Page 24 of Echos and Empires (After #3)

“Feels more dangerous this morning,” William said to no one with a sigh as he woke with a heavy heart, the conversation with the woman he didn’t know from the previous night still echoing in his mind.

It should only be the pregnancy he thought of, but fear for the island made that the second though.

Dressing quickly, he stood outside the room where Emma and Liam still slept.

As he watched Emma’s peaceful form beside him, her hand resting protectively over the gentle swell of her belly, a fierce determination seized him.

He would do whatever it took to keep her safe, to ensure that their child would grow up in a world free from the twisted influence of men like Victor.

Quietly, so as not to disturb her, William slipped past the bed and made his way to the small desk in the corner of their room.

He pulled out a worn notebook, its pages already filled with his neat, precise handwriting.

Flipping to a blank page, he began to jot down his thoughts, his pen scratching against the paper with a sense of urgency.

Attend one of Victor’s seminars , he thought as he wrote, underlining the words twice. Observe the attendees, look for changes in behavior. Talk to others who have been affected.

It was highly unlikely Chris was going to be on board with this, which was just another reason William needed to ask for forgiveness. They weren’t a unit anymore, they were a family. And families protected each other.

His mind raced with possibilities, each one more unsettling than the last. What if Victor was using some kind of mind control? What if he was building an army of loyal followers, ready to do his bidding without question?

William shook his head, trying to dispel the more fantastical theories. He needed facts, solid evidence that he could use to expose Victor’s true nature. And he would find it, no matter the cost.

“Emma’s safety is paramount,” he scribbled in the margin of the page with a whisper, a reminder to himself of what truly mattered. Our child’s future depends on it.

William closed the notebook and tucked it away. He had a plan now, a course of action to follow. And he would not rest until he had uncovered the truth behind Victor’s seminars and the hold they seemed to have over the island’s residents.

As he stood, stretching the kinks from his muscles, William felt a renewed sense of purpose. He had faced challenges before, had fought and survived in a world turned upside down. And he would do so again, for the sake of the woman he loved and the child they had created together.

“Okay then. Interaction first step. Seminars, with or without talking to Chris, second step.”

“You say something, Will?” Chris’s voice filtered from the hall as he appeared in the doorway.

William walked out and stood in the hall with Chris.

“Yup, but nothing important. I’m going to head out a bit early to work.

Everything from last night is wonderful, but I feel like a tiger in a cage now.

We know something is up, we know we’re having a family, and I don’t want to just sit here and pretend we’re safe until we know for sure. ”

Chris did the familiar scrub of his hand over his chin.

“You’re completely right.” He leaned his neck to the side, sighing as it cracked.

“You and I are best positioned to learn what’s going on with our connections to leadership.

Alex can help in the clinic and Liam might have access to more files if he steals a keycard.

I wanted to believe we were safe. I don’t trust Victor and not just because of the flimsy excuse he gave the other night for the boat attack. ”

“What was that, by the way?” William ignored the way his body seemed to tense with the reminder. He’d almost lost Emma directly under his care.

“Claimed he was throwing the government off our trail.” Chris scoffed. “Come on, let’s get out of here and let’s find out if we’re safe or not.”

William nodded and stood, moving without another word to leave the house.

“William!” Barry, their closest neighbor, was out trimming a rose bush. “You all were a bit loud last night.” The slightly older guy said with a wink. “I thought I was lucky with a family in general in all this hell, but you guys…” he whistled.

William flushed. “Sorry about that. Had some important family news.”

“Well, enjoy it a lot, might just want to close your windows when the next wave of people arrive in a few months.”

Nodding William gave a small wave and ignored the wave of embarrassment. He’d never really thought about what it sounded like when they all pleasured Emma. Now he probably would.

There was no one else out in the cluster section for larger families, and he found himself utterly blank as he moved toward the main section where the apartment buildings stood.

“Joe!” William waved at a man he’d come to know as the best baker in the world.

“William, been a few days.” he ran a hand through his thick brown hair. “Come to the shop. I’ve got a pastry that’s Ranger-safe.”

“Oh, he’s going to love that,” William said and fell into step beside Joe. “I’ve been hearing a lot about these seminars lately. Seems like everyone’s talking about them.”

A flicker of uncertainty crossed his face, his gaze darting away from William’s. “They’re just workshops for how to get around and do things now, nothing special,” Joe, quickening his pace.

William’s instincts tingled, noting the way they avoided his questions and the tension in their shoulders. “I’m thinking about attending one myself,” he pressed gently, watching their reactions closely. “What do you think? Worth checking out?”

“I... I don’t know,” he cleared his throat. “The vitamins come from council meetings now and the seminars are more for the longer term residents to check in.”

Before William could respond, Joe hurried away, leaving him standing alone in the plaza. Something’s not right here, he thought, his brow furrowing. They’re scared, but of what?

As he continued his walk through the community, William noticed a change in the atmosphere. Cameras blinked from every corner, their lenses trained on the streets and the people who walked them. Guards patrolled the perimeter, their postures stiff and their eyes watchful.

When did they increase security? William wondered, a chill crawling up his spine. Why didn’t Chris mention it? Chris wasn’t the security lead, but he had an entire twenty-person team under him. Surely he’d have known if there was an increase.

He paused near a group of guards, pretending to tie his shoelace as he listened to their conversation.

“...need to keep a closer eye on things,” one of them muttered, his hand resting on the butt of his gun. “Victor’s orders.”

“You think someone’s causing trouble?” another asked, his voice low and conspiratorial.

“Maybe. But we’ll find them. We always do.”

He continued his walk, his mind racing with the implications of what he had discovered. The seminars, the increased surveillance, the fear in the islanders’ eyes... it all pointed to a larger, more insidious plan.

I have to find out what Victor’s up to , William vowed, his jaw clenching with determination.

He needed to get back to the house and check with Chris about the security, and ask Liam for those maps he thinks no one knows he’s making.

If there’s any secret meeting areas on the island, William wouldn’t miss them.

William approached and saw another neighbor, Simon, who mowed his lawn as if it were the most natural thing in the world—the lawn in the jungle and the need to mow it. The man’s usually friendly demeanor seemed strained as William drew closer.

“Hey, Si,” William called out, keeping his tone casual. “Got a minute?”

Simon straightened, his eyes darting around before landing on William. “What’s up, Will?”

“I was just wondering,” William began, choosing his words carefully, “have you been to any of Victor’s seminars? I know you’ve been here about a year and they’re for people who’ve been here longer, or so I’m told.”

The change in Simon’s expression was immediate. His brows lowered as he glared, and his lips pressed into a thin line. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” William shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “I’ve heard some interesting things about them.”

“Listen, Will,” Simon said, his voice taking on a warning edge, “those seminars are private. It’s not something we discuss.”

William raised his hands in a placating gesture. “I didn’t mean to pry. I just thought?—”

“Well, don’t,” Simon snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. “It’s none of your business.”

The tension between them was palpable, and William could feel the hostility radiating from his once-friendly neighbor. He took a step back, surprised by the intensity of Simon’s reaction.

“I’m sorry,” William apologized, trying to diffuse the situation. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Simon’s gaze softened slightly, but the suspicion remained. “Just drop it, okay? It’s better for everyone if you do.”

Simon turned back to his garden, effectively ending the conversation. William stood there for a moment, stunned by the exchange.

What the hell is going on?

As he walked away, William couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched. He glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting to see Jack’s accusing stare, but the man had disappeared inside his house.

If Jack reacted that way, what about the others? William wondered, a sense of isolation creeping over him. He had always felt like a part of this community, but now, he wasn’t so sure.

He decided to try his luck with another neighbor, Sarah, who he often saw at the market. As he approached her, she looked up, her smile fading as she recognized him.

“Sarah, hi,” William greeted her, trying to sound friendly. “I was wondering if you could tell me about?—”

“I’m sorry, William,” Sarah interrupted, her voice trembling slightly, “but I can’t help you.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask,” William pointed out, frowning. Had they all called or texted each other somehow?

Sarah shook her head, her eyes darting around nervously. “It doesn’t matter. I just... I can’t.”

She hurried away, leaving William standing alone in the middle of the street. *What the fuck?* he thought, frustration and paranoia warring within him.

“Hey William, what are you doing out so early?” Alex called, causing William to turn and see him with his hands cupped over his mouth.

Jogging over, he wondered if Alex would think he was crazy.

“Everything feels off. It’s like whatever happened at the latest council meeting yesterday was broadcast for people to stay away from Chris and us.”

“Not that I know of,” Alex looked away, clearly hiding something.

“Jesus not you too.”

“Look, Liam will kill me, but he heard something about Victor and he and I have been trying to snoop around for longer than a few hours. He’s got some maps drawn out.”

William snarled. “Well of course I knew, Liam is not sneaky.How did you know? Why are we keeping secrets?” And you tried to, too.

“We didn’t want to upset Emma. But it sounds like it’s too little too late for that. So now we focus on protecting her and our child. We do this together.”

“Together.” William agreed.