Chapter 42

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t he first thing I felt was pain. Fucking hell, it was everywhere. My side burned like someone had shoved a hot poker through it, which wasn’t far from the truth.

The taste of blood filled my mouth as I came to, my head pounding like a fucking jackhammer on overdrive. My hand was slick with it, pressing down on the stab wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but it just kept seeping through my fingers.

My head was throbbing, and every breath felt like shards of glass scraping against my insides. I tried to move, but my body felt like it was made of lead. Even opening my eyes was a fucking struggle.

The dim light of the abandoned mosque made my eyes ache, but I forced them open. Shit. We were all tied up—Red, Viper, Raven, and me. Fucking amateurs, all of us, walking right into this trap.

And then I heard them. Voices. Familiar ones that made me want to vomit.

“The shipment will be ready next week,” said a voice I recognized all too well. Our Captain. The bastard I’d trusted with my life countless times. “Make sure your boys are ready to move it quickly.”

“Don’t worry about my end, Cap,” replied the snake himself—Pyro. That backstabbing piece of shit. “We’ve been doing this long enough to know the drill.”

I forced my eyes open wider, fighting against the pain and dizziness. The scene before me was like something out of a nightmare. Captain Dickhead was having a fucking chit-chat with Pyro, while a bunch of Taliban fighters stood around them like it was a goddamn meet-and-greet.

But that wasn’t even the worst part.

My eyes locked onto their weapons—American-made M4 carbines, M249 SAWs, even some Javelin missile launchers. All stamped with U.S. Army serial numbers.

Everything clicked. The missing shipments. The documents Red and I had found, showing weapons deliveries that never made it to our boys on the front lines. That son of a bitch Captain Maggot had been selling our own fucking guns to the enemy.

As I scanned the group, my heart nearly stopped. There, standing among the Taliban, was a face I’d never forget. The same sadistic fuck who tortured me when I was captured, before the extraction team got me out and dumped me off at the base where I first met Red. His eyes met mine, and a sick smile spread across his face.

“Well, well,” the tali scum said, his voice crawling up my spine. “Look who’s finally awake. Did you miss me, American dog?”

Captain Fuckwit turned around, eyes narrowing as he saw me conscious. “Ah, Lieutenant. So good of you to join us. I was beginning to think Pyro here had been a bit too enthusiastic with his blade.”

Pyro just smirked, twirling a knife between his fingers. “What can I say? I enjoy my work.”

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?”

Captain answered this time, his declaration colder than I’d ever heard it. “He knew too much. He was expendable.”

Viper snarled. “So, all those ‘failed’ missions? You were setting us up to die?”

“Gradual elimination,” Captain nodded, not a flicker of remorse in his eyes. “Can’t have too many deaths at once, raises suspicions. But a few here, a few there? That’s just the cost of war.”

“You’re sick," I growled, teeth clenched. “Both of you.”

Captain Cockwad shrugged. “Call it what you want, Rogue. But in this world, it’s adapt or die. And I choose to adapt... and profit.”

The room went deathly silent. I could feel the fury building inside me, like a bomb ready to go off. Every mission that had gone to shit, every teammate we lost—it had all been part of their sick plan. And we’d been too blind to see it.

“You won’t get away with this,” I shouted, straining against my bonds. “Someone will figure it out.”

Captain Butthead leaned in close, his breath hot and foul on my face. “And who’s going to tell them, Rogue? You? You’ll be nothing but a cautionary tale, a soldier who cracked under pressure and killed his team before blowing his own fucking brains out. Tragic, really.”

I lunged forward, nearly toppling myself over. “I’ll fucking kill you!”

Pyro chuckled, cockier than ever. “That’s the spirit! But I’m afraid your time’s up. Boss, shall we end this little reunion?”

Captain straightened up, pulling out his sidearm. “Indeed. It’s been fun, kids, but all good things must come to an end.”

Everything went to shit in the blink of an eye.

Raven, that crafty bitch, had somehow managed to work herself free. She launched herself at Pyro like a rabid animal, all teeth and nails. The surprise on that bastard’s face would have been comical if we hadn’t been fighting for our lives.

“You treacherous cunt!” Raven screamed, clawing at Pyro’s face.

He howled in pain, blood streaming from the gashes she was leaving.

The room erupted into chaos. Gunshots echoed off the walls, deafening in the cramped space. I threw myself to the side, feeling the ropes dig into my flesh as I rolled. My wound pulsated, but adrenaline dulled the pain to a roar in the background.

Pyro was flailing, trying to fend off Raven, who was tearing into him like a wildcat, teeth, nails, and pure fucking rage. Meanwhile, I frantically worked at my bonds, my wrists slick with blood from the rope burn.

Captain reacted fast, raising his weapon. But Viper, that crazy son of a bitch, threw himself at his legs, toppling them both to the ground. The gun went off, the bullet embedded itself in the ceiling and showered us with debris.

I was still struggling with my own bonds, the rope digging into my wrists as I twisted and pulled. The pain in my side was excruciating, but adrenaline was a hell of a drug. I barely felt it as I finally worked one hand free, immediately starting on the other.

Raven and Pyro were rolling on the floor, locked in a savage struggle for the gun. Pyro might have been bigger, but Raven was all coiled fury and skill. She got in a solid hit to his solar plexus, and the fucker wheezed, his grip on the gun slipping.

I had almost freed myself when Red’s voice cut through the mayhem.

“Rogue! Behind you!”

A gunshot rang out, loud enough to shake the walls. For a heart-stopping moment, I thought Red had been hit. But then I heard Raven cry out in pain, and I froze. My blood went ice cold.

I managed to free my other hand and struggled to my feet, just in time to see Raven stumbling back, clutching her shoulder. Blood seeped between her fingers, but her eyes were blazing with fury.

Pyro stood there, gun in hand, that sadistic grin on his face. “Not so tough now, are you, bitch?”

“Fuck you,” Raven spat, literally, a glob of bloody saliva hitting Pyro square in the face.

That was my cue. I lunged at the fucker, tackling him to the ground. The gun went skittering across the floor as we grappled, trading punches and headbutts, whatever we could. I tasted blood in my mouth, felt it trickling down my face. Pyro was no slouch in hand-to-hand, but I had desperation and fury on my side.

“Come on, soldier boy,” he taunted, pulling out a knife. “Let’s dance.”

Where the fuck had he gotten that?

I rolled to the side, feeling the blade whistle past my ear. The sudden movement sent a jolt of agony through my side, nearly buckling my knees.

“Stay still, you piece of shit,” he snarled, slashing wildly.

I barely stayed on my feet, forcing myself up. Every inch of my body screamed in pain, but I didn’t give a damn.

“That the best you got, you backstabbing sack of shit?” I spat, raising my fists.

Pyro grinned, all teeth and madness. “I’m just warming up.”

He came at me again, a flurry of strikes that I barely managed to dodge. I blocked a blow with my forearm, feeling the blade slice through flesh. The pain was white-hot, but I used it, let it fuel me.

I countered with a right hook that caught him on the jaw. His head snapped back, but he recovered quickly, lashing out with the knife. I felt it graze my ribs, adding another line of fire to the constellation of pain that was my body.

Across the room, Viper and the Captain were still going at it. Viper was holding his own, but Captain Ballsack fought dirty. I saw him land a vicious knee to Viper’s groin, doubling him over.

“Viper!” Red cried out.

She had managed to free herself and was scrambling towards the fallen gun.

Pyro saw her too.

“Oh no, you don’t, sweetheart,” he snarled, disengaging from me to lunge at her.

“NO!” I screamed, throwing myself at him.

We hit the ground hard, rolling across the floor in a tangle of limbs and fury. His knife caught me in the shoulder, but I barely felt it. All I cared about was keeping that piece of shit away from Red.

Gunshots rang out, and then I heard Captain’s voice, howling in rage like the bastard he was. Pyro and I separated, both of us turning to see what the hell was going on.

There was Captain, on his knees, blood blooming on his chest like a sick fucking flower. Behind him stood Raven, pale as pale as a corpse, holding his gun in her shaking hands.

“You...” he gasped, then toppled forward like a sack of shit.

For a moment, everything froze. Then Pyro let out an inhuman howl of rage and charged at Raven like a goddamn lunatic.

I tried to get in his way, but my body had other plans. I hit the ground hard, useless, watching the psycho close in on her.

Raven pulled the trigger. Once. Twice. Three times. But there was no fucking bang, no muzzle flash. Just the hollow, terrifying click of an empty chamber.

“Shit,” I heard her mutter, her eyes going wide.

Without missing a beat, she drove her knee into Pyro’s face with a brutal crunch. Blood spurted from his nose, but the asshole wasn’t done. He grabbed her injured arm and yanked her down hard, eliciting a scream of pain.

I forced myself up, ignoring the fire ripping through my side, and grabbed Pyro by the hair, slamming his head into the floor. Once. Twice. Three fucking times. But this bastard just wouldn’t die.

He threw me off, and we were back on our feet, circling each other like two rabid fucking dogs. Blood dripped from his broken nose, his eyes wild, not just with rage but with fear. He knew he was screwed.

“Give it up, Pyro,” I growled, barely keeping the hatred from choking me. “It’s fucking over.”

He laughed, a crazed sound that made my skin crawl. “It’s never over, Rogue. You think you’ve won? You’ve got no idea how deep this shit goes.”

Before I could shove that laugh down his throat, another gunshot rang out. Pyro’s eyes went wide, that psychotic grin wiped right off his face. He looked down at his chest, where a red stain was rapidly spreading, then back up at me.

“Fuck,” he managed to say before collapsing.

I spun around to see Red holding Captain’s gun, her hands shaking, but her aim still dead on. Viper was on Captain Cocksucker, his fists a blur as he pounded the life out of him.

“Red,” I breathed, relief flooding through me.

She was okay. She was alive.

I started moving toward her, but then the sound I’d been dreading stopped me cold—the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked.

Captain wasn’t fucking dead. He was on his feet, swaying like a drunk, but still standing. His backup piece aimed right at Red.

“You... fucking... bitch,” he wheezed, blood dribbling from his lips. “If I’m going down... I’m taking you with me.”

Everything slowed down. I saw his finger tightening on the trigger. I saw Red’s eyes widen in realization. I saw Viper, too weak to move, reaching for her.

“Red, shoot!” I screamed.

She hesitated for a split second, her doctor’s instinct to preserve life warring with the need to survive. It was a split second too long.

I didn’t think. I just moved.

The gun went off as I threw myself in front of Red. I felt the impact, like a sledgehammer to my chest. I heard Red scream, felt her catch me as I fell back and then everything went numb.

Through the haze of pain, I saw Viper. With the last of his strength, he’d picked up Raven’s fallen gun. He fired once, twice, three times. Captain jerked with each impact, then crumpled to the ground. This time, he didn’t get up.

“Rogue! Oh God, Rogue, no!” Red’s voice was frantic, her hands pressing down on my chest.

It hurt like hell, but it was all fading away, turning to nothing.

I blinked, trying to focus, but my mind was spinning. I needed to see her. Red. My thoughts were a mess, slipping through my fingers like water, but I needed to see her one last time.

I tried to speak, but all that came out was a wet cough. I tasted copper in my mouth.

Not a great sign.

Red’s face swam into focus above me, her beautiful features twisted with fear and anguish. “Stay with me, Rogue. Please, you have to stay with me.”

I managed a weak smile. “Hey... Doc,” I rasped. “Guess I... really fucked up this time, huh?”

I could barely fucking breathe. Felt like someone was shoving shards of glass into my lungs with every breath. That coppery taste of blood filled my mouth, and I knew—fuck, I knew this was it.

She shook her head violently, tears pouring down her face.

“Don’t you dare joke right now. You’re gonna be fine, you hear me? You have to be fine.”

I reached up, my hand shaking, and touched her cheek. “Harper,” I forced the word out, her real name sticking in my throat like it didn’t belong there.

But it did. It had always belonged to her.

Her eyes went wide. She looked at me like I’d just hit her, like hearing her name come from me meant something more. And maybe it fucking did.

I’d never called her that. Always ‘Doc’ or ‘sweetheart’ throwing out dumb nicknames like I couldn’t take anything seriously. But never her name.

“I need... to tell you something.”

She leaned in closer, her tears falling on my face. “What is it? Rogue, please, save your strength.”

I shook my head, or at least tried to. “No... you need to know. My name... my real name... is Cole. Cole Bennett.”

That name hadn’t left my lips in years. I wasn’t that fucking boy anymore, the weak little shit who let the world grind him down. I became someone else—Rogue. But for her, right now, I wasn’t afraid to be that boy again.

Her breath caught. “Cole,” she repeated softly, and fuck, hearing her say it made my heart ache.

I nodded weakly. “Yeah… that’s me.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks, and she leaned in closer, her forehead resting against mine. “Why... why are you telling me this now?”

There was no getting out of this one. But I wasn’t scared—not of dying, at least. What scared me, what tore me apart inside, was the thought of never seeing her again.

I’d always been good at shutting shit out, burying my feelings so deep I didn’t have to face them. But lying here, with blood soaking into the dirt and my body fucking quitting on me, I couldn’t run from it anymore. I’d fought it for so long—kept her at arm’s length, convinced myself it was just lust, just survival. But now… now I knew.

I loved her.

Even if I’d never been able to name it before, I knew it now. It hit me like a bullet to the chest, right alongside the one that was killing me. I fucking loved her, and I didn’t say it. Not the way she deserved to hear it.

I tried to smile again, tasting blood.

“Because... I fucking love you, Harper. Have for a long damn time. Wanted you to know the real me. Before...”

“No,” she cut me off fiercely. “No ‘before’. You’re not dying, you hear me? You can’t die. I love you too, you stupid, brave, wonderful man. I love you, and you’re not allowed to leave me.”

Suddenly, her body jerked, like she’d been hit by something invisible. Her eyes went wide, a small gasp slipping out. I watched, horrified, as a dark red stain began to spread across her chest.

“Harper?” I croaked, panic giving me one last burst of strength. “Harper, what the fuck…?”

She looked down at her chest, then back at me, shock written across her face. “I... I think I’m hit,” she whispered.

I followed her gaze and saw that piece of shit Captain, sprawled on the ground, his gun still smoking in his lifeless hand. The motherfucker had gotten one last shot off.

“No,” I growled, trying to sit up, trying to do something, anything. But my body was useless. “No, no, no. Harper, stay with me.”

I forced myself to reach for her, my fingers trembling, brushing her shoulder, as if that small touch could pull her back to me. “Fuck, don’t you dare. Stay with me!”

She slumped forward, her body half-covering mine. I felt her blood mixing with my own, soaking into our clothes. “Cole,” she murmured, her voice weak. “I’m scared.”

I wrapped my arms around her, ignoring the flare of agony the movement caused. “I’m here, baby. I’m right here. I’ve got you.”

She nodded against my chest, her breathing becoming more labored. “I love you,” she whispered, her voice broken. “I’m sorry... we didn’t have more time.”

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, tasting salt, blood, and everything in between. “I love you, too,” I whispered, the words almost too faint to hear. “Didn’t want to... tried not to... but I love you, Harper.”

I felt her weak smile against my skin. “Promise?”

She tried to move, body trembling like she was hanging by a thread, and I could fucking see it—the effort, the way every breath seemed like it was dragging her deeper into the pit. My chest felt like it was being torn apart as I watched her fight for air.

The darkness was coming for me too, fast as hell. I could barely keep my eyes open, barely hold on to the sound of her voice. But I had to say it. I had to let her know.

“I fucking promise,” I murmured, holding her as tight as I could. “We’re in this together. Always.”

We lay there, clinging to each other as our life blood seeped away. I could feel myself slipping, vision turning into a black tunnel. But I wasn’t afraid anymore. Harper was in my arms, and whatever came next, we’d face it side by side.

Or not. Either way, it didn’t fucking matter.

“Harper?” my voice was barely more than a breath.

“Mhm?” She sounded distant, fading.

“See you on the other side, sweetheart.”

I felt her press a weak kiss to my chest. “It’s a date... Cole.”

The world started to disappear around us, the pain dulling, replaced by this heavy numbness, like someone just turned off the lights. I tightened my grip on Harper, feeling her do the same, both of us holding on to whatever the fuck we had left.

Then her eyes fluttered closed, her breathing slowed, and my heart—if it hadn’t been torn apart already—shattered into a thousand fucking pieces. She was slipping, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do. Not one goddamn thing.

She was gone.

I froze, my whole world collapsing around me. The pain in my chest, the gunshot wound—it didn’t matter anymore. Nothing fucking mattered. She was gone, and with her, everything I’d fought for, everything I’d tried to protect, was gone too.

I lowered my head, my lips brushing her cold skin, whispering her name one last time, like it was a prayer I never believed in.

“Harper…”

My vision blurred again, but this time it wasn’t just from the tears. The pain in my chest had grown sharper, spreading through my body like fire. I could feel it—the end—and I welcomed it. There wasn’t anything left for me here. Not without her.

My name. Her name. It was all that was left. And as the darkness swallowed me whole, I held onto that—her name on my lips, my name finally spoken to her.

I closed my eyes, feeling the last bit of strength drain from my body. No more fight. No more words. Nothing left to say.

All that mattered was the love I’d finally fucking let myself feel. And how fast I’d lost it.

Maybe… maybe wherever we end up after this, I’ll see her again.

And then there was nothing.

No more pain, no more war, no more betrayal.

Just silence.