Chapter 3 #2
Saylor inhaled, then tripped back a couple steps, bumping into a support beam. Her hand went to her mouth, her eyes more than a bit wild, now.
Zain stood, then went over to her, glancing at the dead guy then back to her. “Hey, you good?”
She blinked, looked as if she might puke, then nodded. Too fast for him to believe she meant it. Instead, this seemed forced, as if she was trying to convince herself as much as him. “Fine, I?—”
A single shot cut her off, the report vibrating through the ship.
Kash grunted. “Something’s seriously wrong if Chase is calling us back.”
“Which means, we’re out of here. We’ll update the Coast Guard as soon as we’re clear — let them know they’ve got a priority case with a dead body.” Zain motioned to the corridor. “I’ll cover everyone’s six.”
Saylor glanced at the guy, again, paled a bit more, then drew herself up. She nodded, all that golden hair brushing across her shoulder, then followed Kash, still checking the shadows, and Zain had to admit, she had great instincts. Never let her guard down.
Kash stopped at the hatch, then darted out, clearing each direction before hoofing it back to the stairwell. He repeated the procedure, waited for the door to close behind them, then bounded up the stairs. Saylor followed, her gun at the ready, only slightly slower than Kash.
Damn, the girl had skills, and Zain knew she’d be laying down cover fire and capping mercenaries if the situation called for it.
Kash waited at the top, once again showing the countdown before barreling out. Going high and left as Zain and Saylor went low and right. Sweeping the deck, just in case, before retracing their steps.
Chase stood next to Atticus, lips pinched tight. He waved them over. “We’ve got company, and I don’t think they’re coming to lend a hand.”
Zain followed Chase’s outstretched arm, cursing at the boat speeding toward them. What looked like several heavily armed men with guns mounted on the boat’s frame. “Pirates? Really?”
“Technically, they’re armed robbers if we’re still in territorial waters…” Saylor sighed, nodding at Chase and Kash. “That’s not the takeaway, here. You two help Atticus down the ladder, then get onboard Foster’s boat and book it. I’ll run interference if those assholes follow.”
Kash scoffed. “As if we’d leave you alone to fight this.”
“My Zodiac goes nearly twice as fast as Foster’s cruiser. And with the amount of weight that pirate boat’s carrying — how it’s riding in the water — I bet my ass those bastards won’t come close to catching me.”
“Saylor…”
“Fifteen years, Kash. With five tours in TACLET units. This is my wheelhouse. Besides, I never said I’d be alone.” She glanced at Zain. “You can shoot in unfavorable conditions while racing over the water, right?”
Zain moved in close. “Are you questioning my skills? That’s cold.”
She smiled and motioned to the ladder. “You heard him. He’s up for the challenge. Now, move, or we’ll all be caught in the crossfire.”
Kash glanced at Zain, grunting when Zain nodded, then hopped over the side. He started down, guiding Atticus when Chase helped the older man onto the top rung. They moved relatively quickly under the circumstances, boarding Foster’s boat in a minute flat.
Saylor placed her hands and feet on the outside of the ladder and slid down the metal rungs then onto her boat in all of two seconds.
Had the engines engaged and a life vest strapped around her torso by the time Zain climbed down.
She held firm as Foster took off before tossing Zain a vest then surging ahead, giving Foster enough time to gain some distance.
The engines hummed as she hit the throttle and took off, water spraying out the sides, the bow tipping up before quickly planing out.
She banked over, paralleling the listing salvage ship until she shot out from behind the bow — cutting in front of the pirate boat then cranking the wheel over and heading northeast.
Their time below deck had eaten away the last of the good weather, that storm front he’d been concerned about kicking up the wind and the waves. Rolling swells now covered the surface, an advancing layer of fog and rain only minutes away from catching them .
Saylor wove across the water, curling in behind a few larger swells, then popping back out. Practically dancing the Zodiac along the surface. The pirates ignored them, gaining on Foster as they followed after him.
Zain readied his rifle, sticking close enough he could tackle her to the deck or shove her out of the way if things turned ugly. Based on the number of weapons — the body armor and bandanas hiding all but their eyes — things would definitely turn ugly.
He shook his head. “I’m betting this isn’t their first raid. They know we’re running shotgun, and they just don’t care.”
Saylor grinned. “Then, it’s time we got their attention.” She arched a brow. “Assuming you trust me.”
Zain waited for the usual tightening of his gut. The itching sensation between his shoulder blades that nagged at him whenever he partnered with someone other than his teammates — men he considered his brothers. A byproduct of that mission. His failure.
Instead, everything clicked into place.
He closed the distance and looked into her killer blue eyes. “What have you got in mind?”
“I thought we’d go old school with a game of chicken.”
“They’ve got machine guns.”
“And I’ve got you.” She leaned in. “Well, soldier?”
“Game on.”