Page 140 of Fractured Future

“No.” Her hand clenches around mine when she looks back at me. “I really don’t.”

The feel of her warmth sinking into my palm is a hateful taunt. It screams of endless possibilities that will never be within my reach, no matter the passion we so recklessly shared. It can’t happen again.

“Napkins.” I change the subject, pulling my hand away from her grasp. “We still need napkins.”

“Napkins. Sure.”

Turning my back on her pains me, but it’s easier to breathe when I don’t have to look at her. Busying myself, I focus on ripping sheets of kitchen towels.

By the time I turn back around, Ember has returned to the living area. They’re all watching some superhero crap with the volume turned up high. Already I can tell that Luke is enthralled.

Content to watch them rather than the movie, I answer the door when the security system shrieks for attention. Warner waits on the other side, a stack of steaming pizza boxes in hand.

“The delivery guy was downstairs.” Frowning, he casts me a reluctant look. “Luke here already?”

“Yeah.” I take the boxes from him. “Why?”

“We need to talk. Privately.”

Warner walks into the apartment behind me, shrugging off the light jacket he wears over his plain t-shirt and jeans. He ditches his work ID and lanyard on the kitchen counter.

“What is it?”

With a quick look at the others to ensure they’re distracted, Warner scrapes a hand over his stubble-marked jaw.

“I received a call from an MoD official today.”

“Why is the Ministry of Defence calling us?” Confusion burrows beneath my skin.

“I have an old army friend who works there now. We keep in touch. He knows about our current case.”

“Right. Get to the point?”

“This news hasn’t broken yet.” His throat moves with a heavy gulp. “A shipping container washed up in British waters today. The bodies of twelve women were inside.”

Twelve… women.

I feel my mouth fall wide open as a riot of thoughts batter the inner confines of my skull. Right or wrong, the first person that comes to mind is Ember.

“I don’t know if it’s connected to our case yet.” Warner massages his temples. “But this may give us a break in figuring out who’s arranging these shipments.”

Trying to wrap my head around the contents of that shipping container, Warner gives me a second to process before he adds the sweetener.

“If it’s an official taking bribes from multiple mobs and trafficking gangs to approve these shipments without being checked or caught… we can nail them.”

“It’s a start.” I numbly bob my head in agreement. “Fuck. Twelve women? All dead?”

“I know,” Warner replies solemnly.

“This is so messed up.”

“We don’t have IDs yet, but they’ve been in there for a while. We have to tell Ember.”

Too choked up to find a response, I stare at our team leader. Homing in on his visible eye bags, weighed down by fatigue. Every last exhausted line that marks his face.

He may disapprove of our recent behaviour, but that hasn’t stopped Warner from working night and day to ensure Ember’s safety. He’s relentlessly determined to give her back her life. Almost too determined.

We’re up against a powerful system.