Page 93 of Dark Reunion

“It was my father and this man,” Dean announced, and looked around at his teammates, each had lost someone special to them. “They were the ones that leaked we were there, our position. They are the reason those we loved died. I’m sorry. I can never say sorry enough to make up for what they took from all of us.”

Arek exhaled, glancing toward the smoking compound. “I don’t need your sorry, you were as much of a victim as the rest of us. You’re our brother and nothing will change that.”

“I second that,” Morry said, with a faint smile.

“Count me as three,” Kes added.

“Agreed. Yes, we all lost someone, but so did you. You had no idea.” Wolf patted Dean’s back.

Nodding, Dean held his breath as Trev spoke. “No man should be judged on the sin of their father. You included.”

Dean exhaled, thankful to still have all of their support. “I take it that all those following Keene are dead?”

“The six that we found, are over there, but I only recognize one.” Arek pointed to the small pile of bodies they’d put together.

“What about the rest of The Righteous?” Dean asked.

Wolf’s gaze followed his. “Someone’s gotta lead what’s left, or Keene will be right. Even if a message goes out that the group is disbanded, another will step in and use everyone for personal gain.”

“Or even worse, the lost will have nothing to live for. We can’t do that to them.” Morry folded her arms. “Someone better make damn sure it doesn’t happen again, and I know who I’d vote for.”

Dean’s eyes moved to Trev. The man looked away, shoulders set, knowing what was coming before Dean even spoke.

“You’ve got the head for it,” Dean said. “And the heart. The rest of us don’t have what it takes, but you do. And you’ve always done what is best for those that you command. You’re the one who can rebuild this right, Trev.”

Trev shook his head slowly. He walked away from the group, staring off to the horizon. No one moved as they waited for his decision. Trev turned to face them, hands on his hips. “You’re all sure about this?”

Dean smiled faintly. “Never been surer of anything.”

For a heartbeat, nobody moved. Then Morry nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand. “He’s right.”

Arek followed. “You’ve got my vote.”

Kes gave a small shrug. “Yeah. You’re the only one of us who actually reads the fine print.”

Wolf’s nod was quiet, final. “You’ve earned it.”

Trev looked at Dean, jaw set. “Fine, but I’m not doing this alone. You each have to agree to do the job that I need you to do, to keep the Righteous running properly. If you all can’t help, then I’m not doing this.”

They all saluted Trev, their hand neat and precise.

“Okay, then we start over. Our way this time.”

“Our way. Brothers, we stand together.” Dean’s smile deepened.

“Apart we fall,” all of them answered.

The group broke apart slowly. Kes and Arek went to check the trucks, Wolf triaged the wounded with Maeve, but Morry remained with Dean, leaning against a crate.

“Didn’t think I’d live to see this day,” she said.

Dean glanced over at her. “You saying I’m good luck or bad?”

She smirked. “Still undecided.”

He chuckled, soft and tired. “I’ll take it.”

Across the yard, Maeve knelt beside an injured guard and helped tend to his wounds. She looked up when Dean caught her eye, and for a second, the chaos fell away. He gave her a small nod—acknowledgment, respect, and gratitude for coming into his life. She returned it, a faint smile ghosting across her face.

The sun climbed higher, bleeding warmth into the edges of the wreckage. The air was still thick with smoke, but it no longer felt suffocating.

Dean turned back toward the horizon. The compound was still burning behind them, but the future was something else entirely. It was raw, unshaped, but alive. He drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Dean looked around at the people who had survived with him, his family by choice, not circumstance, and he let the quiet settle. For the first time in a long time, Dean didn’t feel like he was surviving. He felt like he was beginning.