Page 132 of Secret Mission

“Oh, my god! No! No! No!”

Justice flips Truck onto his back and does something. I can’t see what he’s doing exactly.

Scrambling along the yacht’s deck, I find the floating, life-saving ring and toss it to Justice.

He loops an arm through and swims toward the smaller boat.

Heart breaking, breath gone, I stumble off the yacht, and toward the other vessel.

I’m in a fog now. A disbelieving, aching plane between worlds.

“Help me get him up.”

Justice guides me as we pull Truck’s heavy, limp body onto the deck.

I’m too stunned to speak as Justice crawls over him and begins CPR.

I’m sobbing so hard, all I can do is hold his hand.

The cold scares me. The stillness destroys me.

“Come on, fucker.” Justice’s angry gaze meets mine. “He’s gonna make it.”

I snap out of my silent shock.

“Baby, can you hear me?” Brushing my shaking hand over Truck’s head, I lean close. “You need to wake up now. Right now?—”

Voice shredded, I rock, pray, and keep talking. “You remember the crocodile. You saved me. You killed that beast for me. You’re a badass. You’re not done.We’re not done. We’re getting married, and you’re gonna call me Gator, and we’re gonna have the best life. We’re gonna watch sunsets and hike in the mountains where there’s no water. You hear me?”

Justice is talking, and I realize that he’s on the communications gear with Beast. He’s still pumping on Truck’s chest like a machine, his whole body rippling with strength.

Above us, the sky is opening up. A devil’s fury lashing down on us. The crack of lightning is so bright and violent, so close I wonder for a beat if we’ve been struck.

“Wait!” Justice cries into the thunder. “He just blinked.”

I pull back, cradling Truck’s face. “He did?”

Justice presses his fingers along Truck’s neck.

“Got a pulse.” He leans over, resting his hand on the dock. “Thank you, big man. Now come on. I need you with me. We gotta get the hell out of here. I can’t do it alone.”

There’s a violent spasm in Truck’s chest. Then he coughs. Water seeps from his mouth.

Oh, thank god. “That’s it. That’s it, sweetheart.”

Justice and I roll his gigantic frame to the side so he can get the water out.

Second by second, he’s coming back more.

Rubbing my hands over his back, I talk to him the whole time. Lots of promises. Lots of dreams.

Until Justice clutches my arm.

“The guards are on the cliff. They’re coming this way.”

In unison, we jump up and drag Truck from the back deck further onto the gray boat.

The jostling makes him groan and curse. But Truck’s voice is weak enough to make me swallow hard.