BEHIND US

XVIII

The Safe Horizon

The chopper touched down on a narrow landing pad tucked between the silent ridges of the Caucasus Mountains. Snow drifted gently through the air, but the skies were clearer than any Charlotte had seen in weeks.

Georgia—a quiet pocket in Eastern Europe where even satellites struggled to peer too closely. The perfect hideout for ghosts.

Charlotte stepped out first, shielding baby Claire from the wind. Behind her came Chris, still alert, scanning every shadow. Ethan followed, calm but observant, with his tablet secured against his chest. Pailiu held her breath as she stepped down last, instinctively checking their surroundings.

A man in a tan coat approached—tall, mid-50s, soft eyes but military posture.

“Welcome. My name is Luka. Engfa arranged everything. This place is yours for as long as you need.”

He led them into a stone-walled estate, ancient on the outside but equipped with state-of-the-art tech inside. The hallway lights flickered to life as they passed motion sensors. Every door was reinforced. Every line was encrypted.

Chris walked the perimeter immediately, muttering to himself. “Thermal sensors… motion triggers… independent power grid. This place is a fortress.”

Charlotte paused in the central room—a cozy space with Georgian rugs, a roaring fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto the snow-capped valley.

She held Claire close. The baby cooed softly.

“It’s beautiful,” Charlotte whispered. “But it doesn’t feel like home.”

Pailiu placed her hand gently on Charlotte’s shoulder. “Home is where your heartbeat is. You brought yours with you.”

From the corner, Ethan suddenly looked up from his tablet. “The secure line is up.”

Chris joined him. “Any word from Dad?”

Ethan nodded. “Not yet. But we’ll hear when it’s time.”

Charlotte sat down slowly on the sofa, her eyes on the horizon beyond the glass.

“I trust him. But I can’t stop feeling like… this is just the beginning.”

Chris replied without looking up. “It is.”

Charlotte whispered more to herself than anyone else:

“Then we survive. We hold this line. For him. Your Sister. For all of them.”

.....

Hours Later...

The night was silent in the Georgian mountains. Snowflakes danced outside the tall windows, but inside, the fire crackled gently.

Charlotte sat with Ethan, who had finally set his tablet down. Claire was asleep in her crib nearby, bundled like a tiny warrior princess. Chris had gone to recalibrate the perimeter alarms, and Pailiu was resting upstairs.

For a moment, the world felt… still.

Ethan sipped hot tea, watching his mother. “You’ve been quiet.”

Charlotte looked into the flames. Her fingers slowly traced the edge of the mug. “I’ve been remembering.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow, curious.

She gave him a small smile. “You ever wonder how I met your Dad?”

He nodded. “You were a CEO. And he was… something more.”

Charlotte chuckled softly. “I was at the top. Youngest female CEO in my industry. Millions in capital. Ruthless, people said. Untouchable.”

“And he was your photographer,” Ethan said, remembering fragments.

Charlotte’s eyes softened. “Not just a photographer. The photographer. He didn’t just take pictures. He saw me. The me I didn’t even know existed yet.”

“He saw the woman beneath the crown.”

Ethan leaned in. “Was it weird… his being—”

“Intersex?” Charlotte interrupted gently. “Never. Not even once.”

Ethan stayed quiet.

“He told me the truth on our first meeting,” Charlotte continued, “said I could walk away if I wanted. That I didn’t owe him anything.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I couldn’t.” Charlotte smiled to herself. “I’d never met someone who could stand in the storm and be the storm at the same time.”

“And her friends?” Ethan asked. “Marima and Heidi?”

“They were mine, long before they were soldiers. We ruled boardrooms. Made deals with countries. But when everything fell apart… they gave it all up to protect what mattered. Marima was based in America for work after the fight with my ex boyfriend while Heidi is with me in the Philippines”

“You.”

Charlotte shook her head. “Not me. Us. Me and Engfa. Our future. This family.”

Ethan’s expression turned fierce with pride.

“I used to command boardrooms with my voice,” Charlotte said quietly. “But he taught me how to command with silence. He taught me patience. And power. And what it really means to be unbreakable.”

Ethan looked over to Claire, sleeping peacefully.
“She’s strong, too.”

Charlotte nodded. “Because she’s Waraha. And Austin. Both. That means she’ll survive anything.”

Then she looked at Ethan, eyes firm. “But right now, it’s our job to make sure she never has to.”

Ethan gave a single, resolute nod. “We’ll hold the line.”

And together, they sat in the warm silence, watching the fire burn bright in the middle of the cold.

🐶🐰