“Why can Smeid find Neverland?” Arya asks me.
“Because he served under Thacher,” I explain. “And he still has people on the inside. I’ve been hounding him ever since I was kicked out of the Lost Boys.”
“What makes you think he’ll tell you now?” Mateo asks.
I step toward the Tiger Lily and stare deep into Mateo’s eyes. “If he doesn’t, we’ll sink his trading post.”
Chapter 15
Arya
As soon as all the Boys break to prepare for the journey, I tell James not to let them leave without me and hightail it over to the Scylla, which has now caught up with the Tiger Lily. Barely inside, and before I get a word out of my mouth, Talise races to me and pulls me into a tight hug, her dark ringlets tickling my face.
“Seriously, Arya, you don’t know how worried we were.” She gives me a quick extra squeeze then lets me loose. “Derya kept saying you were fine, but I wouldn’t believe it until I saw it.”
Derya hugs me next. “Missed you,” she whispers in my ear.
I chuckle, looking back to Talise. “Thanks for the resounding trust.”
“It wasn’t that,” Talise says. “The Syndicate ship sunk so fast, and when you didn’t meet us at the rendezvous point after we released the civilians to safety … What else was I supposed to think?”
“The civilians?” I’d forgotten about them entirely. “How many did you rescue?”
She smiles. “There were only eight, and we got them all. Dropped them at the nearest cruise ship.”
“Those places are awful,” I sigh, a pit forming in my stomach at knowing I was responsible for almost drowning them. “Tiny old staterooms packed with way too many people.”
Talise shrugs. “It was the best we could do in the moment.”
“I know. Thanks.”
Talise squeezes my shoulder. “You couldn’t have known they were on the Syndicate ship.”
“I should have.”
Una hangs back, arms crossed, brooding behind the wall of straight black hair hanging in her face. I know she missed me, she said so over the comm, but now she looks like a mother ready to scold her child. I step toward her, fully intent on apologizing, when Marin emerges from the sleeping quarters and plows into me, throwing her arms around my neck.
“You’re hogging Arya, Talise! Here’s what you should have thought. Arya is our captain, and if she was missing, she must’ve been doing important work.” Marin tilts her head to look me in the eyes. “You were doing something important, but what’s up with Peter? I know you guys were close back at the Freak Factory, but he was kind of a jerk. Cute, but a jerk. And is that James? He’s all grown up now, and—”
I smack Marin lightly on the bicep. “You don’t stop talking, do you?”
She laughs. “Sorry, I have so many questions burning up my brain.”
“I need to speak with you about that,” Una finally says.
“About the questions in Marin’s brain?” I ask, immediately regretting the joke. Una is in no mood.
She rolls her eyes. “No. Peter. Why is he with you? You must have told us a thousand times how untrustworthy he is.”
“I couldn’t abandon him on that ship to die. It would’ve been wrong.”
“Rescuing him from a sinking ship is one thing, but partnering with him? We’ve handled Nerissa just fine up until now.”
I can’t blame Una for feeling this way. She’s right in so many ways. “I know what I’ve said in the past, but if we’re going to destroy the Syndicate, destroying one ship at a time won't cut it anymore. We have to get to the source, and without assistance—”
“But Peter?” she snaps. “There has to be someone else on our team.”
I step in, puffing myself up to meet her taller frame. “Yes, Peter. He’s been through the same experience we have. And been hurt, too. And he has the skills we need.”
Una sighs. “I think you may be letting James cloud your vision.”
“How is James clouding my vision?” I shoot back.
Una gestures to the Sisters. “We all know how you feel about him.”
I look to the girls, each of them avoiding my eyes in turn.
Derya eventually returns the gesture and nods. “Yeah … you talk in your sleep. A lot.”
I flash her a disapproving glare, and she quickly breaks my gaze. “Thanks, Derya. I thought you were on my side.”
Talise drapes her hand across my shoulder and steps in between Una and me. “Lay off, Una. Your first love is always the hardest to shake.”
“That’s what I’m concerned about,” Una growls. “James was a sweet kid, but he is all grown up now. He works for Nerissa.”
“It’s not like that,” I fire back, trying to keep my voice calm. “James knows what Nerissa is doing is wrong and he wants to help stop it.”
“I hope so.” Una wraps her arms around her torso. “But I’m not taking my eye off him. We have business to take care of.”
The smiles on everyone’s faces minutes ago—except for Una, who’s scowled the entire time—have now vanished. This isn’t the type of reunion I envisioned having with the girls.
Marin finally breaks the silence. “You coming with us?”
I inhale a big breath and choose my words carefully, as I know the reaction will not be positive. “I have to be on the Tiger Lily.”
Una’s eyes narrow. “For James,” she huffs and walks to the captain’s chair, plopping herself down as if she owns it.
“Mateo doesn’t quite trust him yet—,” I start.
“I need to get to know Mateo better.” Una glares my way and shakes her head. “Fine, go. Means I’m in charge anyway.”
“Girls, we are a team. Nerissa has one more kid out there that needs our rescuing.” I look to each of them and then to Una, nodding to her. “You have the bridge. Can you radio them I’m on the way?”
Exasperated, she spins in her seat toward the controls, hands flying over them. I wave to the other girls and exit the still-open hatch, my heart torn in two directions. I’m loyal to the Sisters, and they know this. The five of us have grown up together and would do anything for each other. But James and I grew up together, too, and I must maintain his trust as well as keep an eye on the Lost Boys, something I can’t do from the Scylla.
♦ ♦ ♦
On the Tiger Lily, I jog straight for the bridge. All except Elijah, who’s manning the helm, huddle around James, listening intently. Instead of interrupting, I hang back in the open doorway.
One of Wendi’s eyebrows tweaks up. “So, you were friends with Smeid?”
“‘Friend’ is not quite the right word,” James says. “Maybe he was more a mentor? I was young. Smeid was my dad’s friend. In the end, I think that’s what put him on Nerissa’s bad side.”
“What happened?” Mateo asks, body squared, and arms crossed over his chest.
“I don’t know much. I was maybe twelve and bored on deck one day. Smeid stopped by and told me to practice knots. Said you never know when you might need a good knot on a ship. I didn’t mind. Unlike most of the adults, Smeid paid attention to me. He’d always listen if I wanted to talk.
“One day, in the middle of the lesson, my dad pulled him away. I couldn’t hear what they said, but they were mad—mad enough to throw a punch, but it didn’t happen. After, Smeid came back, he picked up my knots, told me they were good, then I never saw him again.”
Cyrus chuckles. “Smeid steals parts from Neverland, so I’d guess he and Nerissa aren’t friends. But he’s pretty close-lipped about his history.”
“Smeid’s the one who hooked us up with both our ships.” Mateo pats the bridge wall. “They’re actually former Syndicate guard ships he reworked. Cost us some serious coin, but it was worth it. He hasn’t bartered with us much since. Pan made certain of that.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“His Neverland obsession. Pan tried several times to get Smeid to take him there, so Smeid cut ties with us. It sure limited o
ur ability to get supplies.”
“I’d heard he still has inside connections, though,” James says. “But it’s not something you talk about on any of Nerissa’s ships. Not in public, anyway. Nerissa tolerates Smeid’s operation because of Thacher. It’s why his outpost is so lucrative for him. No competition.”
Mateo smiles and pats James on the shoulder. The gesture makes me grin. If Mateo is warming to James, it means the crew will, too. I clear my throat, and everyone looks my way. James gives me a wink, and my knees just about melt out from underneath me. Una’s voice telling me James is clouding my vision immediately enters my thoughts and strengthens them again.
“You’re back. Good. We’re about ready to set sail.” Mateo turns from the group and joins Elijah at the helm.
“Where’s Peter?” I say to no one in particular, avoiding James for the moment.
“On the Atlas, with the rest of the crew,” Wendi says as she breezes past me and out the door, followed by Cyrus.
“Oh, of course,” I answer a bit too late. They’re gone. James and I are left standing in the middle of the bridge, neither of us have anything to do. “Do you mind if I take James out on deck?”
Mateo swivels his gaze between James and I. He shrugs. “It’s fine. He can’t go anywhere. Make sure you grab food to eat and get some rest. We won’t reach Smeid’s before morning. Oh, and James?”
“Yeah?” James replies.
“Pan got Tug into a real mess. I’m glad you’re here to try and help get him back.”
James nods. “It’s the least I can do.”
Outside, we walk our way to the stern and lean against the railing. The wake of the Tiger Lily trails behind. We stand there wordlessly, watching the endless waves as the sun sinks further into the horizon. Puffy clouds dot the sky, painted pink and orange by the sunset. The adrenaline I’ve been functioning on since yesterday finally runs out and a sting shoots up from my toes.
James slides over closer to me, slipping his arm around my waist. Warmth radiates from him in contrast to the cool air. Somehow the pain in my feet doesn’t feel so bad anymore.
“As beautiful as ...” James studies me and grins, “this is, we should listen to Mateo and eat dinner.”
“Help me find the galley?”
“Good excuse to snoop around.”
Below deck, James and I discover there are no extra beds for us to sleep in. Why would there be? Just like on the Scylla, every inch of the ship has a purpose, and a guest room is not one of them. But Wendi points us to the galley, informs us there are a few extra blankets in the supply station then shoos us away.
We rummage through the galley cabinets and locate the rations. They’re not the best, but good enough. James gestures to a chair. I sit, and he joins me, taking the seat across from me at the table.
I rip open my bland ration pack and down it, not realizing how hungry I was until now. James, elbows on the table, smiles at me, only about halfway through his. I chuckle. “I’ve never been much of a lady.”
“I’ve never minded.”
Heat races up my neck. “No, you didn’t. But there weren’t that many choices in friends growing up.”
“Yeah. The Sisters were older and found me a pest, and Peter—”
“Thought you were a pest, too,” I giggle.
He tips his head. “True. So you were basically my one option.”
“Weren’t you lucky?”
James places the last of his rations on the table. “I was. You were my best friend.”
“Were?” I echo.
“Still are. We always had more in common than you even knew.” He looks at the table. “Nerissa brought me in for testing, too.”
“What? Why'd you keep that from me?”
“Because it didn’t compare to what she did to you,” James admits. “All I know is she made minor changes to my DNA to purify me from genetic disease and improve my immune system. I asked Dad about it, and he said it was for my own good and would extend my lifespan. He told me not to worry.”
“But you did?”
He shrugs. “Who knows. Nothing ever happened to me, and I rarely get sick. But something about the whole thing bothered me, knowing what Nerissa was doing to you and the others.” James reaches over the table for my hand. “Get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.”
We find the same supply room where Mateo gave me the explosive pack and locate the blankets.
James throws one of the blankets to me. “Should we sleep in here?”
“Best we’re going to get.” I find a corner to lean on and slide to the floor, spreading the blanket over me. James flicks off the main light, leaving only the soft glow of the emergency lighting.
“Mind if I join you?” he asks, looking a tad sheepish.
“It’s fine.” I pat the spot next to me. “Someone to lean on.”
James sits by me and I lace my hand through the crook of his arm, burrowing against the warmth of his body. Not more than a few minutes pass before the hum of the ship’s engine lulls me to sleep.
♦ ♦ ♦
My eyes pop open as the Tiger Lily throttles back to a slower speed.
“We’re here,” Elijah calls out over the ship’s comm.
James is still out, pushing a bit more weight than I might like into my shoulder. I poke him on the arm. “Hey.”
His lids blink. “Are we there?” he asks sleepily, pulling himself up.
“Apparently so.” I rub at my neck, working at the sore stiffness extending the length of my back.
In no time I’ve hauled James to the main deck and toward the bow, the spray of salty water splashing our faces. A massive ship comes into view on the horizon. Rust consumes every inch of its once-gray metal. Its sprawling open deck, originally used for ancient warplanes, bustles with activity. The thought of all those unknown people about to witness our arrival sends a shiver through my body.
“You ready for this?” James asks, voicing my thoughts with a hint of his own uncertainty.
“There's no other choice. I’m doing this, so Nerissa stops torturing kids. And she abducted Tug. I hate involving more people, but if it’s the only way …”
James gives my hand a squeeze and releases it. “Don’t worry. Smeid is a nice guy, and hates Nerissa almost as much as you do.”
I chuckle. I've met the man once for trading, and I believe we’ve crossed paths when I was a kid. I guess he seemed OK. “Well, it’s a good reason for him to side with us, then.”
“He should be happy to see me, so getting an audience shouldn’t be difficult.”
“I hope you’re right.”
James touches his palm to the small of my back, sending a burst of energy up my spine. Smeid’s outpost grows larger as we approach, and the energy is replaced with a roiling in my stomach.
“Ready or not,” I say.
The Tiger Lily eases into the docking station: just a few floating barges connected by chains with ladders hanging from the top. Behind us, Mateo steps from the bridge and shouts to the dock workers below, telling them we have three ships to unload.
After twenty minutes or so, some of our ships’ crews find themselves on Smeid’s outpost. I don’t know what I’d expected, but it wasn’t this. The smoky scent of some sort of cooking fish wafts through the air, making my mouth water. The galley on the Scylla is tiny, and the girls and I rely on ration packs. A fresh-cooked meal would be a welcome treat. And it’s a good thing food is abundant, because many of the people wandering the deck appear as if they might have any one of us for dinner if we look at them wrong. Assorted vendors hawk their wares and a guy across the way serves up what appears to be a rat on a stick. Despite the lack of land, the little buggers thrive on ships. Especially gigantic ones like this.
A curvy brunette wearing barely enough to cover critical body parts emerges from the beaded entrance of a red tent. She squints our way then a huge man with muscled arms and a gun slung over his shoulder shoos her back inside. I don’t even want to know what goes on in t
here.
Mateo comes up from behind us and slaps James on the back. “Okay, you’re our ticket in. Get busy.”
James opens his mouth to say something, but Riley passes by, and Mateo grabs him by the shirt. “Wait up.” He turns to us again, still holding onto Riley. “I’ll be right back.”
James throws me a puzzled look as Mateo ushers Riley several feet from us and whispers in his ear. Riley nods and scampers away, and Mateo rejoins us.
“Now, where were we?”
I keep my attention on Mateo, but out of the corner of my eye, I notice Riley maintaining a distance between himself and Peter, but never letting him out of his sight. Peter squints as something on a vendor’s table catches his eye. “Shut up! No way!” he cries out, rushing into the middle of the shops.
“Peter, what is it?” I call to him.
He turns toward me, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s Tink!”
Chapter 16
Peter
I almost knock everything off the cluttered table grappling for her. An ugly bowl goes flying and clanks across the deck. The merchant scowls at me, raising his hands up. I shrug. “Sorry.”
Elijah catches up to me. “Is it really Tink?” he asks, eyes wide.
I pull the small, motionless drone closer and look at her shiny, white, outer shielding. She’s seen better days. Scratches and chips in her paint line most of her body. Flipping her over, her limp limbs dangle over my forearm. One of her thin metal wings is kinked. I fiddle with it as it barely holds on.
“Yup,” I say, pointing at the etched lettering at the base of her neck. T-i-n-k.
Arya walks up and touches a hand on my shoulder. Turning, I see her standing on her toes as she peers over. “That’s cute. Busted up, but cute.”
Over a year ago, while running a routine patrol on Neverland, I found a damaged security drone in an isolated alley. For some reason, I felt bad for the twitching robot as it glitched out on the street. I asked Elijah to fix it and put it back into service. Elijah, being the genius he is, had other plans. He hacked the programming and added a custom AI operating system to it he developed himself. That kid spends every spare minute playing on the ship's computer. The basic drone came to life, and as a gift to me, Elijah programmed her to think I was her owner. At first it was odd that it followed me around, but I grew to love the bot. It became a part of me—my little sidekick.
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