Page 11 of Echos and Empires (After #3)

Meeting Liam’s gaze once more, Alex nodded, his jaw set with determination.

“Alright. I’m with you, Liam. Whatever it takes, we’ll get to the bottom of this and protect our people.

The council may think they hold all the cards, but they underestimate the strength of our bond.

We won’t let anyone win who wants to control others. Chris will agree.”

A flicker of relief passed over Liam’s face, his shoulders relaxing slightly at Alex’s unwavering support.

“What do you need from me?” Alex asked, his voice low and determined. “How can I help?”

Liam’s blue eyes shone with a mix of relief and gratitude, the weight of his secret visibly lifting from his shoulders.

“Keep your eyes and ears open in the medical wing. If anyone knows the inner workings of this island, it’s the doctors.

I heard them whisper that Victor has found a way to enhance fertility and multiple pregnancies.

If it’s real, if he’s doing something to us, you’ll find information long before I will in the command center. And Alex?—”

Alex met Liam’s gaze, a silent understanding passing between them.

“Be careful. We can’t afford to tip our hand too soon.

Not until we have all the pieces in place.

I swear I’ll tell Chris, I just want to make certain this is real before I drop it in his lap.

I know it’s a lot to take in, Alex. But we have to play this smart.

We have to make certain I am not going crazy from staring at monitors all day and making up scenarios because of what I think I heard one night. ”

Alex straightened with a curt nod, his resolve hardening like steel. Whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever truths they uncovered, he knew one thing for certain, he would stand by Liam’s side until the bitter end, even if it meant riding a damn raft of palm leaves in the middle of the ocean.

Because in this twisted paradise, loyalty was the only currency that mattered.

A heavy silence descended upon them, broken only by the distant call of a night bird.

Alex’s mind raced with the implications of Liam’s revelations, the weight of secrecy pressing down upon his chest. Could he keep this from the others, from Emma, without cracking under the strain?

The thought of their hard-fought peace crumbling once more, of everything they’d built blowing up in their faces, made his stomach churn.

“Please, Alex. A week. We’ll search for a week and then if there’s something to share, we share it all.”

“You’ve always been so damn logical. Not that you couldn’t snap, but it doesn’t seem likely Liam. I don’t think my access as a paramedic lets me get into systems, but I can try my luck at swiping a badge.”

“Good thinking,” Liam agreed, his eyes sparkling with approval. “Don’t print or screenshot anything. If Victor is why this island is so damned advance, he’s tracking fucking everything.”

“It’s not really proof if I hand write it, is it?”

“I just need confirmation. Chris will believe it if we both bring it to him. The last thing we need is someone thinking we know something and getting in the way.”

“Do you think the others who live here now? I can’t imagine our ship does, not after that fucking attack.” Alex tried not to slip back in time to the explosions on the boat.

“I have no fucking clue. Maybe it’s only the leaders who know.

Maybe it’s everyone after they’ve been here awhile and people are so happy to be safe they accept it.

Shit, maybe we’d accept it. It seems better than building a raft to sail god-knows-where.

But for Emma, for her I want to believe we’d take all the risks to give her the world we promised her. ”

Alex’s heart clenched at the mention of Emma’s name, the thought of her being caught unaware in the crosshairs of Victor’s machinations.

“No, you’re not wrong. I can’t imagine us accepting the rule of someone who tried to kill us.

We didn’t trade that danger seven months ago to have it happen again. ”

Liam’s grip on Alex’s shoulder tightened, a silent acknowledgment of the heavy burden they now shared. “We’ll get through this, Alex. Together. We’ve faced worse odds before and come out standing.”

Alex managed a tight smile, drawing strength from Liam’s unwavering faith.

They had indeed weathered countless storms, their bond forged in the fires of adversity.

From the early days of the bombs, Alex had managed to save a ton of lives because Liam had to be the only person on the planet who still read maps.

They couldn’t be more different, but they weren’t so different when it came to how they protected the world and those in it.

Liam released Alex’s shoulder and took a step back, his expression grim as he hastily gathered the maps and charts, rolling them up with practiced efficiency.

“We can’t go back together,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

“It’ll look suspicious. You head back first, take a walk through the populated areas, see if anyone’s out and about to act like you were just going for a stroll.

I’ll follow a few minutes later. My shifts are always late, no one will likely even notice when I walk in. ”

Alex hesitated, the thought of leaving Liam alone, knowing what they might know, even for a moment, sent a twist of unease through his gut.

But he knew Liam was right. They couldn’t afford to raise any red flags, not now, not when the stakes were so high.

“Alright,” he agreed, his jaw tight. “But be careful, yeah? Don’t take any unnecessary risks. ”

Liam flashed him a grin, the gesture a pale imitation of his usual easy charm. “When have I ever taken an unnecessary risk?”

Alex snorted, shaking his head as he turned to leave. “I don’t have enough time to list them all, but it’s still less than me so I guess you’ll be safe” he tossed over his shoulder, the familiar banter a momentary respite from the gravity of their situation.

As he melted into the shadows, Alex cast one last glance back at Liam, the sight of his friend’s broad shoulders hunched over the makeshift table etching itself into his memory.

In that moment, he felt the full weight of their partnership, the unspoken understanding that passed between them, the knowledge that they would stand together, no matter what the future held.

With a deep breath, Alex turned away, his footsteps silent against the soft earth as he made his way back towards the heart of the settlement.

His mind raced with possibilities, with half-formed plans and contingencies, each one more desperate than the last. But beneath the chaos of his thoughts, a single truth remained, as constant as the north star, he would do whatever it took to keep his unit safe, to protect the ones he loved.

Even if it meant keeping secrets from the warriors who were his family.