The sun had been beating down on them for a long time. The heat was sweltering,sun burns had begin to form on Parker and Sophie,slowly making a presence on Nate and Eliot. The open water was still and quiet,a warm breeze was making it's presence known making the heat twice as worse then it really was. Nate and Sophie had been making sure to keep Jimar as cool as can be by taking the masterminds button up shirt placing it in the water then over the boy. Nate kept his undershirt wet as well to try and remain cool. Eliot's eyes nervously searched the horizon for any sign of a boat or something that will help them but so far nothing had been present. Nate knew the outcome wasn't going to be anything good if help did not come.
Jimar moved from Sophie's arms back to Nate,trying to stay cool was proving difficult for the young boy even if his two guardians were trying there best. He eyed the other three carefully,especially Eliot. He felt something was different about that man,like he was hiding secrets from a long life of torture and regret. Jimar did watch the other two as well but his focus was on the hitter. He almost feared the hitter but knew he was safe when he was with the two who have been protecting him like he was their own.
"Is help ever going to get here?" Parker was the first to speak.
Nate sighed quietly glancing over to his wife then to the young thief. "Well," he began. "That depends on if anyone is looking for us and if there is an aerial shipment today."
Rolling his eyes Hardison felt helpless without any equipment,he should really work on making things waterproof."Aerial shipment,really man?" He questioned laying back against the raft.
Sophie who was currently holding Jimar raise a brow slightly."This isn't exactly where people come to vacation,Hardison. We are here because we have to be."
The hitters eyes went from the grifter to Jimar,he could feel the boys eyes on him since he first set eyes on them when the news of his father came through. "We are stuck until something happens. There was enough smoke in the air to indicate something was wrong."
"Ay man,that don't mean anybody saw it." The hackers tone was flat and uncaring now.
"Does that mean no one is coming?" Jimar looked up to Sophie with fear in his eyes.
Shooting a glare towards the hacker she gave him a smile. "No sweetheart,they will find us."
"Do you promise?"
She looked from Jimar to Nate who nodded. "We promise." She said finally as he settled back down.
Nate took the shirt and dunked it back in to the water replacing it over the boy,his hope was growing thin,it had been quite a few hours now and the sweltering heat was only increasing. "Everything will be fine." He whispered to the boy moving closer to him and Sophie,which made the boy feel more safe.
Isaac's boat made it back to the marina in Kingston as a call came over the radio.
"Civilian Vessel Maiden Lady you missed your daily check in,do you copy?" When nothing came in they repeated their message. "Civilian Vessel Maiden Lady,this is the United States Coast Guard. You missed your daily check in,do you Copy?" Isaac was swimming with happiness as the radio remained silent.
"This is Fishing Vessel Dreaming Raider,I think you boys ought to head out this way."
"What is the problem Dreaming Raider?"
"Looks like we have our selves a missing vessel,debris in the water. There was a ship about twenty miles west of my location but she dropped off the radar." Isaac's eyes filled with rage as he listened in.
"Fishing Vessel Dreaming Raider,any sign of survivors or fatalities?"
"I can't tell you that,looks pretty bad,floating life preserves indicate missing Vessel Maiden Lady."
"Roger that,rescue vessels need your location Dreaming Raider." The Coast guard sends out the coordinates to it's vessels moments later.
"Advise we will stay on scene and keep an eye out for any survivors."
"Roger that Dreaming Raider,rescue vessels have been deployed."
Isaac couldn't take the chance of returning to the scene with the coast guard now in full swing heading to the site."Damn it,we should have made sure we finished them."
"But Isaac,they haven't found any survivors."
He took a breath in and nodded. "You're right,they are done,now to tell the boss so we can get the hell out of here." Grabbing his phone he dialed the number of the madman,
"Is it done?" His voice was flat and careless."
"Yes sir." Isaac replied wanting to exact his revenge on his boss as well.
"The bodies? Even the boys father and the boy." This confused Isaac.
"Sir I- Why the boy he is just a child." Isaac was not about to hurt a child,deep down he wasn't as cold and heartless as his boss.
"I want them dead damn it!" the madman was becoming furious with the constant defiance from his men.
"Yes. Sir."Isaac hung the phone up as he watched Coast Guard Helicopters and vessels leaving the Marina. He was beginning to feel that his boss was just blood thirsty. His phone rang again and he knew it was news on the father,he was secretly hoping the man did survive.
"Isaac,he made it."
A sigh of relief left him."Good,let him be...I will deal with him later." He lied but the man did not deserve to die for having done nothing besides make friends with the Ford's.
Isaac stared quietly watching the Coast guard disappear on the darkening horizon. He was beginning to think he was on the wrong side of this fight,he was not going to kill a child just for who his guardian's were. He felt as if he was fighting an internal battle against himself that he was quickly loosing.
Out on the open water the sun had been setting. The cooler air was a relief to the six in the life had let his shirt dry out knowing it was cooling off. Once darkness took over he huddled closer to Sophie and Jimar wrapping his now dry button up shirt around the boy keeping him between himself and the grifter. Eliot and the others were huddled in the opposite end of the boat,all trying to keep each other warm. Who knew a night out on the water was so cold.
"Luke...I'm cold." Jimar whispered quietly Nate could feel him shivering against him.
"Shh sweetie,it's okay." Sophie whispered quietly Running her hand gently over the boys back. She too could feel him shivering. Her skin was on fire from the sun burn but she ignored it taking care of the boy instead.
"We-we need to get out of this raft soon,the water laying in the bottom is not going to help us out here." Eliot stated moving to watch Jimar.
Nate nodded keeping his focus on his wife and Jimar. "Someone has to find us,they will be here."
"You sound sure." Hardison said sitting up.
"Daily check in." He smiled "We don't check in they come looking for us."
The Rescue chopper began long sweeps of the area trying to find any sign of the missing souls from the Maiden Lady. "See anything Taylor?"
Shaking is head one of the men searched the water. "Nothing we might be looking at multiple fatalities sir."
"Roger that,one more sweep and we will call of the aerial search until oh-seven hundred."
"Copy that...wait,I'm picking something up on the heat sensor sir."
"What is it?" He and the co pilot turned the Helicopter in the direction.
"Sir! We have a life raft,six souls on board.!" Taylor couldn't help but to be excited he had a run in with the man in his wife before and got to know them from the time they arrived in Kingston to head for Port Royal.
The sound of a steady beat of helicopter wings caught Nate's attention as a spot light lit up the water near them. "Rescue chopper A-Three-Seven-Four to all Vessels. We have located the life raft. Bringing the passengers on board.
"I told you they would come." Nate said smiling as the rescue swimmer reached them. "Taylor?" Nate gave the man a smile as he nodded.
"You folks okay?" He asked taking note in the condition of the young boy.
"Take him first,then her." Nate pointed to Sophie and Jimar as they were lifted into the chopper followed by the other three and Nate went up last.
Once he was inside Sophie had Jimar in her arms wrapped in a blanket.
"We need to get the boy warmed up quick.." Taylor told them as he worked around the boys grip on Sophie.
It took almost an hour to get to the hospital but once there Jimar put up a fight when they put him on the gurney."No!" He kept yelling over and over as he began crying hysterically.
"We need to look at your sun burns and check your vitals. "A nurse told the others as Nate and Sophie went with Jimar to keep him calm. The only way he would remain calm was if either Nate or Sophie was holding him.
"What do you think man?" Hardison asked as they remained in the hall after a good check over.
Eliot eyed the closed doors and sighed heavily. "I don't know,Hardison. Jimar is attached to them,we don't know the condition of his father."
Parker sat down after pacing back and forth. "They will come after us again,right?" A nod from the hitter was all she needed.
Nate emerged from the room that was now quiet. "He's had to much stress,made himself sick." He said looking to the three younger member. "His father is in a coma right now,it doesn't look good."
"And Sophie?" Parker asked concerned she didn't see the grifter.
"Staying with Jimar,he won't let her go." He sighed heavily. "They are both asleep right now anyway which is better for him and her."
"Alright so what's the plan man?" Hardison finally realizing everything was okay went back to hacker mode.
"We go after him,and destroy him slowly until he has nothing left."
[A/N: Alright and that is the end of this chapter. What do you think Isaac is going to do? Will they finally come face to face with the mad man? We shall find out. Thank you for all the reviews!]