Page 105 of Devilish Debt
Rather than say another word to the unworried man behind me, I lean slightly forward to get a better view of the water she should be arriving in and scan it as ifIsuddenly have x-ray vision.
“If I don’t have superpowers, neither do you,” teases the tequila connoisseur from behind me.
Mirth fills my expression pushing my face to angle itself over my shoulder to respond when all of a sudden a loud, wet, thud appears on the opposite side of the ship.
Our attention instantly snaps to it in tandem, spotting a sight that instills relief and horror alike.
“Shit,” Garcia mutters at the same time he carelessly abandons his drinking glass on the floor.“She might not be breathing.”
“What?!” leaps past my lips during my dart over to where she’s sprawled out.“What do you mean she might not be breathing?!”
“She could’ve run out of air,” he less than calmly explains upon dropping to his knees to aid in removing her mask.“She could’ve fucked up her accession.”The tugging is meant to be gentle but is littered with panic.“She could’ve-”
“Just…needed…a…moment…” sasses our lady the instant her face is free.“Forfucksssake…” Her head flops towards him.“You try finding buried treasure on a hope and a prayer.”
We both chuckle; however, it’s Garcia that snarks, “Bon Jovi estaría muy orgulloso.”
“I will taketheir praiseandmy pay,” she lightly pants prior to pulling out an object from thin air like a magic trick I don’t understand, “andour lives back.”Skipping the idea of sitting up precedes her shoving the tiny piece of jewelry into my line of sight.“Make the call to Prince Fuckface.”
“That’s…that’s…” disbelief has my head shaking against my own volition, “that’s really…” I extend my unsteady hand towards it.“You…”
“Am reallythatgood,” Salay boasts when she finally sits up.“But don’t lose this shit.That’s the only piece I managed to grab.”
“Why don’t I hold onto that for safe keeping,” Garcia’s suggestion is attached to his physical intervention, “while you get acclimated,” he kicks his chin at our princess, “and you get on the sat phone to let Weslington know we’re ready to meet when we get back to shore.”
Post the tiny piece of metal being slipped away into Garcia’s pocket, we help our girl back onto her feet, out of her gear, and give her space to trulybreathenon-tank air.
Additional astonishment pops up into my brain like an ad that’s managed to get around my internal blocker.
I can’t believe she found that shit…
I can’t believe we were…right.
Holy shit.
ThatIwas right!
That my program got us what we needed to help solve one of the biggest treasure legends out there!
Holy shit…
This means my debt will be paid.
Fully.
Fucking.
Paid.
And I’ll be…free.
Free from the royal pain in my ass…which also means…Salay is free.
Free to leave us whenever because there’s no salvage to keep her hanging around.
No Scooby Doo mystery that needs help solving.
And if she’s free…Garcia is free.
