The distant hum of a helicopter approached as Liv tightened her grip on Hffyl's arm, leading him out of the tunnels. Hffyl, despite his defiant demeanor, couldn't help but glance up with trepidation.
"Is that your extraction team?" he asked, attempting to appear nonchalant.
She nodded, "Yep. Fancy ride, huh?"
Hffyl snorted, "If you're trying to impress me, it's not working."
Liv smirked, pulling him into the clearing as the helicopter began to descend. Dust kicked up around them, and the loud chopper blades made conversation almost impossible. Once it touched down, a few soldiers jumped out, weapons at the ready.
Liv shouted over the din, pointing at Hffyl, "He's with me!"
One of the soldiers raised an eyebrow, "You sure about that?"
She nodded firmly, "Just get us out of here!"
The two of them were quickly ushered into the chopper, which promptly took off, leaving the war-torn cityscape behind. Inside, the noise subsided enough for conversation. Hffyl glanced around, taking in the military tech and gear, then turned his attention to Liv.
"You really go all out, don't you?" he remarked sarcastically.
She shrugged, "Comes with the job."
Hffyl leaned in, his voice dripping with disdain, "So, where are you taking me? Some dark, secret base to interrogate and torture me?"
Liv sighed, "Look, I get it. You're upset. But believe it or not, I'm trying to keep you safe."
Hffyl snorted, "From what? My own people?"
"From everything," Liv replied seriously. "From this entire messed-up situation."
They sat in silence for a moment before Hffyl spoke again, "Why are you really here? And don't give me that 'just following orders' crap."
Liv looked at him, her eyes searching. "You really want to know?"
Hffyl nodded, "Why not?"
She hesitated, then said, "It's... complicated. We have intelligence that suggests a big play is happening here. Something that could shift the power dynamics in the entire region. So, we arrived at Kandahar, fought a couple of Talibans and arrived here after receiving orders."
Hffyl frowned, "And you believe that?"
She shrugged, "It's not my job to believe. But if there's even a chance, we have to investigate."
He shook his head in disbelief, "And people like me just get caught in the crossfire?"
Liv looked down, clearly struggling, "Look, I'm not proud of every decision I've made. But I have to believe we're doing some good here."
Hffyl's gaze softened slightly, "I hope for your sake you're right."
They continued their journey in relative silence. The tension between them remained palpable, but there was also a growing sense of understanding, of two individuals trying to navigate a world bigger than themselves.
The helicopter finally touched down in a heavily fortified base. As the door slid open, Liv turned to Hffyl, "Ready?"
He smirked, "Do I have a choice?"
She smiled wryly, "Guess not. Let's go."
The helicopter landed with a thud, and the door slid open to reveal the bustling activity of the AASOC's Forward Operating Base (FOB) outside of Zarabad. Soldiers in various uniforms hustled around, carrying out their duties with precision. Hffyl couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he stepped onto the tarmac, surrounded by the unfamiliar military world.
Liv maintained her firm grip on him as they disembarked. Hffyl glanced around at the heavily armed personnel and the imposing machinery that dotted the landscape. His unease grew, and he muttered to Liv, "This doesn't look like a welcoming party."
She gave a tight-lipped smile, "You could say that."
A soldier approached, his expression stern. "Who've you got here, Juliet-1?"
Liv replied without missing a beat, "Potential asset, Foxtrot-1. Needs to be debriefed."
Foxtrot-1 nodded, eyeing Hffyl skeptically. "Better be worth it."
As they were escorted through the base, Hffyl couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversations among the soldiers.
"Did you hear about the firefight in the mosque?"
"Damn, it got real messy in there."
"Juliet-1 must have balls of steel to bring a potential insurgent here."
Hffyl clenched his jaw but kept his thoughts to himself. He was well aware of the suspicions surrounding him, especially after his association with the Pashtun Azadi Front and Hizb al-Thabat al-Shari'ah.
They reached a nondescript building that bore the sign "Interrogation & Debriefing." Liv pushed Hffyl inside, where a dimly lit corridor led to a series of small, windowless rooms.
A soldier with a stern face awaited them inside one of the rooms. He nodded at Liv, acknowledging her presence.
"Interrogation team is ready, Juliet-1."
Liv gestured towards Hffyl, "Get him settled in. I'll be in the debriefing room."
Hffyl was escorted into a stark room, where a metal table and two chairs were the only furnishings. The soldier indicated for him to take a seat, and Hffyl complied, his hands resting on the cold table.
The soldier spoke, his tone formal, "You'll wait here until the debriefing team is ready for you. Don't try anything funny."
Hffyl nodded, his gaze never leaving the soldier. "I'm not planning any magic tricks."
The soldier left the room, leaving Hffyl alone with his thoughts. He couldn't help but wonder about the decisions that had brought him to this point, sitting in a military interrogation room as a potential threat.
After what felt like an eternity, the door opened again, and another soldier entered. This one had a more approachable demeanor, though it was clear he meant business.
"Alright, you're up," he said, gesturing for Hffyl to stand.
Hffyl complied, following the soldier down a maze of corridors until they reached a room marked 'Debriefing Room A.' Inside, Liv was already seated at one end of a long table, her expression unreadable.
Hffyl took a seat opposite her, and the soldier positioned himself nearby, ready to intervene if needed.
Liv finally spoke, her voice calm and businesslike, "Let's start with your name."
Hffyl met her gaze evenly, "Why don't you start by telling me your name?"
She sighed, "Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. We're trying to understand the situation here. You can cooperate or..."
Hffyl interrupted, "Or what? You'll waterboard me?"
Liv's expression hardened, "We're not here to torture anyone. But we need information, and you can choose to provide it or not."
Hffyl leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Yea, 'cause I'm a kid. And it would hurt your reputation if the other knows that you'll torture a kid. You know, I don't really feel like playing games."
Liv nodded, "Fair enough. Let's start with why you were in those tunnels."
Hffyl hesitated for a moment, then decided to share a partial truth, "I was trying to find a way out of the chaos. The city was a warzone, and I needed to escape."
Liv raised an eyebrow, "And your association with the Pashtun Azadi Front and Hizb al-Thabat al-Shari'ah?"
Hffyl hesitated for a moment, then carefully chose his words, "I was there to ensure the safety of some individuals caught in the chaos. I needed to help them escape."
Liv scrutinized his response, her eyes narrowing slightly, "Individuals? Who were they?"
Hffyl paused, weighing his options, "I can't disclose their identities. It's a matter of their safety."
Liv let out a frustrated sigh, "You have to understand that your association with those groups makes you a person of interest to us. We need to know who you were helping and why."
He leaned forward, his voice determined, "I get it, but I can't compromise their safety. If you want me to cooperate, you'll have to respect that."
Before Liv could respond, the intercom crackled to life again, summoning her to another pressing matter. She shot Hffyl a stern look and said, "This isn't over, kid. We'll be back."