Page 92 of Chain Reaction

Was the feeling because of the drugs she’d been given? Were they still wearing off?

They probably were still wearing off. But she didn’t think that was what caused her confusion.

This room really was jostling back and forth.

Raven sucked in a breath. She was on a boat, she realized.

She closed her eyes a minute, listening for any sounds to give her more clues.

That was when footsteps sounded above her. Lots of footsteps.

If she wasn’t mistaken, these weren’t the footsteps of a crew hurrying back and forth. No, the motions felt more leisurely.

She forced her eyes back open and gazed around the room again.

Gleaming stainless-steel pipes ran alongside meticulously labeled control panels, while enormous marine diesel engines dominated the space. The room was surprisingly clean, with polished floors and dim lighting that illuminated an array of generators, water makers, air conditioning systems, and stabilizers.

She was in the engine room of some type of large boat—most likely used for entertaining—and she’d been tied up below deck.

She craned her neck to see what might be behind her.

That was when her eyes widened.

Because what was behind her was unmistakably . . . a bomb.

Jake felt the blast.

Felt the heat.

Heard the explosion.

He felt his body jostling—flying through the air as a ball of fire surrounded him.

He was certain this would be the last thing that ever happened to him.

Then he’d hit the ground.

At least, that was what he thought.

He moaned as pain captured his body.

He blinked as he tried to comprehend what had happened.

The all too familiar smell of smoke and something burning surrounded him.

He moaned again as he tried to move.

That was when he realized where he was.

In the walk-in freezer.

Except it had been blown . . . somewhere.

However, the thick walls had kept him safe from the blast.

But he had to get out of here.

He tried to move his arm. It took several seconds until he was actually able to.