-Ems-a frantic cry disturbed the still waters of the icy ocean. Mere moments later angry red light coloured the sky.
-Ems-a relieved, but still full of concern second shout interrupted the reigning night silence.
A strange combination between a whimper and a howl was the answer. To Nolan it sounded like an animal in agony. His eyes desperately looked for the origin of the sound and the signal gunshot. Five unbearably long seconds later he glimpsed Emily's blond hair and saw her floating above water on a half blown lifeboat. Nolan realised he must have stopped breathing when the first relieved gulp of cold salty air reached his lungs. He was no fool. The blond man could tell all was not fine: Emily was alone, there was no sight of Amanda – the woman, the remains of the boat were floating on the ocean's surface and there were no guarantees Jack would make it, even though the newlywed man was left in the hopefully competent hands of the local ER staff.
No, Nolan didn't need time to tell things were bad, but he knew, he believed with his whole being, that as long as Emily was alive, they would survive somehow. The computer genius had no idea what exactly had happened while he speeded Jack to medical care, nobody knew the first thing about how to proceed from here, how would they ever start to move on?
Nolan guided the boat towards Emily. The only sure thing was that their world would never be the same. The enemy had caught them unaware and fate had made sure all involved suffered the consequences of their own secrets and lies, no one was left standing victorious once the dust settled.
-Oh, Ems, come here, what happened? Amanda, did she …- uttered Nolan as his gangly arms helped Emily hoist herself in to the boat. She was dripping wet and could barely move her frozen limbs. Nolan kept his intense concerned gaze on her form as he wrapped a blanked around her and started the engine to get them to the shore.
-Amanda is dead. How is Jack?-Emily was over grieving right now, it was time to get down to business. The Graysons, because if she was sure about anything it was that what transpired this day was ultimately their fault.
-With the doctors. I called anonymously for an ambulance, left him on the shore and waited to see them loading him in to the back of the ambulance, nobody saw me, so we should be fine. Is there no chance that Amanda survived? How did the boat get destroyed?
-That Ryan bastard made sure the boat would explode, a last effort to kill us! He was shot and apparently decided that if he was dying he was taking us with him, he was a jackass criminal of the worst kind till his end. We were in the lifeboat when Amanda went back to get the necklace I gave her and saw him ignite his lighter. She warned me, but we barely managed to jump of the boat when it blew up. The lifeboat was only half inflated, we managed to keep ourselves above water, but she was hurt too badly. She was in my arms Nolan! I held her and she made me promise to take care of Carl and Jack, she just let go. She let go and it was over…
-Oh, Ems… I can't believe its been hours since we saw them get married, this is so unfair. What will we tell Jack, what will happen with Carl, they need Amanda.
-The Graysons will pay for this, forget retribution, they went too far, its time for revenge. I have allowed myself to become distracted, but that is over, nothing will stand in my way now. I will never forgive them for this.
-You think they are behind Ryan junior following Jack and Amanda?
-I am sure of it. I knew once Conrad got involved in keeping the bar he had some selfish reason for helping. Jack and Amanda must have interfered with his plans and he somehow made the younger Ryan go after them. He was not resourceful enough to do this on his own.
-Just don't do anything stupid. Jack and Carl will need us, you are the boy's godmother and if they are still in danger, we will have to figure out how to protect them. And let's not forget about Sharlot and Declan, this will affect them also, Sharlot will be crushed. The Graysons are still her family and with your computer we can get justice for what they have done. You don't need to do anything drastic to them.
-I am done with justice, Nolan! You think them dying in prison will get my father or Amanda back, that it will be enough to pay for me growing up in juvie or Carl not ever getting to know his mother. Prison is too soft a sentence for them, I will give them exactly what to deserve, which is to suffer as they lose everything they hold dear and nothing less. Don't try to discourage me. With or without you I am doing this. I will destroy them alone if I have to!
-You are not alone, Ems. I will never leave your side, you know that! And don't forget you also have your very own British James Bond. He seems the type to stick around. What will your revenge classmate have to say about the new agenda? Will at least hear his concerns, I am sure he will have some.
-Aiden will come on board with the new plan eventually. He knows better than to try change my mind. If you are in as well, lets just hurry to get home. We have lots to do to deal with this situation.
-As you say captain.-murmured Nolan. The silence of the night reigned as the boat speeded towards the shore. The blonds had nothing left to be said. Their loud thoughts of curly head brides never to be herd laughing again and injured grooms whose survival remained under question were silenced in the cold night.