Whirlpool (Cutter Cay Book 6)

by Cherry Adair

  "I didn't faint. I passed out."

  Arley hopped off the bed and placed his hand on Finn's chest to prevent him from rolling to his feet. "Same thing. I cleaned out the wound, dug out the bullet," he said unsympathetically as he efficiently removed the IV and slapped a band-aide with a Disney princess on it over the small puncture wound. They were the only bandages on board, and everyone got a damned princess. Wounds tended to heal fast on Blackstar.

  "Took a bit of excavating. But I'm that good that I didn't do more harm than good. Saved the bullet. A giant-sized sucker. You could frame it and tell your children about your misadventures. Did I mention you fainted like a girl?" Arley's grin was wide, white and evil.

  His features softened as he gave Finn a mildly sympathetic look, and squeezed his uninjured shoulder. "Lucky man you is. She's anise." His friend doctor dropped the accent. "A fiery beauty."

  Anise. Jamaican slang, and high praise, for beautiful princess. "She is that." And more.

  "I like her. Don't fuck that up. She was worried, and I had to threaten her with bodily harm to get her to leave you to my tender mercies."

  The doctor checked his pulse, shone a light into his eyes. "I patched up her cuts and scratches while she held your hand, and watched every move I made with threat of dismemberment if I made a wrong one. Not that I would ever make a wrong move. Rumors of me killing my patients are grossly exaggerated. Which I told her. She was brave and stoic. I like that about the woman. No crying or winching as I stitched you up. Insisted I deal with you first since you were bleeding like a stuck pig. The worst damage was to her hands. Nothing that a half dozen princesses and a good manicurist can't fix. She needs to be taken to bed. And allowed to sleep."

  "You're a prick, Arley. Help me up."

  The doctor helped him sit up, holding on to Finn until his head stopped spinning. "You lost a bucket or two of blood. You'll feel weak for a while. No stitches. Leave it open to drain, let it dry out naturally. Less likely to become infected and kill you. It'll hurt like a fire-breathing dragon is kissing your shoulder for a while. But man up. You can take a little pain. Abstain for at least ninety days to be on the safe side. Doctor's orders."

  Finn laughed. Wearing just the black slacks he'd worn before he left, he swung his bare feet to the floor. A fire-breathing dragon did indeed kiss his shoulder. Hard. The room bounced several times. "Where's Persephone?"

  "Everyone's waiting anxiously in the salon, mengkeh. Lots of wringing of hands, and pacing. I ordered the lot of them to get blind drunk and sleep it off." His friend sighed. "Favor it if you plan on rolling around on a soft surface anytime soon. And don't get any long hair stuck to it. It'll be a bitch to get that out. Like spider webs, you know. Drink liquids, no alcohol. Sleep. Don't call me in the morning unless your arm falls off. I'm going back to a lonely bed since my wife is on duty for another hour. Off you go."

  Finn padded down the corridor from the infirmary. He had no idea what the time was, Arley had probably stolen his watch as he frequently threatened to do when they played poker.

  Dragging his bone-weary ass, he took the elevator, instead of walking up two decks. He needed to hold Peri in his arms. Had to see her beautiful face, and touch her hair. Then they'd go to his cabin and sleep, wrapped in each other's arms, for about a week.

  Her steps faltered when she saw that the salon was crowded with people milling about. Everyone was there. The Cutters, Addison, Callie, and a bunch of black-clad men, all helping themselves to coffee and sandwiches. Finn's salon had apparently become a deli.

  A strange, dark-haired woman stood beside Logan, a giant tabby cat apparently asleep in her arms. "This is my wife Dani."

  "Hi." She looked like a pleasant woman, but hi was all Peri could muster.

  Dani gave her a sympathetic smile. "We can meet again tomorrow after you've rested. It sounds as though you've had a hell of a day."

  "Yes. . .that." Peri made her way across the room. It shocked her that the blackness of night still pressed against the windows. She felt as though days had passed since she'd set out to the mainland followed by everything that had happened. Instead, it was three am. She'd been awake for years.

  “How is he?” Jonah sat on the arm of Callie's chair, and she had one arm draped over his knee.

  “He lost a lot of blood, and he's getting a transfusion.” She'd already pretty much experienced the apocalypse in the last six hours. She was braced for anything as she went to pour herself a mug of coffee, then went to sit beside Addy, who cradled a sleeping Adam.

  "Have a sandwich." Callie frowned. "They have grilled cheese, your favorite."

  "Thanks, but only if someone else chews and swallows for me. I'm so freaking tired all I want right now is this coffee."

  When she sat down, Addison took her free hand and inspected the raw tips and assorted bandages, and the angry red marks on her wrists. Trust her sister-in-law to sit there looking serene while surrounded by Cutters. If Addy felt uncomfortable, she didn't look it. Wearing white shorts, and a sage-green t-shirt, with her strawberry blond hair up in a ponytail, face makeup-free, she still looked like a million bucks.

  “Oh, honey, look at you. That bastard. I'd kill him myself if he wasn't dead already."

  Peri drank half the hot coffee in one giant gulp, hoping for the instant jolt of caffeine. “Ow. Hot!" She fanned her mouth. "This is nothing. Finn was shot. It was sheer luck that the bullet didn’t hit anything vital, but he lost freaking gallons of blood.” She looked around the room. "Was anyone else hurt?"

  "Not on our team," Zane said dryly. "Nunez’s soldiers were either killed or rounded up. Your brother retrieved the tablet from your house, as you can see."

  Addison gently squeezed her hand. “I heard about Finn. I'm sure he'll be just fine. They say the doctor on board is first class. But, how are you?”

  “Yes, Persephone.” Nick sent her a frowning glance from his position near the windows where he had an arm wrapped around Bria’s shoulders. “How are you?”

  Peri smiled. “I feel exactly like you guys look. Tired, filthy and ready to sleep for twenty-four hours.”

  "We're just hanging to see how Finn's doing, then we'll return to our ships. We can catch up tomorrow."

  "First signore Gallagher must be informed of the message carved into the new tablet." Dr. Vadini didn't look up as he spoke. Crouched beside the marble-topped coffee table, in what looked likean uncomfortable position, he had all five tablets propped up on easels. With his hands encased in pristine, white cotton gloves, he was looking at the new one through a lighted jeweler’s loupe.

  "Perhaps it could wait until tomorrow, signore?" Bria suggested gently. "I don't think any of us can stand any more excitement or input into our weary brains for today."

  "Amen." Nick kissed the crown of her head, tucked beneath his chin.

  "No. It must be tonight," Dr. Vadini said, firmly, then seemed to forget they were there as he went back to writing notes with one hand and inspecting the tablet with the other.

  "Have you been able to read the fifth tablet, doctor?" The glossy gold of the five tablets gleamed in the glow of the overhead lights. The one she and Finn had retrieved from Blackstar, was as shiny as the other four and needed no cleaning. Unlike the rough square shape of the others, this was oblong, eighteen inches wide, and five or six inches deep. There didn't appear to be any writing on it, but it was perforated by series of unevenly spaced holes.

  "This is an extraordinary find, and the tablets, together, tell a riveting, and complete, story now that I have more words translated and interpreted." Dr. Vadini was almost quivering with excitement. "How long do you think it will be before signore Gallagher joins us?"

  "I'm not sure." Peri covered a yawn. "He was having a blood transfusion when I left. It's possible he'll stay in the doctor’s quarters until tom-"

  "No no no." Vadini scowled. "He must be made aware of the situation tonight."

  "I'm sure he'll come and say goodnight if he's able," Peri said soothingly
. Raising her eyebrows at the curator’s vehemence, she met Nick’s smiling gaze across the room.

  With a small shrug, the middle Cutter indicated her bandaged fingers with a jerk of his chin. “I see Arley took good care of you.”

  "His bedside manner could use a little polishing, but as long as Dr. Gayle takes good care of Finn, I'm good." She drained the mug, then lowered it to her knee, cradling the warm ceramic between her hands. "I want to thank you guys for coming to the rescue." She looked from Nick, to Jonah, to Zane, to Logan. "I don't know what Finn could possibly have said to convince you to come out, guns blazing, but I'm really grateful that you did."

  "Ready for a refill?"

  Peri looked up to see a tall, gorgeous blond standing beside her holding a large black thermos of coffee. "God, yes." She held her mug aloft.

  "I'm Britt Gayle." The woman had a stunning smile, wide and white. Even at three in the morning, she looked as fresh as a freaking daisy in her crisp black shorts and golf shirt, her pale blond hair swirled in a tidy coil on top of her head.

  Peri wondered if Finn had slept with her. She scowled. "Wait. Did you say, Gayle? You're the doctor's wife?" This tall, beautiful pleasant woman was married to the cranky doctor?

  Britt smiled even wider. "We get that shocked response every time. He sent you a message. Finn's doing well, and he'll come to you here in a little while." With a smile, she filled Peri's mug almost to the brim.

  "Thank you."

  Britt went around to refill mugs as another steward circulated offering sandwiches and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

  What was a 'little while'? She should meet him halfway. Peri was about to get up and do just that when Logan spoke.

  "Want to fill us in on what you and Finn were doing while we were doing what we were doing?" Logan asked, holding a sandwich to his mouth.

  Peri sipped the hot coffee before responding. "Honestly? Not now." I want to drink another gallon of coffee, struggle to keep my eyes open, and sit right here waiting for Finn. The loveseat was soft and comfortable, and it would take just too much effort to speak, let alone go in search of him. "Maybe when Finn's with me, and we have energy to rehash the whole thing."

  "Then we'll fill you in while we wait."

  The men took turns recounting their individual stories, while Peri pretty much went into a semi-comaleaning her head back on the chair’s soft pillow and watching everyone through gritty eyes.

  "You really should go to bed, honey," Addy whispered as the others talked around them.

  "In a bit." There was no way she'd sleep until she knew Finn was out of the woods, and lying beside her.

  “Landed the chopper a couple of miles from the house,” Logan told Teal who’d just demanded 'Details!' “Walked in. Took out my fair share of the bad guys-“

  “Logan!" Teal sat on the edge of her chair. "I don’t want the Cliff’s Notes version. Give us the specifics, please.”

  "Sweetheart." Zane cupped the back of his head with both hands and gave his wife a tired smile. "Let the autopsy wait until tomorrow. We're all wiped out. We're going to split in a bit."

  While the conversation swirled around him, Dr. Vadini continued his inspection of the new tablet. Every now and then excitedly writing something in his small, neat handwriting in his little red notebook. He appeared oblivious to everything around him.

  "We have to stick around, might as well go over what we know and compare notes. Coffee? Cup five? Sure, why not? Thanks, Britt." Logan started from when the men, loaded up with weapons, departed their respective ships to go to her house. Apparently, the women, none-too-pleased to be left behind, had gathered on board Blackstar, awaiting word. The Cutters and Ry had, shockingly, worked together. Using Finn’s resources, including a very sophisticated satellite, they were able to pinpoint how many, and where each of Theo's men were located.

  Peri frowned as Logan took a sip from his steaming mug. "I knew there were a bunch of them. Sounds like Theo had an army?"

  "The army of the Chosen," Dr. Vadini said in his quiet, calm manner as he looked up. "The Chosen have been preparing for the war that would precede the end of the world for hundreds of years."

  "A war against who?" Zane asked, making no comment on Dr. Vadini's unshaken assurance that there was going to be an imminent end to the world.

  Vadini shrugged. "The Protectors. We too, have trained all our lives for the confrontation."

  "You have?" Bria's eyes widened.

  "Sí, Principessa. In secret, of course. And we do not have as many men as the Chosen. But our small army had access to Israeli weapons, and we have trained all our lives to protect Blackstar's legacy. To us, the Chosen was but a part of the myth of Blackstar. We didn't really believe we would ever have to fight to protect and preserve the truth from the Chosen."

  Teal was the only person in the room who looked and sounded wide awake. "Just like you, Dr. Núñez believed his truth was the truth."

  "The Chosen believed that they would rule eleven thousand true believers," Dr. Vadini said. "That this manifestation of the prophecy would secure their rule. The problem came when Dr. Núñez realized that what he had always believed, was in fact, false. Blackstar's prophecy was much different from what he'd been led to believe. And since his belief was unshaken, he couldn't allow what the tablets truly say, to become known to his followers."

  "You think he was trying to steal them to destroy them? To destroy the truth?" Jonah asked.

  "He was prepared either way. He set two bombs on board to destroy the tablets if Mr. Gallagher didn't bring them to him. Or he was willing to lie to his followers, cognizant of the fact that none of them would be capable of reading Abipón., He could've told them anything he needed to, to confirm the Chosen's beliefs. His people would’ve had no reason to doubt him."

  "That's chilling," Bria said.

  "Dr. Núñez was obsessed with the Chosen. It is my supposition that he'd been sending men away from Patagonia to be trained in various forms of combat for many years."

  "They could've been trained in the Ukraine," Nick said, leading Bria to the sofa, her hand in his. "The last time I saw that many H&K G36 assault rifles was a skirmish in Cosio a few years back. That was a major clusterfuck."

  "Stylistically their methods were very much Maza's M.O., so yeah. ANLF instructed," one of the T-FLAC men lining the wall, agreed. Most of the silent men standing against the back wall were unfamiliar to her. But she recognized several of Finn's security people, and one or two from Rydell's ship as well. Peri let the rumble of words wash over her, as the men's voices ebbed and flowed. Right now, she didn't care who'd done what- or how it had gone down, although the fact that the Cutters had jumped in to help astonished her.

  Rydell strolled into the room, his gaze going directly to Addison.

  "Ry!" Addison handed Peri the sleeping baby before jumping to her feet and racing across the room. Peri's hands automatically clasped the baby.

  She, who'd never held a baby in her life, froze with the responsibility just foisted on her. Staring at Adam's sleeping face Peri hoped to God she wasn’t holding him too tightly. Addison flung herself into her husband’s arms. Ry wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on the crown of her head as his eyes sought Peri.

  Her brother, his arm around Addy's slender waist, scowled. "I thought you decided to go to Tesoro Mio, Magma."

  "You decided. I'm incapable of moving."

  Ry gave her a half smile and held out his hands. "Here, give him to me."

  Peri couldn't move. "Take him. I don't want to drop him."

  Her brother's large hands cradled his son as he lifted the child from her lap, then as he'd done on board his ship what felt like a lifetime ago, held him in one hand like a football. The baby slept blissfully on.

  "Sit here." She rose from the loveseat. "I need to stretch my legs for a bit."

  He gave his head a slight shake, his eyes hard. "We're going back to Tesoro Mio."

  "Stay," Peri asked softly. "Please."
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  Addison and Ry took her seat and Peri went to pour herself another cup of coffee. Her exhaustion was now compounded by a case of the jitters and her nerves raw waiting to see with her own two bleary eyes that Finn was okay. Her hand shook as she returned the carafe to the table.

  There was a sudden hush in the room. "My sister's alive, no thanks to you, Gallagher." Her brother's voice cracked with fury. "She saved your sorry ass." Ry glared at Finn who'd just walked in.

  Finn put up a 'stop' hand. "True, but I’m not going to fight you.” His eyes met Peri’s across the room. Fumbling to set down her full mug without looking away, she walked toward him. They met in the middle of the room. He was favoring his shoulder, and his face was paler than usual, but he was the most awesome sight Peri had seen in days.

  He was barefoot, but had on a clean black t-shirt. She wasn't too tired to notice, the fabric did nice things for his broad shoulders and tight abs.

  "Thanks for sticking around," Finn addressed the others as he slung an arm around her shoulders and hugged her against his side.

  Peri looked up at him. His color was better, but there was a tightness in the muscles along his jaw and down the column of his neck. He was tired and in pain.

  Finn’s fingers gently gripped her side ever so slightly more as he began to speak. "Now that you see I’m fine, and know this is over, would you all bugger off? I want to get Peri tucked into bed. She's exhausted."

  Dr. Vadini staggered to his feet from his crouched position. Teal rushed to lend him a helping hand as he wobbled for a moment. "It is not over. You must let me read Blackstar's last message. For that, we must go outside."

  “I’m not up for bedtime stories. Perhaps in the morning, Dr.—“

  “No. No. It must be tonight! You must see it outside. Tonight!”

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Even though all the lights on board had been turned off, per the curator's urgent instructions, the bridge deck was awash with starlight. They headed for Finn's telescope near the empty helipad.