Emerald Fire. Monica McCabe

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      Finn took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He hoped Lady Luck was in a good mood. They were going to need her.

      “Surprise is our only advantage,” Finn wrapped up with the warning. “We need to keep it as long as we can. We’ve a two-mile hike along an inlet, and we need to travel in silence. We don’t know if they have guards along the path.”

      Chloe and Jonathan nodded in agreement as they slipped their backpacks on over their shoulders.

      “Okay then,” Finn said. “Let’s get moving.”

      * * * *

      From the protection of the woods, Finn stared at the compound through a small pair of binoculars. Boca Chica’s pirates only made a half-hearted effort to give their boat repair business the air of legitimacy. There were a few old boats scattered about a large clearing, but they hadn’t seen water in many a year. There was also a mega-sized metal warehouse that sat next to the water, three smaller outbuildings, and something that might be an office. At one time, it might have been a viable boat shop, but neglect had left all but the main building in a bad state of repair.

      There were four, no five, vehicles parked on the grounds and a scattering of meager yard lights. Employees, if you could call them that, looked more like battle-hardened men, seasoned pirates, certainly not the kind to tolerate a raid on their turf without retaliation. Finn tried to get a headcount, but it was too hard from this angle. They needed to move to the opposite side to get a better view of the grounds and activity at the dock.

      He signaled to Chloe and Jonathan, and the three of them melted back into the trees. After rounding to a better vantage point, they crept as close as possible to the forest edge and Finn began surveillance again.

      The water was more visible from this angle, and Finn scanned the long expanse of pier. Low-voltage lights were on each pylon, and though half of them weren’t working, it was enough to mark the outline. Several boats were moored, everything from small chaser skiffs to speedboats to large cabin cruisers. To the right of the pier sat another much shorter dock that led right to a shoreline warehouse with massive doors open to a dry dock lift. NorthStar had a similar set up.

      A pirate jumped into a Sea Ray sport cruiser, a thirty-five to thirty-eight footer from the look of it, tossed the mooring lines, and pushed it away from the dock before firing up the engine. He floated at a crawl to a metal platform where two scrawny men worked to cinch it into a cradle and engage a hydraulic lift. The cruiser cleared the water and began its slow journey through the doors and into dry dock hell.

      Light poured from the warehouse windows, and Finn could make out the framework where the boat would rest during its makeover. It took no time at all to strip a vessel of its identity. A new name, new paint, the heavy use of a grinder to file down the hull identification number, and the boat was ready for a wide-open black market. There were plenty of overseas oil barons who’d gladly dish out half the ship’s value in cash, no questions asked.

      A tap on his shoulder interrupted his study of the business.

      “Emerald Fire,” Chloe whispered and pointed out the obvious. The Fire was the only mega-yacht anchored at the pier and far too big for the dry dock system used here. Whatever transformation she’d get, it would be done while she floated. It was a safe bet she far exceeded the norm for this band of thieves. Which meant the gang wouldn’t take kindly to their prize being stolen.

      Finn scanned the activity through his lens. Once they breached the pier, the Fire would be easy to board. The trick would be getting to it undetected. He roamed his sights over to the men who concentrated on getting the cruiser inside. He’d counted four, but knew there had to be more in the warehouse and likely another one or two elsewhere on the grounds. They were way outnumbered. If they were going to make it to the yacht, they needed a diversion. One that included a lot of noise and chaos to drown out the sound of her engines firing.

      He examined the grounds with the binoculars again and landed on a wooden building just across the compound. Surrounded by piles of used equipment, oil drums, and shipyard junk, it would have been unremarkable except for the sight of six or seven gas cans.

      He signaled Jonathan and Chloe, and they pulled back into the darkened forest.

      “We need to improve our odds,” Finn stated quietly. “There’s only three of us and too many of them. So here’s the plan—I think there’s enough fuel storage to light this place up. The explosion should divert at least some of them and limit the number who will give chase. You two should already be on board the yacht when the fireworks begin because that’s the moment you need to fire the engines and prepare to sail. If all goes well, I’ll be right behind you.”

      Jonathan stared at Finn, as though weighing the odds of success. In reality, it was the only option available to pull this off. Torching this den of thieves didn’t guarantee success, but it did give them a slight edge, and they needed every possible advantage.

      “Okay,” Jonathan finally agreed. “Chloe and I will disable as many of the boats along the way as we can. Less available for them to chase us with.”

      “Good,” Finn said. “Just don’t take too long to get to the Fire. And whatever you do, don’t get caught.”

      “What about you?” Chloe sounded worried. “What happens if you get caught?”

      “I’ll handle it.” He turned toward Jonathan. “Do not, under any circumstances, let her do anything rash. That includes coming after me if the unthinkable happens. Just get her out of here. Got it?”

      Jonathan frowned, but then his expression hardened. Like one soldier to another, he nodded his agreement. “I’ll get her to safety. But do me a favor and stay under the radar. She won’t be easy to persuade.”

      “Why do you two talk like I’m not standing right here and can’t hear every word?” Chloe whispered harshly.

      “Because,” Finn said quietly, “I can’t leave you without knowing someone has your back. It’s not negotiable, and we don’t have time to argue.” Hopefully that little revelation would slow her down enough to see her safely through this insane plan.

      The trio fell silent. Distant shouts and the mechanical clang of equipment drifted through the trees, and Finn used the sound to center himself, to prepare for a small dose of guerilla warfare.

      He handed his duffle bag to Jonathan, then hit the back glow on his watch. “Ten o’clock.” He glanced back at the compound before continuing. “Your best bet is to stick with the tree line all the way to the water. Move fast, but quiet, and stay alert.”

      “We’ll do our part,” Jonathan said. “You just focus on what you have to do, and do it big. We’ll meet you at the ship.”

      Chloe stepped up in front of him and stared him straight in the eyes. He waited for her to say something, but instead she shocked him near senseless as she lifted onto her toes and kissed him square on the lips.

      “Please be careful,” she whispered.

      * * * *

      Chloe regretted it instantly. What was she thinking? Kissing him was impulsive, and she should’ve known better than to distract him right before he had to ignite a Fourth of July fireworks show. But he was so somber and serious. The thought of throwing him for a loop was strangely appealing. Too bad her timing sucked lemons. That man had the unnerving power to СКАЧАТЬ