Chapter 113
The massive, armored troop carrier rumbled to life, its heavy treads grinding against the ruined pavement outside the Faction gates. Inside the compartment, the air was thick with the faint laether scent of the vehicle and the low thrum of the engine.
Mira settled onto the bunk opposite Tide, a scowl fixed on her face as she pointedly ignored him. She crossed her arms, trying to look anywhere but at the handsome, silent soldier who was now her designated babysitter.
"I still don't understand why I need a warden," she muttered, bouncing her heel lightly on the floor. "I'm older than Ren. I'm responsible."
Tide's brown eyes finally met hers. He was leaning against the wall, his posture relaxed yet ready. "Captain Axton and Ren believe your presence is a risk, My Lady. Therefore, my purpose is to ensure that risk is managed. That means you stay within my sight, and you are not to leave the vehicle without my explicit approval or the Captain's."
Mira rolled her eyes. "Sounds thrilling. Just what I wanted for my world-saving adventure: a chaperone with the personality of a brick wall."
Tide didn't react to the insult. "I assure you, my focus is not on my personality, but on your safety. If you would prefer me to not talk at all, I can remain silent. Whatever makes you more comfortable, as long as you adhere to the rules."
Mira sighed, deflating. His complete lack of offense was more irritating than a snap-back would have been. "Fine. Be silent. And stop calling me 'My Lady.' It's Mira."
"Understood, Mira," Tide said gently, and then settled into a comfortable silence, his gaze fixed on the compartment door, leaving Mira to stew in the quiet rumbling of the transport.
Meanwhile, in the pilot's cabin, Axton was seated at the control panel, his arm slung casually over the back of Ren's seat, his fingers occasionally stroking Ren's shoulder. Ren was busy reviewing the holographic maps, tracing their projected route with a focused frown.
"So, the goal is to reach the Faction12's military base before midnight and camp there" Ren murmured, tapping a spot on the map. "Maybe I should have checked for my Father's research notes, they could hold the key to reversing the beast-bound mutation, or at least stopping it from spreading further."
"It's alright, Ren," Axton whispered, his voice a low rumble near Ren's ear. "He conducted most of his 'experiments' before the virus infection, and after the Faction was officially shut down during that period, I don't think he would leave his works where people could easily find it. We'll focus on General Conan's advances. He knows where we're headed."
Ren twisted in his seat to face Axton, his expression serious. "We need to get into that signal, get the data, and get out before he realizes we've made our move. We should send Vance's men to —"
"Speaking of moves," Axton interrupted, his lips brushing Ren's earlobe, "that kiss at the gate was long overdue. Did you see the look on their faces?"
Ren felt a rush of warmth at the memory, but he slapped Axton's chest lightly. "We are supposed to be concentrating on the mission, Captain. We just left a potential warzone. Focus."
Axton chuckled, his eyes full of warmth. "I am focused. Focused on keeping you and your sister safe, and focused on this." He leaned in and gave Ren a quick, firm kiss on the mouth. "This is what we're fighting for, sweetass. A world where we don't have to hide anything."
Ren melted slightly against the touch, then pulled back, his eyes sparkling with a mix of affection and determination. "Then let's go get it." He turned back to the controls, a fierce resolve tightening his jaw. "Tell Kael prepare. We are underway."
The transport roared faster, carrying the hope and the future of their world away from the ruins they knew and toward whatever the danger of they may face ahead.
——
In the rear compartment of the transport, the silence following Tide's agreement to stop talking proved to be more oppressive for Mira than any argument. She found her gaze drifting toward him repeatedly, only to find him perfectly still, his eyes fixed on the doorway with unwavering focus. He was a sentinel, a statue of quiet competence.
"So, Tide," she finally broke the silence, tapping her foot on the floor. "What was it like, joining the military ? Was it painful?"
Tide turned his head slightly, acknowledging her without losing his vigilance. "The initial transformation and training is painful, My— Mira," he corrected himself instantly, "but the pain is fleeting. The commitment is what requires the endurance."
"Commitment to what? To Axton?" she asked, leaning forward, genuinely curious.
"To the Captain, yes, but primarily to the idea of a free future," he replied, his voice calm. "We were all men who felt discarded by the Faction afterthe virus infected us, used by its generals, and betrayed by its leaders. Captain Axton offered us purpose and a chance to reclaim our humanity by embracing the very thing they feared in us. He offered loyalty, and we returned it."
"I thought they said he was a monster? Purged anyone with the slightest sign of infection," She asked, her brows furrowed.
"Quite the opposite. He only purges those whom have failed to heal after every treatment. It would be the general. Most of the Captain's men were once under him, but the moment we got infected, he discarded, and the captain took us in," Tide explained calmly.
Mira nodded slowly, absorbing his words. "So, you didn't know him before? Axton?"
"No. We were just soldiers. He found us, one by one, after we were abandoned. He showed us that the Beast is not a curse, but a strength that needed to be mastered." Tide glanced at the single, small window panel. "Your brother is like that. He has a strength that's only now being channeled toward a worthy cause."
"My brother is a stubborn idiot who nearly broke my arm earlier," Mira muttered affectionately. She paused, looking at Tide's strong, composed profile. "You seem very… calm. Doesn't anything bother you?"
Tide finally allowed a faint, almost imperceptible smile to touch his lips. "Many things bother me, Mira. General Conan's tyranny bothers me. Injustice bothers me. But fear does not help me protect you, nor does complaining help the mission. So, I choose to focus on the things I can control."
Mira leaned back, chewing on the inside of her cheek. His calmness was infuriatingly attractive. He wasn't like Ren, all volatile emotion and passionate outbursts. Tide was like a deep, still pond—unmoving, but with currents underneath.
"And is my constant need to talk one of the things you cannot control?" she challenged, a playful note entering her voice.
Tide's lips twitched again. "I find your chatter quite... engaging, Mira. It reminds me that we are still fighting for a world that has noise and life in it."
Mira felt a blush creep up her neck. She had meant to tease him, but his sincere, gentle response had turned the tables completely. She was starting to understand why Ren and Axton thought he was a good match for her. He wasn't just guarding her; he was seeing her.
"Thank you, Tide," she whispered, turning to look out the window, watching the desolate landscape rush past. "But if I'm your warden, I need to know your full name. It's only fair."
Tide didn't hesitate. "Tide. Just Tide. A common name for a common man, My— Mira."
"Tide," she repeated, letting the name settle between them. "Well, Tide, let's see you try and stop me from writing every single thing I see down. I'm starting my historical record now." She pulled a small, battered notebook and a pencil from her jacket pocket, turning her attention to the first page.
Tide just watched her, his expression soft, and returned to his post—guarding her, and now, perhaps, guarding her history, too.
___
The main troop carrier was the heart of a small but powerful convoy—three armored transports and a squadron of six fast, modified scouting vehicles, all driven and manned by Axton's loyal Beast-bound soldiers and Vance's newly integrated forces. The vehicles moved like shadows across the Capital Wastes, the cracked asphalt and rust-colored dust flying up behind their treads.
In the lead scouting vehicle, Kael—Axton's right-hand man and the first to hoot his approval of the Captain's public kiss—was hunched over a comm panel, his voice a low crackle of static.
"Captain, this is Kael. We're five klicks from the designated Faction 12 military base. No thermal signatures of General Conan's main force, but we've picked up faint residual energy spikes on the old defense perimeter. Looks like it was activated recently, then shut down."
Axton's voice, relayed from the main carrier, cut through. "Acknowledged, Kael. It's too quiet. He knows we'd use the base for cover. Proceed with caution. Set up a hard perimeter a half-klick out, but do not enter. We need to secure the signal access point before we camp."
"Copy that, Captain. Waiting for your arrival."