by S. E. Smith
“Let me know when you are clear,” Brian responded.
It took several tries before she could straighten the chair and bounce it far enough to the side. She was fortunate it didn’t break. Once she was clear, she yelled out to Brian. Several minutes later, the door was opened and she was free.
“God, I was terrified he had taken you again – or worse,” Brian muttered, his body trembling violently while he held her pressed against him. “I love you, Makayla.”
Makayla’s arms tightened around his waist. She was shivering with reaction and shock. Her gaze moved over to where Tyrell was talking to the elderly clerk while Helen made the woman a cup of hot tea on the ancient hot plate.
“The information…,” Makayla started to say before Brian silenced her with a kiss.
“Fuck the information,” Brian finally said, resting his forehead against hers. “Nothing is worth your life.”
“I’m so sorry, Brian,” Makayla whispered with regret.
“The governments will find another way to discover what they want to know,” Brian assured her, straightening so he could glance at the others. “We need to get back.”
“I’m good with getting back to normal,” Tyrell muttered. “Oh, by the way, the government owes me a new lens. I busted my nice one saving your ass.”
Epilogue
“What’s wrong?” Makayla asked, glancing up at her grandfather two days later. “You look like you’ve either just won the lottery or been struck by lightning.”
“That was the Royal Hong Kong Yacht club,” Henry said with a shake of his head. He rubbed his broken arm before he scowled down at the cast. “This damn thing itches and I can’t scratch it.”
Makayla rolled her eyes at his complaining. “What did they say?” She asked.
“They said the Defiance is back in her berth,” Henry grinned.
“What?!” Makayla exclaimed, sitting up from where she had been lounging on the back of Kevin’s boat waiting for Brian to get back from the Consulate. “Are you serious?”
“Yep,” Henry grinned. “Do you feel up to taking a drive?”
Makayla frowned. “I’m not about to learn to drive in this traffic,” she muttered. “Did you call a taxi?”
“No, I asked Tyrell to take us. Brian is going to meet us there,” Henry said.
“Oh! Cool. I’ll go get my stuff,” Makayla replied, rising from the lounge chair.
She slid past Henry, pausing to brush a quick kiss against his weathered cheek. It was good to see the healthy glow return to his face. The doctor Kevin had hired to check on Henry had assured her that all her grandfather needed was time and rest to recuperate.
Since they had returned two days ago, life had been busy. Helen had been reinstated at the police department and was investigating Sun Yung-Wing’s mysterious suicide. She had also dropped by the previous night to have dinner with them, much to Kevin’s delight. Kevin had volunteered to help Helen with her investigation. From the rosy glow on Helen’s cheeks when Kevin made his offer, Makayla suspected that Helen had been very pleased – and not just from a professional interest.
Brian had returned to work at the Consulate and had been gone more than he had been there. Makayla was surprised at how much she missed him when he was gone. She had gotten used to being with him almost constantly over the past week. They still had the nights, though, she thought with a wave of warmth.
“I’m ready,” she said, pulling her hair out from where it had gotten caught under the strap of her purse when she had slung it over her head. “Thank you, Kevin, for everything.”
“Anytime. I enjoy the company,” Kevin grinned. “All this espionage stuff sure beats sanding and polishing.”
Makayla laughed and gave Kevin a hug before brushing a kiss across his cheek and stepping back. She suspected his enjoyment had more to do with a certain Hong Kong detective than it did the spy stuff. She knew the eccentric billionaire was still searching for Ren Lu. The man appeared to have disappeared off the face of the Earth.
A short time later, they were heading over the bridge back across to the yacht club. A smile curved Makayla’s lips when she saw Brian and Helen standing near their cars when they pulled up. Makayla eagerly pushed open her car door the second Tyrell pulled to a stop.
“Hey,” she said, her eyes glued to Brian’s tall, lithe form.
“Hey yourself,” Brian chuckled, brushing a kiss across her lips before he nodded to Henry and Tyrell.
“Have you been aboard her yet?” Henry asked, turning to the dock.
“No, we just arrived a few minutes before you did,” Brian said.
“Is everything okay?” Makayla asked, following the others when they walked down the dock.
Brian released a deep sigh. “Yeah, they aren’t happy that the information is gone, but shit happens,” he said with a shrug.
“I’m so sorry,” Makayla said, feeling his disappointment.
“Life goes on,” he replied in a soft tone, squeezing her hand. “I’d much rather it be with you.”
Makayla nodded. She knew he was thinking of Harrington. She had been shocked when he had shown her a picture of Harrington with his wife and son last night. The familiar, smiling face of a woman she had met a little over a week ago looked back at her along with that of a small boy – Hsu Lee-Harrington. Makayla realized that Hsu must have used her given name for protection. A wave of sadness swept through her at the pain and grief the woman was currently living through. Her heart ached for the little boy who would never know his father.
She and Brian had talked about it for hours last night. It had taken quite a bit of arguing before Makayla had finally accepted that Brian would be transferring to a less dangerous position in the United Kingdom. In the meantime, he would have a couple of months off before he transferred and would sail part of the trip back with them to Hawaii.
“I can’t believe the Defiance is back,” Makayla laughed, staring down at the sailboat. “It looks fabulous!”
“It doesn’t look like anything was damaged,” Henry replied, climbing down into the companionway.
“Did anyone see who returned it?” Helen asked, stepping onto the schooner.
“Not that I know of,” Henry’s gruff voice echoed from below. “Makayla, Brian, you two might want to come.”
Makayla glanced at Brian with a confused frown. He jumped aboard before he turned to help her on to the stern of the Defiance. She released his hand and followed him down into the cabin.
Henry was standing near the table. He turned and held a white envelope with Makayla’s name clearly printed on it. Makayla took the envelope. There was something in it besides the paper.
Tearing it open, Makayla dumped the contents out into the palm of her hand. It was a small flash drive – the same plastic and color of the one from The White Rabbit. She glanced up at Brian with a confused expression. She handed the flash drive to him and carefully unfolded the paper, reading the message neatly printed inside.
“What does it say?” Helen asked, scooting closer so she could look over Makayla’s shoulder.
Makayla cleared her throat. “It says… It says ‘Makayla, you were right. Being good is harder, but being bad is sometimes necessary if the greater good is to survive. Ren Lu’.”
She glanced up at Brian. His face was taut with disbelief while his fingers turned the flash drive between them. He glanced back at her.
“Do you think it is…?” She asked in shock.
Brian nodded. “Yes. I think it is the information we were searching for. I don’t know how or why, but if it is genuine, this could save thousands of innocent lives,” he said. “I need to get this to my handlers.”
Makayla nodded, turning to follow him. They climbed the steps. She gripped his hand when he helped her onto the dock.
“I’ll see you later this evening,” she whispered, hugging him tightly to her. “Be careful. If anyone knew you had this information….”
Her throat tightened. If the men who had kill
ed Sun Yung-Wing knew that information was in Brian’s hands, he would be a target again. She didn’t know why Ren Lu had had a change of heart, but she was happy that he had. She couldn’t help but wonder at his motives though.
“This doesn’t change anything,” Brian promised. “I’ll see you this evening. Ask Helen to stay if she can. If not, I want all of you to return to Kevin’s until I can go through the sailboat.”
“I’ll let you know where we’ll be,” she promised, brushing a kiss across his lips before deepening it. “I love you, Brian.”
“Not half as much as I love you,” Brian said before reluctantly stepping away.
Makayla watched Brian return to his car. She didn’t return to the Defiance until he had disappeared from sight. Hugging her arms around her waist, she stared across the water. The sun was shining and the city of Hong Kong stood majestically bordered by the mountains in the distance. She turned and searched for the yacht that had been anchored in the bay, but it was gone. Overhead, a helicopter cast a shadow before it disappeared over the water and down along the bay. Makayla lifted a hand to shield her eyes when it passed over before turning and climbing back aboard the Defiance.
“Old man,” she called out with a humorous grin. “Brian wants us to check the Defiance to see if Ren Lu left anything else.”
*.*.*
Overhead, Ren Lu held the binoculars steady until they passed over the figure below. He lowered them to his lap when he could no longer see the dark-haired girl watching from the dock. He calmly motioned for the pilot of the helicopter to continue to the yacht anchored offshore. He released a deep breath at the unexpected emotion burning through him.
He had completed his mission for the Chinese government with a few modifications. It would not hurt for other governments to have the information he had copied. In fact, it was a necessity if the world was to become a safer place. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and quickly dialed the number he had programmed into it.
“Yes,” the man on the other end said in greeting.
“Mr. Jacobs, I have information that might be of interest to you,” Ren Lu stated, staring down at the roof of Brian’s car crossing the Causeway.
“I’m listening,” Brian stated in a voice filled with caution and interest.
To be continued…. Freedom of the Defiance.
When Tyrell Richards unwittingly photographs the brutal assassination of a major world leader, he finds himself on a hit list and must ask for help from some old friends who discover plans for another assassination – this time targeting the British Prime Minister.
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Excerpts of S.E. Smith Books
If you would like to read more S.E. Smith stories, she recommends Touch of Frost, the first in her Magic, New Mexico series. Or if you prefer a Paranormal or Western with a twist, you can check out Lily’s Cowboys or Indiana Wild…
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Dragon Lords of Valdier Novella
For the Love of Tia (Book 4.1)
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Night of the Demented Symbiots (Halloween 2)
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Pets in Space Anthology
A Mate for Matrix
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About the Author
S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International, and Award-Winning Bestselling author of science fiction, romance, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away.