by Kara Hart
Savage finally hands over his gun and we walk inside the village. Soon enough, we meet with the elders in a small building off to the east of the complex.
The thing about these complexes is, we’re completely walled in. There’s only one exit and it’s the entrance we came in through. Soon enough, the villagers have strategically swarmed around the premises. Who knows what their intentions are. Right now, it bears the look of curiosity, as children run by laughing.
“So, you’ve come to seek help,” one of the elders says to us in English. How he learned the language I have no idea. It’s not too often out here that people can speak full English sentences. “And look, you’ve come with gifts.”
I stare at him very carefully. I watch his every move. I even watch the way his hands twitch. He’s got something wrong with him. Parkinson’s disease maybe.
“Yes, sir,” Mike says. The elder asks for him to join him in prayer and we all do, wondering if this is all a simple test.
“We’ve gotten word of where your friend is,” the man says, “but it is a very dangerous route. It’s too risky.”
“How risky?” I find myself asking.
The man turns to me and laughs, pointing at me. “This man has a lot of courage, no?” he asks. Mike gives me an angry glance, but the old man stays smiling. “Don’t worry, you are okay here. But over there? That is Pakistan. And it won’t be easy once you’re on the other side.”
“Can we rest here?” Mike asks. “We’re tired and very hungry.”
The old man laughs once more, shrill and unsettling. “So,” he says, “you bring us a lamb so you can eat? I thought you said it was a gift. Funny how Americans can’t seem to give up their possessions.”
The rest of the elders can’t speak a word of English. They have no idea what’s being said, but they join in laughter anyway. It signifies that he’s taken a jab at America, their enemy. That, to them, is a small victory.
“We have money,” I say. “American money.”
“Throw it in the center of the room,” he gestures. When I do, he steps back and nods at me. “Good. A sacrifice well spent. God shines his light on you. We will help you.”
“Thank you,” I tell him. He shakes my hand and bows. I do the same. Mike and Savage turn to me, looking confused.
“God is great. We leave in the morning,” he says.
When we leave the small building, the sun has gone down and the moon has replaced its burning rays. “What the hell has gotten into you, soldier?”
“I don’t know, sir,” I say, plainly, looking him right in the eye. “I guess I just want to finish this mission and get back home.”
Savage punches me in the shoulder. “Damn straight,” he says. “Fuck all this nonsense.”
Mike tries to remain strong, but he knows it too. We’re in one hell of a situation where we have to trust the village elder, the one guy who’s known for having terrorist sentiments. But this is the way it panned out, so we have to try and live through it.
We are escorted to our sleeping quarters, a small tent amongst a circular rock enclosure. We give our thanks and the strange man gives us a lamp. “To block out the darkness,” he says, smiling. “It gets very dark here.”
So we know, I think to myself. We all fall respectively to our corners and get lost in thought. “What do you miss the most about home?” Mike asks me. Savage looks increasingly hostile by the second.
“The women,” I say without blinking an eye.
“Amen,” Savage says.
“Oh, the women,” Mike laughs. “God, I miss those American women.”
“And the burgers,” I add.
“You’re tired of all this goat and lamb already?” Savage mutters under his breath. He takes out a knife and begins sharpening it.
“Fuck the lamb,” I say. “I want a nice Big Mac. Extra Large fries.” But most of all, I want another chance with Dakota. It’s all I can hope for at this point, even if it isn’t a wish based in reality.
Soon enough, they go to sleep, leaving the light on. I bring it close to me and grab a cigarette out of my pack. I don’t normally smoke, but out here it’s like a treat. I can enjoy one to myself and strategically ration the rest. I could die tomorrow, so what’s it matter now?
I pull out my notepad and begin writing my thoughts. This is my nightly letter to Dakota. In case she ever gets the rest of them, I want to be consistent. I want her to know how I really feel, now that I’ve gotten a lot of extra time to think about everything. I write:
Dakota,
I’m not sure how many letters this is now. I can’t help but think about you every single night that I’m here. That soldier is still missing and we’re trapped in a village, near the border of Pakistan. I’m worried that bad things are coming. I can’t be sure.
There’s not a day that goes by that I miss the way you felt that night in Maui. The way you smelled, the way your hands felt, and the way your eyes dart through me. I cherish the memories. Out here, everything is dead or waiting to die. There’s not much hope. I’m sorry if that’s too dark. I don’t mean to get like that, but this is my life out here.
Shit, I’m just going to come right out and say it. I miss you. I miss everything about you. I know you’re on that television show right now. I don’t blame you at all for going through with it. You had to. It’s what you signed up to do. But I need you to know that there’s a guy waiting to come back to the states. There’s a guy who just wants to see you. To wrap his warms around you. To hold you.
Goodnight,
Payton.
Dakota
The show has been going well, without too many hiccups. Now, most of the men have been eliminated and have left. All except Danny and Brock. The choice is tough. Do I pick the weight trainer from Arizona, or do I pick the Wall Street man from New York City? Today is the day I bring them home to my parents, and it’s the last episode of the show.
I get out of the black SUV and walk toward the front door of my house. My parents stand in the entryway, waving to me. Everything is so great. Danny is by my side and he’s smiling big. Today is the day he gets to prove himself to me and my family. It’s a big deal.
“Mrs. Rogers, you look gorgeous,” he says to my mother. “And Mr. Rogers, my Gosh, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m honored, really.”
My parents are impressed. So far so good. “We’ve all heard so many great things about you, Danny,” my father, Scott, says to him. “Why don’t you come in for breakfast. I’ve got pancakes on the stove!”
I’m a small town girl and I love my family. So far, Danny is doing great. But I worry. He’s a big city kind of guy. Will he be open to this kind of lifestyle? Where would we end up living if we got married?
Later in the day, he sheds some light on all of that. “I figure, business is doing well, right? Right now, the market is doing great. So, why not buy two houses? One in the heart of the city. Imagine, beautiful skyscrapers, concrete and elaborate architecture… of course, it would have to be over Central Park,” he kisses my forehead and smiles at my parents. “And of course, we could have our little home away from home out here in Kansas. It would be wonderful, don’t you think baby?”
He looks at me and smiles and I smile back, envisioning what kind of a life that would be for us. We’d have the best of both worlds. Even my parents are in agreement. “We just think that would be wonderful,” my mom says.
I get up to help my mom with the dishes, while my father has a man-to-man talk with Danny. “He’s wonderful, isn’t he?” I ask her, hoping she’ll agree. Today is the hardest day of my life and I feel so sick to my stomach thinking about sending one of the guys home.
“He’s really great, honey,” she says to me. “Do you think he’s the one?”
I grab a sponge and scrub at the syrupy plates. “I don’t know. I mean, it’s so hard to tell. I wasn’t sure at first because he was so pushy. He was so sure he was going to win. But he toned down quite a bit, Mom,” I take a deep breath and sigh.
“I think he definitely could be. I want you to meet Brock, though. He’s got a real gentle side to him.”
For a second, I think of Payton. I’m not sure why. It’s been a few months since I saw him last. Why didn’t he write to me? I ask myself. I thought he would at least write once to tell me he’s okay. Even if we can’t be together, it would have been nice to hear from him.
Oh well. That’s life, I guess.
I walk back into the living room to grab Danny and the look on my dad’s face is so precious. My dad gets up from the couch and walks up to me. He whispers “I’m just so happy for you. I’m proud of everything you’ve done.” There are actually tears in his eyes and it’s such a touching moment for me I can hardly contain myself.
“Dad…” I whisper, wiping my eyes dry. “I love you so much. Thank you for being there for me.”
“I always will be,” he says. Which is exactly what I want to hear from Danny. Even with all the promises, all the dreams, I’ve still yet to hear those words. I’ll always be there for you. No matter how hard. No matter the cost. That’s what I wanted in a man. Sacrifice. Real love. I’ve seen my dad do it for my mom, for over 30 years, and I’ve seen my mom give back the same.
I grab Danny’s hand and we walk outside onto the land. “It’s not much,” I say about the house, “but it’s a part of me, you know?”
“I’m honored you let me come here today,” he says as we take a nice stroll around the block. “It’s so… homey. I feel so comfortable here with you and your family.”
“Thank God,” I tell him. “I was really worried. I’ve been so sick to my stomach about of all of this. Like, physically sick to my stomach.”
“Well, don’t get too sick. You’ve got a big choice on your hands today,” he laughs.
We wander down a path that leads to a grassy park. It’s the park I used to go to as a kid. We keep walking and sit on a rock near the old swing set. That’s when everything takes an odd turn.
Danny kisses my hand and smiles. I smile back. Everything is seemingly normal. That is, until Brock comes over. He’s sitting on top of the slide, holding a glass in his hand. It’s some kind of alcoholic beverage, whisky maybe.
He’s looking right at us and he doesn’t look happy. He waves and slides down to our level. “Oh, God,” I whisper. “What is going on?” I look to the director and the cameramen. They’re as confused as I am, although they love every second of it. This will probably send the ratings to the Moon.
Brock stumbles toward us. He’s drunk. Like, really drunk. “So,” he slurs his words, “you let him meet your parents before me?”
“Settle down there, Brock,” Danny says, getting up on his feet. “It’s not her fault, okay?”
“Shut up, tall man,” he laughs. “I’m not talking to you.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Danny says back.
“Brock, you’ll have your turn,’ I tell him. “But now, you need to go home. I don’t know how you got here, but it’s not your turn.”
“I had so many fun things planned for us,” he says. “But now it’s all ruined. You’ve shown your true colors, woman.”
I’m shocked. I can’t even utter a word back. What can I say? I look at Danny, who’s already decided he’s going to act. He stands in front of me, tall and strong.
“You touch the woman, you get my fist,” he says.
“Fuck both of you,” he spits and takes a full gulp of his drink, until it’s all finished. Then he smiles. “We could’ve been famous together, baby. You know that?”
“You need to leave,” Danny says again, moving forward. He stands in front of Brock, which apparently is too much for him. Brock’s so drunk that he falls over, crying like a baby.
“Get him out of here,” Danny says to one of the crewmen. “This is over. He needs to shape up.”
The men pull him away and Danny turns around. “I’m sorry about that,” he says. “I think I should go too, though. You have a lot on your plate right now.”
He walks away and for a second there, I’m speechless. But then a wave of energy hits me. “No,” I say. “Wait.”
He stops and turns back around. “I have my answer. I know my choice,” I say. “And I want you, Danny. It’s always been you.”
“Are you sure?” he asks me, walking toward me with an excited expression plastered onto his face. “You know I love you, right?”
“I do,” I say. “And I’m sure.”
He looks from side to side and takes a huge breath. “Then I guess it’s time,” he says, falling to one knee. Oh fuck. This is it. This is the big moment.
“Dakota Rogers. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?” he asks. “Will you become Dakota Langley?”
Langley? I didn’t know his last name was Langley. The name’s not important, I tell myself. “Of course, I will! Oh my God!”
He embraces me, kisses me, and runs his hands across my waist. He feels familiar, but there’s something that’s off. He feels stiff and I don’t feel my stomach pull back. I always thought love would feel different. I always thought it would feel like that one night in Maui.
Have I made the wrong choice? I feel sick to my stomach. Like, really sick. My head’s swimming and my vision goes black. Then, I faint.
Payton
The road is treacherous and our guide isn’t exactly trustworthy, but we’ve made most of the journey without any trouble. Whether or not we find the missing soldier, my tour here is almost through. I’ll head home for Texas and start a new chapter of my life. I can’t even imagine right now what that’ll be like.
“Any of you watch Wedded?” Mike asks me. “I’ve got a guy in my ear bud talking his ass off about it when we need coordinates.”
“Tell him to fuck off,” Savage mutters.
“I’ve seen the show,” I carefully say. “Dakota Rogers, right?”
“I guess,” Mike shrugs and continues into the perilous desert. In the near distance is a compound. This, supposedly, is where the missing soldier is. Let’s hope.
“He won’t shut up about it,” Mike continues. “I guess the guy proposed. They’re getting married. Man, I miss cable.”
“Wait,” I stop dead in my tracks, despite the need to push on. “She’s getting married?”
“Yeah, to some Wall Street guy. Can you believe it?” he laughs. “That’s a disaster waiting to happen. I don’t know why people sign up to be on shows like that.”
I feel my heart drop. No, it fucking explodes. It bursts in my chest and I’m left speechless and destroyed. Fuck the AK-47’s and IED’s we have to watch out for. They’ve got nothing on this feeling of heartbreak. Dakota, you never knew how much I cared for you.
When we get to the compound, we circle around the entrance quietly. The man that was our guide looks at us and smiles. “You’re on your own,” I hear him say. Then, he’s gone. Seriously, it’s just like that. When the dust settles, we have no idea where he is.
“Alright,” Mike leans in. “There’s about eight men on guard. We have to be quick and silent. Savage, I want you in there first. Then, it’s me. Payton, I want you getting our guy and getting the fuck out of here. I’ve sent coordinates to a helicopter. They’ll pick us up.”
“I’ll blow them to smithereens,” Savage says, holding his gun out in front of him. He smiles and shows off his plaque-ridden teeth. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for anything. I feel exhilarated.”
“Let’s just get him out of here, okay?” I make sure my weapons are loaded and feel my heart crashing against my ribs. “I’d rather not get a bullet lodged in me.”
“Why’d you join up then, brother?” Savage laughs.
“Alright, enough horsing around. Let’s do this,” Mike says steadily. “On my count. 3, 2, 1. Go, go, go!”
We storm in the compound, one after another, weapons against our shoulders, eyes steady and straight. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I’m whispering to myself over and over again.
A few rounds sound off and bu
llets are flying around me. One hits the dirt in front of my boot and I dive out of the way. A bullet rips through the spot I was just standing in as I find cover behind an old, rusted car.
“Two guys at three o’clock!” Mike yells.
Savage jumps up and starts screaming wildly, rolling against the dirt. He takes aim and takes the two out. I pop up behind him and throw a flash bang into a room where I suspect other guys are. I hear screaming and the guys come running out. Mike takes them out, left and right.
From another room, more men come out. They almost have me cornered, but I take out my knife and throw it into one of the guy’s leg before he can shoot. Savage comes to the rescue, taking out his pistol. Soon enough, he’s firing with both weapons and the guys fall to the floor.
The whole compound is suddenly empty. The soldier is close. He’s in the center room. Though, there’re lots of corridors in the hallway connecting to it, a lot of places to hide. “Here goes nothing,” I mutter.
“I got you,” Savage says, right behind me.
I decide to make a run for it. I run as fast as I can through that hallway and I’m basically holding my breath. As I reach the end, I feel something hot go straight into my gut. I fall forward and hit the dirt. I feel the same thing in my back. It’s swift and silent and comes out of nowhere.
“Bastard!” Savage screams and unloads a barrage of bullets. I twist my head up to see what happened. A man falls next to me. He’s dead and holding a big blade. I see my blood on the knife.
“Am I dying?” I ask. I see the missing soldier in my peripheral. He’s chained to the bed and he doesn’t look too good. But we’ve found him. He’ll get home safely. I’m not sure how I’ll fare in the end.
“You’re good,” Savage says, applying pressure on my wounds. I can feel my blood seeping out from me. It feels cold and unsettling. The pain is double with Savage’s weight on me. “Just hold on, we’ve got you.”
His eyes look worried. Mike comes running behind and yells, “Shit!” He quickly gets the silent soldier and helps him out of the bed. “We’ve got to move. Fast! There’s more of them. They’re outside, coming from the mountains. If we don’t hurry, they’ll have us surrounded.”