Page 69 of Stone Coast (Tyson Wild Thriller)

T he footsteps flooded into the superstructure. They hovered at the top of the stairs, and the beams of flashlights cut through the darkness.

I held up in the hallway, keeping my weapon aimed at the stairs, Olivia crouching behind me.

"I guess we’re going out in a blaze of glory," Olivia said. "I'm right with you all the way."

I think Olivia started to believe we were in a movie. But this was no movie.

A voice shouted from above. "Put your weapons down and come out with your hands up.”

I didn't know if they were cops or more of Ross’s men.

"Get fucked!" Olivia shouted.

After a momentary pause, the deep voice shouted back. "Savannah Stone?"

"Who are you?" I replied .

"My name is Officer Nate Shaw with the CIA. Who's with you?"

"None of your business.”

"Where's Ross Jenkins?"

"Probably in hell,” I said.

"Is there anyone else aboard?”

"None that are living."

"Why don’t you come up here, and I will debrief you?"

I laughed. "Sorry, I'll pass.”

"I can understand your skepticism, but you're outnumbered. I've got a dozen officers on this boat and a dozen more on shore. I'm not the bad guy. In fact, you did us a favor.”

"You expect me to believe anything you people say?”

"No. Honestly, I don't.” He paused. “How about I come down to talk to you? Unarmed.”

"Hell no!" Olivia hissed to me, "You can't trust anybody."

"I'm coming down," Shaw said.

Footsteps clanked against the metal companionway.

I kept my weapon aimed at the stairs.

Shaw made his way below deck, his silhouette backlit by light spilling down from above. He kept his hands in the air.

He was brave—I had to give him that.

"Keep your hands where I can see them, and don't make any sudden moves," I growled .

He stopped in his tracks and said, "You're the boss. I have a proposition for you. I think you might want to hear me out.”

After a long pause, I said, "I'm listening.”

"Ross was clearly out of control. Operating unsanctioned and without oversight.”

"Of course, you’re going to say that," I replied.

"It's the truth.”

"Do you people even know what the truth means?”

"I understand your frustration. Lines can get blurred. Things can get confusing in the fog of battle.”

"I'm not confused.”

“But Ross was. He was confused about his purpose. About his mission. About his morality. But you… You’re crystal clear."

"That might be a stretch.”

Nate laughed. "I'm trying to talk you up. Get on your good side. Is it working?"

"Not really. You need more training."

He laughed again. "You may be right." He paused for a second. "Ross had left the CIA when he recruited you. He was working completely off the books. You haven’t been working directly for us in quite some time.”

“It gave you plausible deniability,” I said, putting it all together.

“I want you to rebuild the section. Refocus the group back to its original purpose. Under your guidance, I think it could be a valuable unit."

"You want me to rebuild a hit squad?"

"Focus strictly on enemies of the state. No domestic operations.”

My first inclination was to say hell no , but I bit my tongue.

"This is what you're trained for. It's what you're good at. You’d have complete operational control, and you would report directly to me.”

"How do I even know you are who you say you are?"

It was hard to see his expression in the darkness, but I think he smiled. He had dark hair, a square jaw, and was a well-built man in his mid-30s.

"I need to think about it," I said.

"I'm going to hand you my card," he said.

"Slowly,” I cautioned, still keeping the weapon aimed at him.

With care, he dug into his pocket and handed me his card.

It looked official, but that didn't mean shit.

"I'll need your decision within a week. Call me.” He started for the steps, then stopped.

“It goes without saying that none of this happened.

We were never here, and neither were you.

We'll take care of the bodies. Me and my men will clear out so you can get out of here in peace. You’ll never see me again unless you call that number.

If you don't call that number, you'll no longer be under our purview.”

"I can walk away just like that? ”

"Just like that.” Then he added, “Oh, and by the way. The prosecutor will be dropping all charges against you. Somehow, they lost the evidence,” he said with a grin. “You’re welcome.”

And with that, he climbed the steps and told his men to clear out.

Footsteps shuffled across the deck, and before long, the boat felt empty.

"You do not live a boring life,” Olivia said. “And all this time, I thought you needed to get out more.”