Page 10 of Whispers and Warriors
His eyes went toward the small house taking in how many trails of shoe prints there were.
Not enough for a struggle if they forced anyone captive and there’s no shot they brushed over it, no brush lines in the dirt.
He moved to the trees and bush around them, looking for any sign the leaves moved or they’d been stepped on or squatted in. There was nothing.
The stranger spoke louder, interrupting William’s assessment. “We’re all in this together,” he said quietly. “In a world like this, we have to hold on to whatever hope we can find.”
Chris’s gazetrained on the other man as the stranger leaned forward, his weathered hands clasped tightly before him. The flickering light of the fire cast shadows across the man’s face, accentuating the lines of worry and determination etched into his skin.
“As I said, you are safe for a time. Let me tell you what I know, and you can decide to trust me or not.”
He wanted to believe this man was legit, but unlike his men, he didn’t lower his gun. If the man did as he claimed, then it was likely his family had a fair share pointed in their faces. He did his best to ensure it didn’t move to hover over the woman or her kids, keeping it trained on the man.
“There’s a ferry,” the stranger began, his voice low and urgent. “It leaves from the old port, just a few miles from the base of this mountain. It’s not much, but it’s a way out, a chance at a new life. It’ll take you to another ship. A ship that’s bound for the island I spoke of in the transmission.”
Chris listened intently, calculating the pitfalls of getting on not one, but two ships, lead by people he didn’t know.Everything the man said aligned with the transmission note, he’d either sent it, or overheard it himself.
But Will gave his nod, he thinks it’s what it appears, at least this stop.
Chris learned long ago that hope was a dangerous thing in this world, a siren song that could lure even the most cautious traveler to their doom. Yet, as he studied the stranger’s face, taking in the earnest intensity of his gaze, Chris found himself wanting to believe. There was something about this man, a quiet strength that spoke of a life lived on the edge of survival, a kindred spirit in a world gone mad, that spoke of truth.
He wasn’t William, in fact, he was a terrible judge of character, but who would throw up a false home to steal women?
“When does it leave? The ferry” Chris asked, leaning forward to mirror the stranger’s posture. “How many people can it take?”
The stranger’s eyes glinted with a fierce determination as he spoke, his words precise and measured. “It leaves in three days, in the dead of night. The captain, he’s a friend of mine, owes me a favor. He can take up to twenty people, but it won’t be easy. The port is heavily guarded during the day, and the journey itself is treacherous for the small ferry. Once the ferry arrives, the captain of the other ship determines when it’s full enough to leave.”
Chris nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. The weight of responsibility settled heavily upon his shoulders, the lives of his team and the woman they had sworn to protect hung in the balance.
Again.
“This has to be the last time,” he murmured, more to himself than to the stranger. “We’ll need to be careful. Plan every step, account for every variable. It’s a risk, but it’s one we’ve already committed to taking.”
The man reached out, clasping Chris’s forearm in a gesture of solidarity. “I’ll help in any way I can,” he promised, his voice fierce with conviction. “My family, we thrive on helping others because we’ve always been isolated and safe. What we do, giving people a chance to start over, to build a new life somewhere far from here, it’s been what keeps us happy. Sorry we don’t do names, but I assume you’ll understand.”
Chris returned the gesture, his grip firm and unyielding. He’d found a connection with this man, a shared understanding of the sacrifices they had made and the battles they had fought just to survive.
“We’ll make it happen,” Chris vowed, his eyes blazing with a determination that matched the stranger’s own. “Together, we’ll find a way to make it to that ferry, to freedom.”
He glanced around the small picnic area, taking in the faces of his team, the people he had sworn to protect at all costs. Their eyes were filled with a mix of apprehension and anticipation, a reflection of the conflicting emotions that warred within his heart.
“Chris, can I talk to you for a sec?” William didn’t seem nervous, but if the younger man was asking to talk, there’s a chance he spotted something. Something Chris missed.
“Sure, what’s up?” he asked once they’d moved a decent distance away, his eyes on the group rather than William.
“We should stay here, with this family, until the ferry departs,” he suggested, his blue eyes intense with conviction. “It’s our best chance at keeping everyone safe, at giving Emma a moment to breathe before we make our move. Everything looks legit. There’s no indication of multiple people coming and going—barely any footsteps leading to or from the house and most of them are kid sized.”
Chris considered William’s words, his brow furrowed in thought. He knew the younger man was right, that staying putoffered a measure of stability. But the tactical part of his brain, the part that had kept them alive through countless battles and close calls, screamed at him to keep moving, to never stay in one place for too long and to find a waiting spot wherever the ferry pulled in. Three days was a long time to be sitting ducks.
“I don’t know, Will,” he murmured, his voice heavy with the weight of leadership. “Every minute we stay here is another minute we risk being discovered, another minute we put this family in danger.”
William’s gaze never wavered, his determination unwavering. “They’re already in danger, Chris. We all are. But this? This is a chance to rest, to regroup, to plan our next move without constantly looking over our shoulders.”
Chris sighed, running a hand through his short, dark hair. He knew William was right, knew that the benefits of staying outweighed the risks. But the decision still weighed heavily upon him, the responsibility of keeping his team safe and a constant presence in his mind.
“Alright,” he agreed at last, his voice low and gruff. “We’ll stay. But we stay alert, we stay vigilant. And the moment anything feels off, we move. No hesitation, no second-guessing. Understood?”
William nodded, relief and gratitude flashing briefly across his face. “Understood.”
