22. Weston
Weston
The rescue boat hits the water, and I cut the lines, releasing them into the water right after it. Then I stand a moment as I watch her fade from view, ensuring she gets away from the ship without the wake tipping her boat over.
As soon as she’s clear and I know she’s safe, I pull out the third and final phone I’d lifted from the guards and dial Garrison’s number.
“That you, Cowboy?” he answers on the second ring.
“Is Zane there?” I check the weapon in my hand, counting the rounds I have.
“Yeah. You’re on speaker phone.”
“Great.” I set it aside and check the magazine of the rifle on my back. “I need to know how to disable a container ship so they can’t navigate it.”
“You need to get to the main cabin. All navs are there,” Zane says. Once you’re there, put a few new holes in the control dashboard, and you’re good to go. We’ve got a lock on you, and we’re heading out now.”
“Great. Reese is in a lifeboat. I’m still on board, but my plan is to join her soon.”
My team is quiet for a moment. “How bad is it?” Zane questions.
“I’m pretty beat up. Have a few new holes myself.”
“So, bad.”
“Been worse. Get to Reese first. If I’m not there—”
“You will be. Good luck, Cowboy.”
“I need a bit more than luck. Do me a favor, and say a prayer that God is listening. Because I’m going to need a miracle.”
“Already done, Brother. And He is.”
I end the call, a lump in my throat, and shove the phone back into my pocket as I move along the side of the ship. I leave the pistol tucked into my jeans at my lower back and utilize the rifle, training it straight ahead.
Any movement and they’re done.
But a single shot will alert everyone on this ship.
Honestly, the fact that they haven’t raised the alarm yet likely means the guys who came after me were the same ones monitoring the camera. Which is a miracle in and of itself.
A few more hours, though, and this ship is going to be crawling with soldiers ready to take me out, then hunt Reese for sport. It’s my only mission to make sure that doesn’t happen. Whether I live or die on this ship, my team will get to her, and they will keep her safe.
I come around a corner and flatten myself to the container when I see a man step out and light up a cigarette, the flickering light my only warning that he was there. Shifting gears, I move around the corner, then slip the sling of the weapon over my neck and drape it along my back.
Reaching up, I use nearly all the strength I have to pull myself up over the railing. I land near silently, then creep forward toward the main cabin. Peering inside, I see a man sleeping near the controls.
Perfect.
I move inside and sneak behind him, then slam the end of my weapon into the side of his head. His head falls slack to the side, and blood trickles from the injury. I lower him to the ground, then study the panel.
There are dozens of buttons and screens, countless things that could be what I’m looking for. And since I can’t afford to make a mistake, I step back, raise the rifle, and squeeze the trigger.
The weapon fires, and I empty the magazine into the panel. Sparks fly, the sound loud enough to wake anyone who might be sleeping. I have seconds before there will be no chance for me to escape.
A clicking sound follows the last round, so I toss the weapon to the ground and sprint toward the exit as flames shoot up from the damaged panel. Without breaking stride, I push my body to its max and race toward the edge of the boat.
Someone yells behind me.
A gun goes off, splintering the deck right by my feet.
I launch myself over the side of the boat…and into the icy waters.
The air is knocked from my lungs as the icy waters envelop me. Saltwater sears the wounds on my body like acid against my skin. Muscles screaming in protest, it’s all I can do to keep moving through the water when it would be so much easier to just give up and drown.
I should have blacked out on impact. But I didn’t, so I use yet another second chance to fight my way to Reese.
The cold water numbs my pain enough that the adrenaline pushes me forward. I pull myself through the water, not giving a single thought about the direction until I’m out of range of their weapons.
As soon as I’m sure that they won’t hit me, I surface, my lungs burning as I draw the cold air into my body. With only the moonlight to guide me, I scan the dark waters for Reese’s boat.
Where is she? Water laps at me, small waves pushing and pulling me. Spots dance in my vision, and I slip beneath the water. Saltwater burns my nose, and I kick my legs, fighting to get to the surface. As soon as I do, I hear her. A beacon calling me home.
“Weston!”
I start swimming off toward the right, cutting through the water and focusing only on reaching her. I have to reach her. My breathing is ragged, my muscles burning as I move toward her, but finally, I see the shadow of her boat, and I’m filled with a bone-deep relief.
There you are.
“Weston!” she screams, then reaches over the side.
I shake my head. “It’ll tip. Go to that side.” My words come out breathless, but she moves anyway, plastering herself to the opposite side of the boat.
With a deep breath, I grip the side and pull. It shifts slightly, tipping toward me enough that I can use it as leverage to guide my body onto the bottom. And then it straightens. The moment it does, Reese is there at my side, her trembling hands cradling my face.
“Don’t you ever do that to me again, Weston Hayes, you hear me?”
“I hope I never have to,” I reply, staring up at her. Features bathed in soft moonlight, she looks like a dream. An angel sent to save me. Tears stream down her cheeks, but she’s safe.
She’s here.
And because of that, I can live with whatever comes next.
“You’d better not. I won’t survive it.” Reese stares down at me a moment longer before she closes her eyes and slams her mouth onto mine.
The kiss is soul-stirring. A reminder of days I thought were long gone.
I grip her wrists as she continues to cradle my face, pulling her closer and devouring lips I wasn’t sure I’d ever taste again.
My Reese.
My love.
The woman who stole my heart when we were little more than kids.
She breaks the kiss, her breathing just as ragged as mine. “I need you, Weston.”
“You have no idea how badly I need you, Reese.”
“Then you’d better survive, because if you die, I’m going to be so angry with you.”
I laugh and close my eyes, letting myself fall back against the boat. “Yes, ma’am.”
Waves rock the boat, lapping against its side, but there is no more gunfire in the distance. We’re safe…for now.
And I know I didn’t do it alone.
Thank You, Lord.
I’m sorry I doubted You.
And I’m listening.
Dreams assault me.
They shift like liquid metal, changing shape and form right as I manage to get a grasp on what it is I’m seeing.
Reese is standing in front of me, but she’s younger now. Her smile is vibrant, her hair braided and full of beautiful, colorful flowers. She spins in a slow circle, dancing in the middle of a field.
“Come on, Weston!” she calls out.
I follow, sprinting toward her, but the closer I get, the farther away she is.
The dream shifts, changing again.
Now she’s a bit older and standing in the middle of a graveyard, dressed in black. A black veil covers her red hair, and tears stream down her cheek. She looks down at me, and it’s then that I realize that it’s me she’s seeing in the darkness.
“I’m okay!” I try to call out to her, but nothing comes out.
No words.
I can’t even move.
She drops a red rose down on top of me, and the soft petals brush my face.
This isn’t right. I survived. I reached her.
“You weren’t supposed to leave me,” she whispers. “But you did. Again. And this time, I can’t get back to you.”
“Reese!” I try to scream, but nothing comes out.
“Weston?” Her voice is closer now. “Wake up. Please, wake up.” Someone shakes me.
I try to surface from the nightmare, try to wake up, but even my eyelids are heavy as lead. My body immobile.
“He’s burning up,” Reese says, her tone full of panic.
“We need to get him back to shore,” a familiar voice says. Sawyer.
She’s safe. We’re safe.
“We can’t take him to a hospital. That’s the first place they’ll check,” Reese insists.
Wind pulls at me as a motor rumbles louder now.
I begin to slip away again, and their voices fade to little more than a whisper.
Light assaults me out of nowhere, but I don’t fight it. I stay right where I am because God was listening. He saved Reese, and if He’s decided my time is up, I’m not going to struggle. I won’t fight Him. Not anymore.