Air Bound

7

MAXIM had scoped out the engine room the moment he’d come aboard, knowing he would have to stop the ship. Both men had been working there. The blond, sounding Swedish, had talked incessantly about having the captain provide a woman for them to use on their journeys. The other, who looked as if he might be from Indonesia, hadn’t spoken much.

It was the Indonesian man who spotted him at the top of the stairs. The Swede was still talking and hadn’t even looked where he was going. Maxim kicked the Indonesian hard in the face and as he went down, he shot the Swede. The Swede fell hard, rolling on the metal stairway, landing on the Indonesian.

Maxim followed up his advantage, shooting rapidly to prevent the Indonesian from calling out for help. He dragged both bodies down the stairs and shoved them out of sight in a small storage closet. He didn’t bother wiping up the blood, but called the boy down to him, using a thread of sound.

They passed the engine room and went straight for the cargo area. It was huge, with containers everywhere. Benito took the lead, hurrying up to one of the containers and thumping on it, anxiety on his face. A heavy lock on the door prevented them from opening it. Maxim smashed the lock and pulled back the heavy door.

Heat blasted him and with it an appalling stench. It didn’t stop Benito from rushing inside and flinging himself into the arms of a girl no more than fourteen. She hugged him hard and reached down for the younger child, a little girl of about six or seven. She pushed the child behind her.

“It’s okay, Lucia,” Benito assured. “He killed them all. I saw him do it. And Nicia is safe. She’s still alive.”

Lucia stared at him with too-old eyes. She was the oldest of the children and she’d taken the role of the adult. The family resemblance was strong between them—they had the same features.

Maxim beckoned them out of the box. “Bring whatever is important to you. I’m going to stash you in a much nicer and safer place.”

“We don’t have anything important,” Lucia said. “They made it very clear to us that we wouldn’t ever leave the ship.” There was disbelief in her voice.

Maxim couldn’t blame her, but time was slipping away. “If you’re coming with me, we have to go now. I need my hands free, so if the little one can’t keep up, you’ll have to carry her. And you need to be absolutely quiet. Do you understand?”

He used his most commanding, intimidating voice.

The children nodded. Benito took the hand of the youngest child. “This is Siena. She’s six. We were all taken together. They’re my sisters.”

The child had Benito’s huge dark eyes, as did Lucia. Siena’s hair was long and thick and hung in curls and waves. Maxim could see why the three children had been targeted. All of them were beautiful and would catch the eye of predators like Saeed and Galati. He knew that the children and women chosen for the high-end “special” clients had to be disposable, which meant no one would come looking for them.

They were often runaways or had no other family once their parents met an untimely death. A long-lost uncle might come forward and claim them. It was easy enough, with the amount of money exchanging hands, to forge the necessary papers. Once the child or children were in the “uncle’s” possession, no one would ever look again. Scoring five children at once would be cheap and easy and a huge boon for the seller.

Lucia hung back. “The man who came to get us after our parents were killed in an accident said he was our uncle. His name was Ricco. He brought us here.”

“Ricco’s dead,” Maxim said grimly. “He wasn’t your uncle. It’s a ploy often used by human trafficking rings.”

Siena began to cry at the mention of her parents.

“Are you afraid, Siena?” Maxim asked, crouching down so he was level with her and would be less intimidating.

Siena nodded, tears tracking down her cheeks and curls bobbing around her face. She clung tighter to Lucia’s leg.

“I’ll get you out of here, but you have to be very quiet for me. When I tell you to, I want you to close your eyes and let Lucia carry you. Can you do that for me?”

The little girl gave a sniff, looked from her older brother to her sister and then gave a nod.

He felt like the pied piper. He was a loner and always worked solo. More than three people were a crowd to him. He didn’t deal with children—he didn’t know how. He was too gruff and far too rough, yet all three were beginning to look at him as if he were a hero, their savior. He was uncomfortable in that role. He didn’t want any of them admiring him—especially Benito.

“Let’s move. Stay right behind me, single file. Lucia, when I tell you, pick Siena up and carry her, but only until we’re past whatever obstacle we find.”

“He means the dead bodies,” Benito said.

Maxim pinned him with a steely eye. “Your little sister doesn’t need to be any more traumatized than she already is. Right?”

Benito ducked his head, but he didn’t look remorseful. Maxim couldn’t blame him. The kid was purple from head to toe and had a few open wounds. His clothes might cover up what had been done to him, but nothing was going to ever take it away.

Maxim couldn’t do more than see to it that they were safe. It was going to cost him this time. The body count would be high. If he left a single person aboard alive, the first thing they would do would be to hunt down the children, kill them and throw their bodies overboard to remove all evidence. He would have to leave a ghost ship behind.

He signaled to Lucia to pick up Siena when they approached the stairs where the bodies of the two men who worked in the engine room were. “Keep your eyes closed very tight, Siena,” he instructed.

He tried not to notice Benito kicking the body of the one of the men as they stepped around them. Lucia hissed a reprimand at her brother, but the boy shrugged, unrepentant. Maxim remembered that feeling of rage. Of helplessness. Of knowing a bigger, stronger and much more ruthless man could do anything and get away with it. He’d been beaten and caned. He still carried the scars from whips and even a chain.

He took them up the stairs past the floor where Galati had held Benito, wanting to avoid that particular place. Lucia would know what happened there. She might guess, but seeing the bodies of Galati and his bodyguards would only make Benito’s shame and embarrassment deepen.

He stopped the little parade at the top of the stairs. This was the floor where he’d left Airiana and Nicia. He pushed air down the passageway and circulated it back to him, needing information. Pressing his thumb into the center of his palm, he reached for Airiana.

Are you okay? Has anyone disturbed you?

He felt Airiana’s shock. He should have warned her they would have a telepathic connection, but he had other things to worry about. Now he had the children. He still wasn’t certain what he was going to do with them all.

It’s been quiet. Nicia is very worried about her sisters and brother.

Maxim wanted to curse. Ricco had killed their parents to acquire the children for the sex trade. He must have received a fortune from Evan Shackler-Gratsos, who had to be the head of the organization. He was a billionaire and little ever touched him.

I’m bringing them in. Don’t shoot us.

He almost wished she would. What in the hell was he doing with these kids? He sighed again and signaled them to follow him. They made it down the passageway without incident, and he opened the hatch, blocking the entrance, just in case. He was like that. Always wary, ready for anything.

Well—almost anything. Airiana was an exception. Her sky blue eyes jumped to his. He’d never had anyone look at him like that—welcoming. Happy. She jumped up and flung her arms around him. His hand of its own volition came up to cup the back of her head beneath the scarf as she pressed her face against his chest. The silk of her hair slid over that sensitive spot in the middle of his palm, teasing his senses.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” she whispered.

He could hear the truth in her voice. He was bound to air, and one of the many gifts was the ability to read sound. She was truly happy he was safe—not for herself but for him. He leaned down and brushed a kiss on top of the silly scarf made from his own shirt, feeling a little foolish under Benito’s smirk.

He gave the kid a glare and waved them all inside before closing the hatch. “Airiana, this is Lucia, Siena and Benito. Kids, this is Airiana.”

The children nodded at her shyly. She gave them a smile of reassurance.

Ricco killed their parents and posed as their uncle, their only living relative, to acquire them. He sent Airiana the information privately.

You mean they really have no other family? She had no trouble using their telepathic connection to communicate. It was simply another form of sound and air.

No, they would have been thoroughly investigated before they took them. It was easy enough to orphan them and then step forward to claim them. Who would question papers that appeared to be legitimate?

Bastards. Airiana poured loathing into the word.

Maxim turned to the children. “This is your new home until the rescue boat comes. I don’t want any of you to leave this room for any reason. You have a bathroom and water. There’s a small cooler with food. You’ll be safe here.”

Lucia and Siena had rushed to Nicia, gathering her in their arms and hugging her tight. At Maxim’s order the children all turned to him, shaking heads and protesting.

Siena looked around the room. “Where’s Sofia? Why isn’t she here?” Her trusting eyes jumped to Maxim’s face.

Maxim slowly stepped away from Airiana, feeling helpless. He didn’t much care for the feeling, he’d experienced it too many times as a child and he’d vowed never to be that way again. All the training in the world didn’t prepare him for this situation. He killed people and was comfortable in his role. He didn’t tell little girls with big eyes that he hadn’t saved their sister.

Lucia held out her hand to her younger sister. “Sofia is Nicia’s twin.”

Maxim went still inside, hating the position he was in with these children. He couldn’t fix it, couldn’t take away the trauma and hurt. He wanted to kill Ricco all over again. And after he killed him, he would like another chance at Saeed, this time a long, slow death. He’d change his position on torture just for that deviant.

Maxim sank down on the bed. Airiana moved up behind him, laying her hands on his shoulder, connecting them, trying to comfort him.

Siena stood in front of Maxim, ignoring her sister’s outstretched hand as if she knew only Maxim had the answers. “Where is she?”

Maxim took her hands in his. “I’m so sorry, little one. I didn’t board the ship in time to save her. There was a very bad man on board, and he killed her.” Did one tell a child the truth when it was so ugly? He didn’t know any other way. He couldn’t soft-soap it. Hell, children weren’t his forte and never would be.

Tears welled up. Siena turned to Lucia, who gathered her close and rocked her gently. Nicia burst into tears all over again. She was every bit as traumatized as Benito. Maxim thought about punching a wall, but doubted if that would help comfort the children. He needed to get out of there.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated lamely, floundering.

Airiana circled his neck with her hands. “Maxim tried, Siena, but we found her that way. As soon as he could, Maxim went to save Nicia, Benito and then you and Lucia. We’re so sorry about Sofia.”

“Mommy died too,” Siena said. “And Daddy. Now Sofia. Where are we going to go? I don’t want any more uncles.”

“We’re not going to any uncles,” Benito said, his eyes catching fire. “We’re staying with Maxim.”

Nicia broke out into a smile, nodding her head vigorously.

Maxim hoped the horror didn’t show on his face. He was trained to stay expressionless, but what the hell? He could just see himself going across countries, assassinating criminals with four children in tow. He had the good sense not to shake his head. The next thing he knew he’d have a house with a white picket fence and a dog.

“We’ll see,” he said.

“That means we’ll never see you again,” Lucia said. “We’ve heard it a hundred times. Come on,” she gathered the younger ones to her. She looked so old, so motherly—and a little lost—struggling against tears.

He grit his teeth together. “It doesn’t mean that at all. It means we’ll see. I have to make certain there’s no one on board who can find you children and harm you. I can’t give guarantees. I’m not going to lie to you.”

“But you will come back for us,” Benito said.

“I’ve got business with Airiana, making certain she’s safe. I gave her my word.”

“But then you’ll come back for us,” the boy insisted.

Maxim could barely stand looking at their hopeful faces. They had no one and he represented hope to them. Survival. He was the hero, and they needed something to hold on to while they waited on a ship of horrors all alone.

He was no hero, and if there was anyone on the planet who knew less than he did about kids, he wasn’t aware of them. They were waiting for his answer. He could actually feel Airiana willing him to answer in the affirmative.

He resisted the urge to swear at her. At them. At all of them. He cleared his throat. “Look. I’m not exactly a nice man. I know I seem like it in comparison to men like Galati and Saeed, but you don’t want to rely on me.”

Nicia slipped her hand in his. His heart stuttered when she turned her dark, Italian eyes on him with a child’s trust. “I feel safe with you.”

The others nodded. He closed his eyes. This is your fault. You look at me all trusting and these poor traumatized children get the idea that I’m trustworthy.

You are. And they need to know you’ll see them through this. Can you imagine them sitting here waiting for someone to come and being scared out of their minds? They need to know you’re coming back, that you’ll check on them. They have to believe in something, Maxim, and they believe in you. That’s not a bad thing.

You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. He stared down into the child’s eyes and then looked at Benito. The boy was trying hard to keep it together.

He yanked open his war bag and took out ointment, tossing it to Benito. “Yeah. Fine. I’ll ask some people to keep you close until I can come back for you. They’ll have to take you off this ship, but we’ll find a place . . .”

The farm. Have them sent to my farm, Airiana said. My sisters will look after them and they’ll be safe. Try to arrange that. At the same time you can get word to them that I’m safe and I’ll be coming home as soon as possible. They’ll be worried sick.

He didn’t want to think about taking Airiana back to her home.

Airiana, these children are never going to be normal. They’ll need special care. The trauma they’ve been through . . .

Everyone on that farm will understand. Trust me, Maxim, I know what I’m talking about. Can you find a way to get them transported there when they’re taken off the ship? My brothers-in-law are very good at arranging papers if there’s need, she reminded. He would know that Lev and Stefan Prakenskii would be every bit as adept as he was at creating new identities.

Maxim sighed, feeling as if his life was spinning out of control when he was all about control.

Lucia’s gaze had jumped to Maxim’s face. “There are four of us and we want to stay together.” Siena began to cry, and Lucia put her arms around the younger child.

No one at the farm would try to break them up. I have plenty of room at my house and if necessary, we can figure out legal papers to keep them in the country if they want to stay. The point is, I know a wonderful counselor and she can help them.

“Airiana has a farm,” Maxim said aloud. “It may be a temporary solution, just until I can figure something else out.”

“It’s a little isolated. No big city close, but it’s near the ocean and the redwoods and is absolutely beautiful,” Airiana offered. “You might hate it, but you’d be safe. My sisters live there as well, and each of us has our own home. I have a fairly big house, enough bedrooms if the two younger girls can share.”

“And he’ll come?” Benito asked, indicating Maxim with his chin.

This was too much. Airiana was already arranging a future for the children, ignoring all the laws and trapping him into something he didn’t want. He wasn’t that man. “I’ll come. Now all of you settle down. It’s going to be a long wait. At some point the ship will stop. You’ll hear the engines stop. Stay in this room. I’ll let the rescue crew know which cabin you’re in.”

“But you’ll be gone,” Lucia guessed shrewdly. “That’s why you’re stopping the ship. You’re getting off.”

He nodded. “I have to protect Airiana. Some very bad men are after her as well.”

“Why can’t we go with you?” Benito asked.

“I can’t take all of you with me while I clear this ship, it would be too dangerous,” Maxim explained. “And then I have to get Airiana to someplace else fast. That’s dangerous as well, and there’s no way you children could make the journey. But I keep my word, and I said I’d come back for you, to make certain you’re safe and in a good place. I have a couple of men I trust who will come for you. They’ll say ‘nutmeg grows in odd places.’ If they don’t say that, Benito is going to shoot them.”

Are you crazy?

They need that, it helps to make them believe they’re safe.

But giving Benito a gun? He’s a child.

Not anymore. Galanti made certain of that.

Lucia clutched the blanket on the bed so hard her knuckles turned white. “There is no safe place.” Tears welled up in her eyes.

Nicia and Siena crying was one thing, but Lucia had been struggling so hard to be grown up and take care of her siblings. Seeing the tears spilling down her face was too much. He took both of her hands, gently prying open her fingers.

“You have no reason to trust anyone, least of all me, Lucia, but we don’t have too many choices left. I’m running out of time. If I want to clear the ship for you, I have to do it now. I’m on a time schedule. Airiana’s farm is the best we can think of. Otherwise, the authorities will ship you back to Italy. I’ll look for you, but I have far less control over what happens to all of you once you’re there.”

“You’ll be safe,” Airiana added. “Everyone on the farm has been through . . .” She trailed off, searching for the right word. “Horrific circumstances. They’ll help you with the younger ones.”

Maxim looked at his watch. Time was slipping away. He had to get to the engine room. “We have to go now, Airiana.”

Lucia straightened her shoulders, her gaze clinging to Airiana’s. “You’ll come back? Both of you?”

Airiana nodded. “If we’re alive after all of this, we’ll meet you on the farm. If not, you’ll be in good hands. Lexi, my youngest sister, will be particularly understanding. She’ll help all of you. We’ll come back as soon as possible.”

Maxim stood, reaching for Airiana’s hand. “We have to go now, honey, we’re running out of time.” He tugged until she went with him across the room.

Airiana looked back at the four children huddled together. “Be patient. Stay strong. And don’t leave this room.”

She tightened her fingers around Maxim’s, just as reluctant to leave the children as he was. He opened the hatch and resolutely stepped through into the passageway. Airiana glanced back, but she didn’t say a word.

Maxim’s eyes met Benito. The boy was holding himself very still, but his body vibrated with fear. “I’m coming back for you, kid,” Maxim promised again before he could stop himself. “I know everything in your life has been turned upside down and you haven’t been able to count on anyone else but one another. I’ll find you. Do you understand me? Tell me the password.”

“Nutmeg grows in odd places.”

Maxim nodded. “Shoot anyone else who tries to come in. You keep your sisters safe and together.”

Benito nodded, his gaze still clinging to Maxim. Maxim swore and slammed the hatch closed.

“I want to kill those bastards all over again,” he admitted to Airiana, pushing down the rage threatening to take over.

“I wish you could too,” Airiana said. “We have to do something for those kids. I know you think I was being impetuous, but I really thought it through. All of them are traumatized. They’ll need special help to see them through this. Just the murder of their parents would be enough to traumatize them, but their sister as well? At the hands of a sexual predator. And then Benito and Nicia, the things she told me Saeed did to her . . .”

“She talked to you about it?” Maxim asked. He led the way to the stairs. The engine room was his next target.

“I think she had to. She was so scared and so grateful that you found her. Benito looked as if he worships you.”

“Lucia and Benito knew they were going to be killed probably the moment they were brought aboard the ship,” Maxim said.

“Nicia said Lucia and Benito told her to do whatever the man said so he wouldn’t hurt her. She did it, but he hurt her anyway.”

Maxim heard the anger in Airiana’s voice. Anger and despair. He stopped just at the top of the stairs and put his arm around her, pulling her into the shelter of his body. “We can’t save them all, but we saved these four. For now, that has to be enough, honey, or you’ll end up going crazy.”

“When we moved to the farm,” Airiana told him, “I thought we were done with violence. We live pretty simply and it’s beautiful there, and so peaceful. It sickens me to know that this is still going on right under our noses.”

Airiana had used the word still. He didn’t question her, but he knew she was referring to her youngest sister, Lexi. Of course, the moment he knew Lev and Stefan were involved with two of the women living there, he’d investigated all of them.

“We’ll take care of those kids. I don’t know how, Airiana, but we’ll get it done. Right now, I need you to put everything else aside and give me a hundred percent right here and now. What we’re doing is dangerous. We have to disable the ship, but there are going to be men down in the engine room. If possible, we’ll round them up and put them in the cargo container they put the kids in. If not, we’ll have no choice but to kill them.”

“Do we know they’re a part of this?”

“They know what’s going on aboard this ship. They’re paid to keep quiet, and they have in spite of the fact that women, boys and children are brought here, used and murdered. They aren’t innocent. In any case, once we’re gone, those children will have no protection. If I don’t get to everyone, they’ll be in danger.”

Airiana nodded her head several times. “Okay. I understand. I just wanted to be certain.”

“I’m sorry about all this. It was supposed to be simple—snatch you out from under the noses of Evan’s men and get you off ship to a waiting sub and to your father where you would be safe. The children complicated things.”

“I would much rather have been here where you could help those kids,” Airiana said firmly.

Her blue eyes were a little cloudy, but steady. His heart did some sort of curious melt, leaving him wondering at the power of women—especially the one he found himself drawn to. She was small, and seemingly fragile, but her looks were definitely deceiving. She could roar like a lion, and no matter how afraid she was, she moved forward, willing to help him.

He wanted to kiss her again. The urge was strong, but he resisted. This wasn’t the time or place and they had work to do. “Stay behind me,” he ordered, his voice once again all business.

She flashed a small, secretive smile that made his insides tighten, but she obediently dropped back to do as he said. She had the assault rifle and the webbing over her shoulder while he carried his war bag over his.

They moved down the stairs in silence. He muffled the sound, but realized she was automatically doing so as well. She learned fast and he appreciated that. Once more, he shifted into stealth mode. He couldn’t afford his mind to be anywhere but on his mission. The flight of stairs led to the engine room, and below that was the cargo hold.

Airiana walked in his footsteps, directly behind him, so quietly he wouldn’t have known she was there other than the fact that her scent was so alluring to him. Everything about her was and he damned well wasn’t going to lose her.

Voices drifted to him.

“Damn that Swede. He was supposed to be right back here. I’m not taking his bullshit anymore. Go find him, Lance, and get him back here.”

“He’s probably in the galley. He spends more time there than in here. I swear he puts on twenty pounds every time we go to sea.” Lance laughed. “Really, Cahill, you need to see the humor in the situation.”

“I don’t find it so funny,” Cahill groused. “Not when we have to do his work.”

“We have to do his work when he’s here,” Lance said. “He doesn’t belong in the engine room. He doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing. I think he’s a hired gun. Half the crew doesn’t know what they’re doing. But the pay’s good, and we occasionally get a woman for a while. What more do you want?”

“Someone to help out with the work,” Cahill snapped.

“It’s never going to be the Swede.” Lance laughed. “If you want to find him, go yourself. Maybe you’ll come back in a better mood.”

Maxim held his fist up, a signal for Airiana to stop moving. He slid his war bag from his shoulder to the floor. Stalking Lance was easy, he’d begun whistling, giving his position away. Cahill had fallen silent after his outburst, but air told Maxim he was moving through the machinery, heading straight for him.

Crouching in the shadows, he sent Airiana reassurance. Just stay very still.

I’m out in the open.

I know. He’s going to spot you, but he won’t believe what he’s seeing.

I’m bait?

He smiled at the outrage in her voice. He doesn’t have a gun.

How do you know? What happened to me being so important?

You saddled me with four kids. I’m not certain your worth outweighs that particular transgression.

Cahill rounded the long line of pipes and came to a halt, his mouth open, staring at Airiana. Before he could move, or make a sound, Maxim came up behind him and pressed a gun into the back of his neck.

“You’ve seen me before, Cahill,” Maxim said softly, keeping the thread of sound between them. “You know I have no problem ending you. Call your friend. Be very careful what you say. I killed the Swede and his buddy, so no one’s going to rescue you. Just keep your temper in check and you’ll come out of this alive.”

Cahill swallowed hard several times. His face had gone bright red and his fingers curled into two tight fists. “Lance.” He raised his voice. “Lance, I need a little help over here.”

“Can’t you do anything yourself?” Lance called back. “I’m on a coffee break, like the Swede.” He laughed heartily at his joke.

Cahill swung around, going for the gun, hoping to shove it away from his neck, shouting as he did so. Maxim shot him through the temple, muffling the silencer he used so that no sound escaped. His body fell hard, and Maxim didn’t block that sound.

Open your eyes and get into that dark alcove right behind you, he instructed Airiana. She looked a little shell-shocked.

She obeyed quickly, her face very pale. From his position he could see she was distressed, but her hands were rock steady on the MP-5.

It’s going to be all right, honey. Hang in there with me. He couldn’t resist reassuring her.

Lance moved around the long row and stopped abruptly when he saw Cahill’s fallen body. Blood seeped out around his head, creating a halo of red.

“What the hell?”

Lance ran to the fallen man, crouching down, or he started to. Recognizing the wound for what it was, he pulled out a gun and looked wildly around.

“Drop it, Lance. Right now. I tried to give Cahill his chance, but he didn’t listen. Make your choice.”

Lance dropped his gun.

“Put your hands behind your head and lock your fingers together.”

Lance complied, and Maxim stepped behind and used a zip tie to secure his hands.

I’m taking him to the cargo hold. Stay right where you are. No one should come down here, but that doesn’t mean they won’t.

Maxim could feel her reluctance to be left alone, but she didn’t object. He shoved Lance ahead of him, already regretting not killing him. He didn’t like leaving Airiana alone either, but it would only take a couple of minutes to get Lance secured in the container the children had been locked in. He shoved Lance toward the stairs. The man was solid, although not particularly large, but clearly he was all muscle. A small alarm went off in Maxim’s head.

Lance had indicated that the Swede was useless in the engine room—implying he was most likely a hired gun—but the Swede had been easy to dispose of. Too easy. He was no highly skilled mercenary, but Lance . . .

Maxim indicated the stairs and Lance went down them without question. The moment he hit the bottom, he crouched and swung around, using his head to butt Maxim in the chest with a hard blow. Prepared for the attack, Maxim moved his body back just inches enough to escape the assault.

Lance kept spinning around, hooking his ankle in Maxim’s, his momentum pulling Maxim’s foot out from under him. Maxim leapt over the man, kicking him hard in the head as he went down, somersaulting and coming back up on his feet. Lance’s head hit the metal railing hard and he slumped down, shaken.

Maxim reached for his shoulder to yank him up and Lance came up fast, a knife in his bound hands, ripping up Maxim’s belly to his chest. The burn was fierce, but it was a shallow wound. He leapt back away from the grinning man. Lance spat on the floor and flicked the blade of the knife through the zip tie.

“Amateur hour,” he snapped.

Maxim smiled. “Nice move.”

Lance circled to the left, forcing Maxim to circle with him. He kept the knife in close, indicating he knew what he was doing. Maxim lifted his gun and shot him right through the middle of his forehead. Lance actually looked a little startled, as if he’d forgotten Maxim had a gun, not a knife. He toppled slowly to the floor.

Maxim sighed. The body count was climbing higher than he expected. He glanced at his watch again. He needed to disable the engine, forcing the crew to drop anchor. He still had to figure out what to do with the rest of the crew.

He made his way back to the engine room. As soon as he entered, he held his hand out to Airiana. She came to him instantly and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in close to him. It astonished him just how much she had taken over his thoughts. She’d found a way inside of him, creeping in when he wasn’t expecting it.

“You’re dangerous,” he said, his tone harsher than he intended. She was just so insidious, slipping into his soul when he was so certain his every defense was in place and no one could ever find that last piece of himself that belonged only to him. There was no running from her.

He’d known her less than twenty-four hours. What would it be like in her company for a lifetime? She’d be so tightly wound inside of him that there’d never be an escape. Would he even want to?

Abruptly he caught up his war bag and stalked through the engine room with Airiana following. She didn’t say anything at all and he kept his back to her, not wanting to see her face. He was giving too much of himself away. He wasn’t a man to be out in the open, naked and vulnerable to a woman. He lived in the shadows and slipped easily from one skin to another. No one could know him. Not even Airiana.

He went to work, losing himself in the familiar process of building his devices and setting his timers. He took his time, not wanting to make a mistake. Everything depended on the ship stopping on time.

Airiana waited quietly until he straightened up and looked at her. “What next?” she asked, her voice quiet.

“Everything depends on stopping the ship. We’ve got a few hours before the engines start to go. The ship will slow and then they’ll drop anchor. We’ll suit up and get out of here. I’ll call for help to rescue the kids. These couple of hours, waiting until dark, is our most dangerous time.”

She made a face. “You know they landed that helicopter on the deck. It’s still there. Why don’t we just use the helicopter to get out of here? You can do everything else, I can’t imagine that you don’t pilot a helicopter as well.”

He couldn’t help but smile. “As a matter of fact, I can fly a copter, but that’s not the plan. You’re doing your best not to set foot in the ocean, aren’t you?”

“It makes sense to fly.”

He shook his head. “We’re disabling the helicopter. I don’t want it used for anyone’s escape. Come on, we have a lot to do to keep those children safe.”