Page 18 of Whispers and Warriors (After #2)

EIGHTEEN

Chris’s measured steps thankfully didn’t betray the urgency thrumming through his veins as he entered the captain’s quarters, waiting to meet the man who would set them free. Bash, William, and Liam stepped in a moment after. The floorboards creaked beneath their boots as they moved all the way in, the sound unnaturally loud in the stillness. Amber lamplight lent a deceptive warmth to the room, the glow highlighting the tension etched into their faces.

Chris’s eyes darted around the space, taking in the sparse furnishings—a desk strewn with maps, a bookshelf crammed with yellowing volumes, a tattered armchair in the corner and a perfectly made bed through another door. Nothing that gave away who the person they waited to meet was, and the woman who said she would tell them how things worked hadn’t said a word.

“Well then,” she cleared her voice and Chris turned to look at her as she joined them and closed the door. “I’m Captain Amelia Novak.” Her voice was low, even. A challenge and an introduction rolled into one. She gave them a chance to voice their disbelief.

Pieces fell into place—her authoritative bearing, the glint of command in her eyes. He’d had his suspicions from the moment she’d commanded attention as if she feared nothing when she approached them. Why would she fear anything if she had an entire crew and a mission protecting her?

Chris inclined his head, unsurprised. Some part of him had expected this, had sensed they were dealing with no ordinary sailor before, but a female captain in a world where women were reduced to sex and breeding was remarkable. “Captain.”

Bash shifted beside him, a coiled spring ready to snap. Liam remained still, watchful, allowing Chris to take the lead. William kept his gaze straight ahead, clearly not willing to repeat the mistake from when they met Marcus.

Chris met the captain’s assessing gaze, refusing to blink first. Everything hinged on this moment, on the understanding they could forge between them. The weight of responsibility settled heavy on his shoulders. He led by intention on everything they did, but nothing had prepared him to tangle with a female who held implied ex-military ties. She likely hated his group just looking at them.

Lives depended on him—Emma’s most of all. Failure was unthinkable.

But as he stood there, facing this woman who held their fates in her hands, Chris couldn’t ignore the flicker of something unexpected kindle in his chest. A spark of connection, of kinship. She held onto a life she must have had before the bombs and did it without apology.

They were two leaders, after all. Two survivors. Bound by the sacrifices they had made, the burdens they carried. Burdens that no one else in their respective groups could completely grasp.

The moment stretched, taut with unspoken currents. Then Chris stepped forward, ready to navigate the treacherous waters ahead.

“Captain Novak,” he began, voice steady despite the hammering of his heart, “I think it’s time we talked.” Chris held the captain’s gaze, his voice low and resolute. “We’re taking a risk here, coming to you. But we don’t have a choice. The stakes are too high for us to stick around.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. There was nothing he could hide if he wanted her to believe they weren’t the bad guys. “I’m Chris. The big wall of muscle over there is Bash. In the glasses is Liam, my second, and William was our secret weapon before we found ourselves on the run. We’ve got people counting on us, people we need to protect at all costs.”

Ranger barked as if annoyed, his tail thumping against Chris’s leg. “Fair,” he said with a chuckle. “This is Ranger, the woman we are with is his owner.”

Her voice was crisp, no-nonsense. “I gathered as much. Men don’t usually seek passage on my ship without good reason.” The captain studied him, her eyes sharp and assessing. “And the woman’s name? There’s another man, too, where is he?”

This is where he hesitated. Could he tell her Emma’s name? She wasn’t his team, she was his life.

And Emma seemed perfectly at ease before.

“Alex. Pre-hell medic, post-hell medic and wiz with machines. It’s how we escaped to follow the transmission that led us to your ship. The woman is Emma. She’s off limits to everyone and everything unless she requests otherwise.”

“So, she’s not free to do as she wishes?”

“What he’s trying to say is touch her and die because she’s our entire world.” William chimed in, surprising Chris. “But her choices are her own as long as she won’t put herself in danger.”

“She’s free to do anything she wants, but the same doesn’t hold true for people who go near her,” Bash added, taking two steps back from the peace William started.

“Look, it’s not what it sounds like. Emma came into our lives by accident. While we took her to the safe haven, we will in love with her. She’s ours by her choice, and she’s ours to protect.” Liam smoothed things over, squatting down to pet Ranger.

“I see what you’re saying.” Amelia gave a small, almost delighted, smirk. “As long as Emma feels safe. Women come first on my ship.”

Chris nodded, appreciating her directness. In this broken world, there was no time for games or pretense. “We’ve faced dangers out there that would make most people crumble. But we’re still standing. Because we have to be.”

Bash stepped forward, his presence a solid wall at Chris’s side. “What he’s trying to say is, we’re putting a hell of a lot of trust in you. In this ship. We need to know it’s not misplaced.”

His words were blunt, a challenge and a plea wrapped in one. Chris could feel the tension radiating off him, the barely leashed power. Bash had always been the one to cut through the bullshit, to demand answers where others might tread lightly.

But this was no ordinary conversation, not that any really were anymore. The lives of their loved ones hung in the balance. The wrong move, the wrong alliance, could spell disaster.

Captain Novak leaned back against her desk, arms crossed. “Trust is earned, not given. You’ll have to prove yourselves, same as anyone else on this ship.”

Chris read the unspoken message in her eyes because it was one he’d placed on his men when they first joined when the world went to hell.

We’ve all got secrets. We’ve all got scars. What matters is how we move forward.

He inclined his head, accepting the challenge. “Understood. We’ll pull our weight. Contribute however we can.”

Liam shifted, drawing the captain’s attention. “We’ve got skills. Medical training. Security experience. We’re not just looking for a free ride.”

Captain Novak’s lips quirked, a hint of approval in her expression. “Good. Because we’re in for a long haul. And I don’t tolerate deadweight on my ship.”

This was progress. A tentative understanding, a foundation to build upon.

Captain Novak’s gaze flicked to the others, lingering on each face as if committing them to memory. “I’m suggesting your group cycles in with our security team. You have the experience, and we can always use extra hands on deck.”

Chris’s pulse quickened at the prospect. Security. A chance to protect, to make a difference. It was a role he knew well, a mantle he’d worn long before the world went to hell. “We’re ready to step up, Captain. Just point us in the right direction.”

Captain Novak’s lips twitched, a ghost of a smile. “I have no doubt about that. But let me be clear, on this ship, I give the orders. You follow them. No exceptions, no questions asked. Lives depend on it.”

Her words hung in the air, a reminder of the stakes they all faced. Chris met her gaze unflinchingly, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. “Understood, Captain. We’ll follow your lead. But what can you tell us about the journey? The destination?”

“We’ve made this journey nearly forty times since I learned of the island,” she said, her tone confident and reassuring. “Things can happen, but we get where we’re going. You can count on that.”

Chris nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly. The captain’s words, spoken with the authority of experience, were a balm to his frayed nerves. “Good to know,” he said, his voice gruff with emotion. “We appreciate your confidence, Captain.”

“You’re looking at me like you want to address the elephant in the room, so do it. I won’t answer what I’m not asked.”

He blew out a breath, not used to being challenged this often. “Who were you before the bombs? And right after? How did we get you here, leading this very risky mission?

“Before the bombs? Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, and no, not the science fiction ship, it was real, may still be real but she’s not mine to captain any longer.”

Chris held back his snicker. Bash didn’t.

“The bombs fell, and I stayed on my ship, leading transports for half a year. As one of the only females at my level left alive, the big guy came knocking for me to lead a safe haven approach. And that’s what it was at first.” She snorted that time. “It didn’t take long for the powers that be to start violating the women, breaking up marriages and doing what men do best. No offense.”

“None taken, I think.” Chris understood where she came from.

“I left the safe haven when they wouldn’t listen to me. A few came with me. The men and their families are the ones who blast those transmissions at the risk of their lives.”

“And the place we’re going to?”

She narrowed her gaze at him, signaling he’d asked too much.

“That is something that you need to find out when you get there. Again, I meant what I said that I wouldn’t tell you much until we were off shore. Come back to me later if you’re really impatient.” She held his gaze for a long moment, as if weighing the sincerity of his words. Then, with a crisp nod, she turned to the others. “Welcome aboard the Horizon’s Edge, repurposed military vessel. Let’s get you settled in and up to speed. We’ve got a long journey ahead, and every minute counts. I trust you can meet your friends at the stern? I have work to get back to.”

Chris, Bash, William, and Liam exchanged glances, all seeming to understand the same thing. They had come so far, endured so much, and now they stood on the brink of a new chapter. If she was dismissing them, they were all leaving.

Chris’s gaze lingered on Bash, taking in the tense set of his shoulders and the grim determination etched into his features. He knew the man’s thoughts were with his lost fiancée, the memory of her a constant ache that drove him forward. Liam, too, carried his own burdens, his easygoing charm a mask for the pain he kept hidden away.

But beneath the weight of their individual struggles, there was a bond that tied them together, forged in the crucible of survival. They were more than comrades, more than friends. They were brothers, united by a fierce loyalty and an unwavering commitment to each other.

As they filed out of the captain’s quarters, Chris couldn’t help ignore the gratitude for the men at his side. Whatever lay ahead, he knew they would face it together, drawing strength from the unbreakable ties that bound them. The captain had a shitty take in life, and things could’ve been awful for him if his unit wasn’t what they were.

The metal door clanged shut behind them as they stepped out onto the deck, the salty sea air filling their lungs with each deep breath. Chris squinted against the bright sunlight, his eyes slowly adjusting to the change in illumination.

“We still need to be on guard,” Chris cautioned, his voice low and steady. “But I have a good feeling about this, guys. The captain seems legit, and her crew knows what they’re doing.”

Bash nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Agreed. But we can’t afford to let our guard down, not even for a moment. There’s too much at stake.”

“I know.” Chris clapped a hand on his friend’s shoulder, a gesture of reassurance and understanding. “We’ll take it one day at a time, watch each other’s backs, and stay focused on the mission.”

Liam, ever the optimist, flashed a grin. “And maybe even enjoy a little sea breeze while we’re at it, eh? After all, it’s not every day we get to take a cruise and I don’t mean two days spent in a rowboat.”

Despite the gravity of their situation, Chris couldn’t help but chuckle. Liam spent far too much time with Alex.

Together, they made their way toward the stern of the ship, their boots thudding against the weathered deck. As they rounded the corner, Chris felt his breath catch in his throat, his eyes widening at the sight before him.

Women and children, dozens of them, huddled together in small groups, their faces etched with a mixture of joy, exhaustion, and tentative hope. Some clutched meager belongings, while others held tightly to the hands of their loved ones, as if afraid to let go.

Chris swallowed hard, his heart constricting with a sudden rush of emotion. In their eyes, he saw the same desperation and determination that had driven him and his team to risk everything for a chance at a better life.

“My God,” he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. “I had no idea there were so many...”

Bash’s jaw tightened, his eyes actually glistening with unshed tears. “They’re just like us, Chris. Survivors, fighters, willing to do whatever it takes to protect the ones they love.”

Chris nodded, his resolve hardening into an unbreakable core. These were the people they were fighting for, the ones who had endured the unimaginable and still dared to dream of a brighter future.

And as he looked out over the sea of faces, each one a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human race, he knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, he would stop at nothing to lead them to safety, to the haven that promised a new beginning.

A deep, southern drawl cut through Chris’s reflections. “Y’all meetin’ anyone in particular?”

Chris turned to face the man, taking in his sun-weathered face and kind eyes. Before he could respond, Ranger bounded forward, his tail wagging furiously as he sniffed at the stranger’s outstretched hand.

Liam chuckled, ruffling the dog’s ears affectionately. “We’re looking for our friends. Male and female. Guy’s about my height, brown hair, hazel eyes, absolutely wearing a cocky grin.”

The man’s face split into a warm smile. “Ah, yes.” He pointed down the narrow corridor. “You’ll find them eight doors down, on the left. Name’s Eli, find me for any settlin’ in needs you may have.”

The knot in Chris’s chest loosened knowing Emma was already settling in and safe, relief flooding through him like a cool balm.

He clasped the man’s shoulder, his grip firm and grateful. “Thank you. Truly. You have no idea how much this means to us.”

The man tipped his head, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Oh, I reckon I do. We’re all in this together now, son. Gotta look out for each other in times like these. Better carry the pup.”

With a nod, Chris lifted Ranger and wasn’t surprised to see the stairs were steep, almost as steep as they would have been when they were a military grade ladder.

As they made their way down the corridor, Ranger trotting happily at their heels, Chris let out the breath he’d been holding since they went overboard the other night. They had come so far, fought so hard, and now, with the end in sight, he knew that nothing could stop them from reaching their goal.

Bash’s hand settled on his shoulder, a silent reminder of the unbreakable bond they shared. “We’ve got this, Chris. We’ve come too far to fail now.”

Chris nodded, his jaw set with determination. “Damn right we have.”