Page 34 of Whispers and Warriors
As they approached, the scene came into view. Chris stood with his back to them, engaged in a tense exchange with Carnie. The man’s face was obscured by shadows, but the urgency in his tone was unmistakable.
Alex cleared his throat, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife. Chris whirled around, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Alex, William, Bash,” he acknowledged, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. “What brings you here?”
Alex stepped forward, his hazel eyes locking onto Chris’s brown ones. “We need to talk, Chris. Alone.”
Chris’s jaw clenched, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. “No offense, Carnie, but when my unit wants to talk, we talk. You’ll have to excuse me.”
“As it should be. I’ll leave you to it.” Carnie gave a mock salute and had the audacity to stole off whistling.
“Inside,” Chris barked, his eyes narrowing with annoyance as he waited for them to walk in before joining them and closing the door. “What is going on? We have less than twelve hours left. Why are we making trouble?”
“Wait,” Alex glanced around, his pulse ticking up again. “Where are Liam and Earl?”
“Getting food. I didn’t like the idea, but Earl was stir crazy and promised they’d be careful.”
Alex nodded, a breath he held releasing that they were safe.
William moved to stand beside Alex, his presence a comforting reassurance. “Chris, we’ve been through too much to start keeping secrets from each other. If there’s something we need to know, you have to tell us.”
Chris faced his companions, his expression somber. “You’re right. There’s more to this situation than meets the eye.”
Alex’s heart raced, a mix of anticipation and dread coursing through his veins. “What do you mean, Chris? What aren’t you telling us?”
Chris ran a hand through his short black hair, his eyes filled with a weariness that seemed to age him beyond his years. “It’s not that simple, Alex. There are things at play here that even I don’t fully understand.”
Bash stepped forward, his voice low and urgent. “Chris, we’ve fought together, bled together. We deserve the truth, no matter how difficult it may be.”
Chris met their gazes, the weight of his responsibility as their leader evident in his eyes. “I know.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “There are others on the ship. People who need shelter or safe passage same as us. No women from what I’ve gathered, but I found out last night and swore I’d keep it to myself unless it became an issue.”
“Well, I think it became an issue.” Alex’s arms crossed over his chest. “I just treated a man whose injuries didn’t match the story I was told. Someone pissed someone off and tried to cover it up.”
Chris’s expression remained stoic, but a flicker of concern danced in his brown eyes. He leaned in closer, his voice low and controlled. “I understand your concerns, Alex. I’ve noticed it too.” His gaze shifted to William and Bash, acknowledging their presence. “But we can’t jump to conclusions. We need to lie low. It’s only a few more hours.”
Alex’s jaw clenched, frustration simmering beneath the surface. He understood Chris’s caution, but every instinct in his body screamed that time was of the essence. “We don’t have the luxury of waiting, Chris. If there’s something sinister going on, we need to act now.” His fingers twitched, itching to take action.
Chris placed a firm hand on Alex’s shoulder, his touch a gentle reminder of their bond. “I know you’re worried, Alex. We all are. But we can’t afford to make any rash decisions.” His eyes softened, a glimmer of empathy shining through. “Trust me, I want answers just as much as you do. But we need to be smart about this.”
Alex inhaled deeply, his chest rising and falling with the weight of his emotions. He knew Chris was right, but the unease that had settled in his gut refused to dissipate. “Fine,” heconceded, his voice tight. “Every minute we spend in the dark puts us at greater risk. It won’t matter that we’re leaving soon if we don’t make it to soon.”
“Don’t overstep,” Chris’s voice took a low growl, his expression resolute. “Keep your eyes and ears open. If you notice anything unusual, report back immediately. We’re almost to the next step and Carnie runs a fairly legit business despite what it is. Go back and relax. We’ll be at the dock we need in the middle of the night. Get rest now, we’ll be out in the dark and will need to be rested and ready to protect each other.”
“You got it, Boss.” Bash nodded and moved to pull the door open again, this time without a joke. Alex and William filed out after him, Chris stayed in his room.
Alex’s hazel eyes darted between William and Bash, a silent conversation passing between them in the span of a heartbeat. The unspoken doubts that hung in the air were as tangible as the sweat beading on his brow. William’s piercing blue gaze held a glimmer of uncertainty, while Bash’s green eyes flickered with a barely contained restlessness.
“I don’t like this,” Bash muttered, his fingers twitching near the holster of his gun. “We’re sitting ducks here, waiting for whatever’s out there to make the first move.”
William ran a hand through his blond hair, his brow furrowed in thought. “But what choice do we have? We can’t just go off half-cocked without a plan.”
Alex’s jaw clenched, his mind racing with possibilities. The absence of women on the ship, the secrecy surrounding their journey, the injured man’s presence—it all pointed to something sinister lurking beneath the surface. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched, their every move scrutinized by unseen eyes.
“We need to stay sharp,” Alex said, his voice low and urgent. “Keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. If there’ssomething going on here, we need to be ready to act. But if Chris knows and isn’t concerned, maybe we chill?”
Alex’s mind churned with unease as they walked back to their cabin. He trusted his instincts, and right now, they were screaming at him that something was terribly wrong. The sacrifices they had made to get this far, the love that bound them together—it all seemed fragile in the face of the unknown dangers that lurked in the shadows.
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