Page 1 of Whispers and Warriors (After #2)

ONE

Emma’s hands shook as she haphazardly stuffed clothes into a pack, her breath coming out in quick gasps. She glanced up at the five men hovering around the room, their expressions grim and guarded. Something was wrong, very wrong, but one look at their tense, coiled postures told her now was not the time to ask questions.

She’d never been so thankful she hadn’t put laundry away as that moment. Even Ranger seemed to understand the urgency, staying just off to the side and out of the way even though she’d called him to come close. He sat with his eyes trained on Liam, which drew Emma’s gaze up to the man she knew cared for her dog almost as much as she did.

Liam glanced at her, pushing his glasses up onto his nose, and then went straight back to stuffing what looked to be the rest of the rations from their original journey into the dark green military-grade duffle. William bustled past, his left foot hitting the leg of the couch, drawing a curse past his lips. He didn’t look like the handsome man she’d known to be so calm. His blue eyes were wild with panic, and every muscle in his body seemed tense. It was not the William she’d come to know, and that alone sent another wave of concern over Emma.

A glance at Bash showed her the intimidating man she’d been left with in her basement the day they’d met. Any sign of the softness that had begun to blossom in him was gone, his green eyes focused only on the weapons he loaded into the case.

Sounds from the bathroom, mostly curses from Alex, let her know where he’d gone. The occasional snarl following a crash set her on edge, but she couldn’t seem to move. Couldn’t force herself to do as they did now that her bag was mostly packed.

“Emma,” Chris set his hand on her arm. “I meant it, we need to go.” His touch was warm and a little too firm, reminding her of the way he’d gripped her when they saw each other after she killed Marcus.

“Okay,” she nodded, shooting her gaze back down at the backpack one of them tossed at her. Once again, it would hold everything she owned in this fucked up world.

She grabbed a handful of socks and underwear from the basket, shoving them in alongside jeans and t-shirts. Her few meager belongings seemed to mock her—even being here for almost three weeks, she’d barely gotten any additional personal items because she’d stayed focused on doing what the doctors told her and just enjoying the peace she found here.

Swallowing, Emma darted into the bedroom she almost always shared with the men and jerked the nightstand drawer open, exposing the pregnancy tests she’d stolen in case she wanted to know before the doctors did. Her hand lingered over them for a moment before grabbing them and moving out of the bedroom with a wayward glance at the pillow she’d come to appreciate almost as much as her men. There was no way to take it, no matter how badly her neck wanted it to come.

She tried to quiet the pounding of her heart and the questions that threatened to make her pause. This wasn’t the time. Nothing ever went smoothly in this world—not since it crumbled into ash and ruin—but she had finally found peace here. She’d thought she’d found some semblance of home and family. Now they were leaving, fleeing again.

She pushed through the lingering doubts in favor of haste, shoving a blanket and other necessities into the worn backpack that held more memories than use. She grabbed a spare t-shirt, smoothing her hand over the logo of her high school before adding it to the pack, then another pair of jeans that whispered softly against the wooden floorboards as Emma scooped them up — the faded denim muted by time and sweat but sturdy enough for whatever they would face until winter came. The world was unpredictable, after all.

Zipping the pack closed, Emma stood and met Chris’s eyes across the room. He gave a barely perceptible nod. A nod she’d come to learn meat he was in business mode.

It was time.

Her hand visibly shook as she grabbed Ranger’s leash. “Come on, boy,” she patted her legs and nearly sighed when he trotted over and sat at her feet, letting her clip the leash to his brand new Army-issued green collar.

A sob rose in her throat as she hesitated at her doorway, swinging her backpack on. This place had been more than just a refuge. It was the first time in years that she could remember feeling truly safe. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and cinnamon toast filled the air, reminding her of lazy mornings spent reading by the window with Chris, while Liam’s laughter echoed through the halls. The memory made her heart ache even more at their sudden departure.

Walk.

She finally moved toward the front door, Ranger matching pace by her side as if he’d been trained as a guide dog.

Chris’s hand brushed gently against her shoulder, and she nearly jumped. Her gaze flicked toward him, confusion and fear warring within her. She wanted to snap at him for scaring her, but something told her quiet was necessary even if none of them had said as much.

“The haven isn’t what we thought,” he explained, his eyes hard and unreadable. “As much as we’ve hoped it was, as much as it feels like it is ... we’ve learned something that blows it all to shit.”

He didn’t elaborate, and she couldn’t bring herself to ask, but allowed herself a quick nod, so he knew she heard him.

“Stay close to Liam and Alex,” Chris ordered, his voice tight with restrained emotion. “I’ll take point. Bash, William, cover the rear.”

The men moved into formation around her like the well-oiled machine they’d been since the day she met them, but Emma could see the tension rippling through their muscular frames.

Her heart raced as she followed him out of the house they’d claimed as their own, the door creaking shut quietly behind them.

Chris opened the door slowly and peered out into the darkened hallway. He led the way forward, as he always did, his broad back almost blocking her ability to see down the hall.A quick glance behind her showed Bash and William walking so close there was no space between them. Liam’s hand brushed hers, and she let go of the leash, knowing he was trying to take Ranger. Beside her, Alex held his gun by his side.

Whatever her men learned, it seemed they were now among enemies.

As they wound their way through the labyrinth of buildings within the compound, Emma’s thoughts raced like a frantic animal. She had felt a sense of security in this place, but now an unsettling unease took root deep within her. This was meant to be their sanctuary, their haven from the outside world, but now she couldn’t help but wonder if they were merely safer from the standard danger here, but not all dangers.

The bright white walls and sterile hallways that once brought comfort now seemed suffocating and oppressive to her as they weaved in and out of buildings. This was supposed to be their chance at a normal life, but as her doubts consumed her, she realized the safety may have been nothing more than an illusion all along.

The once loud corridors were now eerily silent, the only sound the echoing footsteps of their small group. Emma couldn’t help but wonder where everyone was, it was early, but not so early the halls would be silent.

Maybe there’s a meeting. Maybe that’s what caused us to need to flee, something at that meeting telling the boys there’s danger.

“You okay back there?” Chris whispered over his shoulder, his voice softening with concern that reached his eyes.

Even she could barely hear her response. “I’m fine,” she said, but the tremor in her words betrayed her fear.

Chris paused at a junction, holding up a closed fist. Everyone froze. Emma hardly dared to breathe. After a moment, he signaled the “all clear”, and they continued on, winding through the maze-like corridors until they reached the garage.

There it was.

Sixteen spaces in was the last thing she thought she’d see again.

The vehicle she’d called home for a small time. The vehicle that had protected her and taken her to where she was supposed to be safe.

The hulking armored truck waited like an old friend ready to hang out once again.

Emma had hoped she’d never sit in that damn truck again, but it seemed the memories from just a few weeks ago could not be outrun, not when the truck would remind her of the past with every turn and bump in the road.

Their steps echoed in the otherwise empty garage, and Emma wondered if they shouldn’t be a little quieter as they moved to the truck.

Chris opened the rear doors and helped Emma climb up. Without hesitation she took her usual seat along the wall. Liam lifted his arm holding the leash and Ranger jumped in, moving to sit beside her. Chris jumped up as well, moving to her side. As she settled onto the hard metal bench, he cupped her face in his calloused palm.

“I love you,” he whispered fiercely. “No matter what happens, remember that. Everything will make sense soon, I promise.”

Emma could only nod, not trusting herself to speak. Chris placed a quick, hard kiss on her forehead.

The quiet and the unknown threatened to drive her to madness as Chris left the back of the truck.

What would wait for them outside these walls in the desolate wasteland that had once been a thriving world? Would they be able to survive with no destination in mind? Did they have a destination she just didn’t know about? Was the danger only here, could they go to the unit’s old base?

Fear clawed at her throat, but beneath it simmered a profound sense of loss and disappointment.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes and Emma furiously blinked them away. There would be time for crying later, when they were far away from whatever danger had forced them to flee. For now, she needed to be strong.

Ranger whined softly, sensing her distress, and Emma buried her face in his fur. “It’s okay, boy,” she murmured, though the words sounded hollow even to her own ears. “We’ll be okay.”

But would they? Emma couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that they were leaving behind more than just four walls and a roof.

They were abandoning the fragile dream of a future, of lazy mornings tangled in sheets and laughter echoing through the halls. Of shared meals and stolen kisses, of arguments and apologies and the simple joys of a life intertwined.

Emma closed her eyes and tried to hold on to those fleeting images. The warmth of Liam’s smile, the rumble of William’s laughter, Alex’s gentle hands, and Bash’s fierce protectiveness. And Chris...Chris, who had been her rock from the very beginning, whose love burned bright enough to chase away even the darkest of shadows.

They were her home, her heart, her everything. And though the road ahead was uncertain, Emma knew one thing for sure—she would fight with every last breath to keep them safe. No matter where this twisted journey took them next. No matter that she needed them for safety far more than they needed her, she would never stop fighting for them.

Chris’s heart seemed to slam against his ribs as he led the group through the abandoned compound, his senses on high alert for any signs they’d been followed. The weight of responsibility hung heavy on his shoulders, the lives of his team and the woman he loved rested squarely in his hands and he would not let anyone catch up to them.

They’d moved as a unit, getting Emma to the truck, a well-oiled machine honed by years of training and countless battles. But this time, the stakes were higher than ever before. As high as they’d been the day they had to save Emma and she ended up saving herself.

Chris’s jaw clenched, his heart aching to pull Emma into his arms and promise that everything would be alright. But he couldn’t afford to let his guard down, not even for a moment.

And he couldn’t bring himself to lie to her because he had no clue if everything would be alright when the smoke cleared.

The world beyond the base walls was a treacherous place, but they had no choice. They had to keep moving, to find a new safe haven and start again. To build a life and a future, no matter how fragile or fleeting.

His thoughts kept jumping back to the radio transmission that forced their hasty departure. He could only focus on the garbled words, the static-filled message that had set his heart pounding with dread. Radios were going to be the death of him if he didn’t learn to stop picking up calls, but in this broken world, any scrap of information could mean the difference between life and death.

And it certainly meant that this time.

Chris’s steps faltered when he should have started giving orders, his chest tightening with a surge of emotion. He turned back and went to Emma again, his hand reaching out to cup her cheek, his calloused fingers gentle against her soft skin.

“Emma,” he murmured, his voice low and intense. “I know this is hard, that you’re scared and confused. But I need you to trust me, to trust us.” He wasn’t sure why he was repeating himself, maybe it was the fear of losing her, of her saying she wanted to stay even though she’d packed with them.

He leaned in closer, his forehead pressing against hers, his breath mingling with her own. “I promise you this will all make sense soon. We have a plan, a way to keep you out of harm’s way. But we need to move. Now, before it’s too late.”

Chris pulled back, his eyes searching Emma’s face, hoping to see the trust and love that had sustained them through more trials than any group should have faced in such a short time. He knew that their future was uncertain, that what they were about to do could kill them. But with Emma by his side, and his men at his back, he knew that they could face anything, that they would find a way to build a life and a family, no matter the cost.

With one last tender caress, Chris stepped back, his gaze sweeping over the group, taking in the determined faces of his brothers-in-arms. He cleared his throat, his voice ringing out with authority as he issued orders.

“Alex, you’re going to drive.”

The medic’s dark eyes blinked twice. “You never let me drive.”

“Yeah, well, the fancy medic title on your ID badge means you driving this close to the haven but outside the walls makes sense. Medics still answer calls outside. The rest of us…we don’t even technically belong here with our skill sets.” He blew out a slow breath, trying to steady his racing heart. “Liam, up front to navigate, you being there makes a little sense. Navigators are important in a world where the tech could fail at any minute. Everyone else, in back.”

His men nodded their understanding without hesitation, falling into their assigned roles. Chris couldn’t help the surge of pride rushing through him at how well they operated as a team. The news they’d received less than an hour ago was something he’d never dreamed of even in his nightmares, but it was real, and they would get through it the same way they’d done everything.