Chapter 25

TWENTY-FIVE

As Chris and the blue sedan vanished quickly into the distance, Liam stood watching until it was nothing but a speck in the dystopian wasteland. He was a mile from Emma and soon two miles from Chris.

A knot tightened in his stomach, but he pushed it down. He couldn't afford to show weakness now, not in front of his men. Then there was the way his chest ached, the weight of responsibility crushing him. He knew he wasn't fit for this mission. He was always the one to lighten the mood, cracking jokes and easing tensions. But now, with Chris gone and the fate of their group in his hands, he had to step up.

This was what it meant to be second in command. As is why Chris took on the most dangerous job of them all.

It wasn't just Chris's departure and possible sacrifice that hung over the five of them, but their feelings for Emma which hung heavy like an unspoken promise in their midst. Liam would protect her at all costs because she deserved better than this hellish existence too.

The wind whistled as it blew through the desolate landscape, carrying with it the metallic tang of rusting metal and the decaying stench of death. It picked up strands of his hair and pushed it into his eyes, making him flinch at the contact.

Liam scanned their surroundings, taking in every detail of the wasteland they found themselves in. It was harsh, but life still clung on—a testament to human resilience in the face of adversity. The ground beneath his boots crunched underfoot as he swayed trying to center himself, reminding him of their tenuous grip on survival.

"Damn it, bro," Liam muttered, running a trembling hand through his messy hair. "I won't let you down." He spoke to Chris even though he should have said that before the other man left.

A warm hand landed on his shoulder—Alex's way of grounding him when he needed it most.

"We got this," Alex mouthed silently as if reading Liam's mind, giving him a small smile that never reached his eyes which told Liam everything he needed to know. This wasn't easy for him either but they would get through it together.

He had to do something first, and since Chris hadn't radioed, there was time.

Liam turned to face Bash, who was still standing there, arms crossed, and face as impassive as ever. But even the grizzled man couldn't hide the torment in his eyes. They'd all lost so much, and now they might lose two more.

"I'm sorry, man," Liam said, the words bitter in his mouth. "I didn't mean to snap at you."

Bash grunted, his thick beard shaking with the movement. "Ain't your fault. We're all on edge." His voice was gravelly, as if he'd drowned himself in smoke and ash.

"We'll make it up to her or die trying, right?"

Bash nodded, his eyes hardening. "You got that right."

Liam hesitated, then held out the remote detonator. "Here, take this. I know what losing Kathleen did to you. Take the revenge you need for Emma. It's yours."

Bash's hand trembled as he took the device. "I won't let you down, brother."

Liam smiled, the action tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I know. And it's not like Chris will mind if you take care of Marcus."

Bash's eyes glinted with a cold, ruthless light. "I'll make sure that son of a bitch pays."

They clasped hands, an unspoken promise passing between them. They'd endure the nightmare of this perilous world, or they'd die trying. For Emma, for each other, and for the shred of humanity that still remained.

"All right, boys," Liam said, his voice strong and clear as his eyes met each of theirs in turn, imbuing them with a sense of steely determination. "As soon as we get the creates a distraction, we move in and get our girl out of there."

He glanced at Ranger, who whined softly in the back of the truck. "Don't worry, boy," Liam ruffled the dog's ears, "we'll bring her back, I promise."

Ranger's tongue was gentle and warm as he licked Liam as if trying to reassure him.

With a final pat on the head, Liam activated the battery-powered fan, set it in front of the dog, and locked the truck's doors. Ranger would be okay—he had to be. He couldn't afford to think about the alternative. His heart leaped with worry that they might not make it back and the dog would die. Quickly, Liam undid the lock and cracked the door, praying Ranger would jump out unless he needed to survive.

"Chris, do you copy? We're in position behind the motel." Liam said with a quick push of the earpiece's button, the electronic hiss punctuating the tense silence.

Chris's voice came back, distorted but unmistakably grim. "I read you, Liam. Once the fireworks start, you've got fifteen minutes. I'm far, but I don't know how long they'll look around. After that, all bets are off." A brief pause filled the airwaves, heavy with unspoken words. "Liam... I..."

"Save it, boss. Just make sure you make it out in one piece. if you aren't here, we'll head in that direction." Liam said, cutting him off. There were no goodbyes in this line of work. They'd long ago left them behind, along with their innocence and sanity.

Chris's chuckle was humorless. "You got it, buddy. Time to light this sucker up."

The line went dead.

The bomb went off without warning, a deafening roar that shook the ground despite Chris's distance from them. A blinding flash of light followed, and then the ground beneath their feet heaved. A dark, ominous mushroom cloud rose from the epicenter. It reminded Liam of a macabre work of art, its tendrils reaching up into the inky black sky. The beauty of it all was lost on Liam, his heart pounding in his ears as he ran through the chaos.

Within thirty seconds, a dozen men poured out of the motel, weapons at the ready, and piled into two trucks with their weapons at the ready. The completely missed Liam and the unit just on the other side of the parking lot.

Liam watched with a steely stare, waiting to make sure no one else was going to come out. Marcus shouldn't have had so many men, but Liam had a hunch he was giving uniforms to men he picked up out of the gutter.

Alex, always the impulsive one, was already halfway across the parking lot, disappearing around the corner.

"Alex, dammit, wait!" Liam cursed under his breath, sprinting after him.

There was no time to think, no time to strategize. They had to move fast before they were discovered.

Liam slid into position next to Alex, his gun trained on the men as well. "What the hell are you doing?" he whispered fiercely.

"Going to save Emma. You?"

Liam wanted to punch the man, but he understood. They'd sat around for what felt like forever, but she'd only been gone close to three hours.

"Stay together," he hissed, mostly at Alex, as Bash and William rushed up and pressed their backs against the wall.

They slid around the corner, their breathing heavy in the cold night air that tasted of rusty metal and burning wood from a distant fire. They glanced at each other before heading toward the motel's entrance where the men barreled out of Liam leading the way with the others barely a step apart behind him.

A figure emerged from around the corner, signaling one of his worst case scenarios—a guard blocking their path. Alex froze mid-reach, his hand hovering over the door handle. The guard pointed his gun directly at them, his breathing heavy from running toward them.

Liam's heart hammered in his chest as he quickly assessed the situation. With no time to think, Liam acted fast. With a quick flick of his wrist, he pulled out a small vial from his pocket and tossed it on the ground toward the guard's feet. The man's eyes widened in confusion as he looked down at the glittering substance that seemed to dance in the sun's glow.

Before the man could react, Liam made his move, leaping forward and pushing him into the wall with such force that it knocked all the air from his lungs. The man crumpled to the ground with a thud.

"What the fuck was that?" Bash hissed as they walked slowly inside the open air-motel's first floor.

"Not a damn clue. One of the kids at the base made it. Told me to throw it for a distraction. I've had it for years." Liam shrugged, a smile almost tugging his lips up as he remembered Jonathan. "Come on, who knows how many fucking men are here."

Liam's fingers danced nimbly over the mobile tracker, his eyes scanning through the sensor readings of the base. He pinpointed Emma's location and looked up. If Liam had to bet, Marcus would have her on the third floor because she'd be harder to get to.

"Third floor," he whispered, gesturing everyone forward.

Bash and Alex flanked him, their eyes sharp with determination as they moved stealthily through the ruins of what was once only a slightly shitty motel. The stench of death and decay hung heavy in the air, mixing with the metallic tang of blood and gunpowder. The remnants of past battles still lingered here, a testament to the desperation and brutality that had become part of their world's reality.

Liam was thankful that their steps made no sound as they moved forward, looking for a way up. His gaze swept left and right, taking in each possible escape route before he nodded to William and Alex, signaling them to get in front because they weren't as strong of shots from far back.

They continued forward, his heart pounding like war drums in his chest. Before Emma, he'd lived for this rush. Lived for the ability to execute a mission with a little bit of adrenaline coursing through his veins reminding him he was alive. Now, the rush only served to remind him who was in danger.

Up ahead, he could see the familiar outline of a stairwell leading up to the second floor. It seemed abandoned but remained a risk. Liam signaled, and they moved with guns at the ready.

At the base of the stairs, Liam paused. His keen senses tingled. Something felt off—almost like it was waiting for them. With no one in sight and the need to get Emma out, Liam darted up after the men.

Suddenly, five figures appeared at the top of the stairwell from running toward them. Too many for stealth .

Without hesitation, Liam pulled out his pistol and fired three shots into a support beam holding up part of the wall above them just as they fired down at him from above.

Dust clouded everything around him as debris came crashing down upon them all—covering any unwanted noise or movement while granting some temporary cover from view below them all at once while also creating an obstruction preventing anyone else from climbing up immediately either way until they cleared it out if necessary before continuing further upwards steadily yet cautiously toward Emma.

Footsteps coming toward them was the last thing Liam wanted to hear. Marcus had too many fucking men. Liam glanced behind him, hoping the others were ready for a fight.

Bash cursed under his breath and drew out his knife, readying himself for a fight as Alex took point beside him. William pulled out two smoke bombs from his pocket, ready to create some cover if needed. Something Liam should have thought of before breaking the fucking stairwell.

They all glanced at each other, sharing a silent moment of understanding. They were in over their heads now. But they trusted Liam's instincts and knew that they had come too far to give up now. With renewed determination burning bright within them, they charged up the stairs without hesitation—guns drawn and hearts pounding with adrenaline-fueled anticipation for what lay ahead.

Sounds of shouting and weapons cocking filled the air as Liam's plan started to unravel. The men around Marcus were more prepared than he had anticipated.

Liam watched a man round the corner, gun raised and ready to shoot. His instincts took over. Ducking just in time as bullets flew over his head, Liam spun, bringing the butt of his gun up hard against the soldier's left temple. The solid crunch of bone breaking echoed through the hallway as the man crumpled to the ground, unconscious before he even hit it.

A second later, William's shot rang out—a muffled thud followed by a cry of pain. Liam barely registered what had happened until he saw William lower his smoking gun with an almost bored expression on his face.

Bash moved forward faster than Liam could blink, his knife already slicing through the air toward another man who'd dared show himself at the end of a shaded stairwell.

There was no time for hesitation or mercy now. They needed every advantage they could get if they were going to succeed in this madness of a plan. Liam watched as Bash's blade met flesh with a sickening thud, followed by a gurgling scream that chilled Liam to his core despite the heat building up inside him. He gritted his teeth and pressed onward, pushing past the sounds of battle that surrounded them.

All that was left was to check on Alex.

Alex's eyes darted back and forth between enemies, a smirk on his lips as he sized up each one in turn. He charged headfirst into two guards who hadn't seen him coming. Their guns clattered onto the ground as they flew backward from the force of his shoulder tackle, leaving Alex free to draw his own knife and finish them off with swift precision. Blood sprayed across his face, but he didn't seem to mind.

"Will, now!" Liam screamed.

William hurled the smoke bombs burst with a deafening crack, and they billowed out like spectral wraiths dancing through the halls.

He didn't need to tell them to run. Their footsteps thudded up the concrete stairs. Liam's eyes watered as he quickly looked behind him, checking for all three. Seeing them, he pulled the tracking screen from his pocket and groaned. They'd gone up the wrong flight of stairs.

But you're almost there.