Part 48 (1/2)
She grabbed a pair of binoculars off the console and looked toward the horizon. ”I think I see something. A small, beat-up cruiser that's not moving.”
Jack grabbed the binoculars to look for herself. ”Ca.s.s,” she said. ”Let's take the goons out now.”
”Still too many boats around. Be patient, you're close.”
”d.a.m.n it.” Jack gripped the wheel with both hands. ”If he's hurt her, I'll kill him on sight.”
”Rozsa's almost to it,” she said, following his progress with the binoculars. The red boat pursuing him picked up speed, but before she could tell Jack to gas it, too, Jack hit the throttle and she had to hold on for balance. ”He just changed boats,” she said as Rozsa climbed aboard the cruiser.
They were gaining rapidly on the boat carrying Dario's goons.
”Slow down, they saw us,” she said when the two men turned their attention to their yacht and pulled out handguns. ”Get down, Jack, they're going to-”
* 358 *
She pulled Jack down with her when the bullets started to fly around them. She stuck her head up during a brief lull and saw Rozsa peek out of the cruiser's c.o.c.kpit, then duck back down again.
Dario's men were getting dangerously close to Rozsa's boat.
She and Jack had only a minute or so to stop them before they went aboard and killed both Rozsa and Ca.s.s.
Jack pulled a grenade from her rucksack and handed it to her.
”You know where this is for. I'll cover you.” She revved the engine to full throttle and sped toward the men. The goons started shooting again and they shot back, Jack with one hand on her gun and the other on the wheel. They stayed low and were only a few yards from the boat when Jack yelled, ”In five.”
She removed the pin and held it.
”In two,” Jack yelled, and slowed down.
She released the spoon, which gave them five seconds to detonation, and stood up while Jack kept firing. They were no more than four feet away when she threw the grenade into the other boat.
Jack hit the gas to get as far away as possible and they braced themselves for the impact. Seconds later, the air seemed to reverberate from the ma.s.sive explosion, nearly knocking them off their feet, and bits of fibergla.s.s and other debris rained down all around them. When she looked back, all she could see were floating plastic cus.h.i.+ons and lawn chairs, and a swath of fire on the oily surface from spent gasoline.
Rozsa's cruiser was close enough for the waves to toss it around like a ball. Jack turned their boat around and headed for him.
As they pulled alongside, he started shooting at them from a broken window of the enclosed c.o.c.kpit.
Jack and Chase crouched down and waited. ”How many bullets do you think the crazy scientist has?” Chase asked.
”Enough to put one in Ca.s.s.”
”Not if he thinks we're here for the money,” she said. ”He'll use or kill Ca.s.s if he thinks she's important to us. Otherwise, she may still be his only meal ticket.” She hollered over at the other boat as another bullet whizzed over their head. ”Stop!”
”Who are you?” Rozsa yelled back.
* 359 *
”We just want the money.”
”Are you with Dario?”
”Yes,” Chase hollered.
”Who was on the other boat?”
”I don't know, but they looked like feds. They've been following us since the bathhouse.”
”Why did you kill them?”
”Dario asked us to. If you get caught, he's screwed.”
”I made a deal with that idiot,” Rozsa shouted angrily. ”Money in advance, for services not yet rendered.”
”Look, man...” she shouted, then whispered to Jack, ”Go now,” before turning her attention back to Rozsa. ”I don't know what your deal with Dario is. I'm just doing my job.” Jack crawled to the side of the boat away from Rozsa and slipped over and into the water.
”He wants me dead,” Rozsa yelled. ”He can go to h.e.l.l.”
”Just give me the money and we can get out of here.” She tried to keep him occupied. ”The police will be here soon after that explosion. I don't want to be around when that happens. Do you?”
”I made a deal with-” Rozsa stopped talking and, a few seconds later, Jack's voice rang out.
”I've got him!”
She looked up. Jack had Rozsa in a headlock from behind, his gun in her hand.
Chase jumped on the other boat and took him from Jack.
”Take the money,” Rozsa pleaded. ”It's in the cabin.”
”f.u.c.k you and your money. I'm going inside.” Jack opened the hatch and disappeared below.
”Who are you?” Rozsa appeared confused.
”The people you stole from,” Chase replied.
”But the money-”
”Stole the woman from.”
”What?” Rozsa stared at her, obviously shocked.
* 360 *
ChaPter thirty-nine.
Jack pa.s.sed through the galley and opened the door to the tiny sleeping compartment. A pet.i.te figure wrapped in blankets lay on the floor. ”Ca.s.s?” she whispered. ”Ca.s.s? Baby, is that you?” When the figure didn't stir, Jack's heart almost stopped. She knelt and slowly pushed back the blanket a bit. She saw her angel's blond hair, immediately recognizable. But still, she didn't move.