Page 83 of The Final Storm
You don’t see what I do.
“He’ll betray you,” I spit. “Whatever he’s promising is a lie. Do you even know why you’re here for me?”
He laughs, shaking his head. I lift my aching body, scooting back and away from him, trying to stand.
Lindell wags a finger at me. “I don’t care why he wants you. It’s a barter. He gets you, and I get the Galene.”
“We’ve warned them about you. The captain-”
“The captain hasn’t found me with everyone looking. Don’t you find that odd?” He crouches down to the floor, one side of his mouth curved up in a smile. “Because I already have friends there. It’s only a matter of time.”
Fuck, he’s right. Hundreds of military personnel are all debriefed on his presence and no one sees him. He’s got help, men that want what he’s offering already. Men that helped hide my daughter on the boat until they wanted her found.
A flicker of something catches my eye, and I make it to my feet. Sharp pains shoot across my back, but I ignore them, rising upward with a grunt. There could be other people on this boat, which makes matters worse. I have to ignore this pain to fight off Lindell, and possibly more of Dean’s bullies.
Lindell rises with me and takes a step closer. “Now don’t be selfish, Rowan.”
“Coward,” I hiss. “You leave Dean’s men on the island to die while you creep away.”
“I’m keeping watch,” he says, waving a hand out at the water. “And what a sight when the thing I’m after swims right up to me. Not too smart.” He taps his head, and his lips thin in a smile. He thinks he’s won, but this can’t be the end. I’m here for a reason.
I’m trapped against the side of the boat, and I move to my right to create more distance between us. I look around for a weapon, but there’s nothing. The gunfire stops, and I flick my head around to the shore. The visitors, Dean’s visitors, never left the island. No one fled the Thalassa. Dean sent them, and they’ve been here waiting for his command.
“See that,” Lindell points. “Your family is in danger, all because you’re being selfish. If you’ll just cooperate, we can leave them alone. It’s you I’m supposed to collect, not your brood of kids.”
I whip back around. “Dean won’t let Sam live. I know that much.”
“Well, I don’t give a shit.” Lindell checks his watch. “You want to do this the hard way or make things less painful? I personally hope you choose pain. Gets the blood pumping when a woman screams.” He licks his lips, and I step further down the side of the boat.
It’s only a few steps before I’m caged in the corner. Maybe I can jump, but that still creates the problem that we’re trapped on the island with Dean on the way and no boat to escape.
Lindell produces a needle, and I grimace because I know what’s inside. Something Dean concocted in the growing room to make me compliant and possibly addicted rolls around in Lindell’s fingers.
There’s a clank on the hull of the boat. It vibrates the side, and we both jerk our heads toward the sound.
“Was that a gunshot?” I ask. “Dean’s turning on you already.”
“Not a chance,” he smirks and takes another step closer. I’m within an arm’s reach of him. He spins the needle in his hand, and I swallow, weighing my options.
Clank. Clank.
Louder this time, and there’s a moment where Lindell’s eyes betray him. Something isn’t going to plan.
“What is that?” I ask again.
Thump.
My breath catches, and my eyes drift to the water and then back, just in time to see Lindell get hit on his arm with something large and grey. His shoulder shoots back, and he drops the needle in his hand. I slip around him, far enough to be out of reach.
“Fuck!” he yells and grabs his gun.
A large rock spins on the floor at our feet.
Clank.
The constant noise sends him into a quick rage. “What the fuck?!” he bellows.
Wind whips wet strands of my hair across my face. The storm looms closer, draping one side of the sky in black.
