Chapter 5

Nichole was sure this was it. They were going to kill her. It was the only reason for this man to be leading her away from the group. During the training where they’d prepared her for possible eventualities, they’d talked about the fact that rape could be something she had to face.

As much as she wanted to fight them, their guns held her in check. Before coming out here, she’d had a few moments of worry that something like this might happen, but she’d pushed the worry away, thinking the likelihood of her being taken hostage was way too slim. Now that she was being held captive, the reality was much scarier than she’d even imagined.

The man holding her arm led her down a long hall to a room with a chair and a camera. Relief poured through her. Then she remembered them killing the doctor who wouldn’t read the statement, and her knees started shaking as fear made her nerves feel like they were on fire.

“Sit.”

Compliance would get her much further than an attitude. She could fight back later once she figured a way out of this place.

“Read.”

Her gaze flashed to the man who’d ordered her to read, but she had no idea what he wanted her to read. Her gaze flew around the room as she searched for a piece of paper or card with words. Eventually, her gaze landed on a piece of paper being held by some guy standing next to the camera. The words bled together as panic threatened to take her out.

“Read or you die.”

Nichole lifted her hand and nodded as tears gathered in her eyes. She hated crying, but there was no way to stop the tears. Fear held her too tightly, making it difficult to contain her emotions.

“M-my name is Nichole Brenton, and um, they want me to read th-this statement.”

She hated that her voice wobbled and caught as she spoke. She had done numerous interviews and was well versed in how to speak on camera, but all of that went out the window with the men and their guns in her frame of vision. The man who’d led her into this room seemed to be angry that she wasn’t talking fast enough, so she started reading faster, though her head swam. She hoped she could actually read every word without passing out.

Jay couldn’t believe his eyes. His breath stalled in his chest as he listened to Nichole’s voice shake. Tears slid down her cheeks, revealing her fear. The men holding her wanted three prisoners released. They were given four days to comply. When Nichole read that part, her gaze swung to the side, and her eyebrows knitted tight together before she asked if that really was enough time.

He was proud of her but also worried that she would say something to get herself killed. The statement they had her read had her saying some anti-USA statements, but he knew that was the terrorists putting words into her mouth, not her thoughts or ideas.

“Fuck,” Apple said under his breath as Nichole finished the statement with the warning that the terrorists would begin killing prisoners if their men weren’t released.

Jay felt like the world had just been ripped out from under him. He had so many questions. Nichole had sent him that email last night. That must have been just seconds before they’d been abducted. How the fuck…he knew how. Someone had missed a critical piece of intelligence.

“Jay, you okay?” Griz’s eyebrows were raised, worry crossing his expression.

He gave a brief nod, not wanting to reveal his inner thoughts. “Yeah. I’m good.”

Griz didn’t look convinced, but he sure as shit wasn’t going to tell anyone that he knew Nichole. Knowing her made this mission even more important. If he revealed he knew her, they would take them off this mission. Nichole wouldn’t be a distraction. Instead, she would be even more reason to complete this mission successfully.

This mission went from something he wanted to do to something he needed to accomplish. He couldn’t fail at this because Nichole’s life depended on his success.