I won't be mad at Tug. No one can, really. His simple, fun-loving spirit keeps him innocent. Then there’s Wendi. Forever beautiful, but that beauty is buried by the resentment she carries for me.
One drama queen at a time, though. I look at Mateo.
“Can we get out of the heat?” Arya asks. “Let’s just try to be civil, for five minutes?”
“Fine,” Mateo mumbles.
I smirk. “Sounds glorious.”
Mateo gestures for Arya to go first before cutting me off himself. Jerk. The rotting dock creaks with each step. It was fashioned from waterlogged driftwood—the only wood left. Won’t be long until it splinters, and the rising sea reclaims it, just like everything else on this cursed planet.
Riley, quiet as ever, meets us at the end of the dock. He lowers the Tiger Lily’s steps, never making eye contact. How that kid survives is beyond me. Luckiest kid I’ve ever known.
Arya’s heart rate is steady; she’s focused. Can’t say as much for the Lost Boys—every one of them is on edge.
“My quarters are this way,” Mateo says, glaring at me.
“I think I know where it is.”
Mateo nods to Riley. The kid’s dark eyes, matching his skin, shift to Arya then he walks off. It appears as if Mateo’s got a new sidekick.
Mateo holds the door for Arya. I sneak in behind her just before he can let it slam on me—again. Jerk.
A sense of home washes over me as we make our way through my old living quarters, now filled with a bunch of Mateo’s crap, but familiar. Not the most modern vessel on the sea, but it’s nicer than many of the rooms I’ve been sleeping over the last three months. Clean lines, curved, UV-regulating cabin windows, a double bed tucked in the corner. Not a huge place to live, but comfortable.
Mateo sits at the head of the captain’s briefing table to the right of the sleeping nook. It’s just a few feet long, and about the same across. Digital panels and displays, which control almost everything, cover every inch of its smooth glass surface. One person could man the Tiger Lily from here in an emergency, if they had to.
“Sit,” Mateo says. “Let’s talk.”
Arya takes the seat closest to him. Smart. I kick the stool out from the opposite end of the table, nearest to the wall, and sit.
“Can we remove these now?” I twist my body to show the restraints.
Arya turns to Mateo. “Are you OK with that?”
Mateo rolls his eyes. “Ugh, why not? His wings are still clipped. He can’t abandon us now. Not that I like him sticking around, but…”
I bite my tongue, swallowing a nasty reply while Arya produces a small blade from her vest. With one swipe, the thick bands are severed.
“Holy crap, that feels good,” I blurt out, rubbing my wrists, trying to calm the swelling.
“Behave,” Arya growls.
“Who, me?” I playfully point to myself. “I’m good.”
She gives me a glare that can only mean for me to shut up.
Mateo reaches into a narrow metal cabinet at his side, pulling out three glasses. Placing the first under the water dispenser, he taps the console. A soft hiss, followed by a crisp flow of cool water bubbles into the glass. I almost forgot the Tiger Lily has a reverse osmosis system. Before our tech guru, Elijah, fixed this one, we had to barter for water at trading posts. That was annoying. I lick my lips at the sight.
Mateo notices. “Oh … you thirsty, Pan?” he taunts. “Water is for guests. Not traitors.”
“Alright, enough,” Arya says. “How can we fix this?”
I stiffen in my seat. “Ask him. He started the mutiny.”
Mateo bursts into laughter, pushing away from the table. “You’ve got to be kidding me, right?”
“What, you didn’t?”
“All that time alone must’ve messed with your mind,” he says. “You went crazy. Neverland was just a place. We were your brothers!”
Mateo hands Arya the glass of water. The other cup’s still empty.
“Thirsty here,” I say.
“Unbelievable!” he barks.
“Stop acting like babies,” Arya interrupts. “We have to work this out, or this isn’t happening. I know you guys had a falling out, but what did Peter do?”
Of course, she assumes it was my fault. She’s never going to let that day we escaped go.
“Fine, you want to know, Arya?” I ask. “Neverland was more than just a place; it was my home. Our home.”
I look at Mateo and the awful scene flashes in my memory. Lily and I were together, and I got distracted. When I turned for her she was gone, and my heart went with her.
“The day Nerissa’s army stole it from us was the day I lost her. She captured Lily. She took her for who knows what. It’s my fault she’s there.”
“Who’s Lily?” she asks, sipping on that damn water.
“She’s his crutch,” Mateo volunteers. “She was living on the Neverland settlement when we gained control of it. After that, we were forced to take a back seat to her. Then Nerissa seized Neverland from us. Lily never made it off before it was moved. Pan’s obsession bled us dry and we all fell apart.”
“What did you expect me to do?” I shout. “I loved—I love her.”
“And Sammy?” Mateo sneers. “Was he just a meaningless casualty in your obsession? He would have done anything for you, and you let him die.”
A wash of guilt floods my chest as Sammy’s round face and freckled cheeks flash through my mind. He was an original Lost Boy.
Arya pushes me her glass of water, her eyes filled with … something.
I snatch the glass and gulp most of it before Mateo does. The cool water coats my throat, pushing down the guilt that started to seep to the surface.
“Yeah, it was my fault, but if he’d just stayed by my side—”
“Your side?” Mateo slams his fist on the tabletop. “He trusted you. You were a god to him. You kept pushing through, taking out ship after ship, and he was right behind you, giving you support. But then he wasn’t. Your rage forgot him. We never even found his body, and for what. Lily wasn’t even on any of those vessels. How could we follow you anymore?”
Arya flicks her gaze at me, lips pinched. The guilt comes back, flooding my body. I left her, too.
She inhales a deep breath, and her expression eases minutely. “Peter did a bad thing. I get it.” Her clenched fist relaxes a bit. “But this is more important. There are other kids like Sammy out there, and Nerissa is destroying their lives. Maybe it’s time to forgive and move on?”
Mateo drags himself to the table. The chair’s casters squeak, causing me to cringe. There’s conflict in his eyes, replacing the hate that was there a few moments ago.
“How did you do it?” he asks Arya. “How did you forgive him for what he did to you?”
Arya sits up straighter in her chair. That caught her off guard.
“Um, I’m working on that,” she says. “But I know what we’re doing is bigger than all of us. With James, we have a real chance.”
I grab one of her hands and pull it closer to me. “I never wanted to abandon you there. You know that, right?”
“We’ve all done things we regret.” She looks at me for just an instant before glancing away. “Just stick around, OK?”
I nod, unable to say anything. This is greater than finding Neverland now. This kid needs me, and I need her, too. She’s still my family.
I release her and plant my forearms on the table. Mateo turns to me, narrowing his eyes.
“We don’t have to be brothers to do this,” I tell him. “That bond is broken, I get it. But there’s a lot at stake here. I’m ready to go forward and destroy Nerissa. What do you say?”
Mateo fiddles with his empty glass, spinning it on its edge. He scratches the dark stubble on his face with his other hand.
“This is a one-time deal,” Mateo insists. “You leave the Lost Boys alone after this. You understand?”
“Whatever you say, boss.”
The ro
om goes silent. Good as it gets, I guess.
Arya grins. “Hug it out? No?”
I snort. I taught her well.
Mateo is too cool to even crack a smile. He stands and walks to one of the cabin windows, peering out for a moment. “So, what do we do with him?”
Cyrus secured James to the railing on the deck just outside. He must be able to see him from here.
Avoiding Arya, I focus on Mateo. “We put him on a hook and see what bites.”
Chapter 9
Arya
My heart leaps at Peter’s words. I knew in the end we would be using James for bait, but I still don’t like it. If only there were another choice. James is completely helpless in this pit of vipers, and I’m in the pit with them.
With a gulp, I swallow my guilt, which would be easier if I hadn’t given Peter my water. While Mateo and Peter are discussing James, I lean in and snatch the unused third glass in front of Mateo. In a flash, I’m at the water dispenser, filling the glass to the top.
“Hey,” Mateo says.
I throw back half the liquid in the glass. “What? You gonna punch me now?”
From the corner of my vision I can see Peter smirk at me, but I ignore him, staying focused on Mateo.
“I thought you didn’t even need fresh water anymore.” He gestures to his neck. “Because of your—”
“I don’t, but this tastes a lot better.” With a wink, I drain the remainder of it and set the glass back on the table. “Now, where do we go from here?”
“Unlike it was a few months ago,” Mateo glares at Peter, “we are no longer a dictatorship.”
“I wasn’t a dictator,” Peter scoffs.
Mateo rotates to me. “Close enough. Anyway, we all vote on issues now. Everyone’s voice counts. I’m going to inform the boys and Wendi—” Mateo emphasizes her name, for Peter’s sake I’m guessing “—of the plan. But if they're not in agreement, we don’t go, and then you three can be on your way.”
“If you just let me talk with them—”
“No,” Mateo growls, cutting Peter off. “I’m running this show now.”
Peter leans his back against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest. “I thought this was a democracy?”
Mateo balls his fists at his sides. If I stay silent these two will rip each other apart like two angry eels.
“You two stop!” I shout.
Mateo narrows his eyes on me and shakes his head. He backs up, gesturing toward the door. “Let’s go.”
Peter and I follow him to the deck, where every last one of the Lost Boys—and Wendi, with her long onyx hair blowing in the breeze and a scowl on her face—waits for us. Fourteen pairs of eyes, all wondering what’s going to happen next.
James is still passed out, and probably will be for a bit longer. The sedative I gave him is pretty strong. Someone has unnecessarily tied his waist and arms to the railing. Where’s he going to go out here? He doesn’t have the activation codes to the pod, and James wouldn’t hurt any of the boys, at least I don’t think he would. But it’s been two years since I’ve been with him. Just how much could he have changed during that time?
I straighten up and ignore the stares. For this to work, I must display confidence.
Peter slides up beside me and whispers in my ear. “That went well, right?”
I push him away, not answering.
“You think you could get Mateo to let me take off this belt?” he asks, moving closer to me again. “I can do a lot more good without it on.”
“You mean it will be a lot easier for you to fly off?”
Peter scowls. “I told you I was sticking around. We made a deal. I get those kids released and kill Nerissa, then you help me take back Neverland.”
I breathe out a long sigh. Peter and I spent so many years together in Nerissa’s freak factory that he’s no less my brother than Derya, Talise, and Una are my sisters. He’s family, and I don’t want to lose that bond by hanging onto trust issues, however warranted they may be. Neverland is important to him, and so is this Lily—whoever she is. They need to be important to me, too.
“Fine … Yes,” I say grudgingly.
Peter gives me a boyish smile and ruffles my hair, just like he used to. Somehow, the annoying gesture feels like home. Even so, I knock his hand away and swing my attention back to James.
During mine and Peter’s conversation, Mateo gathered the Boys. I hustle to the edge of the group while Peter hangs back.
Mateo relays the entire story. Not everyone looks completely on board, but to my surprise, they agree to the plan. I suppose they have their own reasons to do so, some of which, hopefully, are since it’s the right thing to do. I get the feeling that logic is in the minority, but beggars can’t be choosers.
“Now that’s settled, but what should we do with him?” the redheaded kid asks, nodding to James.
“And who is he again?” a lanky boy with dark skin pipes in.
Mateo left that part out, for some reason.
An older guy, in his twenties, and with quite a swagger, moves forward and lifts James’s still drooped face. “That’s Nerissa’s stepson,” he says, holding James’s chin up for a few seconds as if to study his features before he drops it.
Something about the glint in his eyes sends a shiver down my spine. I step up and open my mouth to tell them we’re not looking to hurt James, instead, Peter rushes past me toward the tall boy with scruffy black hair falling into his face.
“Ethan!” Peter wraps his arm around the kid’s shoulders and pulls him into an awkward side hug, steering him from James. “I’ve missed you, man.”
The corners of Ethan’s lips turn up into what might be a smile. “Things haven’t been the same without you.”
He attempts to swing back to James, but Peter leads him away while eyeing me and pointing to his belt with his free hand. “Let’s go catch up,” he says to Ethan.
The whole ridiculous scene must have made everyone forget about James for the time being, because all eyes are on Peter as he chats with Ethan.
Mateo joins me. “So, why do you trust him?”
I look up at the boy—a man, really. His brown eyes brew with frustration, but the anger I saw only moments ago is gone.
“He’s family.”
Mateo nods in agreement and swivels to walk off, but I reach for his arm.
“Could one of your guys remove Peter’s dampening belt?”
A miniature crease forms between Mateo’s thick brows. “Do we have to?”
I chuckle. “Peter’s the strongest of all of us, and to do this, we’re going to require the full strength of all his abilities.”
Mateo leans closer to me. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
From the right, Peter roars with laughter, dragging our attention his way.
“Fine,” Mateo sighs. “Elijah can do it.” He waves to a short, skinny boy with a pair of dark-rimmed glasses just a little younger than I am. The boy notices and Mateo motions for him to come over.
“I need you to figure out how to get Peter’s belt off,” Mateo says.
Elijah’s eyes light up behind his too-big glasses, slipping an inch down his nose before he pushes them back into place. “Sure thing, boss. I think I can make it happen.”
With that, he sprints away, mumbling to himself.
“There. Happy?” Mateo asks.
“I guess.” But I’m not. I won’t be until this business is over, we’ve won, and James comes out of it safely. He’ll probably hate me, but he’ll be alive.
Minutes later, Elijah is back on deck and at Peter’s side with a toolbox and a small, rectangular scanning device. To my left, James groans. Immediately, I hustle over to him.
“Will someone take these off?” I yell, pulling at the ropes they tied James up with. “He can’t go anywhere, and his hands are still secure.”
Mateo nods to Wendi. She saunters over, gives me a once-over, then whips out a switchblade. I throw up my hands and back up.
�
��Please be careful,” I say.
“No worries,” she replies easily. “I live with a bunch of boys, so I know how to use a knife.” She saws through the knot securing James and the ropes loosen, releasing him to the ground in a heap.
He groans, louder this time.
James blinks, rolling onto his back. Slowly, he rises and studies the group now gathering near him.
“What … what’s going on?” He pushes up onto his side and sits. His eyes lock to mine. “I know you … but who are these people again?”
“We’re the Lost Boys—and girl,” says a stocky kid who’s trying to push to the front of the group.
James ignores the boy, and a perplexed look washes over his face as he draws his focus back to me. “Where’s Pan?”
The stocky kid whips his head around toward Peter and points. James squints in Peter’s direction, then returns his gaze to me, struggling unsuccessfully to release his hands.
“Why is he out of his restraints and I’m tied up?”
My heart plunges into my stomach as I desperately try to think of an answer that will make sense. Why didn’t I think of one sooner?
Peter still hasn’t noticed the commotion, focused on Elijah busily working on his belt. With a snap of one of Elijah’s tools, the belt drops free, and Peter grabs and hugs the surprised boy.
“You did it, E!” Peter shouts, all eyes moving to him. Peter’s gaze finds me. “He did—”
He almost chokes on the words when he notices what’s happening, that James is awake. His eyes grow large, and he straightens out his shirt.
“I can explain,” Peter says to James.
“You can explain?” Hands secured, James pushes to his feet. The air grows thick with tension. Mateo steps forward along with two others, ready to pounce.
I rush ahead of them and plant myself in front of James. “This isn’t how this looks. Well … it kind of is …” I search for the right words. “James, I can’t let Nerissa continue her cruel projects, and Peter's helping me.”
“He’s gonna be bait,” a male voice snickers behind me.
I quickly glance over my shoulder to see who said it, but they all look guilty.
“Bait? You said Pan was the bait.” James sneers back at me. “So, was everything on the pod a lie? You pretended Pan was a prisoner, so he could build my trust? Keep me calm so I wouldn’t try to escape? Then you … you bat your eyelashes at me and bring me here—for what? You’re a liar!”
NeverSea: Echoes of the Lost (Book One) Page 6
