The call came through just as Emrys was about to step out of the room. He had barely made it to the door when his phone buzzed sharply in his pocket. He checked the screen. It was from Kane.
His pulse quickened, a premonition of bad news forming in his gut. Without hesitation, he picked up.
"Emrys... it's bad," the voice on the other end was strained, shaky. "Sean and his team were ambushed on their last mission in Southbridge. We haven't been able to locate him yet."
A flicker of dread shot through Emrys. The man who had raised him, who had been a father figure when his own father never was, was in danger.
He didn't need to hear more. He was already out the door, coat in hand, striding through the penthouse hallway with a single thought in his mind which was getting Sean back alive.
The safehouse was frantic. The air was thick with tension, and the low hum of whispered conversations filled the otherwise silent space. Emrys walked in, his steps slow and heavy, eyes scanning the room.
A group of trusted members was gathered around, all faces drawn, eyes uncertain. They fell silent the moment he entered.
Antonio, one of the senior members, was the first to speak. "We can't reach Sean. His last transmission was a warning, then the comms cut off. We've got nothing, Emrys. No location, no intel, just... silence."
Emrys's expression was unreadable as he glanced around the room, his eyes hardening. "So you want me to take control now?" His tone was sharper than intended, but the weight of the situation was settling over him. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
Antonio nodded, his voice heavy. "It's temporary. But the others agree... you're the only one who can hold things together. You've been with Sean long enough. You know how things work. You're the closest thing he's got to family."
"Sean is not dead, we don't need a new leader!"
Emrys clenched his fists, but before he could say more, the sound of a baby's cry broke through the thick tension. All eyes shifted to the door, where two bodyguards rushed in, holding a small bundle wrapped in a blanket. The baby's cries were loud, sharp, and filled with panic.
The room went completely still.
Emrys froze. He recognized the blanket, the fabric that had been carefully chosen for the child. His heart skipped a beat as he realized what was happening.
The bodyguards slowly approached, the small bundle wiggling in their arms, the crying growing more frantic as they neared Emrys. He stepped forward, his eyes locking onto the tiny face that peeked out of the blanket. The baby had a shock of messy black hair and wide, terrified hazel eyes, a tiny hand reaching out as if searching for something to hold on to.
The room was silent, the tension thickening again.
"Is that…?" Antonio began, his voice trailing off.
Emrys's breath caught in his throat as he stepped closer, his voice soft but firm. "The son... of Sean."
The baby's wails grew louder as the bodyguards struggled to hold him still, his tiny arms flailing in distress. Emrys's gaze softened as he reached out, gently taking the baby from their arms. The moment he held the child, the small body seemed to relax slightly, though the cries didn't stop. The infant's hands grasped at his shirt, seeking comfort from the only familiar presence in the room.
The others looked uncomfortable, their eyes shifting uneasily. One of the older men spoke, his voice hesitant. "Emrys, we weren't sure what to do with him. He... he's a newborn. He can't stay here. This isn't the kind of place for a baby."
Emrys didn't respond immediately. His focus was entirely on the baby, who was now clinging to him, sniffling between cries. He took a deep breath, looking at the men around him.
"Where's his mother?" Emrys asked quietly, his voice calm despite the tension in his chest.
The room grew quiet. One of the men shifted uncomfortably before answering. "She... she ran off. Left him behind. We don't know where she went. She disappeared right after giving birth. No one knows where she is."
Emrys exhaled slowly, frustration seeping through him. This wasn't supposed to happen. A newborn, innocent and fragile, should never have been brought into this world, this environment.
The baby in his arms gave a soft, hiccupping sob. Emrys's heart tightened at the sound, and he looked down at the tiny face, seeing only fear and confusion in the child's eyes.
He could feel the weight of his new responsibility pressing down on him, even as he tried to suppress the overwhelming sense of loss that came with it. A child, his best friend's son, had been left behind in a world that would never understand innocence.
He turned to the men in the room, his expression hardening. "Take care of things here," Emrys said, his voice carrying authority. "I'll handle this. No one speaks about this outside this room."
Antonio nodded quickly, though his face was filled with uncertainty.
Emrys didn't glance back at him. His gaze never left the baby in his arms, whose little eyes blinked up at him in a mixture of fear and curiosity.
With a final, deliberate step, Emrys turned and walked toward the door. He could already feel the gravity of his decision settling over him. A newborn, still so small, so fragile, had no place in a world like this.
But now, he had no choice.
He would keep him safe. No matter what.