, so use your best judgment. We meet back here in two hours.”

Viper raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “You think these people know anything?”

I shrugged, though my gut screamed yes. “Better than sitting on our asses, waiting to get blown up. Just be discreet. We don’t need any unwanted attention.”

Raven nodded, scanning the crowd like a hawk. “Got it, boss.”

She slung her rifle over her shoulder and headed toward the far end of the village.

Viper gave me a brief salute, adjusting his gear. “Time to play detective, eh?”

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