Page 56 of Whispers and Warriors
“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 thedoor, 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.”
