Chapter 16

SIXTEEN

The air inside the armored vehicle was thick with tension as Chris sped through the wasteland under the cover of the setting sun. Bash didn't say anything as Chris drove, knowing that Chris preferred silence when they headed out on a mission.

Chris ran a hand over his buzzed head, a clear sign that he was about to give an order. They'd driven for nearly two hours, which meant the large buildings would appear any moment now.

"Liam, you're the point man. Your eyes are the sharpest. I want you keeping our six from the vehicle. Keep it running. I'll park about half a mile off, so if we get into trouble, we're going to hustle."

Liam nodded, adjusting his glasses. His gaze flicked to the back of his hand, where the matching star tattoo lay. "Roger that, boss." He double-checked his pistol, his eyes lit with nervous energy.

Bash wouldn't say it out loud, but he knew why Chris left Liam at the truck. If something happened to the rest of them, it was clear he'd formed a connection with Emma and would get her the rest of the way. Not that they all wouldn't, but she seemed most comfortable around him.

"Alex, you're on tech. Keep that digital scanner up and checking for heat sensors every step of the way. Bash, William, we're in and out as quietly as we can be."

"And if we find women?" Bash asked.

"Then we shoot the locks open and get the fuck out of dodge as quickly as we can."

Bash nodded. Not an elegant plan, but one that would work as long as they kept the silencer on their weapons.

Bash watched as Alex's fingers traced the ink on his wrist, the other men's initials a reminder of their bond. "We'll save anyone inside," he promised, fingers flying over the tablet, hacking their way into the enemy's security system.

Bash flexed his hand, gripping his rifle, his haunted gaze belying his brutal exterior. "Are we going to admit here and now that we clearly are falling in lust with the pretty brunette tucked away back at base pretending to be a man?"

Alex smirked, running a hand through his spiky hair, warmth blooming in his chest at the sight of his teammates' tattoos. "I think that's pretty damn apparent."

"Let's not worry about that. Our goal isn't to fuck Emma, or develop feelings for Emma. Our goal is to get her to safety." William spoke up, his gaze staring straight ahead.

As they neared the rival camp, they ditched their vehicle and continued on foot.

Liam watched them leave, and Bash saluted his brother, knowing they'd all be back before long.

"We're one unit," Chris had drilled into them, the words now a mantra in their heads.

Bash let out a low whistle as his gaze went up the building wall.

The camp stood before them, a fortress of steel and concrete, towering high walls topped with barbed wire fences that seemed to scream defiance against any attempt at entry. The walls towered over them like monstrous behemoths, made from scavenged metal and concrete that had been reinforced for maximum defense.

The only way in or out was a heavily guarded gate bristling with armed soldiers knee-deep in paranoia and brutality. Their eyes were cold, unyielding, as they patrolled the perimeter, scanning for any sign of intruders. The sound of shouts and orders echoed through the compound as soldiers barked commands, their boots thudding against the hard ground in unison. It was a stark contrast to the desolate wasteland outside.

The air was heavy with tension, electric with the hum of generators and the harsh odor of burning fuel. The screech of metal echoed from the workshops within as weapons were being crafted, an ominous reminder of how dangerous these men truly were. Even the trees near the camp appeared twisted and barren, as if starved of life by their presence.

Chris looked to Bash with a nod, signaling for him to ready his rifle. With a nod of his own, Bash trained his eye through the sight, watching as a guard seemingly walked into range. He held, waiting for Chris to give a small whistle. They needed to take both men down together.

The whistle came a second later, and Bash pulled the trigger. A single bullet lodged silently into the man's temple. He might not be as good a shot as Liam, but the body fell the same. Chris's target went down as well.

A quick signal and Bash walked toward the bodies with Chris, to steal the uniforms that were slightly different from their own.

They stacked up against the compound wall, and Bash trained his gun on the nearest guard that may spot them while William worked. William's picks working furiously on the gate. Inch by inch, the metal gave way, letting the men slip inside like ghosts .

"Alex, take point," Chris breathed in the darkness.

Alex's boots were silent on the rubble-strewn ground, eyes adjusting to the dimness. Chris and Bash flanked him, and William provided cover.

Bash's heart pumped with the same adrenaline that every mission brought. There were only ever two outcomes. Succeed or fail. He'd sworn he wouldn't ever be part of the latter ever again.

The air was thick with suspense and danger, a tangible force that weighed on his shoulders. Bash's body tensed as they stepped inside the main entrance only to find a maze-like courtyard with a door to the north and east leading inside the castle-like building.

The shadows stretched out around them like arms from hell, and Bash couldn't believe these feelings came from a military compound. They were supposed to be the good guys, but he'd not gotten that vibe from Marcus earlier.

Each step echoed like a hammer against stone, but none of the guards seemed to notice them yet. They darted from shadow to shadow like ghosts, silent assassins in the night. The smell of sweat, gunpowder, and fear hung thick in the air. It clung to Bash's clothes and filled his nostrils with every step. As they reached the north door, Alex moved first, holding the scanner up, and then tugged the door open.

The empty hall was fortunate, but not to be ignored. Alex led the way, and Bash couldn't help but wonder why this hall was so eerily quiet.

"Chris," he hissed.

"You see something?" Chris stopped walking but Alex continued and William stepped around Chris.

"Why is it so damn empty? There were at least thirty men with Marcus earlier today."

"I don't know but I'm not going to question a gift."

Alex and William came back around the corner, throwing open a door a few feet away before jumping inside. Bash and Chris shrugged and followed them in.

The room was dark, but the moonlight seeping through a small cracked window allowed him to see a barren space. Why the hell is there an empty room?

Bash stopped thinking anything when the sound of footsteps came closer, and he realized why Alex and Will had ducked inside—they'd seen someone coming.

"Nope, I think we've earned it." A voice cackled.

"Absolutely. Fucking seeing a woman today was not what my body needed." A second chimed in.

Bash went ramrod straight at the mention of Emma. If these men even slightly detailed anything they wanted to do to her, he would kill them simply for speaking.

That's not the most rational response.

Bash would examine his thoughts on the matter later. He already knew Emma had managed to worm her way into his lustful thoughts, but it would seem he couldn't deny it was more than that.

"Then it's a good thing we've got what we got." The first voice snickered.

As the footsteps moved past, Bash moved with speed and pushed open the door in time to catch the men walking around the first corner.

"I'm following them," Bash strode out, not waiting for Chris to give a command.

He walked swiftly, certain to keep his boots as light on the ground as he could as he followed them. The two men continued to make derogatory comments as they crossed the courtyard.

Bash waited until the east side door was almost shut before striding across and reopening it. Only when he stepped in and turned to gently shut it did he see the others behind him .

Chris nodded, and Bash moved as soon as Alex's fingers touched the handle.

Bash kept close and noticed the way the men didn't seem to give two shits about him if they caught him. Even weirder, the base should have been lively with men, but wasn't.

A door opened, and three men came out and looked at him. Bash merely nodded and hoped they didn't know their unit well. They gave a nod and walked past him.

Don't let them notice Alex and William.

Bash sized them up quickly, would they notice the difference in uniforms? He could take them all out alone if he needed to. But this was a rescue mission, so they wouldn't be his victims today unless entirely necessary.

As Bash tracked the men around two more corners, he heard the rustling of their clothes against the walls, their heavy breaths filling the tunnels. He could practically taste their excitement as their speech sped up when they stopped in front of a door.

They moved like ghosts, using their stolen uniforms and code phrases to blend in with the soldiers who were oblivious to the danger in their midst.

"This way," Alex signed, leading them toward the area where they hadn't explored.

Bash's heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline surging through his veins. The thought of those women suffering at the hands of the Major and his men made his blood boil. He knew there were women here now, it was a sixth sense in his gut that he couldn't ignore.

"Now!" Chris mouthed, drawing his silenced pistol.

In the space of a breath, the guards lay unconscious on the ground, silently dispatched by the skilled team lead. As always, Bash quickly dragged the bodies into the shadows, hoping no one would notice their absence until it was too late.

This was going to be their only chance to look behind the last corridor. If there weren't women here, Emma had been incorrect. And while Bash didn't want to think his brethren could be so detestable, he didn't want to have wasted all this time, either.

"This way," William signed, twisting the knob the other two had been keen to open.

Bash's gun remained drawn, and his heart pounded in anticipation.

As Bash turned the corner, his breath caught in his throat and a surge of emotions hit him like a tidal wave. His heart lurched at the sight before him, torn between overwhelming sadness and burning rage. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles whitened, trying to contain the tempest of feelings swirling inside him.

The dimly lit room was a harsh contrast of darkness and light thanks to a flickering single bulb hanging from the ceiling revealing a scene so horrific, so beyond anything they could have imagined, that for a split second, time stood still.

Six women were chained to metal beds lining the walls. Their bodies were bruised, covered in dried blood and filth, their faces etched with despair and hopelessness. They stared at the doorway with vacant eyes, like caged animals, resigned to their fate.

"This ends here," Alex spat, his usually good-natured voice cold as ice.

Bash couldn't help but agree with the sentiment. These women had been fucked, tortured, and god only knew what else in the name of Marcus and their pleasure. He would personally see to it that they were punished the minute Bash dropped Emma at safety.

Chris holstered his weapon and grabbed the keys to the chains. "We don't have time for this chatting," he barked. "We need to move now."

Alex and Chris helped the women up, steadying them as they stumbled, their limbs weak from malnutrition and confinement. William hurriedly unlocked the remaining restraints, their hands shaking with fury.

"Come on," Bash urged, grabbing a woman with ratty black hair and a figure far too frail to be healthy by the arm. "We need to go, now."

The woman didn't argue.

"Stay close," Chris hissed, taking the lead. "Single file, and if I tell you to duck, you duck, got it?"

The women nodded, and Bash couldn't help but think of nine or ten reasons why they were all going to die. Starting with how terrified the women were to even move and ending with that same issue.

To his surprise, when Chris moved, Alex followed behind him with two women, William and another woman next, and the woman Bash helped bringing up the rear.

Chris led them through the maze of the base, avoiding patrols and cameras with practiced ease. The women clutched each other, their sobs muffled by a hand whenever Bash or William could muffle them without hurting them.

Finally, they emerged into the cool night air, the moonlight casting them in an otherworldly glow.

"We're almost there," Bash whispered, squeezing the trembling girl's hand.

They reached the perimeter of the camp, and Bash swore when his eyes met Liam's. The man jerked upright, jumped back into the driver's seat, and slammed the door shut.

Bash kept his arm on the frail female he helped move. He suspected that if he lifted her, she would fight even though he was trying to help her.

"No time for chit-chat," Chris barked a second time, herding the women toward the truck. "We've got company."

They piled in the back, and Liam took off before the doors were even closed. Bash struggled to pull them shut, sitting down as soon as he latched the lock to ensure Liam didn't launch him out of the truck.

The women collapsed in their seats, some crying, others staring ahead blankly.

"You're safe now," Alex said, his voice cracking. "We'll get you help."

The women looked at their saviors, the five men who had risked everything for them. Bash couldn't help but notice the way they looked at them the same way Emma did. With hope, and something else, in their eyes.

Ranger's barked warning was the only heads up Emma got before the door opened.

Chris, Bash, William, Alex and Liam entered—three of them in uniforms that didn't match what they'd left in. All looked as if they'd seen more than they ever wanted to, and the slight bit of blood on Bash's sleeves told her more had happened than just a rescue.

"You're safe," she flew off the bed but stopped herself from hugging them. She didn't know if they wanted to be touched after a mission, but she wanted to make certain they were all okay, all uninjured.

"You were right," Chris said softly, peeling off the uniform top that wasn't quite right, but she couldn't tell why.

Emma's mouth hung open, her eyes wide and unblinking as she processed the news. Her mind raced, trying to grasp the reality of the situation before a deep sorrow overtook her entire being. It was like a heavy weight pressing down on her chest, making it difficult to breathe. The world around her seemed to slow down, each second stretching out into eternity as she struggled to come to terms with what she had just heard.

"How, how many?" She stumbled over the words as tears filled her eyes.

"Six that we found—but we got the fuck out of dodge when we found them," Alex answered, a smirk across his lips.

"And you're all okay?" Her heart started to slam in her chest as her attention span moved back to the present.

"Right as rain," Liam bent down and pat Ranger. "Desperately in need of a nap before we leave next."

"I've got to see them off," Chris said with a nod to the men. To her, his eyes softened, and a smile tugged at his lips. "Thank you for reminding me of the man I need to be. This war isn't about just one life."

"What will happen to them?"

"We told the guards here we found them out on our way to the next base. We can't risk getting into a dangerous situation because of Marcus. When we get to D.C., we'll figure out how to stop him."

Emma nodded and watched as Chris left the room nearly as quickly as he'd entered.

As for Emma, her thoughts lingered on the men who had risked everything to save complete strangers. William's quiet strength,Chris's observant nature, and Liam's reassuring presence all tugged at her heartstrings in different ways. Even Bash's darkness and Alex's joking nature were things she couldn't imagine going without.

"Thank you," she finally whispered, knowing that even for her part staying put, she'd managed to be part of saving women who needed help.

Alex's eyes softened. "You've nothing to thank us for," he said, his voice raspy with emotion. "We're just glad we were there in time. "

Chris nodded in agreement. "Besides, it's not every day we get to play the heroes," he joked, but his gaze betrayed his sincerity. "Okay, so it is."

Liam placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You're part of our group now, Emma. We'll stick together, even at the safe haven?"

Emma's heart swelled with gratitude and something more. "I . . .I'd like that," she managed, her cheeks flushing. She wasn't certain if Liam made a promise he couldn't keep, but she did want him to.

William caught her off guard, pulling her into his muscular frame as he squeezed her tightly, the scent of his sweat and dirt mixing with the freshly washed scent of his body. She cringed at the sight of his scarred face, but it only made him seem more human. Bash followed suit, his rough beard scratching against her cheek as he hugged her tiny frame. It was different from William's warm embrace, more rugged and protective.

Then there was Alex, who held her close as if she were a long-lost friend he'd just found again. The familiar smell of soap lingered on him, mixed with gunpowder and blood—an intoxicating blend that made her head spin. Lastly, Liam wrapped his strong arms around her, his spiky hair tickling her cheek as he whispered something in her ear that made her giggle despite the situation. His breath was warm against her neck, tasting of mint gum and gun smoke.

As they pulled away, she met each of their gazes in turn. "I want to stay with you all when we get to the safe haven," she said, her hazel eyes resolute. "I know it won't be easy, but I don't want to go back to being alone."

"There's no alone. We're a unit." Liam said reassuringly. "Let's all get some sleep. We've got to get back on course tomorrow, and Chris won't be cut out for driving if he's gone all night. So we need to be. "

Emma nodded, not ready to sleep but understanding the four of them were most likely ready to zonk out. She let out a soft sigh as she lay down again on the thin mattress.

Her body still tingled from the touch of the men who had just returned from their dangerous mission to rescue some captive women.

A mission they would do again and again if there were women to save.

The smell of singed flesh and burnt rubber mingled with the scent of spent gunpowder, creating an intoxicating mix that reminded her of how alive she felt in this world filled with death and destruction.