“Are you out of your mind?” Beck exploded.
“This isn’t going to solve anything,” Jackie announced. “She’s gone. Nothing happened.”
Bogart considered the comment and hid his grin. “I wouldn’t say nothing--”
Jackie wanted to smack him but resisted the temptation. He wasn’t helping. “She’s certainly not telling her husband.”
Beck’s laptop beeped at him. He became alert and hurried for it. “That’s the motion detector I have on Pinto’s doorframe,” he announced then looked at the computer screen.
All four stared with surprise when they saw Will leaving Pinto’s room.
“He’s been on the ship the whole time?” Monroe suddenly asked. “Why haven’t we seen him?”
“Because he doesn’t want to be seen,” Beck muttered while staring at the screen. As Will passed Beck’s room, Beck looked at the door and listened to the footfalls in the hallway.
“You know how I feel about Pinto,” Monroe announced while staring at Beck then appeared defeated, “but if he was in her stateroom, isn’t it possible there’s something more between them? How do we know what we found wasn’t just him being creepy around his girlfriend?”
Beck glared at Monroe and appeared ready to explode. “She’s not seeing him,” he snarled. “She wouldn’t cheat on me. She loves me.” He straightened and stood proudly. “She’s not even in her room. She’s with Sal in the lounge.”
“Do you think he was in her room uninvited?” Jackie then asked.
“It’s the only explanation,” Beck informed them.
Beck’s cell phone vibrated inside his jacket pocket. He removed his phone, eyed the caller ID, and then answered it. “Yeah, Gil.”
“Zack wasn’t answering his phone,” Gil announced from the other end, “so we tracked it. We found his cell phone in Kirk’s room, but he’s not here. Someone trashed the room.”
“What?” Beck gasped with surprise. “Does it look as if someone was searching the room? Or does it seem like a struggle took place?”
“I’m going with struggle,” Gil responded. “Usually Zack only makes this sort of mess during mating season.”
Monroe, Jackie, and Bogart stared at Beck while attempting to put together the entire conversation from the fragments they were hearing.
Beck made a face and lightly scratched his head with bewilderment. “Okay, that’s not weird,” he muttered.
“That’s not the worst part,” Gil continued over the phone. “Darth found a semiautomatic within the scattered sheets. Even if he had smuggled a weapon onboard, it’s nothing from Zack’s arsenal. I’m almost positive.”
“All right, okay,” Beck announced and drew a deep breath. “We need to find Zack. You and Kirk check the kitchen and retrace his room service deliveries. We’ll split up and check the passenger areas.”
“You’ve got it,” Gil announced then disconnected the call.
Beck eyed the others while replacing his phone. “Zack’s MIA. They found his cell phone in Kirk’s room along with an unfamiliar firearm. The room’s been trashed, so something went down,” he informed them. “Jackie and Monroe will check the casino and the lounge on the Caribbean Deck. Bogart and I will scout the dining room and dance club.”
“I don’t get it,” Jackie remarked. “If he found something, why wouldn’t he call us on our cell phones? He didn’t try calling me.”
“Why would he?” Bogart announced while glaring at them. “It ain’t like any of you believed him the first few times. Why start now?”
Bogart’s words crushed Jackie, but she knew he was right. She was just as guilty as the rest of the team. If something happened to Zack, she probably wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.
“We need to find him ASAP,” Beck announced with concern. “If he found one gun, he may have found two. The last thing we need is Zack running around a cruise ship armed and delusional.”
Chapter Twenty-three
It was a little after two o’clock in the morning when they called off the search for Zack. Everyone knew it would be impossible to find him if he didn’t want to be found. Monroe felt it best to stay in Zack’s quarters, in case he returned, giving Jackie the suite to herself. She slept restlessly beneath the covers then seemed to wake for no reason. Jackie turned over in bed and saw Zack peacefully reclined against the headboard with his legs stretched out on the bed and crossed at the ankles. He at least had the decency to remove his dirty combat boots before making himself comfortable. Jackie jerked with surprise then groaned softly while sitting up and ran her fingers through her mussed hair.
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she informed him then stared at him with concern. “Where were you?”
Zack sat quietly in the dim lighting and barely reacted. “I tried calling you and the others earlier,” he informed her without emotion. “No one answered.”
She was surprised to hear him say that. “No one got your calls, Zack,” she replied while attempting to handle the situation delicately. “Kirk’s room was trashed. They found your cell phone among the mess.” Jackie stared at him a moment with a curious look. “What happened?”
He drew a deep breath then groaned softly. “I can only assume I’m the one who trashed Kirk’s room.”
She continued to stare at him and observed his unusual behavior before reaching for the bedside light.
“Can you leave that off?” he asked in the same unemotional tone.
Jackie hesitated, glanced back at him in the dim lighting, and then turned on the light anyway. She turned in bed and looked at Zack, briefly scanning him for injuries or signs of blood. He allowed his head to fall into his hands and held his temples.
“I asked you to leave it off.”
She didn’t take her eyes off him. “Are you okay?”
“No, Jackie,” he grumbled softly as he looked down at his legs while holding his head. “I’m not okay.” He finally lifted his head and looked at her. “As a matter of fact, I’m completely fucked up.”
She slipped out from under the covers and moved closer to him while sitting on her feet. “Whatever you’re going through, we’ll deal with it, Zack.”
He stared at her a moment then returned his head to his hands and held his temples. She watched as he trembled. What Jackie witnessed concerned her. He was on the edge and slipping fast. She gently took his hand and removed it from his temple, holding it in hers.
“I won’t abandon you,” she firmly announced. “You don’t need to talk about it if you’re not ready but promise you’ll stay by my side until we get back home. I’m renting the first plane I can and taking us home.”
He searched her eyes and was almost at a loss for words. Zack managed a slight nod. He drew a deep, shaken breath but didn’t look away. “Nothing I’ve seen is real,” he informed her. “It’s all been in my head. Hired killers, Katya, briefcase bombs. I’ve been taking those pills the doc gave me, but they’re not helping. I feel like I’m going out of my mind.”
She warmly caressed his hand, calming him. “It’s okay, Zack,” Jackie gently replied. “You’re with me now, and I’m going to take care of you.”
He stared into her eyes a moment then managed a tiny laugh. “Your compassion astounds me,” he remarked while shaking his head. “I’m a horrible person, yet you always find a reason to look after me.”
Jackie smiled and gently touched his face. “That’s because I love you, you stupid jackass.” She allowed her hand to fall from his face. “I’m going to get you a drink from the bar, and then I want you to get some sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.”
“I doubt it,” he muttered, “but as long as it makes you feel better--”
Jackie sprang from the bed and hurried across the room for the wet bar. Zack allowed his head to fall back into his hands. He again trembled and concentrated on his breathing. Jackie handed him a glass of scotch. He eagerly accepted it and drank the entire contents of the glass while Jackie climbed over his legs and
returned to the spot on the bed alongside him. He set the glass on the nightstand and drew a deep breath, allowing the alcohol to numb his senses. Jackie warmly caressed his hand as he relaxed. He finally looked at her and took her hand between his.
“Do you think it’d be okay, just this once, if I could hold you while I sleep?”
“Under the circumstances, I think that’d be fine,” Jackie replied then turned out the light on her side of the bed.
She no sooner slipped under the covers before Zack nestled against her. His hand warmly caressed her side and immediately traveled along her hip and to her thigh. He couldn’t seem to help himself, but it seemed odd that she didn’t stop his wandering hand. He stared at her through the dim lighting. She stared back and still didn’t stop his hand. He removed his hand from her leg and gently touched her face. When there was no protest, he leaned in closer and kissed her warmly on the lips. Jackie returned the kiss without hesitation and ran her hands along his body. He needed little encouragement to prompt bad behavior. Zack tackled her to the bed, pinning her beneath him, and kissed her aggressively. He suddenly hesitated and slowed the kiss, taking his time and displaying great passion.
As the couple rolled around beneath the sheets, Zack remained reclined on the bed against the headboard. He’d managed to separate himself from the hallucination, although it was unclear why. It was obviously one of his more pleasant hallucinations. He watched the couple making love, feeling everything they felt, and his body aching the same, yet it wasn’t him. It wasn’t real.
“You should be ashamed of yourself,” a familiar male voice announced sternly.
Zack looked away from the couple making love and saw Jackson Remus sitting casually in a chair near the bedside with his large booted feet propped on the nightstand not far from Zack. He was a moderately intimidating looking man with a shaved head and stern features.
“Commander?” Zack gasped softly while straightening on the bed. He then looked back at his other self making love to Jackson’s daughter and panicked for the first time. Zack looked at the Commander with horror in his eyes. “I can explain,” he announced. “This isn’t how it looks.”
Jackson chuckled softly in his throat. “I’m sure it’s not,” he replied. “You’re just having a sexual fantasy about my daughter. Nothing wrong with that.”
Zack stared at the Commander with his mouth slightly open, the surprise clearly across his face. “Why are you taking this so well?”
“Why do you think, Zack?” he responded.
Zack looked from the couple beneath the sheets to the Commander. “It’s not real.”
“Of course it’s not real,” Jackson blurted out. “If this was real, I’d kill you.” He hesitated then considered. “Providing I was still alive, but, well--”
“I don’t understand,” Zack replied. “Am I losing my mind? First Katya, then Jackie, and now you.”
“You had a concussion,” Jackson informed him. “You remember what the doc told you. You’re hallucinating, that’s all. Why are you so worked up over it?” A twisted smile crossed his face. “Why aren’t you under the covers enjoying your hallucination?”
Zack stared at him with a slightly bewildered look. “Something just doesn’t feel right,” he replied. “I mean, other than you telling me to jump your daughter.”
“It could be because you’re not in control for the first time in your life,” Jackson replied. “If you were honest with yourself, you’d admit you’ve never been in control. Your demons have always controlled you.”
“Confession is good for the soul, huh?” Zack remarked. “Isn’t that what you were always trying to drill into my head? I’m not like you, Jackson. I don’t have a wife to bare my soul to.”
“No, but you have Jackie,” he replied.
Zack glanced at the beautiful, naked woman entangled in a compromising position with his alter ego. He stared a moment longer. Jackson cleared his throat. Zack looked back at him.
“She’s not mine,” Zack replied. “She’s Holden’s wife.”
“She’s Holden’s wife, but she’s your partner,” Jackson informed him. “She loves you as much as she loves him. It’s just a different kind of love.”
“I’ve never been real good with sharing my emotions,” Zack informed him.
“You’ll learn,” Jackson replied and smiled. “I can’t think of a better person to start with than my daughter.”
Zack considered the comment then nodded. “You’re probably right,” he replied. “You usually were.”
Jackson stood and placed his hand on Zack’s shoulder, locking eyes with him. “You need to trust your instincts,” he announced. “They’ve never been wrong. As for me, well, I’m just an extension of you. Someone you pulled from your subconscious to help guide you through this.”
“So you’re not really the Commander’s ghost?” Zack questioned.
He shook his head.
Zack indicated the couple moaning beneath the covers. “And I’m not really making love to Jackie?”
“I’m pretty sure the term ‘only in your dreams’ applies more than ever on this one,” he replied.
Zack unbuttoned his shirt. “Sorry, Commander, but you need to take a hike,” he announced with confidence. “I have something more important I’d like to be doing.”
“You should probably hurry,” Jackson remarked. “Jackie’s going to be waking you in five, four, three--”
Zack jerked awake and looked at Jackie where she sat on the edge of the bed holding a glass of scotch before him.
“I’m sorry,” she announced gently. “I didn’t mean to wake you. Drink this. You’ll feel better. Then you should get some rest.”
Zack stared at her a moment then eyed the empty bed alongside him with disappointment. He looked back at Jackie, held his breath, and then accepted the glass. His hand trembled slightly as he drank the entire contents in one gulp.
Chapter Twenty-four
A little after five o’clock on Thursday morning, Zack wandered through one of the private lounges. It was already set up for the elegant farewell brunch for those leaving the ship for the island wedding. The room was almost deathly silent, as was most of the ship in the early morning hour. Zack checked under tables, looking for anything suspicious. He heard the door open, but there was little time or space for Zack to make himself disappear. He casually straightened and faced whoever had entered.
“You’re not supposed to be in here,” Allen announced as he briskly crossed the large room toward Zack. “What are you doing here?”
Zack shrugged and leaned against one of the expensive chairs covered with a white satin liner. “Looking for my imaginary girlfriend, so I can apologize,” he replied without care. “What are you doing here?”
Allen gave him a puzzled look then appeared irritated. “I’m Nelson Banks’ personal guard,” he replied. “It’s my job to be here.”
“Oh?”
Allen groaned softly and shook his head. “I’m tired and it’s too early to get into trouble. Do us both a favor and leave,” he announced with disinterest. “I don’t have time for guessing games. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“I’ve heard of Nelson Banks,” Zack announced casually. “He’s that lowlife mob boss, right?”
Allen sighed and scratched his head. “Yeah, that’d be the one.”
“Don’t care much for your boss, I take it.”
“At five in the morning, I don’t care much for anyone,” Allen muttered while sighing then appeared annoyed. “He’s had me running around since we boarded the ship looking for imaginary hitmen.”
“Imaginary hitmen?” Zack announced cheerfully while straightening. “Well, you’re in luck. I’ve already taken care of them, so you can go back to bed.”
Allen stared at Zack as if uncertain what to make of him. He suddenly smiled and chuckled. “You’re a little wrong in the head, aren’t you?”
“Most days,” Zack admitted then gingerly rubbed the scar on his temple, �
�but the concussion has made that worse. Apparently, I’m Batman.”
Allen just stared at Zack.
Zack marveled at the look he received then chuckled. “That was a joke.” He sighed and looked around. “This place is clean. I don’t think you’re going to find any imaginary bad guys here. I’m sure they’re hanging out in the cargo hold.”
“Good to know,” Allen replied and held back his chuckle. “Want a cup of coffee? We can look for your imaginary girlfriend on the way to the lounge. Maybe she has a friend for me.”
“Doubtful,” he replied. “All her friends are assassins. You don’t want to mess with those crazy bitches.”
Allen laughed as they left the private room and headed into the upper-level corridor. “So how does your imaginary girlfriend know so many female assassins?”
“She’s a Russian spy,” he casually replied.
“Really?” Allen remarked and held back his laugh. “How did you meet?”
“She tried to kill me,” he replied then made an imaginary gun with his fingers and stared down his index finger, which was the barrel. “It was love at first sight.”
“Uh, huh.”
†
Allen and Zack entered the only lounge open that time of morning serving coffee and pastries for the early rising passengers. The lounge was empty, as were most of the passenger areas onboard for such an early hour. Both men helped themselves to some coffee and pastries then sat at the bar. Even the wait staff was suspiciously missing.
“So these imaginary people wanting to kill your boss,” Zack casually began, “how badly do they want him? Have you ever actually caught one?”
“Now and again,” Allen informed him. “I don’t think there’s any onboard this ship though. Sealy and I have been over every inch of this ship, and we screened the crew and passengers a week prior to the voyage.”
“I wouldn’t rely too heavily on the ship’s security,” Zack informed him while grinning. “I’m practically a stowaway myself. They’ll let any nutcase on this ship without proper credentials.” He stood while looking around the empty lounge. “I guess one of the imaginary bad guys I’d killed was supposed to be on duty here. We seem a little light in the wait staff department. If you find someone, see if you can secure a blueberry muffin. I’ll be in the little boys’ room.”
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