Chapter 3

THREE

In the dimly lit room, the yellow light from the desk lamp cast a warm glow on the tattered maps and dog-eared charts strewn across the rickety table. Liam leaned in close, the muscles in his forearms flexing as he continued to study the maps. The dystopian world outside may have crumbled into chaos, but in this moment, the only war he waged was against the unknown. His father had taught him to read maps as a kid, and it's what got him into the military when the world went to shit.

Electronics didn't work as well with signal towers down, a satellite knocked from orbit, and the general wear and tear that occurred from a world cast into survival mode.

This was how he took comfort when the days grew too long on his soul. Sitting before maps set him at a peace that nothing else could bring. Knowing that all that stood between a successful mission and a failed one started with finding the place kept his spot on the team secure.

Then why are you staring at maps like you've never seen them before ?

Liam wouldn't admit it to anyone, but the other day shook him. They'd been injured on a mission before, but never one where it seemed the enemy was intelligent enough to beat them.

And they had a drone.

Only he and Chris had briefed the commander, and the mission back had been simple. Keep an eye on the building. Except Liam didn't do well sitting still. He wasn't made for surveillance. None of the unit were, except maybe William.

"And so you're here, coming up with another thing to do."

The muffled cries of the dying city filtered in through the reinforced window, but Liam tuned them out, his focus solely on the task at hand. Even if there wasn't a known mission, if he found something on this map, it would be up to him to execute it.

The others depended on him to find them safety, to lead them through the irradiated wasteland, and to the mythical sanctuary that might just be their salvation. With a sigh, he ran a hand through his messy hair, his fingers brushing against the plastic arm of his glasses.

"There!" Liam damn near grinned as he scanned over the map where known female survivors may be. Not everyone reported to the government when they were called, and the government couldn't risk killing fertile females or young children in raids. Units were left to work with silent precision, finding and taking women to safety—even if they didn't want to go.

"And you've got an open section of land just a few hours south."

With a steady hand, Liam carefully marked the map with ‘X's' and ‘O's'. Each symbol represented a potential threat or valuable resource in this harsh, unforgiving terrain. He felt the weight of his responsibility on his shoulders, knowing that the survival of his comrades rested on every decision he made. Failure was not an option for him. The clicking sound of his pen echoed through the silent room as if it were keeping time with the beating of their hearts. The map was now a labyrinth of symbols and lines, a blueprint for their journey ahead.

His mind wandered to the others in the group, their faces a kaleidoscope of hope and desperation. They'd been thrust together by the powers that be, but Liam considered these men more important than his family. They lived and died together, something that was key to their existence as many units turned on one another or found death on a mission.

Liam glanced at the tattoo on the back of his left hand, the star and their initials intertwined, a symbol of their camaraderie in these dark times. They'd inked themselves a few years back, the star being used as each point could hold one of their initials. A pact. A bond.

Love and hope in this world were luxuries they couldn't find easily, but together, they overcame every obstacle. Liam vowed, as they all had, to protect each other and ensure that their bonds, forged in fire, would not be broken.

Liam stood and stretched the kinks from his frame, glancing at the small cage in the corner, where a single canary chirped, oblivious to the carnage outside. Its yellow feathers shimmered as it basked in the sunlight that managed to filter through the grated metal ceiling. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. The little bird a small reminder of peace, however fleeting. The canary was one of many they'd rescued over the years, symbols of hope in this bleak world where survival was everything.

His musings were cut short as Chris entered the room, a grunt cutting through his thoughts.

Liam smiled at his leader, a half-smile that spoke volumes. He would see them all through this or die trying.

Glancing to the far side of the living room, he saw Alex and William cleaning the weapons, making sure they were loaded and ready to fire on a dime if needed.

Liam watched as Alex and William, their motions in sync with one another, the shining steel of the guns reflecting the dim light as they cleaned every nook and cranny carefully. Alex's voice carried through the room, his deep baritone promising accuracy in his words.

"It's important to keep these things in top shape." He murmured.

The sound of metal scraping against cloth was like a melody to Liam's ears, a rhythm he'd grown accustomed to. He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining a life where they didn't have to live like this. Where they didn't have to constantly be on edge, always ready for the next attack—a life where they could finally settle down somewhere safe and build something truly wonderful together.

Something that was reserved only for elite units who successfully delivered women capable of saving the human race. A unit that sometimes even found a future with the woman.

His eyes narrowed at the downside of that future. The women were expected to play along and be breeding stock. The men would have to understand that. Despite surrogate options, maybe infertile women could not carry the implanted zygote.

That wasn't something his unit worried about. They'd given up the idea of love and a family. They were their own family. A woman would only take them away from one another and test their loyalty when it came to her or them.

Unless we found that rare star.

Liam's smile grew on his face as he imagined a woman willing to accept five men who would love her body and cherish her for the gift she was.

Someone who wouldn't mind all of them together, who could make love with all of them without question or hesitation.

Someone strong enough to handle their dark pasts and share in their dreams for something more than pain and survival. Something like . . . peace .

Liam couldn't shake the image of a woman from his mind—someone who could complete their unit, someone who could bring light into their dark world. He knew it was a long shot, but he couldn't help but hope.

A woman who could not only handle their lifestyle but bring something to their unit that they were missing would be rare indeed. Hookups were easy enough to come by, plenty of women didn't mind pleasure from multiple sources. Women deemed infertile who for some reason didn't want a life in the safe haven.

But that's not the goal. That's not what I want at the end of the day.

When the dust settled, Liam wanted a woman who would love him and each of his brothers in arms. He wanted to make certain she would be the most protected person alive, while ensuring all of them understood love and fulfillment.

"Hey Liam," Alex's voice cut through the silence, "you've been quiet all day. Everything okay?"

Liam looked up at him and smiled, "Just thinking about our future."

Alex raised an eyebrow, "Our future? You mean this hell we're living in?"

Liam shrugged, "No, I mean beyond this. When we find a safe place and can finally live without fear."

Chris scoffed from beside him, "You think that's ever gonna happen? This is our reality now. We failed today, which means we'll be set back a dozen missions or more."

Liam's smile widened as he thought about the woman again. He knew it was a long shot, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was out there somewhere.

"What if I told you I found we might be able to speed up our timeline?" he said cryptically.

The rest of the team exchanged glances before turning back to him with curiosity evident on their faces .

"What are you talking about?" William asked cautiously.

"I'm talking about finding a woman," Liam replied confidently.

Alex laughed incredulously, "In this world? Good luck with that."

But Liam wasn't deterred. The map would point them to exactly what they needed.

"We have resources and skills that most people don't possess. We can locate and rescue women who are capable of saving humanity from extinction," he explained.

The team fell silent as they considered his words. It was definitely a long shot, but it was worth trying if it meant finding some sense of peace in this world.

"But where would we even start looking?" Chris asked, breaking the silence.

Liam smiled, lifting the map off the desk and holding it out in front of him, fully opened.

"We start by going to places the government hasn't been. There have to be people out there waiting for help. We've stayed close to the base, but what if we expanded our search?" Liam couldn't help the way his speech increased in pace as his excitement grew. What started as a need to occupy his time became so much more so quickly.

"That's gonna be a lot of ground to cover," William remarked, scanning the map with a youthful scowl.

"I know, but if we want to get out of this hell hole and somewhere that's supposedly better, we need to do more than what they're asking us to do. We need to find women willing to test themselves. Willing to be the hero humanity needs."

Liam turned to Chris. The only consent he needed to keep going was his. He knew the others would moan and groan, but nights of drunken conversations assured Liam they all wanted something more from life .

"It's your call. It always is."

Liam watched as Chris's eyes narrowed, popping out the shiny scar on his cheek. Whenever he got that look in his eyes, Chris took matters into his own hands. He wasn't one to back down from a challenge, especially when it came to saving lives.

"You're certain you can make these side missions attach to others we're on?"

Liam nodded confidently, "I have a plan. We just need to be open to taking some risks."

The rest of the team exchanged glances, their expressions unsure.

"I don't know guys," Alex spoke up, "This sounds risky."

William nodded in agreement, "And dangerous."

Liam understood their hesitation. This could potentially put them in more danger than they were already in. But he couldn't shake the feeling that this was their best shot at making a difference in the world.

"We can handle it," he reassured them, "We've been trained for this kind of thing."

Chris chuckled and shook his head, "I can't believe I'm saying this but...let's do it."

A smile spread across Liam's face as he felt a sense of excitement and hope wash over him. This was as close to a mission with purpose as they were going to get.

"Alright then," Alex said begrudgingly, "But if any of us end up dead because of this, I'm blaming you Liam."

Liam chuckled and clapped Alex on the shoulder before turning back to the map.

"Okay team," he began, pointing out different areas on the map, "These are our potential routes. We'll split into teams and cover as much ground as we can."

They all nodded in understanding and began discussing their plans for the side missions .

As they continued talking and planning late into the night, Liam couldn't help but feel a sense of determination grow within him. He was going to find this woman and together, they were going to save humanity.