Page 46 of Echos and Empires
William looked like he might be sick, his skin taking on a greenish tinge. “And the way he controlled all the information, the way he isolated us from the outside world. It was all so he could maintain his grip on power. How do we know the whole world wouldn’t be better if they new paradise existed?”
Liam ran a hand over his face, his expression bleak. “We played right into his hands. We helped him build this place, helped him keep control without ever realizing what we were doing.”
Alex shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. “He used our own goodwill against us. Our desire to help, to create something better. He twisted it all to serve his own fucking agenda.”
The room fell silent, and Alex knew each of them was lost in their own thoughts as they grappled with the enormity of the betrayal. The very foundations of their world had been ripped out from under them, leaving them adrift in a sea of uncertainty and fear.
Alex’s mind raced as he processed the horrifying revelations, his thoughts tumbling over each other in a chaotic jumble. He looked around at the others, seeing his own shock and disbelief mirrored in their faces.
“We have to do something,” he said, his voice low and intense. “We can’t let him get away with this.”
Emma nodded, her eyes hardening with determination even as her hands trembled. “Alex is right. Victor has been manipulating us, controlling us, this whole time. We have to find a way to stop him.”
“But how?” William asked, his brow furrowed with worry. “He’s got this whole island under his thumb. The people, the resources—he controls it all.”
Liam leaned forward, his gaze focused and sharp. “We start by gathering more information. There has to be more in these files, details about his plans, his weaknesses. We need to know exactly what we’re up against.”
Chris nodded in agreement, his jaw set in a grim line. “And we need to be careful. If Victor finds out we know, there’s no telling what he might do. Emma is to go to all her appointments as alone as we can make it look without her doing a damn thing alone.”
“We can’t do this alone,” Alex said, his eyes sweeping over the group. “We talked about taking Victor down a few days ago. It felt like conjecture.”
“It might have been,” Chris admitted. “I wanted us to all be wrong, but every day that passes, Victor proves everything we feared. Now we have to work harder to find people to trust, because five of us is not enough.”
Emma’s eyes met his, a flicker of fear mingling with the determination in their depths. “What about the others? The people on the island who have no idea what’s really going on? Do we just assume we can’t trust anyone?”
A pang of sympathy stabbed at him, his heart clenching at the thought of all the innocent lives caught up in Victor’s web of deceit. “We’ll find a way to help them, to show them the truth. But first, we need to make sure we’re in a position to do that without putting them in danger.”
“We need to step it up. If there’s anyone you think you can trust. Start asking. Be careful and make it seem like you just feel it’s too good to be true until you get their agreement.” Chris crossed his arms over his chest. “We don’t have long. I don’t want that man in charge when Emma gives birth.”
“About that,” Emma looked like she wanted to be sick again and Alex immediately felt horrible that everyone but William already knew her news. Even if she didn’t know that.
“There may be more than one of you who’s a dad,” she cleared her throat. “We’re having twins.”
William’s mouth hung open, his eyes wide and unblinking. The others were unphased because he’d spoiled the surprise.
Emma’s gaze darted between them, her face pale and drawn. “I know it’s a lot to take in,” she said softly, her hands twisting together in her lap. “Especially now, with everything we just learned about Victor. But I thought you should know.”
Alex swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. He wanted to reassure her, to tell her that everything would be okay, but the words stuck in his throat. How could he make such promises when their entire world had just been turned upside down?
Liam broke the silence, his voice steady and measured. “Emma, we’re happy. Honestly. I swear it. We’re just on edge.”
Alex nodded, finding his voice at last. “Liam’s right. We’re just...scared.” The admission tasted bitter on his tongue, but he forced himself to continue. “None of us are used to feeling this way, to not being in control. But we’ll figure it out together. We’ll find a way to keep you and the twins safe, no matter what it takes.”
Emma’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she managed a tremulous smile. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.”
Chris cleared his throat, his expression softening as he looked at Emma. “You’ll never have to find out. We’re a team, a family. We stick together, no matter what.”
William reached out, placing a hand on Emma’s shoulder in silent support. Alex could see the determination in his friend’s eyes, the fierce protectiveness that burned beneath the surface.
They had been through so much together, had weathered storms and overcome obstacles that would have broken lesser bonds. And now, faced with the greatest challenge of their lives, he knew they would rise to meet it head-on.
“Twins,” William finally spoke. “Holy fucking shit. There’s going to be two to protect.” He sagged against the wall.
Any other moment and Alex would have cracked a joke. It didn’t seem like the time.
“I had to tell you. So we understand everything.” Emma turned her gaze back to the computer.
Alex’s mind turned to the innocent lives caught in the crosshairs of Victor’s twisted ambitions—the men, women, and children who had come to the island seeking sanctuary, only to become unwitting pawns in a game they didn’t even know they were playing. His heart clenched at the thought of what lay ahead, the daunting task of unraveling the web of lies and freeing the minds that had been so insidiously ensnared.
