by Jolene Perry
“Blame Micah. She’s the one who got me hooked.” Landon pops open a Coke and takes a long drink.
“And we’re letting the prisoner navigate?” Addison walks onto the back deck and glances to where Ocean and I are sharing the captain’s chair.
“She’s a hell of a lot better at it than the rest of us.” Landon smirks. “You’ll love what she did with the charts.”
Addison rolls her eyes, but stops herself and glances away quickly. Maybe even feeling guilty for giving me crap. Or maybe I want to feel okay being here that much. Which is stupid. I mean, they’re all ignoring me and going where I told them not to go, it’s just that… I’m not sure what, and maybe that’s something I sorta want to find out.
TWENTY-FOUR
Kara
The closer we get to Long Island the tenser I get. Do I contact The Middle Men? Can they read my location through the tape (I’m sure they can) and know where we are? Will they think Ocean and I are helping?
Will Ocean help?
My stomach’s in knots.
Yesterday, I thought I felt trapped and that it didn’t matter that they were moving forward because I could do nothing. Today I’d feel like a traitor for stopping them.
“My sister’s not in Paris!” Addison squeals from behind her computer and Dean grins widely next to her.
Paris doesn’t exactly sound like a dungeon to me, but I guess I’m not up on all the stuff in Addison’s life.
Addison’s eyes continue to scan the page. “She’s worried about Dad, but Mom told her he’s on a business trip…”
Addison’s chin quivers and Dean wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her into him.
“He’s okay.” Dean’s softer with her now and I swear those two are with each other just the way they’d be with no one else on the boat, and I can’t imagine it.
Addison sniffs as she nods and turns the computer toward him. “There’s a couple notes from your brother there, too.”
“Oh, good.” Dean flips the computer further toward himself and immediately starts grinning.
“Aren’t you guys worried about being tracked?” I ask.
I get a glare from Addison but Landon chuckles. “I can’t imagine my metallic tape idea words very well. We’ve got some of The Middle Men on board with us, I’m not sure how much worse it can get.”
I’m about to tell him how much worse it could get when Landon winks.
“Landon!” Micah clutches an iPad with a huge grin. “Mom and Ethan are getting married!”
“So… What will that make us?” He kisses the side of her face.
“Stop.” She shoves him away and looks at me. “Ethan’s Landon’s Uncle. Anyway, he’s been dating my mom for about six months or so.”
“When is the blessed event?” Landon takes a huge bite out of an apple, letting juice dribble down his chin.
Gross.
And then Ocean does exactly the same thing after Landon tosses him an apple, only I have the strangest desire to lick the juice off his lips. I stop and stare at the table instead of letting that train of thought take over.
“They’re getting married around our schedule, but they want to do it down here somewhere.” Micah hands him the iPad and heads down to their room “Be right back!”
It’s all so…normal. Addison and Dean are at the outside table pouring over emails and smiling. Landon and Ocean are scoping out the island as we get closer, and no one seems nervous about anything.
“Uncle Mac says he’ll send help if we need it at any point.” Addison points to her computer. “But I’m still afraid to answer him after what Dad said.”
My heart stops. MAC. If Mac is related to Addison, and I didn’t know about it, and I know that name, but thought it was an abbreviation to something else. Does Addison know how involved he is? Or might be if it’s who I’m thinking? Even my parents occasionally have to wait for MAC approval… This is too weird. I’m not sure if I say something here or not. Maybe not, since I sort of want The Middle Men to step in at this point.
The words come out anyway. “Who’s MAC?”
“My uncle.”
“In New York?” I ask.
“Yep.”
“Your dad’s brother?” Only I know that Kent Prince doesn’t have a brother. I only know that he was way high in the organization until he helped his daughter get away and compromised our ability to remain hidden.
“Yeah…” Addie says, only she’s now looking at me way too closely. “Why?”
I hold my breath until I realize that everyone else on the boat is doing the same thing. “Your dad doesn’t have a brother, Addie.”
She freezes and then scowls. “Why should I believe anything you say?”
“It might be a total coincidence. And you don’t have to believe me. But his name’s not Mac. It’s M. A. C. An abbreviation for… I’m not sure what.”
“How do you know this?” Dean asks, skepticism all over his voice.
“Because…” But I stop. Because my parents do the daily running of the organization, only the final approval comes from a guy we don’t know…
“Right.” She frowns. “Guess there’s really no reason for you to lie at this point, and maybe it’s just a coincidence.”
Only she sounds a lot more like she’s trying to convince herself. I’m sort of reminded again that I don’t really belong here. Even if I’ve been on my best behavior and haven’t caused any trouble, or screwed with the navigation when I could have.
The back deck of the boat is stuck in tense silence until Micah appears in a swimsuit. “We swimming to shore, or taking the dinghy?”
Landon eyes her with a wide smile. “I’m cool with seeing you wet.”
Ocean laughs and Micah blushes as she shakes her head—I love how she puts up with him but has to do something to show she doesn’t totally approve.
“Come on, Kara. Swim to shore. Join the fun.” Landon stands up.
I’m about to say that I‘m not sure, when Dean strips off his T-shirt, and Addison slides off a small dress to reveal a swimsuit.
“We close enough?” Dean asks.
“Depends on how far you wanna swim,” Landon teases from the steering wheel. “I’m going to set the anchor. Dean’s Blue Hole is just around the corner and I want to check it out while we’re here.”
“Dean’s blue hole.” Dean nods approvingly. “Whoever named that has got some brains.”
Addison gives him a playful slap as she stands near the railing watching the low lying island get closer. It’s actually taller than the last few we’ve seen—everything in this part of the Bahamas is low lying, short trees and sand everywhere. “So.. What’s a hole?”
“There are a few out here,” I say. “Most of the water here is fifteen to thirty feet deep, but a hole is usually very round and goes down for hundreds of feet with no warning. Like an underwater cave. Popular for diving.”
“Creepy.” Addison shivers once, just giving Dean the opportunity to pull her close.
“Geology,” I respond, which gets a few chuckles that I try to ignore. The attitude here is all wrong.
Everyone’s so relaxed—happy after checking email, snacking on apples, eyeing the island and getting ready for a swim. It’s just…off.
“We’re not on vacation!” I nearly stomp my foot, but hold it in.
“Kara.” Landon’s brows wag a few times. “When you inherit a lot of money and live on a boat? You’re always on vacation.”
He looks more alive than I’ve seen him since we got here. He looks like the pictures they collected of him in high school.
“Stop.” Micah lightly pushes his chest, but Landon grabs her hand and pulls her close, kissing her so deep that I turn away and wonder how people can just do that.
“When do I get my computer back?” I ask Landon, knowing I’m breaking the mood and not caring.
He sighs. “You have to know that I’m still not sure if it was the smartest move to even let you out. I just…”
“No.” I sit back, cross my legs and arms. “I get it.” It pisses me off because I hate being disconnected, but there’s not a whole lot I can do about it. Mostly, I just wanted everyone here to remember that in ways, I’m still their prisoner, and I don’t like it.
“Come to shore,” Micah says. “I get it if you want to stay on the boat, but we can’t leave you here alone unless we lock you up and I really, really don’t want to do that. The blue hole looks amazing. Deepest in The Bahamas… I think…” she taunts as she chuckles. “Come on, Kara.”
“Look at you.” Landon pokes her cheek. “Telling the serious girl to come out and have fun. I am such a good influence on you.”
Micah shakes her head again. “You’re awful.”
“You love me.”
“I do.” She sighs.
Landon half cackles. “You’re halfway to the altar already.”
“You’re impossible.” She pushes him away. “I’m going to get the snacks.”
“Anchor!” Landon yells at the top of his voice like this is all a game.
Addison and Dean run to the front of the boat. “Ready!” They call.
“Those two.” Landon’s voice is still full of laughter. “Always want to be the ones to open the pool.”
He flips a few switches and the anchor drops.
“Open the pool?” I ask.
Ocean shrugs when I look at him.
“Anchor set?” Landon asks.
“Pool’s open!” Dean yells just before leaping off the front of the boat, followed shortly by Addison.
“Let’s go,” Ocean urges. “Landon will have to stay here if you stay here, and why not explore? Have a little fun. I want to do something with you that doesn’t involve stressing or planning or being on this boat.” His gaze switches quickly to Landon. “Not that I have a problem with your boat.”
Landon just waves him away as he flips off the navigation equipment.
I hate being ganged upon, but I’ve only been out here once and it was the night I got hurt. I didn’t get hurt here, but…
“Blue hole…” Ocean grins.
“I don’t have a suit.”
“Closet,” Ocean whispers.
“Oh. Fine.” I’m angry with myself for being part thrilled that they all want me to go because it’s probably only because no one wants to babysit me here. But still.
I emerge a few minutes later in a simple blue suit, my scarred leg completely exposed, and I’m still not sure how to handle that yet.
“What’s that?” I ask as Landon tosses a large bag into the dinghy.
“Food. Snacks. Water. Soda…” He shrugs. “ Micah always packs too much food. “You two wanna ride in the boat or swim?”
“Swim,” Ocean and I say at the same time.
I angle my body to keep my scarred leg away from Micah, Landon and Ocean, but maybe it’ll be a reminder to everyone that the shadows aren’t safe. And God help me, but I don’t want to think about any of it. I want to jump off this boat and swim with Ocean and run on the beach and just…be. I want it more the more I think about it.
“Race ya off the boat,” Ocean teases. “You run up that pontoon, I’ll run up this pontoon and we’ll jump off the front… Unless you’re scared.”
I scoff, get to my pontoon and give Ocean a nod.
“Onetwothree!” he yells only we both start running too early and I don’t even pause at the front of the boat, even though the drop is close to ten feet, just soar through the air and slice into the water.
I’m sputtering as I come up for air and Ocean’s close.
“Hey, you.” He treads water as Micah and Landon drive the dinghy to shore. Dean and Addison are almost there they jumped off so long ago.
“Hey, you.” I’m smiling like an idiot because in the midst of the biggest assignment of my life, I’m having fun and maybe falling a little in love, or at least in deep like. My yo-yo moods are giving me whiplash, and the logical part of me knows that it’s their energy, but I can’t help it. And I’m trying not to. When I think about how badly I’m failing it hurts on too many levels to take in right now.
“I really want to kiss you.” He inches closer.
I lean forward and taste his salty lips, but one of my knees gets his hip as we tread water.
“Ugh.” He sputters some water as he back away, still smiling. “Maybe we’ll save this for later?”
“Definitely later.”
And instead of racing to shore, like I normally would. I lie and float on my back slowly making my way to the hot sand. This is okay. We’ll hang out and talk and I’ll be able to stop them, I’m sure of it. Besides, Long Island is big, huge. It would take days just to find the right spot if that’s what they decide to do. It’s not like there’s anything left of the old woman’s house, and even if there was we wouldn’t recognize it. Now I wish I remembered where I was when I came here last because it would really help me in keeping them away from the place I’m pretty sure they need to be to move forward.
TWENTY-FIVE
Kara
Just like Landon promised, this feels like vacation. I’m stuffed with chips, soda, and about four power bars. He wasn’t kidding when he said that Micah packs heavy.
“I wanna explore.” Ocean stands up and wanders back around the point to the blue hole.
We’re on the beach facing the ocean, but there’s a channel that runs from the Beach to this hole in the sand that stretches down about six hundred feet, according to Landon.
I’ve flown over the round, dark-blue patches in the water, but never swam through one, or seen it up close.
I get up, brush the sand off my legs and follow. Ocean runs up behind me and throws his arms around my waist, lifting me off the ground and forcing a scream up my throat.
When he sets me down I spin to face him, drops of saltwater flying off my short hair. His hands touch mine, and his smile gets bigger as he gets closer. Just as his lips touch mine someone yells, “Go Ocean!”
Embarrassment spins me around, but I keep his hand in mine, knowing we’re just about to round a corner behind the small trees and might have some privacy.
We start to run up the small hill and down the other side, but the moment we step out of sight of the group and the ocean. Everything stops.
The blue hole is practically glowing in the dimming light, and shadows are everywhere. Behind every tree. Just… Everywhere. I had no idea there were so many…
My heart leaps into my throat, and everything inside me screams.
I latch on to Ocean’s arm as he runs into me. “I didn’t even think to bring my taser. I didn’t think.” The words just spill out as I try to process the situation and how to get out of it.
“It’s okay.” He pulls me closer as I back up.
But just as I get near the top of the hill, the rest of the group is here.
Landon has a bag slung over his shoulder, and I’m getting a horrible feeling that the decision was made long before we came here. Without giving anyone a chance to explain, I rip the tape off my watch, slide it open and hit my small panic button.
No one stops me, but maybe we all know that it’ll take them too long, or that Landon will keep us hidden. Maybe no one will get my request for help.
Addison glances my way but follows Landon. I stand, weak, next to Ocean and watch them round the narrow strip of sand surrounding the black spot in the water, with edges that seriously look like they’re glowing in the dimming light.
Landon stops suddenly and stretches his arms out.
“Can anyone else feel it here?” He stops gesturing around where he stands in a spot near the short trees that line the beach.
“Whoa.” Micah stops next to him reaching out her hands. The move around like they’re trying to find invisible lines in the sand, and I’m still frozen to the spot feeling betrayed in almost every possible way.
Shadows are everywhere. And while Addison and Dean watch every movement the shadows make, Micah and Landon don’t seem to notice.
The shadows are keeping their distance, but that’s not nearly enough for me. Of course they are, they’re trying to be non-threatening. Using the last moments to continue the false sense of trust they’ve established.
“Let’s go,” Ocean whispers stepping toward the group.
“What is this?” I ask and my voice shakes a lot more than I want it to.
Ocean doesn’t speak, just keeps moving forward.
“Was… Was this planned? You guys all decided for sure to move forward? Dean and Addison and everyone? Are they going to try and do it now? How did everyone get convinced? I don’t understand?”
My watch vibrates a few times like someone’s trying to get in touch with me, but I ignore it. There’s really no point. Unless The Middle Men are already here, it’s too late.
I run to where Landon’s standing as Dean, Addison and Micah all stand close to him.
The moment I get near, I feel it, like a zap to my energy. “Holy, wow.” I jump back, not wanting to be in the middle of whatever that is.
Ocean stops, too. And takes my hand. His nervous energy pulses through me.
“Guess Tevin was right.” Landon drops his bag. “He said we’d know it, and it looks like they know it too.” He gestures to the trees where the shadows are waiting in the shadows. Where they belong. Where they need to stay.
Two shadows, hand in hand walk straight into the quickly dimming sunlight and toward Landon—something I didn’t realize they could do. They pause just about twenty feet from him.
Landon cocks his head to the side. “That’s them. The two I was telling you about.”
I swallow hard and clutch Ocean more tightly. Everything in me quakes. Knows this isn’t the right thing to do. I scan the trees again—I’m not sure how many there are. Forty? But they need one of each talent, and Ocean’s with me.
Ocean’s arms come around me and I let them. I’m around people who would probably rather give me to the shadows than stop what they’re doing. I have none of my tools and only Ocean’s support.
Landon picks up a conch shell and starts outlining a circle in the sand around us.
I break away from Ocean and step far enough away that I know I won’t be in the circle.
