The wind along the backside of her eyewall could be heard howling in the near distance. The storm surge running beneath the house made a licking sound against the foundation’s supports as the wave action picked up. And the air, which had been blessedly crisp and fresh in the center of the eye, was once more growing dank and heavy-smelling.
“This sumbitch is a Navy SEAL.” Zip Tie Guy’s voice was wheezy. “That’s what the tat means.” He pointed at LT’s Budweiser ink. “I saw it on a documentary about—”
“Just ’cause he’s got the tattoo don’t mean he earned it,” Wrecking Ball interrupted.
Zip Tie Guy leaned around LT, his eyes wide. “That true? You a poser?”
“What’s it matter?” LT came back. “You gonna believe me either way I answer?”
“Secure him to his chair. Just to be safe,” the leader of the group instructed.
After binding LT’s wrists, Zip Tie Guy also secured LT’s elbows to the rungs on the back of the chair.
Damn, Doc thought.That throws a wrench in the works.
If LT couldn’t escape the ties so the two of them could overwhelm their captors, they’d need to find another way to turn the tide in their favor. Doc ran through possible scenarios while the leader of the masked men disappeared upstairs.
By the time the head honcho came back from his second trip, four of the six duffel bags were stacked on the floor near the bottom of the stairs and Doc had come up with a plan. It wasn’t agoodplan. Everything would hinge on timing. But it was the only way he could see getting Red’s gun.
The burn of adrenaline had his heart pumping double-time. Once again, he fell back on his training.
Breath work was a trick SEALs used to slow their heartrate and lower their blood pressure. Doc employed a method known asbox breathingby focusing on a speck of peeling paint on the wall behind the stairs and visualizing drawing a box around it.
Simple. But effective.
Once he’d repeated the trick twice, his mind was laser-focused, and his heart was metronome-steady.
Turning to catch LT’s eyes, another wordless exchange passed between them.
He hitched his chin toward Zip Tie Guy.Get ready to ram him.
LT gave a slight nod.Roger that.
Darting a quick glance at Red, Doc added,I’ll break my tie and go for his gun.
LT’s left eye twitched in a pseudo wink.Ready when you are.
“There are only two more bags upstairs,” Head Honcho declared. “Where’s the rest of the loot?”
“Not here.” LT sounded almost jubilant. And his smile? It reminded Doc of a shark about to bite the head off its prey. “And by that I mean it’s not on the island. If you were hopin’ to get your hands on the lot of it, you’re shit outta luck, my friend.”
Zip Tie Guy cursed and Red made an impatient gesture. As for Wrecking Ball, he hitched his chin toward the duffel bags. “How much isthatworth?”
“Probably somewhere north of six million,” LT answered easily. There really was no point in lying and antagonizing their captors further. “We reckon all six bags would ring in at about ten.”
Anotherthing SEALs learned early in training was when it was advantageous to cooperate and when it was advantageous to resist.
“Holy Mary, mother of Jesus!” Wrecking Ball breathed. “Ten million simoleons in six bags. Don’t seem possible, does it?”
“It’s enough.” Zip Tie Guy eyes were wide inside his mask. “Morethan enough. Get the last two bags and let’s finish this.”
Doc waited until he could hear the leader stomping around upstairs. Then, with a quick, downward jerk of his chin, he told LT it was go-time.
LT didn’t hesitate. With the reflexes of a cat, Doc’s former commanding officer jumped to a stand, the move made slightly awkward because he was taking the chair with him. LT’s roar did hisnom de guerreproud when he rammed his head into Zip Tie Guy’s stomach before Zip Tie could do more than blink in surprise.
“Fuck me!” Wrecking Ball yelled as Zip Tie Guy flew back against the wall beneath the staircase. The dude hit with so much force his head made a sick-soundingthudwhen it smacked into the banister.
Red instinctively turned toward the commotion, and the adrenaline singeing Doc’s veins burned his muscles into action. He stood from the chair, lifted his arms as high as he could behind his back, and brought his elbows forward with a hard jerk.
