The shadow of a young woman peered over the railing as the Sargasso Sea cut through the water at full speed on its way up the eastern seaboard, ruffling gentle waves of foam in the otherwise smooth Atlantic. Summer Pitt lifted her face to stare sadly into the beautiful star-filled sky before heaving a heavy sigh and letting her gaze drop back to the inky darkness of the deep water.
It wasn't like her to have nightmares and the fact that she couldn't quite get over her most recent brush with death filled her with contempt.
You should be thrilled, she lectured herself silently as she wrapped her arms tightly around her sides when a wave shivers coursed through her body. You helped solve the mystery of the Aztec's codex and find Moctezuma's lost treasure, giving Mexico, Cuba, and the United States a cultural and historical treasure trove to share and enjoy.
But all she could think about was Diaz's expression as he lowered her beneath the waves in NUMA's stolen submersible, Starfish.
Shaking her head and furiously rubbing her arms, she hoped for the hundredth time to banish the sight of the evil Cuban's reptilian smile and coldly sadistic black eyes from her mind's eye and scrub away his icy touch.
But for the hundredth it didn't work.
"Are you okay, Sum?" her father's voice asked softly as he came up behind her; she felt his strong arms wrap around her waist as he kissed the back of her head.
Immediately turning towards him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed in defeat, "No."
Pulling back slightly, Pitt looked her over with fatherly affection and concern, "I take it that you're not dreaming of seeing the gold and jewels that we found at Gitmo in the Smithsonian?"
She laughed softly for a moment then shook her head sadly, "I'm afraid not." Cocking her head, she added, "How'd you know I was out here?"
"Oh, ever since that lowlife Diaz tried to suffocate you in the Starfish, I've taken it into my head to check on you every once in awhile." He smiled broadly and shrugged, "When I poked my head in your room a few minutes ago and found you gone, I came looking."
She smiled, grateful to know of his watchfulness.
He pulled her close and kissed her forehead, then studied her again, "It's not like you to let the likes of Juan Diaz upset you."
She sighed, "I'm afraid he has." Staring up at him, searching for the reassurance that only he could give her, she added, "I've never felt more alone and helpless than I did down there."
"I don't know about helpless," he answered, his features softening as a knowing smile spread across his face, "You were pretty handy with the detonator tube."
Her eyes widened and she gasped, "That was you?"
"Oh, yeah." Pitt's eyes flashed with determination and he grinned like a shark, "I wasn't about to leave my baby down there in the middle of all that ANFO."
"But how did you-"
Pitt winked, "Well, after ditching the one-way ride to Havana, I found a really cool old couple driving down the road. They were kind enough to give me a lift to the harbor where I spotted an old friend's yacht. Mark Ramsey just happens to be the legal owner of the Sea Raker and he was just as miffed as we were when I told him about Diaz's illegal operations so he didn't mind hustling me right over."
"Then I found the control room just in time to see you headed to the bottom and I couldn't help but be pretty sore about not getting to go along with you." He hugged her tightly, "So when I noticed a guy looking like he could use a nap, I helped him out and took over his ROV."
Smiling down at her, he finished in a hoarse whisper, "I'm just glad that we work together so well. I couldn't have done it without you."
"You saved me twice," she realized, her voice catching.
He nodded emphatically, "I saved me too; I don't know how to go on without you."
Author's Notes: It's been almost four years to the day since I posted a Clive Cussler story so I felt like this has been a long time coming. I'm only sad that the genre hasn't got more stories in it. Hopefully, I can reinvigorate it with this and others ideas. Mr. Cussler has so many cool characters!
Havana Storm is my favorite book in the Dirk Pitt series. Please disregard the fact that I say that every time I read another one; I absolutely mean it this time!