31 - Ripley
RIPLEY
I woke before Peyton did. Not because I’d slept well, because I hadn’t. It was a combination of many things, but mostly listlessness, self-preservation, and the desperate need to protect her.
And of course, the dreams.
The nightmares.
She looked peaceful sleeping against my chest, all curled into me on the tiniest, most uncomfortable cot in the universe.
Though my back muscles burned, I remained still, content to watch the gentle rise and fall of her chest. The thin beams of sunlight streaming in practically set her hair on fire, as it spilled through cracks in the warped plank ceiling.
Off in the distance, the deep chugging of a marine engine finally caused her to stir. The baked-in smell of fish was finally overpowered by the scent of smoke, and salt, and diesel.
Her eyes blinked open. My heart skipped a beat.
“You good?”
Peyton nodded, and smiled. She didn’t look scared. Come to think of it, she never looked scared. Even when she should’ve been.
“Let’s go,” I urged. “We need to get moving.”
Together we slipped from the shack, squinting against the pale pink sun. I led her through the jungle, then down onto the side streets that would take us into town. We moved swiftly and quietly, our movements just subtle enough to escape notice. Or so I hoped, at least.
We cut inland at what I hoped was the right spot. I exhaled a hiss of relief when the docks came into view.
It was Theo who saw us first. The poor guy looked like he hadn’t slept in a year. He perked up excitedly at our approach and waved us over.
“Sup, nerd.”
The relief that washed over his face was actually touching. Of course, it was Peyton who got a hug first. A kiss too. Not that I wanted one.
“You’re alive!” Theo cried.
Colson appeared out of nowhere, like he’d just spawned in. The shirt and shorts he threw me bounced right off my chest.
“Put some clothes on, you stand out like a sore thumb.”
“Do I really?” I chuckled, looking around. “Aren’t we in Belize?”
“You’re in your underwear, at six in the morning,” he countered. “And you look like prison Tarzan, with all those tattoos.”
“Yeah, well I didn’t exactly have time to get dressed.”
“We figured. What happened?”
“Extraction team. Small and surgical.” I glanced back at Peyton. “Not surgical enough, though.”
Colson looked like he could kill an army. His curled-lip expression softened however, as he embraced Peyton.
“A drone scoped us,” I went on. “They took out the power. Stupid move, actually. It gave us warning.”
“We got the lights back on eventually,” Theo nodded. “Once we did, all we found was blood and glass.” He swallowed. “And teeth.”
“You can thank her for that cleanup,” I jerked a thumb. “It was free dental work night at the villa, and Peyton was putting in a double shift.”
Theo chuckled. “Seriously?”
“She also rearranged some guy’s face with a bottle,” I added. “It was a thing of beauty.”
Colson stepped back, revealing the boat.
The fishing rig was exactly as I’d seen it when the jolly, round-faced captain first showed it to me: bleach white, modest, and unassuming.
Not big, not tiny, just perfectly utilitarian.
The kind of boat that looked like it had weathered a hundred storms, and always came out the other side.
“Anyone follow you here?” I scratched my head.
“Relax, I’m not the weak link.”
I frowned. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what I said,” Colson answered coldly. “I’m not the one who got chased down the beach.”
“We got chased down the beach,” I pressed a finger into his chest, “because one of you assholes got made, on the way out of the villa.”
“Think so?” he grunted.
“Had to be.”
My finger was still there. Colson looked down at it like he wanted to snap it in half.
I was praying he would try.
“Okay, okay, okay,” said Theo, stepping rapidly between us. “I get it. We’re doing testosterone again.”
“I’m not the one who started this,” Colson growled.
“Know who would love it, though?” a voice called out. “Donovan.”
We turned, to find Peyton standing with her arms crossed. She looked pissed.
“Seriously, the both of you are very impressive,” she said. “Now, shut up.”
Behind her, the captain snickered. He’d been trying to hang back, to remain invisible, but Peyton had been helping with the ropes.
“Alright,” I said, deciding to blink first. “What’s our next move?”
Once again, Theo looked relieved.
“Leak trigger’s all set up,” he cleared his throat. “A couple of tidbits are already out. Nothing too juicy, just enough that Donovan can’t help but notice.”
“What do you think he’ll do?”
“I’m hoping he’ll back off a bit,” said Theo. “Reinstate my father’s treatment, as a sign of good faith.”
“More like a sign of fear,” I said sardonically.
“Yeah, that too.”
Colson grunted. “Donovan might blink, but it won’t last. He’s buying time. Sending more teams down here, now that he’s narrowed our location.”
“Agreed.”
“The question is, how far are we willing to take this?” Colson asked. “Bits and pieces? Half measures?”
He turned to face Peyton.
“We need to be on the same page, here.”
My eyes traveled the smooth skin of her tan body, all the way up to that beautiful, blonde-ringed face.
No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about last night.
I’d made her mine on that shitty futon, and mine alone.
But then there was the act of fleeing with her, hiding out with her.
Holding her in my arms, and keeping her safe.
It all felt unfathomably right.
At the same time though, it was frightening; the sheer joy of having her all to myself. I couldn’t get over that feeling of completion when she was cuddled up alongside me. The exhilaration of possessing her. Of loving her…
Loving her?
“I’m pretty sure I’ve demonstrated my willingness to go all the way,” Peyton finally replied, with a wry smile. “If you don’t know I’m all in by now…”
She reached up to pin her hair back, while squinting into the sun.
“Instead of dumping it all at once I say we bleed Donovan slowly,” Peyton said coldly. “Strategically. Manipulate him for once, rather than the other way around.”
Damn, I swore with admiration. She wasn’t running anymore.
She was hunting now.
“I think I just slid a little deeper in love with you,” joked Theo.
“That’s how it starts,” Peyton winked at him. “Next thing you know, you boys will be ring shopping.”
She leapt onto the boat like a smooth-legged gazelle, then bounced into the cabin. All three of us were watching, of course. All three of us were thinking the same thing.
That part bothered me a little, but it reassured me at the same time.
“Where to?” I asked Colson.
“North first,” he replied. “Then inland.”
“We probably need to get out of Central America,” I said. “Fast as possible.”
He nodded and jerked his head at Theo, who the captain was helping onto the boat.
“The Code Whisperer is already working on that.”
Colson turned slowly, his eagle eyes scanning for any sign we were being watched.
If we could slip away now, without being noticed, we could melt right into the morning fishing fleet.
Considering Donovan Prescott’s resources, that kind of escape would be as close as we’d get to having the upper hand.
“They’re going to come harder next time,” he said quietly. “You know that, right?”
“I know.”
“No more retrieval. They’re spraying bullets next time, for sure. And if we’re going to protect her…”
I ignored him, and pointed at the boat. Colson nodded and began walking.
“Let’s think positive,” I said, clapping the Marine on the shoulder.
His response was a grunt, but it was as friendly a grunt as I was going to get.
“I’m positive we’re going to need more ammo,” Colson mumbled.