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The series originally aired in 2021.

This episode of Against the Odds contains strong language, depictions of violence and illusions to sexual assault. Please be advised.

Jessica Buchanan sits on a dirty foam mattress beneath an orange plastic tarp that hangs from a tree. It's the only protection she has from the scorching hot sun of the Somali desert. She's guessing it's mid-November, almost a month since the kidnappers first took her in Paul hostage, but it's hard to keep track of time.

Her eyelids open and close, fading in and out of a haze of exhaustion. She has a thyroid condition and without medication, it's getting worse. She also has a UTI, a urinary tract infection, and she can feel a fever coming on.

Jessica looks over at Paul. His blonde hair is matted and his face is red. He's almost 60 years old, and a month of stress is taking its toll.

But physically, he's doing better than her.

The first night they split them up, Jessica had a panic attack. But a few hours later, the kidnappers brought him back to camp with no explanation.

Since then, the kidnappers have been separating them regularly. Usually they take Paul to another camp, sometimes for a few hours, but sometimes for days.

Then they bring him back. When Paul's here, they lean on each other for sanity. They swap stories, sing songs, do math problems.

Paul quizzes her on European history, she quizzes him on English.

When Paul's gone, Jessica's left alone with nothing to do but think. When she's not afraid her head will be blown off, it's boring.

Minutes tick into hours. No one ever talks about that part of being held captive. She pulls sticks off the tree she sits under and makes pictures in the sand, drawings of her father and siblings and Eric.

She also watches the kidnappers, and each morning makes a plan, something she can accomplish, big or small, that will help her stay alive.

One day, she might challenge herself to pick the perfect time to ask for more water. Another, she'll try to guess what time the angriest kidnapper will go off.

Today, she's watching Abdi, the de facto leader at camp.

He's about 50 feet away yelling into his phone. He paces while he talks. Jessica can tell he's agitated, and whatever's happening on the phone right now is making it worse.

Maybe he's talking to his boss, or maybe Abdi is talking to Muhammad, the translator who's working with negotiators and Jessica's NGO.

When Abdi hangs up the phone, he's breathing hard. The other kidnappers scatter. His eyes settle on Jessica and Paul. Jessica nudges Paul with her elbow.

Paul, look. Abdi picks up a large stick and walks over. He grabs Paul by the arm.

Move.

As soon as Paul stands up, Abdi begins beating him.

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