WARD
The sea was too quiet.
I'd spent enough years on the water to know silence could be more dangerous than a storm.
Sea Whisper sliced through the calm water, her engines humming beneath my boots while the first light of dawn painted the horizon gold.
Nathan stood beside me on the bridge, binoculars pressed to his eyes.
"I don't like it."
I didn't either.
"What do you see?"
"Nothing."
He lowered the binoculars.
"That's the problem."
Storm stepped onto the bridge carrying three cold beers.
"You two have been staring at the ocean for twenty minutes."
I accepted the mug but never took my eyes off the water.
"Exactly."
She followed my gaze.
"What are you looking for?"
"Anyone."
Her smile disappeared.
"You think they're still following us."
"I think men who murdered your grandfather aren't going to suddenly decide today's a good day to retire."
Nathan nodded.
"They've invested too much."
Storm leaned against the chart table, wrapping both hands around her coffee.
"So what's our move?"
Before I could answer, the radar chirped.
One contact.
Fast.
Nathan looked at the screen.
Then another contact appeared.
Coming from the opposite direction.
Storm's expression hardened.
"They're trying to box us in."
I looked through the windshield toward the open water.
"They've learned."
Nathan glanced at me.
"They know you're not running."
"No."
I reached for the radio.
"They know we're going to fight."
Below, Ivy was already moving.
She'd heard the change in my voice over the intercom.
Within seconds she had cameras powered up, every external feed recording.
"Everything gets saved," she said calmly.
"If something happens, the Coast Guard, the FBI, and every news station in America will know exactly who attacked us."
Ben smiled.
"That's my sister," Calle said.
Calle opened one of the concealed lockers beneath the salon bench.
Inside sat emergency medical supplies.
She looked at Ben.
"I have a feeling I'm going to need these."
He hated that she was probably right.
Storm walked onto the aft deck beside me.
The wind tugged loose strands of her hair across her face.
"You know..."
She folded her arms.
"When I was little, Grandpa used to tell me something."
"What was that?"
"He said the ocean always tells you the truth."
I looked out across the water.
"And what is it telling you?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Finally she whispered—
"It's telling me today's the day we finally learn who we're really fighting."
Just then Nathan's voice came sharply over the radio.
"Ward."
I grabbed the handset.
"What is it?"
"The second boat just changed course."
My stomach tightened.
"They're not intercepting."
"What are they doing?"
Nathan's reply sent a chill through every person aboard Sea Whisper.
"They're herding us."
"Toward what?" I asked.
There was a long pause.
Then—
"I think they've got something waiting for us."