Page 97 of Ground Zero

Sheridan pushed harder, knowing the speed wouldn’t be enough.

They only had four minutes to get far enough from shore to save lives.

Four minutes before they all died.

“There!” Maverick pointed to a deep channel marker. “The shipping lane. Deepest water, farthest from populated areas. There are no bridges nearby. It’s our best option.”

Three minutes.

Sheridan was on the radio, warning all vessels to clear the area. Her voice was steady, professional, even knowing she was broadcasting her own death notice.

“Let me take over!” Maverick shouted. “You jump. Save yourself!”

“No way am I leaving you now!” Wind whipped through her hair, pushing it from her face as they sped across the water.

Two minutes.

They weren’t out far enough. The blast would still damage the shoreline, might still cause casualties.

Sheridan looked at Maverick.

His eyes met hers, and she saw everything she’d been too afraid to acknowledge. The connection that had grown despite impossible circumstances. The trust that had developed between them. The love that neither had spoken aloud.

“If things had been different . . .” she started.

“I know.” He placed his hand on her back, his words full of unspoken promises.

Sixty seconds.

“Sheridan, I?—”

“I care about you too.” She didn’t want to die without saying it.

Fifty seconds.

A roar filled the air—not the explosives but helicopters. Military helicopters, approaching fast.

Forty seconds.

Were they far enough away? Or had all of this been for nothing?

She prayed that wasn’t the case.

CHAPTER 53

Maverick suddenly began moving and grabbed one of the crates.

“Maverick, what are you?—”

“Salt water,” he rushed. “If we flood these charges with salt water, it’ll disable the blasting caps and interrupt the electrical circuit. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier.”

He pushed the first crate into the water.

Her heart pounded harder. He was right.

It was their best option.

Sheridan began helping with the additional crates.