Chapter 8 by In the Twilight's Flames

They made their way to the dock.

Moseby.

Maya (Despite Zack's plea for her to stay where it was safe)

A number of plain clothed policemen.

But not Zack.

Nor Jack.

They had other plans.

Zack wanted nothing more than to see his brother alive, but there was something off, something that seemed too easy.

If Cody was there, the police would find him safe and sound, and they'd see each other by the end of the day.

But trust wasn't something he could attribute to these criminals.

Nor the police, Jack telling him the truth about Edwin shattered any hope he had of them being reliable. At least until they got rid of Edwin, one way or another.

Besides, if Cody wasn't there, their work was futile, getting the money from London meaningless, and Cody would be one step close to whatever horrible fate they had in store for him.

So instead, the two would ensure Cody was free, ensure Edwin went down, and with him the entire drug ring.

Jack saw what this was. Not just a chance to save a kid who got caught up by a stroke of misfortune, but the time to end it all, to finish Edwin, to free the island from the clutches of evil. He knew all too well how far the drug rings would go for a buck, how they'd kill and steal without discrimination, but the almighty dollar would soon be their downfall, unable to resist the allure when a billionaire was so close to their victim. They'd capitalize on it of course, and while they did, they'd be vulnerable. Maybe Jack was a fool, maybe a reckless dreamer, but if he knew Edwin, he'd be too secretive to just let Cody go free with all he had seen, but also too overconfident that he'd suspect this coming assault.

He looked at Zack with a solemn gaze, knowing all too well what might lie in store for him should things not go well. For all they knew, Cody would be found dead, his corpse possibly rotting there since that call those many days back when they got to hear that sweet sound of his voice. He didn't dare let Zack think about that though. "We'll get him," he said, knowing full well that it could have only been a lie.

"Yeah."

Forward Zack stared, heart guiding his gaze, hope seeing his brother's face and faith telling him to pray, that his hope may soon be realized.

…

"They said this is where they'd meet us," Moseby said, his voice hallow, patience growing thin. He had been dragged through too much between Zack, London, Mr. Tipton, far too much for a man who simply ran a cruise ship. Though he knew, as much as he hated the stress, this was for a kid he thought of much like a son, one that he'd go to the ends of the earth for, despite the frequent times he wanted to throw both those twins to the sharks.

"Patience sir," the cop replied, guns ready to fire, nerves frayed all around.

For in that hour, time slowed to a crawl, everybody waiting, but for just what, they could not know. Shadows of fear, of hope, of exhaustion, but mostly of love danced within Moseby's mind. Things would be all right soon.

Or so he hoped.

…

He'd never hated beaches so much in his life. So much sand, so much sun, so many waves crashing into the ocean.

Normally, he'd relax and enjoy it, but he couldn't now. Another check of his watch indicated they'd been here two hours.

Then, like the flash of lightning on a dark night, a dozen men emerged on the beach, scattered as if to enjoy the beautiful whether, but beneath their relaxed demeanor, Moseby didn't need an explanation to know just who they were.

Criminals.

Heartless bastards just like Edwin.

He wanted to jump at them, but he couldn't. Instead he was powerless, knowing he could only wait, play by their terms, and kept his eyes out for Cody, hoping that Jack was wrong

The Suitcase was taken, a paper left behind.

But no sign of the twin anywhere.

"That's it?" he asked the cop.

"Yeah, we give them the money; they tell us where they left the hostage."

"So this has happened before?"

"Sadly, we've got it down to a science."

His heart plummeted. He kept his mouth shut, not wanting to ask the question throbbing in his mind so badly.

'How many were found alive?'

…

Jack and Zack drove alongside the cliff, overlooking the old abandoned house Jack had followed Edwin to just the day before.

Fear filled the air around them, tension high. Both wanted to rush in, but to do so would be suicide.

So, they waited, for the right time.

Whenever that would be.

"A text from Moseby," Zack said, opening up his phone, eager for good news.

He gets none.

Only an update.

"It's to be expected," Jack replies.

Zack leans forward again, brooding over the plan. They are to break in through the back door, storm through the garage, find Cody, capture Edwin and anyone else, and wait for the cops to hall them all away, and then go live happily ever after.

Easier said than done.

But still, sitting here doing nothing.

He hated it, his body itched, his skin crawled, hoping for a glimmer of progress to break him out of this nervous boredom, his binoculars trained on the house once more, looking for any sight of his brother, hoping that Moseby would be with him soon and this paranoid hunt would be just that.

…

"Are you sure this is where the note said he'd be?" Moseby asked, after they had been around the pier for the eighth time, tracking every inch, shouting Cody's name so loud it had to resonate all the way back in America.

But nothing, no response, no sight of him anywhere.

"Think they tricked us?"

He hoped his question wasn't as obvious as it sounded, that they were simply confused about the location, that they misread it.

But Moseby looked over the note once more, seeing now more than ever that it was the pier just north of town overlooking the ocean two miles from where the cruise ship docked.

There was no other place.

"Looks like it's time for plan B," the cop said, and Moseby sent the text, only hoping Zack and Jack knew what they were getting into, that they could keep cool heads.

Maya closed her eyes in prayer, fearing it would come to this. It was Zack's fight now, but she couldn't give up hope. She'd just have to have faith that Zack wouldn't do anything reckless, that he'd keep his head clear, now that he was finally getting what he wanted.

Since Cody was taken, Zack had been eager.

No, that was an understatement, but now he'd get his chance, to provide his brother's salvation with his own two hands.

Moseby only hoped Zack was ready, that he'd use his head, not his heart to guide him, and that he'd listed to the wisdom of Jack.

If not, they could lose everything.