Page 162 of Promises in the Dark

Red’s eyes were wide with fear and anger, while Raven looked like she was ready to rip someone’s throat out with her teeth. And Viper... Christ, Viper looked half-dead already.

I tried to speak, but my throat drier than sandpaper. The captain sauntered over, crouching down next to me. His breath reeked of cigarettes as he leaned in.

“Thought you’d sleep through your own execution, Lieutenant?”

The rage bubbling up inside me almost drowned out the pain. “Fuck you,” I spat, tasting blood on my tongue. “Why don’t you untie me and we’ll see who executes who?”

Pyro chuckled, that sick fuck. “Now, now, is that any way to talk to your superior officer?”

“He is no superior of mine, you traitorous piece of shit,” I managed to croak.

Captain’s face hardened. “Watch your mouth, soldier. You’re in no position to be making threats.”

The Taliban leader checked his watch and barked something in Pashto. Captain Shithead nodded. “Looks like our time’s up for now. Business calls, you understand.”

As the Taliban fighters began to file out, their leader paused by me. “Perhaps we’ll have another session together soon, American. I do so miss our... conversations.”

I spat at his feet, earning me a vicious kick to the ribs that sent waves of agony through my already battered body.

Once they were gone, I glanced at Red, her eyes wide, her face pale. I could see how scared she was, how all of this had started to sink in. Viper looked ready to kill, while Raven was oddly calm, her eyes darting around the room. I knew that look—she was planning something.

“Why don’t you enlighten us,sir?" I said, injecting as much venom into the word as I could. “What made you decide to fuck over your own men?”

Captain paced in front of us, looking like a smug bastard.

“It’s simple, really. This war? It’s a lost cause. The Taliban will win, it’s just a matter of time. So why not make a profit while we can?”

“By selling American weapons to the enemy?” Viper snarled. “You’re a fucking disgrace.”

Pyro nodded, his eyes gleaming with a twisted joy. “It’s not just about the money, though that’s a nice bonus. It’s about power, about being on the winning side.”

While those assholes blabbed, I felt the ropes loosening just a little. Raven must’ve been working on hers too. I caught her eye. A quick nod. Just needed to keep these fuckers talking.

“So, what’s the grand fucking plan here?” I asked, buying time. “Sell us out and run off with your Taliban buddies?”

Captain Dickhead laughed, full of himself. “Oh, Rogue. Always thinking so small. This goes way beyond the Talibans. We’re talking about reshaping the entire fucking region.”

Something didn’t add up.

“And how does killing your own men factor into that brilliant plan of yours?”

That was when Red spoke up, her voice trembling but strong. “It wasn’t just about killing. It was about eliminating threats, wasn’t it? Anyone who could blow the lid on your operation.”

Captain’s face darkened, eyes narrowing. “Smart girl. Too smart for your own good, really.”

A horrible realization dawned on me. “Viper’s ‘accident’ in the med bay. That wasn’t an accident at all, was it?”

Pyro’s face split into a smirk. “Ding, ding! Give the man a prize! You’re sharper than you look, Rogue.”

I felt Red stiffen beside me, her breath hitching. “You bastards,” she whispered, fear colouring her voice. “Dylan... he was in on it too, wasn’t he?”

Pyro grinned like a fucking maniac. “Oh, he played his part,” he said, almost too gleefully. “He was the one that loosened Viper’s stitches, but I’m the one who swapped the meds. So, when you,” he pointed directly at Red, his grin widening, “gave Viper the wrong dose, you were the one who nearly killed him.”

Red’s face drained of color, her lips parting in shock. I felt her shaking next to me, and all I wanted was tear Pyro apart. “Why?” she demanded, her voice breaking but still fierce. “Why would you do that?”

Pyro’s grin slipped, replaced by a cold, hard look. “Because the plan was to clean house. Viper was a loose end. Just like the rest of you.”

Red’s eyes flicked to Captain, and in that second, I saw whatever hope she had left die. “Even Dylan?” she asked, her voice cracking. “Was he just another loose end?”

---