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The babysitter laughed with her bandaged arm at Austin. “He's always looking for one reason to cry,” she said. “No, he's just unhappy that his mother is crying, that's how he consoles her,” He said.

We drove for hours, through the city and then out into the countryside. The babysitter was quiet, her eyes closed as she rested. I tried to stay alert with Iskander, scanning the landscape for any sign of danger. But the soldiers seemed confident that we were safe, and eventually, my nerves began to settle.

As we drove further and further from the city, I started to relax. The soldiers were highly skilled, and I felt confident that they would keep us safe. I looked over at the babysitter, who was still sleeping peacefully. I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me. She was safe, and I was glad she survived, I didn't want her to be part of something she knew nothing about, and being the victim through death would make me hate myself.

We pulled into a street and the soldiers led us through a