Page 332 of 5+Us Makes Seven

Mr. Sorenson stared at me from the other side of a wooden table. A mirror took up one wall of the otherwise barren room. I hadn’t said a word since they brought me in.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he said.

I stayed silent.

“Okay. We’ll bring the woman in too.”

“No,” I said, slamming my cuffed hands into the table.

“Ah, so you can talk.”

“Look, I don’t know where you’re getting your information, but I’m not involved with Max, Jeffries or any of them.”

“Jeffries?”

Fuck.

“Would that be Captain Jeffries, your CO at FOB Cobra?”

“You guys said you know everything, right? Have you seen me involved in any way since we got back?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean anything. You could be really good at what you do.”

I laughed at the insanity.

“Don’t I get a lawyer? Let me talk to an attorney. I have the money to hire one.”

“You’re a national security threat, and you don’t get access to a lawyer.”

“That’s bullshit.” I moved my hands, the chains connecting my cuffs to the table clanging against the wood. “I’m a U.S. citizen, and I have rights.”

“Not until you help us, you don’t. Patriot Act, my friend.”

“Fuck this. That should have expired years ago. Let me go.”

“Or what? You’re not in a position to be making demands.”

I bit my tongue to help control my emotional response. The more I acted out, the more they could learn about me. If they wanted a game, I would play it.

The military had taught me how to get through torture well because they knew it would likely be used against soldiers who found themselves captured during the new, 21st century wars.

“Have you settled down?” he asked in a cocky tone.

I felt like reaching across the table and punching him in the throat. That would have wiped the smirk off his face.

“Here’s the deal. We need someone unknown and not in the military to take the fall. If you’re willing to give up the journalist, we’ll let you go free and clear.”

“Give up the journalist? What the hell are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. As a soldier, you follow orders and get things done no matter what it takes.”

“She’s not involved,” I said.

“You must not know her family very well, do you?”

“Her father is a traveling salesman, and her mother is dead. I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

“You are a dumb grunt, aren’t you? No wonder the Marines or Air Force didn’t want you.”