James Axler – Watersleep

“One guy in here chilled,” he told Doc.

“So it would appear the Trojan-horse ploy got them this far,” Doc said, scanning the area in the fading evening light. “The gate is open, not forced. I can only surmise that their cover was pulled back before they were able to get inside the compound without bloodshed. I was told they took one of the men who initially came in the wag alive so they would have a reluctant ally to ride back with them. That way, their prisoner could assist with passwords or any hidden signals or procedures.”

Dean figured it out. “Guy tried to play hero, didn’t he, Doc?”

“Correct!” Doc said. “The prisoner attempted to alert his comrade in the guard house, and there was no choice but to take matters up a notch.”

“Looks like a wag over there,” Dean said, pointing at the abandoned Land Rover. “Think it’s the same one Dad came in with?”

The pair approached the vehicle carefully. Doc no­ticed the bullet-riddled tires and pointed them out with his swordstick. Dean nodded. No wonder the wag had been dumped.

“Dean! Doc!” Mildred cried out, spotting the two familiar figures running toward the damaged wag. “Over here!”

“Tell me, young Cawdor, am I once again a cap­tive to the ghosts of my withered mind, or is that really our good Krysty Wroth and Jak Lauren there before us?”

“We’ve both gone loco if they ain’t, Doc,” Dean responded, his face breaking out in a wide grin.

“Aren’t,” Krysty corrected automatically.

“Oh, yeah, it’s really them!” the boy said, reach­ing out and hugging Krysty tight.

“Ryan told you to wait,” J.B. accused.

“I did. For about an hour,” Dean retorted. “Didn’t want to miss watching this shit heap blow sky high.”

Everyone laughed as they clasped hands in firm handshakes and delivered slaps on the back. They were together again, and it felt good.

“Bless my soul, but I am delighted to see the lot of you,” Doc said. “But I am perplexed at Krysty and Jak’s appearance.”

After Jak and Krysty quickly explained what had happened to them, Carter impatiently brought up the next order of business: “So what’s left besides getting the hell out of here?”

“Ryan’s left,” Krysty replied.

“Shit, woman, Cawdor’s long dead by now. You heard the sirens. That enlisted man we questioned told us Poseidon’s taken out the submarine and left his base to rot. Shauna’s dead. You told me you saw the body yourself. Nothing’s going to bring her or your man back.”

“Ryan’s not dead,” Krysty stated in a tone of chill­ing finality. “Not yet.”

“We’ll find him,” Dean said. “He’s got to be here somewhere.”

“That’s it. I’ve had enough,” Carter told them. “Loyalty is one thing, but you people go beyond even family. Your leader is chilled, or soon will be, and the Admiral has swam away leaving us holding an empty net. I’m going back home. You do what you want.”

“You can’t walk out on us now!” J.B. protested.

“This entire operation was about revenge, Dix!” Carter replied, spittle flying from his lips as he talked. “Cawdor’s revenge for a woman not even dead.

Shauna’s revenge for a husband who never gave a damn about her in the first place. Hell, I didn’t like Poseidon, either, but I never would’ve taken it this far if not for her.”

“You loved her, didn’t you, Carter?” Mildred said bluntly.

“Does it matter now, Dr. Wyeth?”

“I guess not.”

“She couldn’t let it go,” Carter said again. “Damn, but I wish I’d never heard of any of you.”

With those parting words, the tattooed man walked away into the night.

“Hold up,” Dean said, running after him. The boy talked to Carter for a second, then returned to the others.

“You think Ryan’s somewhere hiding out, watch­ing the explosions? Or is he a captive on the sub­marine?” Mildred ventured.

“Don’t know,” Jak said, pulling his recovered Colt Python out of its holster. “Why don’t we find navy boys and ask?”

THE DYING MAN LYING on his back on the metal floor­ing of the submarine pen offered no resistance. His name was Coleman. He’d never been a proper merc anyway; he was a techie at heart, and had only been watching over the Raleigh when Ryan attacked him because of a debt he owed and he hadn’t been able to come up with the proper payment in jack.