Page 21 of Whispers and Warriors (After #2)

TWENTY-ONE

Bash sat on the edge of the bed, his elbows resting on his knees as he focused on absolutely nothing at all. The adrenaline that had surged through him as he enjoyed his time with Emma began to flow away, replaced by a bone-deep exhaustion. He rolled his broad shoulders, trying to ease the tension that had settled there like an unwelcome guest.

It had barely been two weeks since hell on earth part two, and he was fucking tired.

He couldn’t sleep, but all he’d been able to find were his discarded pants in the tangle of clothes so he hadn’t left the room to explore.

A soft whine drew his attention, and he looked down to see Ranger padding over, his puppy-dog eyes in full effect and filled with an emotion Bash couldn’t make out. The black lab rested his head on Bash’s knee, offering silent comfort. Bash let his calloused hand found its way to Ranger’s soft fur, stroking absently as his thoughts wandered. If the dog cared his hand wasn’t supple, there were no complaints.

They had made it out alive, but at what cost? The image of Emma’s terrified face as he found that asshole trying to force himself on her filled his mind, and he clenched his jaw. He should have done more to protect her, to keep her safe from the horrors of this broken world. But wasn’t that the promise he had made to himself, to her, from the moment they met? To be her shield, her unwavering protector? Even when he hadn’t wanted anything to do with Emma he’d made that promise.

Bash’s gaze drifted around the cramped cabin of the ship, taking in the stark metal walls and the narrow bunk he sat upon. The dim light filtering through the small porthole cast a gentle glow, softening the harsh edges of their surroundings. It was a far cry from the chaos and destruction they had left behind at the but the silence was still almost eerie.

There was a fragile sense of peace, of respite from the relentless pursuit of those who sought to harm them. Bash knew it wouldn’t last—it never did. But for now, he allowed himself to breathe, to feel the steady rhythm of Ranger’s heartbeat beneath his fingertips. One day they’d make it to where they were going and hopefully he’d be wrong about peace not lasting, but even the safety of this ship was only temporary.

“It’s a big ship, huh, Buddy?” Bash murmured, his voice rough with exhaustion. “But the fight’s not over yet. We’ve got to stay strong, for Emma, for the others.” He leaned down, pressing his forehead to Ranger’s, drawing strength from the dog in ways the poor pup didn’t realize he offered. “I won’t let them down. Not again.”

“Requesting permission to enter,” A female voice spoke after three sharp knocks.

In an instant, he was on his feet, muscles coiled and ready for action. His hand moved on instinct, reaching for the gun that lay on the nightstand, fingers wrapping around the familiar grip with practiced ease. Why else would the captain be here? Beside him, Ranger’s ears perked up, his body tensing as he sensed the shift in Bash’s demeanor. The dog’s gaze locked onto the door, a low growl rumbling in his throat. Bash shook his head, wondering if the dog knew to stand down.

Chris rolled over, but the other didn’t seem to hear the knock, a testament to how fucking tired they all were.

Or how sated. He smirked at the memory of worshipping Emma as a unit and promptly passing back out.

“I’ve got it,” he said to Chris before moving to the door. He didn’t expect Chris not to move, but he had to try to give the guy a break.

As Bash approached the door, his senses heightened, every nerve ending thrumming with anticipation. His grip tightened on the gun, the weight of it grounding him, anchoring him to the present. He knew that whatever lay beyond that door, he would face it head-on, just as he always had.

Breathe, Bash , he blew out a breath, attempting to steady his racing heart.

With a deep breath, Bash reached for the handle, ready to confront whatever new challenge awaited them. He knew that the path ahead would be fraught with danger, but he also knew that he had the strength, the skills, and the unwavering support of those who mattered most to see them through.

The door swung inward, and unsurprising showed Captain Novak just on the other side. Her steel-gray eyes locked with Bash’s, but he couldn’t say there was any panic or worry in them. Just the same steely calm from their introduction yesterday.

Bash’s grip on the gun loosened slightly, a subconscious response to the aura of authority that radiated from the captain. Her stance was one of unwavering confidence, her shoulders squared and her chin held high. In the dim light of the corridor, her salt-weathered skin and the distinctive scar along her jawline seemed to tell a story of resilience and survival. But they didn’t scream worried.

“Captain,” Bash acknowledged, his voice gruff but respectful. He lowered the gun to his side, a show of trust in the face of their shared purpose.

“Bash,” Captain Novak replied, her tone measured and precise. “Please, put the gun away, I assure you’re there is no danger. Perhaps a shirt, too.”

He almost blushed as grumbled an apology and tucked it into his waistband and looked on the ground for his shirt but came up empty. “I’m sure no one will mind. We’ll just step into the hall, I’d prefer not to wake them after the days we’ve had.”

“I’ll allow it, I know those days.” She gestured for him to follow as she walked out.

Bash nodded, stepping outside the small cabin and closing the door behind him. As she crossed the threshold, her gaze swept over the sparse surroundings, taking in every detail with a calculating eye. Bash couldn’t help but feel a sense of respect for the woman who had taken on the mantle of leadership in this shattered world.

She’s like Chris , he thought, watching as she turned to face him once more. Someone who understands the hard choices, the sacrifices that must be made.

“I’m listening,” Bash said, his voice steady and resolute. He knew that whatever the captain had to say, it would be vital to their survival, to the future they were fighting to build. “I take it you wanted something that you showed up hours after we arrived.”

Captain Novak didn’t seem impressed with his tone as her steel-gray eyes locked onto Bash’s, her gaze unwavering as she spoke. “As a reminder, every soul on this ship must contribute. There are no passengers here, only crew.” Her words hung in the air, a declaration of the new reality they found themselves in. “I let you relax as we pushed off during the night, but it’s time to get started.”

Bash’s jaw tightened, the weight of her words settling upon his shoulders. He knew the truth of it, the necessity of every able body pulling their weight in this unforgiving world, but he’d hoped they’d be permitted a little more time to get their bearings. “What do you need from us?” he asked, his voice low and steady.

A flicker of approval danced in the captain’s eyes, a recognition of Bash’s pragmatism. “As I said, each of you will be assigned duties based on your skills and strengths. In exchange, you’ll have safe passage and a place in our community. Lucky for you, I was able to find you all quite easily in our government database and I know what you can all do…if the files don’t lie.”

His hands nearly clenched. She spied on them.

As if sensing his hesitation, Captain Novak continued, her tone softening imperceptibly. “I understand your reservations, Bash. But we’re all in this together now. The only way we survive is by relying on each other. You’re muscle, you’ll stay muscle. Your leader—Chris—will join you. The medic, Alex, he’ll be reporting to our infirmary, but I assume he’d have figured that out.”

“And Liam and William?”

“William is a logic man, likely hid his brains from you all to ignore that he’s a savant.”

Bash let out a low whistle. He knew Will was smart, but he hadn’t realized how smart.

“And?”

“And he’ll be working directly with my leadership team to access and keep daily operations well. Liam is going to be at the wheel or monitoring the sonar depending on the day. And Emma will be free to choose from a variety of tasks. There’s no file on her, after all. Nothing accept that she’s struggling to conceive—or you’re all shooting blanks.” The corners of her lips twisted upward, pleased her taunt.

Bash chose not to take the bait, choosing to focus on the plus side that Emma’s file was damn near barren.

“Captain,” Chris said, stepping out, fully dressed and shutting the door behind you.

“Ahh, the leader wakes. I was explaining to Bash the positions for your crew. As I mentioned, we’ll be traveling for a little over a month. Take an hour, but I expect you to report to the deck. You’ll figure out who to speak to when you’re there, and if you don’t … perhaps I overestimated you.”

Bash’s hand did clench, but he tried to keep his jaw slack.

“Understood,” Chris’s tone held the annoyed edge Bash expected to hear.

“Gentleman,” Captain Novak inclined her head before turning and leaving.

“You good?” Bash asked as he noticed the small tick in Chris’s jaw.

“Yup, not how I expected the wake up to go, and I didn’t appreciate that jab, but I’m good.” Chris scrubbed a hand over his scar, an action Bash hadn’t seen him do it months. “All right, let’s go wake everyone up then.”

“I’ve gotta find the bathroom first. Sorry, been up a bit.”

Chris only nodded before opening the door and vanishing inside.

Bash allowed himself a moment to breathe, to let the weight of the past few days settle on his shoulders. The cabin suddenly felt too small, too confining, the walls pressing in on him with the force of his own thoughts.

He to pee and then he needed air, needed to feel the wind on his face and the sun on his skin.

The former was fast, and he considered waiting for the others for the latter, but needed to get out of the small space more than he realized. It was a quick climb up the ladder and he wondered if Liam was going to carry Ranger up and down every time, not bothering to hide his smirk.

The deck of the ship was a flurry of activity, crew members hurrying to and fro with a sense of purpose that Bash couldn’t help but admire. He leaned against the railing, his eyes scanning the horizon, taking in the endless expanse of blue that stretched out before them.

His mind drifted to Emma, to the way her eyes had shone with a fierce determination when they’d first met, to the way she’d stood up to him, unafraid and unapologetic. She was a force to be reckoned with, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was still light to be found.

“Bash?” Her voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned to see her standing behind him, her hair whipping in the wind, her face etched with concern. “Everything okay?”

He nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Just thinking,” he said, his voice low and rough. “About the future, about what comes next.”

Emma moved to stand beside him, her shoulder brushing against his in a gesture of silent support. “We’ll figure it out,” she said, her voice soft but firm. “And I get to have a job for the first time in forever.” Her eyes were wide and she had a big smirk on her lips. She looked far too excited for work, but he wasn’t going to rain on her parade.

“Where are the others?”

“Coming soon. I heard you all moving around and got dressed quicker. I was shocked William, Liam, and Alex slept through it.”

He chuckled. “You wore them out.”

She grinned, but said nothing, and Bash followed her toward a woman standing on a set of crates with a clipboard in her hands.