As he finished speaking, Jerry appeared in the doorway.She went straight to him, putting her arms around his neck.He hugged her tight and spoke over her shoulder to Phil.“I’m here to take you to the helipad.”He pulled back and looked down at Olive.“You, too.”He gave her a small kiss on her left cheek.“It’s over.Cavalry’s here.”
The US Navy frigates and destroyers had towed the cargo ship away and now floated on the horizon.They had reloaded all the illicit cargo back aboard before tugging it clear.Jerry and his friends sat in deck chairs and watched the new cruise ship, the Opulent Odyssey, pull up alongside.The ship was the cruise line’s most exclusive vessel.Under the supervision of the Secret Service and other DHS agents, the new crew would relocate all the passengers’ belongings onto the new cruise ship and then bring the passengers aboard by tenders.None of them would step foot on this ship again.
Because the Valiant Voyager sailed under the Bahamas flag, the Royal Bahamas Defense Force would conduct a very thorough search and inspection of the ship before any future passengers could come aboard.
Captain Ege walked off the bridge and welcomed the other captain onto his vessel.
Three SH-60 Seahawk helicopters circled the island.He knew they would land on the far side of the island and take the Nortons and Ozzy’s parents back to the mainland.A Medivac helicopter had already departed with Daniel Swanson and Olive Duncan.Ozzy rode along, taking them to his hospital in Miami.
The Marshals and Secret Service had worked it out with the cruise line to give their people the opportunity to finish their trip aboard the Opulent Odyssey or leave.They all decided to go ahead and leave, and another transport would arrive to take them all back to Miami soon.Melissa’s sister, Lola, and Marshall Stalling had simply disappeared.Jerry hadn’t even realized they’d gone until long after everything ended.
Peña and Emma walked up to Jerry where he lounged.She had changed into a pair of loose pants and a jersey top.“Well, that happened!”
Peña slapped Jerry on the shoulder.“Nice work, Top.”Without changing his stoic expression, Jerry simply lifted his chin in acknowledgement.“We have a tender on the other side of this deck.It’s going to take us to a fast boat that will take us to Miami in style.”He looked at Sanders.“You, too, Drumstick, according to your wife.She’ll join you when she’s done here.”
“Oh, goodie.Another boat.More ocean.Can’t wait.Hey!Maybe we’ll be attacked by pirates.”Sanders drained his soda and said, “Well, let’s skedaddle.”He looked around.“They get our luggage already?”
“That’s my understanding,” Peña said.“We have everyone accounted for.”
Three hours later, Jerry followed Phil Osbourne through the emergency department and on into the doctor’s lounge.The bandage on his left cheek covering the sutures interfered with his field of vision and generally annoyed him.Inside the quiet room, he found Olive sitting on a couch, her bare feet up on the coffee table in front of her.She had her head back and eyes closed.
In the hours since he’d seen her, the bruising on her face had darkened.The bruise from her temple had spread to around her eye, and her eye had started to swell shut slightly.Her jaw had purpled all the way to her ear.
Anger boiled in his chest at the sight of her.He had to stop briefly and take a breath.Osbourne put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, as if he understood what made him pause.
“Excuse me, ma’am?”Jerry greeted softly.She slowly opened her eyes, then blinked and smiled.“You call for a cab?”
She laughed and stood, steady on her feet.He noticed she still didn’t have on shoes.“I am so ready to be gone from here.”
“Hey,” Osbourne said, “why do you want to be mean like that?”
She hugged him.“Thank you, Phil.Thanks for everything.”
“You’re welcome.Next time you get beat up by pirates, I’ll be happy to patch you back up again.”
“Next time,” she said, then turned to Jerry.“You.I’ve missed you so much today.Does that hurt?”
“Not even a little bit.”He pulled her into his arms.“Tried to call you to tell you I was coming, but it went to voicemail.”
“Yeah.My phone was in my purse.That didn’t make it into the brig with me.That’s the kind of thing we can worry about tomorrow.”She framed his face with her hands.
He flinched.“Okay.Maybe it hurts a little bit.”
She pulled her hands back.“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.I’ve had worse, as you know.”
“Did you decide to get shot again to meet more hot chicks?”
He shook his head, “You’re the only hot chick I ever wanted to meet, Olive.”He hugged her and, out of her line of sight, raised an eyebrow and gave Osbourne a questioning look.
Osbourne waved a hand in her direction.“She’s good.Jaw imaging is good.Headache’s getting better instead of worse.”
Jerry gently brushed the hair off her forehead and gave her a light kiss.“I’m so sorry you got hurt.”
The tears that filled her eyes surprised him.“I’m sorryyougot hurt.I’m sorry I was late.I’m never late.”
He brushed her lips one more time.“I know.That helped my worry.”
