Page 64 of The Final Storm
“That,” I point to Lori’s head, “Is the handiwork of Lindell. I guarantee it.”
“Did you see him come here in the vision? Attack anyone?” Lori asks.
I take a deep breath. “He was discussing coming to the Galene with Dean. And based on what I could tell with the timing….” I trail off and bite my lip. “I’m certain Dean’s alive.”
Sam swallows and balls his fists at his side. “I had assumed that was the case.”
“They sent some people on a boat with… with Matthews. With his body,” I get out. “It seems like Dean sort of… took over the Thalassa, but maybe didn’t want people to know yet. He had his body in a tarp and told them to dump it in the ocean, but not to look inside.”
Sam’s jaw tightens. “He killed Matthews, then cut off the comms.” He’s working it out in his mind. He tilts his head and squints his eyes. “Why toss him from a boat?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug.
“He could just throw him over the side. There are lots of places,” Sam explains. I shudder at the thought and how close I came to losing Sam on the Thalassa. Dean could have had him killed a million ways. “Why did he send a boat?”
The vision ticks through my mind. Stepping off the boat and following him up to Matthews’ office. Hearing him talk to Lindell. “He’s sending Lindell on a boat in a few days. Or, it was a few days from the vision. From the conversation they had.” I shake my head, struggling with how to explain the timeline.
I close my eyes and force myself to remember. “He said that the next batch was ready in a few days. They’re bringing drugs here. They can track you, Sam. Because of the AOE. Maybe they could track Matthews, too? I don’t fucking know. Dean didn’t explain his reasoning. He just gave orders.”
“Because of the AOE?” Sam asks. “Slow down.”
But I can’t, not now that I’m talking. All my thoughts and fears are spilling out in our tiny room, and I know Lori and Sam are only catching half of the vision.
“They know I’m here,” I tell them. “Dean can track you, and he said I would be with you. When he sent the boat, he said something about… this ship is full of civilians… getting them hooked.”
“Track me how?” Sam asks. He’s running his hands over his body. It’s instinctual. Both he and I know if there was something apparent, we would have found it by now. I’ve scoured every inch of that man’s body and nothing felt out of place.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “He’s known where I am the whole time. I think he’ll come here.”
“He’s spreading his territory to another ship,” Lori works out. “This is like the cartel. Fuck me.”
“This isn’t good for the people on the Thalassa,” Sam shakes his head. Still, a man bound by duty, I can tell he feels guilt for leaving.
“Sam, we need to get you to the medic,” Lori says. “They can check for metal plates and screws and shit. I think they’ll find a tracking device.”
“Wouldn’t you remember that?” I ask him.
“I only remember the brand. And I had a shitty time getting that removed.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Lori says. “Let’s go. They need to check out Morgan, and now we need to deal with this shit. Stop checking your junk, Sam. It’s not in there.”
He shoots her a look and grabs a few things. I get up, my head still throbbing with pain.
“What else?” Lori says as she opens the door.
“I’ll fill you both in on the way. On the parts that matter, at least.”
Her eyes widen again, and I don’t have to remind her that the voyeurism in my vision must stay between us until death.
***
Lori doesn’t think Cecilia has anything to do with the attack, but I’m undecided. We have bigger issues on the horizon, literally. There’s no point in talking about it further. We agree to disagree, and she reminds me of how wrong I was about Luke.
That loveable idiot flashes a grin when she says that, and I flick him off. We’re waiting in the medical unit while a nurse Luke flirts with does us a favor and scans Sam’s body.
“You don’t have any idea where this could be?” Sam asks me as she moves a wand over his ass. She’s checking him out, and I find it funny. I doubt the AOE planted a tracker in his cheeks.
“No,” I mock him. “Do you?”
