Page 87 of An Epic Voyage

Chapter Twenty-Six

Griffin needed to stashJordy somewhere so he could search.The safest place would be the speedboat.It was the one thing almost guaranteed not to explode when the bomb went off.Either he and Indigo would be aboard, or Van Houten and his underlings would.He was praying for the former.

Griffin was getting ahead of himself.They needed to get out of the cargo hold first.

The only windows were small and round.No way was he fitting his big body through them.He’d have to go out the hatch.

He recalled from the schematics that there was only one egress point, and it was made of marine-grade stainless steel with a waterproof gasket.Maybe they’d left it unlocked.He climbed the steps and pushed.It didn’t budge.Of course, it couldn’t be easy.He needed to find something to pry it open.

He glanced at Jordy, who was standing in the same spot he’d left him.The man was in serious shock, but that was another thing Griffin didn’t have time to deal with right now.Once they escaped and returned to the United States, he’d suggest that Jordy seek counseling.What he’d witnessed and been through would haunt him for a long time.

Griffin found a light and snapped it on, wincing as the brightness from the fluorescent bulb stung his eyes.There had to be something down here he could use.He opened a door, found another switch, and flicked it on.Tools.Jackpot.

The first thing he spotted was a flashlight.That would come in handy.He was about to grab a crowbar when he heard a faint moan.It couldn’t have been Jordy, since it had come from inside the room.Rounding a table, he came to a halt.Franklin Shephard, Van Houten’s assistant, was lying in a bloody heap, his arms and legs bound.

Griffin crouched down.“Franklin?”

“Help me.”

Aw, damn, he’d been beaten to within an inch of his life.His battered face was almost unrecognizable.There was no way he could walk.

“Franklin, it’s Griffin.Who did this to you?”

He coughed and spat out blood, most likely from internal injuries.“G-Gordon.Zisk.”

“I have to leave you right now—”

Franklin’s eyes popped open, and he reached out with his bound hands.“Please, don’t leave me.I don’t want to die.”

“I need to so I can find a way out, but I’ll come back for you.”

Franklin’s arms dropped, and his body slumped.Griffin felt for a pulse, finding a faint one.He needed immediate medical care, or he most likely wouldn’t make it.Griffin stood and went to find Jordy.He was still in the same spot.

“Jordy?”

He jumped.

“Sorry.I didn’t mean to scare you.Did you know Franklin was here?”

Jordy’s brow wrinkled.“No.”

“He’s in awful shape.I need you to keep him company while I search the boat.”

Panicked eyes shot to the hatch.“You’re leaving me here?Alone?”

“I don’t want to, but I need to find Indigo.Then we will come back for you.”

“You promise?”

“Yes.”

Jordy nodded.“Okay.I’ll wait with him.”

“Great.”Griffin guided him to Franklin.

Jordy ground to a halt.“Oh, God, is he dead?”