The Kip Keene Box Set: Books 1, 2 & 3 by Erik Nicholas

Author:Erik, Nicholas [Erik, Nicholas]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction/Science Fiction/Adventure
Publisher: Watchfire Press
Published: 2015-12-29T05:00:00+00:00

24 | Preparations

“You sure that’s gonna hold, Keeney?” Wade kept his distance from Lorelei and Derek, who were now chained to a thick pipe at the opposite end of the master bedroom.

Keene, out of breath from carrying the pair on to the yacht, didn’t answer. Things had gotten hairy when Wade had tried to get the two out of the car. Lots of kicking, scratching and obscenities.

The ship’s first aid kit and its ample supply of potentially illegal morphine had fixed the behavioral problems—at least for the time being. Derek and Lorelei were like two animals hit by a tranquilizer gun, snoring with their mouths open, drool running down their chins into a pool on the ground.

Dragging them up the ship’s ramp, and then back down into the belly of the yacht where the master suite was located—even with Strike’s help—was not an undertaking Keene wanted to repeat.

“They wake up, you give them this.” Keene shoved the last of the morphine into Wade’s hand. Then he reached into the back of his jeans and pulled out the Walther P99 handgun he’d removed from Lorelei’s possession. He’d salvaged a couple rounds from the burned-out police car. “And a last resort.”

“That would solve our problems, though,” Wade said. “Like right now.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing, dude. Got it.”

“You’re responsible. I’m trusting you.”

Wade gulped and said again, “I got it, dude.”

Strike returned from the top deck, giving the thumbs up. “Ready to shove off.”

“You think you can handle it, kid?” Keene said.

Wade grumbled and cursed, but said, “Yeah, I’ll figure it out.”

Keene followed Strike up the winding chestnut stairs, out on to the deck and to the cockpit.

The marina wouldn’t have made for a bad base of operations—if the waters weren’t shallower than Wade’s assessment of women. No room for the sub to maneuver here amidst the tangle. Dropping anchor a little ways off shore would give them a little more breathing room to navigate.

“You check out the sub,” Keene said.

“Nah, figured I’d wing this shit.” Strike pushed a button on the yacht’s complex navigational console, and the boat rocked in the water as the anchor lifted off the sea bottom. “You take me for some kind of moron?”

“You think this will work?” Keene stared out the seamless glass windows. Pure morning light glistened across the tranquil blue sea.

“Honestly?”

Keene bit his lip and shook his head. “Just steer.”

The boat pulled out of the marina and cut through the placid waters, leaving choppy froth in its wake.

“They’ll be all right, you know,” Strike said, putting the craft on cruise control after entering the charted course in the GPS. The onboard navigation indicated it would take about ten minutes to reach their destination.

“I thought this might be it, you know?”

“It’s not the end.”

“Not an end. A beginning.” Keene braced himself against the crystal clear glass as the craft banked in the open water. The first half year on Earth, that had been difficult. An adjustment. The couple months after that had been eventful. Not wonderful. But interesting.

And now this—this was a pivot, where things could either veer towards awful or decent.

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