Max then turned to Leo. “I’ve been thinking about what you said, Leo, and I think you’re on to something. We know that they’re not going to kill Squires until Siraj is here in Afghanistan, so maybe they wanted to upload something on a website just for them, or send something to their leader.”
Kane pulled his laptop out of his duffel. “I’m on it.”
“All of you, including you, Kane, go find a bunk and get some shut-eye. Tomorrow’s another day. We’re going to find these sons-of-bitches.”
Leo laughed when Max pulled the laptop out of Kane’s hands. “No more toys for you.”
“But, Dad,” Kane whined. “Just a little longer.”
“You can have it back in the morning.”
9
Daisy woke up to the sound of her laptop squawking at her. It was a Skype call coming in. She looked at the phone on the nightstand and saw it was nine a.m. She bolted out of bed; how did she sleep so late?
She scooted over to her computer. It was Rayi.
She looked down at herself. She was wearing a Chicago Cubs T-shirt, no bra, and panties. She carefully positioned the laptop’s camera so he would only see her face.
She answered the call.
“I have good news,” he started.
“My father’s been rescued?” Daisy was ready to jump out of her chair.
“No, but we know he’s still alive. One of my colleagues monitors a chat room where the Haqqanis communicate.”
“Why haven’t we used that to talk to them?” Daisy wanted to know.
“It would blow the cover he has spent years cultivating. He cannot do it. But what he has done is discovered a video of your father from yesterday.”
“He has? Can I see it?”
“Yes, I’ve downloaded it to the secure server you provided to me. I must warn you, Miss Squires, he does not look well, but he is alive. That is the important thing to remember.”
“Trust me, I know that is the important thing. This is such good news! Are there any clues in the video as to where he’s being held?”
“None that I or my colleague could see.”
“Thank you, Rayi, I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.”
He signed off and she immediately went to the secure server. It took her just a moment to find the video. She opened up the video file and pressed play.
To begin with, she couldn’t see much; the focus was all blurred, and the camera was moving. Then it stopped moving and the camera came into clear focus. Someone shoved her father onto his knees in front of the camera.
“No,” she gasped. His face was mottled with bruises. There was dried blood at his temple, his jaw was so swollen she wondered if he could talk.
She traced her fingers over the computer screen as if she could touch him. As if she could somehow help him.
“My name is Ethan Squires. I tried to help the people of—”
Daisy watched in horror as the butt of a rifle came into view and hit him in the head. He crashed to the ground, a gash opening on the side of his head, blood pouring out. A voice from off-screen screamed at him in Arabic, telling her father not to lie. That he was an infidel who had sinned against the prophet. Somebody rushed to lift her father up. He was wearing a face covering as well as his keffiyeh; there was no way to tell who he was. He tried to get her father to kneel up on his own, but it was a lost cause.
More screaming in Arabic ensued. Swearing he would kill her father if he tried to fake an injury, telling him to get up and tell their leader how he had betrayed Muslims everywhere. The man was holding on to her father’s elbows. They were yanked up almost to his head. He was groaning in pain.
“Tell them,” the man kept shouting from off-camera. “Tell them your sins.”
“I did nothing wrong. I tried to help.”
Daisy cried out when she saw the butt of the gun come flying on-screen again, but this time the man holding her father yanked him out of the way.
“No. You’ll kill him,” the man cried. “Our leader wants him alive for the beheading.”
“He must repent,” the man yelled from off-screen.
Daisy kept her eyes glued to her father and saw the moment he passed out. She gasped out a breath and that was the moment she realized she’d been holding it.
The screen went black. Her whitened fingers were touching it while harsh sounds were coming out of her mouth. She tasted salt. What’s happening to me? What’s happening to me?
“Oh, God.”
She practically fell out of her chair as she rushed to the bathroom. She pushed up the toilet seat just in time to throw up. She heaved and heaved until there was nothing left in her stomach, but still, she heaved some more.
Daisy blindly reached for the toilet paper, wanting to wipe away the snot, tears, and saliva.
Suck it up, you’ve seen worse.
Her stomach heaved again.
She tried to think.
Why can’t I think?
She hit the tiles on the floor with her fist, happy when she felt the pain.
Think!
She shuddered, and hated it. She tried to push herself up from the floor but found her legs too weak.
Pull yourself together, girl!
Daisy heard her phone ringing from the other room but she couldn’t handle it. She just couldn’t handle it. Let the world spin on its own without her for a while. It didn’t matter.
I shouldn’t care!
She hit the tile again with her fist.
That’s why I came here instead of my siblings. I wasn’t going to care; it was just another job.
She
