CHAPTER 34: 34: THE WORLD WAS BECOMING CONFUSING

The morning was heavy with muffled voices and the hum of makeshift machinery. In the dilapidated confines of the base, a faint stench of damp concrete and rusted metal clung to everything, and the low light from scattered, flickering bulbs added to the oppressive atmosphere.

The base buzzed with activity as usual—guards patrolling the perimeters, scavengers returning with scarce finds, and the makeshift community bustling to maintain the facade of order.

"Mommy?" Leo’s soft voice tugged her attention back to her room.

Zara crouched beside the bed where Leo lay, rubbing his eyes with small fists. His hair stuck up in all directions, and his cheeks were flushed from sleep.

"Yeah, baby?" she whispered, brushing his hair back.

"Is Uncle back?" Leo asked, his voice laced with sleep and curiosity.

Zara’s heart clenched. Winter. Leo hadn’t seen his face, but he’d memorized the gruff timbre of his voice, attaching comfort and safety to a man who didn’t even know Leo existed. "Yes..."

"Where is he?" Leo asked, looking around.

"Uncle’s... busy," she said, her tone even but distant.

Leo tilted his head. "Oh, I want him to stay," he murmured. "He makes me feel safe."

Zara bit her lip hard enough to sting, her gaze fixed on the faint light filtering through the cracks in the boarded-up window. She wanted to deny it, to tell herself Winter was nothing more than a temporary ally, but the truth was undeniable. His presence had become a lifeline for both her and Leo, and that terrified her.

She stared down at Leo, her heart heavy. "Sleep a little longer, okay? I’ll bring you something soon."

Leo’s small arms wrapped around her waist. "Don’t leave me."

Her chest tightened as she hugged him back. "I won’t. I promise."

As Leo’s breathing slowed, Zara’s thoughts churned. Attaching herself to someone in this world, even someone as capable as Winter, was a mistake. It was dangerous. People didn’t last. If she let herself depend on him—if she let Leo depend on him—the inevitable loss would shatter them both.

*****

Later in the day, Zara kept herself busy, moving through the corridors, listening, and gathering information from forgotten corners of the base. Winter was a shadow in her peripheral vision, always just out of reach but impossible to ignore.

They avoided each other’s stalkers as best as they could. Nadine’s pointed glances and smug smirks grated on Zara’s nerves. The woman’s veiled threats had grown more personal, her comments dripping with innuendo.

"You’re too soft," Nadine had hissed earlier when she finally got Zara alone, her gaze darting to the knife on Zara’s hip. "That’ll get you and your ’precious cargo’ killed."

Zara had frozen for a heartbeat before narrowing her eyes. "What are you implying?"

"Oh, nothing," Nadine had replied, her voice dripping with false innocence. "Just that some of us notice things. You might want to be more careful."

The exchange left Zara’s stomach in knots, her paranoia eating away at her composure.

*****

Winter wasn’t spared the luxury of avoiding Nadine either. He tried using the limited daylight to scan the area surrounding the depot Zara had described for him, checking for possible hiding spots and escape routes they could use if things went south.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed someone following him not so discreetly. He resisted the urge to sigh out loud.

Couldn’t she take a hint?

"Nadine," he greeted evenly as she stepped into his path, her arms crossed and her sharp gaze fixed on him.

"Winter," she replied, her tone cool but laced with tension. "Always the lone wolf, aren’t you?"

He didn’t stop, brushing past her with a faint smirk. "Just keeping busy."

Nadine fell into step beside him, her voice dropping to a low murmur. "You know, people talk. They wonder about you. About her."

Winter stopped, turning to face her. "And what is it they wonder?"

"That maybe you’re not as trustworthy as you seem," she said, her smile thin and predatory.

Winter’s expression didn’t waver. "Trust is a luxury these days. I don’t expect it. But I do expect people to stay out of my way."

Nadine’s eyes narrowed, but a voice called from down the hall before she could respond.

"Winter!"

Greg approached, his broad shoulders filling the narrow space. His tone was overly friendly, but his eyes showed a glint of malice. "I’ve been meaning to talk to you. Got a moment?"

Winter glanced at Nadine before stepping aside to let Greg approach. The two men stood toe to toe, the tension between them palpable.

"Make it quick," Winter said.

Greg chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "Just thought you should know there’s been some... concern about your presence here. People don’t like outsiders who keep secrets."

Winter’s jaw tightened. "And people who pry too much tend to regret it."

The threat hung in the air, unspoken but clear. Greg held his gaze for a moment before stepping back, his smile never reaching his eyes.

"Just some friendly advice," Greg said before turning and walking away.

*****

Zara found herself alone with Leo in the small, dim room she’d claimed as her own. She unbuttoned her coat, letting the little boy stretch out and yawn. His limbs were stiff from being curled up too long, and Zara massaged them gently, murmuring soothing words.

"Let’s see those little toes wiggle," she teased, her tone light despite the weight pressing on her chest.

Leo giggled, his laughter a rare moment of lightness in their grim reality. Zara allowed herself to smile for a fleeting second, but the shadows of her thoughts soon crept back in.

She couldn’t keep doing this. Hiding Leo was getting harder, and every second they spent in the base was a gamble. She’d come here with a plan—to get what they needed and leave. Yet, Winter’s presence complicated everything. He was skilled, resourceful, and dangerous, but beyond that, he was starting to mean something to her. And that was unacceptable.

"I have to leave," she muttered under her breath, her gaze fixed on Leo as he played with a scrap of cloth. "For his sake, I have to go."

She couldn’t afford to grow attached to Winter, no matter how much safer she felt when he was around.

Her resolve hardened. Once they had the supplies, they would leave. No goodbyes, no explanations. Just a clean break.

*****

As night fell, Zara met Winter in a secluded room near the base’s edge. He was already there, inspecting his gear in the meticulous manner she’d come to expect.

"Everything ready?" he asked without looking up.

"Yeah," she replied, crossing her arms. "You sure we can pull this off?"

Winter finally looked at her, his eyes sharp but not unkind. "We don’t have a choice."

Zara nodded, biting her lip. His confidence was both reassuring and unsettling.

"Stick close to me," he said as they moved out. "No unnecessary risks."

Zara rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself."

"I know," Winter said, his voice quieter. "But I’d rather not find out the hard way if you can’t."

The tension simmered as they moved through the base, their footsteps silent against the cracked concrete. After a few tense close calls, they finally made it to the depot corridor. The dim, flickering bulb overhead cast uneven shadows, making the place feel creepy.

Winter raised a hand, signalling Zara to stay close but quiet. Zara held her breath, her gaze darting around for any signs of movement. The muffled crunch of Winter’s boots against the concrete was the only sound she could hear aside from the rapid thrum of her own heartbeat.

A guard rounded the corner, his rifle slung lazily over one shoulder. Before Zara could even register his presence, Winter moved. He surged forward, silent and lethal, his arm locking around the man’s neck while his other hand clamped down over his mouth. The guard struggled, a muffled grunt escaping before his body went slack. Winter eased him to the ground without a sound, his movements experienced.

Zara blinked, her pulse quickening. She wasn’t sure whether the adrenaline rushing through her veins was from fear, awe, or something else entirely.

Another guard emerged from between two shelves, this one more alert, his eyes scanning the area. Winter didn’t hesitate. He launched a small object—a bolt, perhaps—from his hand. It struck the man’s temple with a dull thud, and the guard dropped before he even had a chance to raise the alarm.

Zara’s eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. Winter turned to her briefly, his sharp gaze catching the astonishment written all over her face.

"Stop gawking and open the door," he smirked, his voice low but cutting through the tension.

Heat rushed to Zara’s cheeks, her indignation rising to mask her embarrassment. "I wasn’t gawking," she hissed back, her tone defensive as she moved toward the control panel by the large metal door. She shot him a glare, which he returned with an infuriatingly raised brow as if daring her to argue.

Her fingers hesitated over the keypad. She had seen Greg punch in the code just days ago. Was it 0478 or 0487? She thought, her mind racing. Biting her lip, she entered the sequence.

The door clicked, a soft hiss following as it slid open. Zara exhaled, relief mingling with a flicker of pride.

"Not bad," Winter muttered as he passed her, his tone nonchalant but betraying the slightest hint of approval. "You’ve got quick hands, I’ll give you that."

"Not bad?" Zara shot back, rolling her eyes. "You’d still be standing there if it weren’t for me."

"Sure," Winter said dryly, his lips twitching as though suppressing a smirk. "But we’re not here to argue. Take what you can carry and move fast. We can’t afford to be weighed down if things go sideways."

"I know how this works," Zara muttered, her voice tinged with annoyance. Still, she adjusted the straps of her bag and moved toward a nearby shelf stacked with canned goods.

They split off, the silence of the depot broken only by the faint rustle of items being gathered and the occasional creak of metal shelves. Zara found herself walking toward the medical supplies first—bandages, antiseptics, and syringes. Then, she turned her attention to the food, her hands hovering over the cans of soup and beans.

Her fingers brushed against a small stash of snack bars hidden among the heavier supplies. She paused, thinking of Leo. He’d love these. Smiling faintly, she grabbed a handful and slipped them into her bag.

Leo stirred against her chest, his small head poking out of the coat where she’d hidden him. "Where are we?"

"Shh," she whispered, pressing a finger to her lips.

Leo’s wide eyes darted around the dim room. "What’s that?" he asked, pointing to a colourful package of snacks nestled among the cans.

Zara hesitated before grabbing it, stuffing it into her bag alongside the essentials. They continued along the shelf silently, Zara trying to make sure she got what she could carry with ease. Leo remained partially out, looking at things and occasionally touching them slightly.

Zara decided to let him be since he needed the air and she was planning on getting him out of the coat soon enough.

But then Leo reached for a nearby can, his small fingers brushing against the shelf. The can wobbled, then dropped to the floor with a loud clang that shattered the silence.

Zara’s breath hitched as the sound echoed through the room, her heart racing in her chest. It was too much—too loud. Too noticeable.

Winter was there in an instant, rifle drawn and trained on the shadows. His eyes scanned the space, sharp as a hawk’s. "What happened?" he demanded, his voice low but tight with tension

"I—uh—dropped something," Zara stammered, stepping in front of the fallen can.

Winter’s gaze locked onto her for a split second before flicking down to the can, then back to her. His jaw tightened as he realized what had happened, his brow furrowing deeply. "Be more careful," he snapped, his voice laced with frustration.

But underneath that, there was something else—something less easy to pin down. A flicker of concern, maybe. He stepped closer, his tone lowering with urgency, "That could’ve gotten us caught. You need to be more aware of the sound we’re making."

Zara’s face burned with embarrassment as she took a step back. "Sorry," she lowered her head.

As if on cue, the alarm blared, cutting through the silence and making Zara jump.

"Fuck," Winter’s hand shot out, gripping her arm with surprising force, pulling her toward the exit. "Move!" he barked.

The escape was chaos. Guards swarmed the corridors, their shouts echoing as Zara and Winter navigated the base’s maze-like structure. Zara clutched Leo tightly, her heart pounding as they ducked through tight spaces and dodged their pursuers.

They sprinted through the base’s corridors, the sound of shouting and heavy boots growing louder behind them.

Winter led the way, his sharp instincts guiding them through narrow passages and hidden alcoves. Zara struggled to keep up, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she clutched Leo tightly.

"Left!" Winter shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

They turned sharply, narrowly avoiding a group of guards who rushed past.

The corner was narrow, barely wide enough for both of them to squeeze into. Winter loomed above Zara, his broad shoulders blocking out the dim light that seeped through the cracks in the walls. His hands were braced against the cold, crumbling stone on either side of her head, trapping her there—not intentionally, but out of necessity.

Zara’s breath hitched as she clutched the bulge under her coat, her arms tightening protectively over it. She leaned back as far as she could, but the rough wall bit into her spine, leaving her no room to retreat.

Winter’s face was close—too close. She could feel the faint warmth of his breath brushing against her cheeks, a sharp contrast to the icy air that nipped at her exposed skin. His breath came in steady, quiet puffs, but hers was ragged, a mix of fear and something she didn’t dare name.

They stayed like that, unmoving, their eyes locked. Her pulse thrummed in her throat, loud enough that she was sure he could hear it. His jaw was set, his expression unreadable, though his gaze lingered on her for a beat too long, as if he were trying to unravel something he couldn’t quite grasp.

The sound of boots crunching on gravel shattered the silence. Zara stiffened, her gaze darting toward the open corridor. Winter didn’t move. His focus remained fixed on her, the line of his mouth tightening.

"Stay still," he mouthed, the command barely audible.

She nodded, the motion jerky, her fingers gripping the fabric of her coat. Her breaths mixed with his in the frigid air, visible as faint wisps that dissolved into the shadows between them. The space felt smaller now, suffocatingly so, and the weight of his presence pressed down on her like the stone walls themselves. or maybe that was just the backpack full of supplies. But... she was definitely feeling something.

The footsteps faded, and the corner fell silent once more.

Still, neither of them moved. Tension coiled tight between them, humming like a drawn bowstring. Her eyes flicked to his mouth, then quickly back to his eyes, as if afraid she’d been caught. His gaze softened, just for a moment, the hard edges of his expression slipping.

A loud crash from somewhere in the distance broke the spell. Zara flinched, her head jerking toward the noise, and Winter finally stepped back. The sudden absence of his closeness felt like a gust of cold air, sharp and biting.

"Let’s move," he said, his voice low but urgent.

Zara swallowed hard, nodded again, and followed him into the shadows.

Her heart raced as they approached the base’s edge. Freedom was within reach, but the sound of pursuit was too close for comfort.

Suddenly, they skidded to a halt. Greg and Nadine stood in their path, flanked by armed guards.

"Well, well," Greg drawled, a smug grin spreading across his face. "Look who’s trying to skip town."

Nadine’s eyes flicked to Winter, her lips curling into a cold smile. "I told you he couldn’t be trusted."

Winter’s jaw tightened, his eyes scanning their surroundings for an escape route.

Zara stepped forward, her voice steady despite the fear knotting her stomach. "We don’t want trouble. Just let us go."

Greg laughed, the sound echoing ominously. "Oh, I’m afraid it’s too late for that."

"You should have thought of that before stealing from us," Nadine sneered.

The tension crackled like a live wire as both sides squared off, the faint hum of the watchtower’s generator the only sound in the cold silence.

Winter’s hand tightened around his rifle, his eyes meeting Zara’s briefly.

"I’ve got this," he murmured, his voice low as he turned to stare them down.