Elise

by Angela Rush

  “I know this will sound awful of me, but I regret it now. If we had allowed them to be spoiled rich kids, she would be at home right now and not at the hands of terrorists.” Ms. Sommers’ voice cracks as the tears begin to fall. Mr. Sommers wraps his arm around his wife’s shoulders and pulls her into him. She buries her face into his neck and sobs. The room is deathly quiet save for the sounds coming from Elise’s mother. Deadeye is a little uncomfortable at the sight before him. He feels like he needs to say something.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Sommers, we will do everything in our power to bring Elise home to you. It may not be easy or as quickly as you would like, but we will bring her back to you. You have my word as a Marine. We will bring her home.” Deadeye declares to the room. The others on the team add their agreement to his declaration.

  “Thank you, gentlemen. I have always had respect for our men and women in service, but now I truly understand just how important you are to our country.” Mr. Sommers informs the men. They continue to discuss what information they have and come up with a tentative plan.

  When the meeting comes to an end, they all get up to leave. Mrs. Sommers walks up to Deadeye. “Sir, thank you so much for promising to bring Elise home. She’s our only daughter. She’s only 27-years-old. A baby really, well at least to her father and me. We shouldn’t have let her go over there. I had a bad feeling about it, but she was so determined. I begged her not to go. I don’t know what I will do if she is gone forever.” Mrs. Sommers’ eyes fill with tears. Deadeye is uncomfortable. He doesn’t know what to say or do but decides to act on instinct. He places his hand on Mrs. Sommers shoulder and she raises her tear-filled eyes to look up at him.

  “I will do everything in my power to bring her home to you. I hate the thoughts of her in the hands of those bastards. We will get there, find her, and get her out as quickly as we can. Stay strong, she will need you when we get her back.” Mrs. Sommers nods at him. “Thank you.” She whispers. He nods in return.

  An hour later they are on the military transport plane on their way to find Elise. Ace is chatting up a female soldier on the plane. Deadeye can’t focus on the exchange. His mind is on the woman that is waiting for him to find her and bring her home. He is brought out of his reveries when Ace begins to ask the team their thoughts on the woman, he has been annoying since they got on the plane. Despite not really paying attention, it was easy to see that Ace’s questions and insistence on talking to the woman was annoying her.

  They were all surprised to learn the woman had volunteered to go into dangerous situations. Ace seems convinced he needs to save this woman from herself. Wallace warns him to not go sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. Deadeye knows it went in one ear and out the other. He can tell by the determined look on Ace’s face there is no way he is going to let this go. Deadeye thinks about his friend for a moment and decides if Ace has even a trace of the feelings, he is feeling for Elise there is no way that Ace will leave the woman alone.

  Hours later they are landing and disembarking from the plane. Ace hurries after Dee, the woman from the plane, in an effort to talk to her again. Deadeye chuckles to himself as once again she blows him off. They head over to the waiting Humvee and head to headquarters to see if there had been any updates.

  It seems ISIS is taking responsibility for the deaths surrounding Elise’s kidnapping. Odmiar Hussan is wanting to make Elise his bride. He has forced her to make a video declaring her allegiance to ISIS and him. Deadeye feels sick as he watches the video. Elise is composed and speaks clearly, but her eyes give away the fear and desperation she is feeling inside. Deadeye is pissed. He can’t wait to track down the bastards that have taken her prisoner and end them. There is no way he will let them live if they have harmed one hair on her beautiful head. Deadeye isn’t used to having this kind of reaction to any woman. He was enthralled with her picture, but watching her on the grainy video, he is obsessed with finding her and taking her in his arms. He has an overwhelming desire to care and protect her.

  An hour later they have a plan and are packing up to head out into the desert. Deadeye is antsy. He feels an urgency to get to Elise. He knows without a doubt Hussan will make his move on Elise sooner rather than later. He wants to get to her before she is raped. Every time he thinks about what she might be going through he feels bile rise in his throat. He is determined to find her before her time runs out. He is just praying that it hasn’t already.

  Chapter 4

  Elise has never been so afraid in all her life. The men holding her captive are terrifying. They don’t speak English and she is completely in the dark. They have drug her around the desert for hours. She hasn’t had anything to eat and only a few sips of water. She chances a glance up to see where they are going. A group of tents are up ahead. She is both relieved and frightened. What they want with her she is afraid to try to imagine. She shudders as she thinks about all the horror stories, she has heard about the way these men treat women.

  Once they arrive at the group of tents, Elise is taken to a tent with several women in traditional dress for Arabic women. The women force her into the traditional dress of the local women. The thick folds of fabric make the unbearable heat even worse. Afterward she is lead into the largest tent in the center of the camp. A tall man with black hair, mustache, and long bushy beard is sitting at a table in the middle of the tent. He looks up as they enter the tent. He smiles at Elise, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. It looks more like a scowl than a smile. She feels a shudder run through her at the sight of the man. His black eyes are cold and hard.

  Elise is dragged closer to the man. He comes around the table. His hand snakes out and grabs her behind the neck dragging her closer to him. She tries to resist but he simply laughs at her resistance and grips her neck harder causing her to wince at the intense pain in her neck. He jerks the covering over face down so he can look at her.

  “You will do.” His gruff voice causes her to shudder in fear. He laughs again. He begins to speak and gesture to the men that had brought her here. She is taken by her upper arm and dragged to another tent and shoved into it, falling to her knees. She looks up to see a few other women in the tent. They are staring at her with wide scared eyes. Elise shifts to sit on her butt. She looks around the tent to see if she can find a way to escape. She knows it’s futile; they are in the middle of the desert and she has no clue which direction to head in if she were able to get away.

  Elise feels the tears filling her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. She has to keep it together and stay observant. Perhaps she will find a way out of this horrible situation. An idea comes to her. The women had not removed her jewelry. Elise slips her bracelet from right wrist and leaves it at the edge of the tent. Hopefully someone will come looking for her and find the clue. Sometime later the men come back to the tent. The women had stayed on the other side of the tent and never made eye contact with her. When the men return, they come to Elise immediately. They haul her to her feet and drag her from the tent. She is blind-folded and placed into the back of some sort of vehicle.

  They travel for what seems like hours. Elise slips her remaining earring off and leaves it behind in the vehicle. When they have reached their destination, she is taken out of the vehicle and is brought inside some sort of building. When they have her inside the blindfold is removed. She blinks at the brightness of the room. It is a small non-descript room with a camera on a tripod in the corner. A small table with a chair sits in the center of the room. Her captive drags her to the table and chair forcing her to sit. He hands her a sheet of paper and gestures at the camera.

  Elise looks at the paper she is holding in her hands. The writing is crude, but she is able to make out most of the words. She reads through the statement and feels sick to her stomach. They want her to announce to the world that she has adopted Islam as her belief system and has chosen to run away with Odmiar Hussan to be his bride. She shudders at the thoughts she would even consider such a thing. They want her to denounce America and
her way of life. There is no way she will ever read such a statement. They can torture her even kill her, but no way will she help them promote their cause. The sinister looking man from the large tent enters the room. He stalks toward her. She holds her head high. She is determined to not show her fear.

  “You have read it?” The man inquires. Elise nods her head. “You will read it to the camera. It will be seen around the world. Then we will be married. You will give me sons and serve me as I see fit.” Finding her voice, Elise is determined to defy the man.

  “I will never read this filth, nor will I be your wife.” Elise spits out her reply. His hand slaps her hard on the side of the head. She falls off the chair and into the floor. Pain shoots through her head and her right elbow and hip that have connected with the hard floor. He drags her to her feet by her hair and forces her back into the chair.

  “You will do as I say. You are mine, now. What? Do you think the Americans will come for you? You belong to me and as my property you will do as I say.” The man has gripped her hair tightly and has pulled her head back, so she is forced to look up at him. “You will read the statement, or I will be forced to kill more people from the camp. I can’t kill the mother of my children, but I can get some children from the camp. Would you want the children to suffer at your unwillingness to cooperate? Perhaps a certain little girl you fancied?”

  Elise pales considerably. He wouldn’t harm a child, would he? As if he could read her mind, Lakia from the refugee camp is dragged into the room. The small girl is weeping. Elise tries to stand to comfort the child, but the man holds her in her chair. The man signals the men holding the girl and they hit the little girl.

  “No! Stop, please. I will do as you say.” Elise cries. The man smirks at her. “Stupid weak, Americans. I knew you would cooperate if I had the right incentive.” He signals the men and they drag the child from the room. Elise’s tears fall silently. The man shoves the paper back into her hands.

  “Dry your tears and read the statement convincingly or I will have the girl brought back in. You don’t want that do you?” He growls at her. Elise shakes her head, wipes her tears, and takes deep shuddering breaths to calm herself. After a few moments she has regained her composure. The man, Odamir Hussan moves to the camera and indicates it he is ready for her to read the statement.

  “Hello, my name is Elise Sommers. I was a citizen of the United States of America, but due to their atrocities I no longer wish to be called a citizen of the infidel country. My eyes have been opened while in this country. The United States has taken too many liberties in the countries of the middle east. They have tried to play God where they had no right. The only true God is Ali and he will reign forever. I denounce the U.S. its president, and its government. They have sent soldiers in and stolen the lives of many innocent peoples. ISIS will avenge the lost souls for Ali, and I am a willing servant of Ali. It is his will that I am to marry Odamir Hussan a faithful servant of Ali.

  I ask that my family accept my decision and my conversion to Islam. Please don’t seek me out as I belong to Odamir now. I pray that all of America will come to realize their sinful ways and will give themselves to Ali in servitude. Islam is the only true way to serve Ali and receive his blessings. I would plead with the president of the USA to pull your troops out of these countries. Stop trying to profit from these countries and stop forcing your beliefs on them. If these demands are not met, may Ali have mercy on your souls as ISIS will reign down the wrath of Ali on your heads. We are prepared to make our presence known throughout the US and the world. There is no where you can hide from our influence.”

  Hussan stops the filming. He is grinning broadly. He grabs Elise by the upper arm and drags her out of the room and down a long hallway. He forces her into another room that has a bed with a mattress and nothing else. She is chained to the bed and left alone. He slams the door behind him when he leaves, and she hears the click of a lock. Elise knows she is in a seriously bad spot. She doesn’t see any way out of this mess.

  Elise knows that her father has friends that are high up in politics and the military. She is praying they will send someone to find her, but will they be able to find her before she is forced to marry Hussan? She shudders at the thoughts of the man forcing himself on her. Elise begins to pray for a savior to release her from this nightmare.

  Deadeye is getting frustrated. This is taking too damn long. The refugees are afraid. They are reluctant to give them any information on the attack of the supply truck and where Elise was taken. They had been investigating around the camp for 24 hours and getting absolutely nowhere. They had not gotten any more information than they had when they had arrived. The team was gathering again to review what they had learned on this last patrol through the camp.

  “I hate to say it, but I don’t think we are going to get anything out of the refugees. They are terrified of ISIS and know they will suffer if they help us.” Wallace tells the group when they arrive in the mess tent of the aid workers. They are using it as a temporary headquarters. Virus, Worm, and Hack have computers set up everywhere. They are checking satellite images from the time of the abduction to see if they can find a direction to guide them to Elise.

  Deadeye is holding on by a very thin thread. He is angry with himself at his reaction to the female’s image. He is a professional. He hasn’t even met Elise in person, but he feels a strong pull toward her and has an overwhelming need to find and protect her. He wonders if this is how Hawk felt when he met Charlotte. He knew that Hawk acted differently after finding her on the jungle path, but at the time he couldn’t understand Hawk’s attraction to the woman. Oh, he loved Charlotte like a sister, now. She had been good for Hawk and their twin boys were a bright light in the team’s world. They saw the worst of mankind when they were out in the field. It was so nice to come home and hang out at Hawk and Charlotte’s with the boys. They have gotten big enough to laugh and coo. It was hard to be down around them. Their personalities were starting to shine, and it was easy to see they were going to be a handful for their parents.

  Hack brings him back to the present when he shouts loudly. “Bingo! I knew there had to be something we just hadn’t found it yet.” Deadeye heads over to the table where the men had set up their tech section.

  “What have you got?” Deadeye is peering at the image on the computer screen. It’s a cluster of tents in the middle of the desert.

  “We knew the general direction the men took her in so I have been scanning the desert looking for anywhere they might have taken her. Thankfully this particular area is not covered with mountains or cave systems like much of the area has. I think they must have at least stopped at this camp.” Hack informs the men gathered around the table.

  A commotion outside the tent has them all on edge. The men all get their guns at the ready. Deadeye, Ace, and Straw begin moving toward the entrance to the tent, when Tank comes dragging a man into the tent. They relax slightly while they wait for Tank to explain himself.

  “This man claims to have information on the whereabouts of Elise.” Tank jerks the man to the center of the room. An interrupter enters the tent behind them. Tank turns to him. “Ask him what he knows. Tell him he will be rewarded if his information is found to be correct and valuable to finding the woman.”

  The interrupter spouts off in Arabic. Deadeye is fluent in the language and knows the man is translating Tank’s demand correctly. He doesn’t want to disclose his knowledge just yet. He has found its better to determine whom you can trust before allowing them to know you can understand them.

  The man Tank has dragged into the tent is relating that he overheard some men talking a couple of days before the ambush about taking the new American woman in camp. Hussan had taken an interest in her and was offering a nice reward to whomever brought her to him. They had said they were to deposit her at a camp of Syrian nationals that live in tents about 20 miles into the desert from the camp. Well it seems they have confirmation that what Hack had found was where they ha
d taken her. The man produced an earring he claimed belonged to the missing woman.

  “Ask him what he knows about the camp? Do they have electricity? Could they have made the video at the camp?” Deadeye asks the interrupter. He quickly translates Deadeye’s questions. The old man responds that the camp is primitive, no electricity, they get their water from a well and most of the inhabitants are old men, women, and small children. The old man says he thinks that is why Hussan would choose it as a place to get the woman. It is far enough away from camp for him to feel somewhat safe and the inhabitants would not be able to fight him.

  “Alright let’s gather as much information as possible and head to the Syrian camp and interview the inhabitants if it’s safe.” Tank is organizing the men and resources. Deadeye is thankful his teammate is willing to share the burden of this mission with him. Tank seems to know instinctively that Deadeye is not at his usual level of performance. Again, he can’t help but compare himself to Hawk when they found Charlotte in the Columbian jungle. He had been the one to step up and help Hawk lead the team when he was caring for his woman.

  Chapter 5

  An hour later the team arrives at the camp in the desert. They fan out and set up a perimeter to gather intel about the camp before they move in to question the inhabitants. Deadeye is anxious to get on with it. He feels like time is running out for Elise, but he knows they have to play it smart. The last thing he wants is to walk into a trap and be ambushed. He wouldn’t be able to help Elise at all if he was captured or dead.

  After several hours they have not seen any signs of ISIS fighters or any men for that matter. They have only seen women and children. When it is determined it is safe, they enter the camp from all sides. They move quickly to secure the inhabitants in one location. Once all the women, children, and elderly have been herded into the large tent in the center of the camp, Deadeye and Tank begin to question them.