Thank you so much to everyone for reading, and to those who encouraged me to keep on writing! I was starting to have my doubts about finishing this story, but now I want to see it to the end. Just a heads up, rating will most likely change to M starting with the next chapter!
Shoreline was everywhere! We'd already run into three separate squads scattered in hidden villages, and still we weren't at our destination. The jeep ride, the winch, the soldiers, and the terrain – it was all starting to wear down on us. The constant friction from the seat rubbing on my back (still healing from Simmons' lovely visit) was starting to irritate my skin. I said nothing, just sat back and tried not to appear like I was hurting.
"Sully, how well do you know Nadine?" Nate suddenly asked, breaking the silence.
"Why?" Sullivan asked incredulously.
"I was thinking, maybe you can contact her, convince her to call off her goons?"
Sullivan and I laughed grimly at the same time. There was no way in hell she would do that.
"Yeah, right," Sullivan replied.
"What if we promise her a bigger cut than Rafe?" Nate suggested.
"No, that's not how she operates. She's more of money up front mercenary. Rafe's got the advantage there."
Rafe… my stomach churned once again at the thought of facing him. I knew he would be royally pissed if he saw me again after our meeting in Scotland. Things didn't exactly "end" on good terms for us years ago, and I knew he was still bitter, as I was still sad and empty.
Some Shoreline trucks drove off in the distance, thankfully not noticing us from behind. Sam was worried about them searching all around here and finding the treasure. We drove through a field of flowers, and then started another dreaded trek up a hill to follow Shoreline toward the volcano. I had grown sullen as the guys talked about the past, trying to keep their mind off of pressing matters (like the giant army that was searching for us and the treasure).
Sam cleared his throat, "we need to cheer up the mood, so… a pirate walks into a bar…"
"Oh great, here we go," Sullivan droned.
"And he's got this steering wheel sticking out of his crotch."
"All right."
"So the bartender goes, 'hey man what's with the wheel?' And the pirate says back, 'arrrr! It's drivin' me nuts!'" Sam chuckled.
I burst out into laughter, being taken off guard. Sullivan groaned at the joke, but I couldn't help myself, I found it really funny.
"Hey, she liked the joke," Sam told Sullivan pointedly.
"That girl will laugh at whatever you say, Sam."
"Okay, I've got one," I added, wiping tears of laughter from my eyes (and ignoring Sullivan's comment). "It's not related to pirates, though, but it's just as bad."
"Okay, shoot," Sam said.
"What did the cannibal do after he dumped his girlfriend?" I paused, waiting to see if anyone would guess.
"Cannibal?" Sullivan glanced back at me from the front seat, making a face.
"What did he do?" Sam asked, a small grin forming at the corner of his lips.
"He wiped his ass."
Sam broke out into fits of laughter, and I couldn't help but join him. I heard Nate snicker from the front seat, and Sullivan groaned once again. He glanced back at me again, letting me know how much he distasted the joke.
"Jesus, I think that one was worse than the pirate one," he shook his head.
"Check it out," Nate interrupted, stopping the jeep in front of what appeared to be a small tower.
"What is it?" Sam asked no one in particular.
We climbed out of the jeep to get a better look. I took out my phone and snapped a picture and sent it to my father. I was a little nervous that he didn't reply to my last message yet. I just hope Simmons didn't hurt him or something.
Nate scribbled something down in his journal as Sullivan and Sam climbed the steps. I waited, placing my phone in my vest pocket, crossing my arms. All this poking around and we still weren't at the treasure. Hours of driving in Madagascar and all we found was a little tower. I just prayed this wasn't all that was out here. We climbed back into the jeep and continued our drive. Over the clay mound there was another tower, though this one appeared to be larger than the last. I snapped another photo, sending it off dutifully. This tower had a drawbridge next to it, and it seemed to be quite the hassle to climb up to it and get it to come down. We were all just thankful Shoreline wasn't here yet.
There was another sigil in the tower, but nothing else treasure related. We moved on as Nate climbed up to the drawbridge to lower it down for the jeep. I was starting to feel hopeful until I heard the sound of revving engines roaring from behind us.
Shoreline had arrived.
11 years ago
I splashed water on my face, not caring if it ruined my makeup. The coolness felt wonderful on my skin, which felt like was overheated. I felt my forehead with the back of my hand while examining myself in the restroom mirror. I wondered if I was running a fever or if I was just overwhelmed. I placed my hands on my belly, which was sticking out far under my plum-colored dress. I felt some pain in my lower abdomen, it came and went in waves, but I had been ignoring it all night. My doctor told me false contractions were common, and that they felt similar to menstrual cramps. I had to present myself well for Rafe and his family's sake. They needed the positive image, especially if they wanted endorsements for that other store they were trying to get under construction out in California.
I leaned toward the counter of the sink, feeling nauseous again. My stomach had been upset since yesterday, and my frequent trips to the bathroom made that clear. I thought maybe I ate something rotten by mistake. Mrs. Adler gave me some antacids and told me I had to attend this gala no matter what. Rafe just couldn't be seen without his wife! It would be scandalous! Whatever, bitch.
I felt something strange erupt from inside my body, like something had popped inside of me. The sensation of fluids rushing from between my legs followed; for a moment I was mortified that I had peed myself. It was like a balloon popped inside of me along with a dam bursting. In panic, I glanced down to see a puddle of clear liquid on the floor, with little of trickles of blood mixed in it. I clutched my now fluid-soaked dress, feeling very frightened. I went for the door, trying not to slip on the now wet tile floor. I opened it a crack, hiding myself behind it. I saw a waitress and tried to subtly get her attention without hollering too loud. Thank the Lord that she spotted me.
"May I help you, miss?" She asked obediently.
"Can you please get my husband Rafe Adler for me? This is an emergency," I explained in an uneven voice.
"What's the problem?"
"I think my water just broke."
"You're doing great, just keep on breathing."
The nurse at the foot of the hospital bed kept telling me to breathe, and it was honestly getting on my nerves. She peered in between my spread legs, but wouldn't tell me what was going on down there. I just wish everyone would leave this room and leave me the HELL alone.
I took exaggerated breaths, feeling the pain of contractions rippling my abdomen all the way up my spine. I gritted my teeth as a really bad one shuddered inside me. I moaned in agony. I couldn't believe how sweaty I was, and how drained I already felt. Rafe stood beside me, his hand worriedly brought up to his mouth in thought. He was dressed in blue scrubs with one of those white caps on his gelled back head, like the nurses and midwife in the room. He paced around, his eyes staring off into nothing. I could tell he was scared, but at least he wasn't in my place.
"How much longer is this going to be?" He asked the nurse, his tone slightly agitated.
"She's not fully dilated yet," the nurse answered matter-of-factly.
"She's been in labor for hours, isn't there something you can do?" He pressed.
"The two of you agreed to a natural birth I thought. Don't worry, this is one hundred percent normal," the nurse answered calmly. "She went into labor earlier than expected, but not too early, so she'll be fine."
The nurse patted my arm with her gloved hand, but I jerked back. I was sweaty, tired, and in a lot of pain. My mood was foul enough to where I felt I could scream my head off and take on anybody in the world. My crotch burned like coal as I could feel my pelvis practically being torn apart. I closed my eyes, continuing to breathe in short, lurching breaths. Another contraction rippled through me, making me arch my neck and cry out in pain. My anguished voice echoed through the entire room, making Rafe flinch.
"Get this goddamned child out of me!" I roared shrilly.
"You're not fully dilated yet, just keep breathing and nature will take care of the rest," the nurse replied. Her serene voice didn't make me feel calm, it got under my skin instead.
"Then pump me full of morphine, please, I'm begging you!" I wailed.
Rafe kneeled down beside me, "mom wants you to have a natural birth without any chemicals, or-"
I shot Rafe a deadly look. Just brining up Regina Adler twisted my insides in an angry knot. "Regina isn't the one giving birth here!"
Rafe appeared conflicted and definitely taken aback, I had never yelled at him before. He gave the nurse an angry look, as if he could place all the blame on her. Before he could say anything, I felt a great shift in my lower abdomen. I shrieked louder this time, getting the nurse's attention, and making Rafe practically jump up.
"Oh, looks like you're starting to dilate now. You'll be crowning soon. Let's get ready!"
I don't remember much of the actual birth process. I just remember yelling as I tried with every muscle in my body to push that baby out of me. My face had become red, the veins in my neck started to pop out, my hands fingers curled up from the pain. Rafe was watching everything, looking wobbly and terribly pale in the face. Breathe, push, breathe, push, breathe, push. The nurse sounded like a broken record, one that I was drowning out by the sound of blood rushing in my ears.
"I see the head, you're almost there, Danielle," the nurse encouraged.
I pushed hard, feeling my organs were going to rush out with the baby. After a final push, a great relief passed through me. I closed my eyes, my breathing still rapid, and my legs still spread. I took a moment to rest, feeling nothing really, just a dulling throb of labor and birth. How I felt as a mother? I didn't feel anything yet, and that's exactly what scared me. The sound of a high-pitched cry made me open my eyes, but I didn't turn my head. I could hear the sounds of voices and clangs of medical equipment mixed with the cries of a newborn. I heard Rafe's voice too, but he sounded so far away.
"It's a boy."
I still wasn't fully there. I didn't even realize the nurse was holding out the baby toward me.
"Would you like to hold your child?"
Now I dared a look, holding my breath. The soft, small child was placed in my arms. I gazed down at the child, once again holding my breath, but for a different reason.
"Oh my God…" I whispered in awe. This child was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. The baby grunted a few times, his little tiny fingers curled up. He was wrapped in a blanket, his eyes shut tightly. His face was so pink and round. Tears prickled behind my eyes while I stared down at the child, my child.
Rafe stood beside me, his hands resting on the hospital bed. His grey-hazel eyes were wide as he studied the baby. He reached out his hand, somewhat shakily, toward the head of our child. He caressed him gently, unsure of what to do.
"What should we name him?" I asked in a breathless whisper.
"There were a few names my parents wanted," he started, knowing that I was going to protest, but he rose up his hand. "But there's one I actually liked: Holden."
"Holden," I repeated, testing the sound of the name on my lips. "Holden… I like that."
"Holden Cecil Adler," Rafe added; I swore a ghost of a smile was starting to spread across his lips. I made a face at the name Cecil. "What? You don't like my father's name?"
"Why don't we use my father's name? Your parents already got to choose the name Holden," I suggested (though I wasn't going to budge on this one).
"All right then, Holden Davis Adler it is."
The stupid Para .45 jammed at the worst possible moment. I was taking cover behind one of the stonewalls, getting hammered by bullets, and now I couldn't fire back. I slipped the magazine out right when a Shoreliner rounded the corner at me.
"Oh, fuck!" I swore, struggling to reload the gun, but the man was too fast. He was going to shoot me with his semi-automatic before I'd even have the time to finish reloading. But the man paused, his eyes widening in recognition.
"You're that freckle-faced bitch the Boss Lady was talking about," he muttered, more to himself than to me.
Freckle-faced bitch. Wow, how original.
"Drop the gun," he commanded, inching in closer and using the barrel of his weapon to whack me on the back of the wrist. He brought a mic clipped to his uniform up closer to his mouth. "Contact Nadine, tell her that she was right, that girl is with them."
I clenched my fists in the dirt, casting him with the nastiest glare I could manage. If he didn't keep his eyes pinned on me then I would've taken him out before he could tattle. So stupid, now Nadine would inform Rafe that I was with the Drake brothers, and there would be even more hell to pay. Before the soldier could get a reply, a bullet punctured him directly on the side of his face. His neck jerked violently to his side, splattering blood all over me, and the ground where he now fell.
"Oh, Jesus Christ!" I wiped my face in disgust.
Sam came jogging over to me as I continued to try to get the stranger's blood off of me as I picked up my gun.
"You doing okay? I saw that he had you pinned down."
"I was handling it just fine, thank you," I clipped, mad that I had gotten a crimson shower. It was so unsanitary.
Sam ignored my statement, "that was the last of them, Nate is lowering the bridge and Sully is already waiting in the truck, let's get a move on."
"Wait a minute," I grabbed Sam's bicep as he turned to leave. "That soldier just got the word out that I'm traveling with you guys."
Sam shrugged, "so?"
"So, remember that I told Rafe and Nadine back in Scotland that I didn't know you three, and that I wouldn't go after the treasure? Now he knows that it was a lie," I explained, my tone grave the more I thought about the situation.
Sam pondered a moment, realizing how that could be a major problem. "We just have to make sure we're not caught then. Sorry, Dani, I don't know much else to say."
I nodded, both of us now heading toward the jeep. I wanted to confess to him right then and there about Rafe and I, but I didn't want to stall our progress any longer. We'd run into enough snares out here as it was, like this drawbridge thing. We'd already been out here for hours, and I knew Simmons was going to start blowing up my phone soon if I didn't have anything new to update him on. I decided against revealing anything about my past, and just continued being mute for most of the drive.
Things had been going a little smoother for a while, until Nate used the winch on a tree to get up another slippery clay hill. A massive boulder stood in the middle, and I knew that it would be bad news once the jeep starting making its way upward. The rock started to tumble off the cliff, forcing the winch attached to our jeep to pull down with it. The jeep was ripped from the line, making flinging us off the cliff completely.
"Oh, shit!" Nate cried.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Sam added, fear ringing clearly in his voice.
I grabbed the side of the vehicle for dear life as the jeep jerked, now suspended completely at ninety degrees, dangling only from the winch.
"Okay, don't panic!" Nate yelled, trying to accelerate the jeep slowly up the mountainside.
"I am very much panicking!" Sullivan snapped.
Rock debris started to rain down from the cliff; large pieces that could've easily knocked us from the cable missed the windshield by mere inches. A large piece did end up smashing into the front of the jeep, forcing the car back down. The sudden jerk from the cable catching up made Nate fall out of the driver's seat. His body fell onto mine, causing both of us to completely fall out of the jeep.
"Nathan!" Sam reached out and grabbed Nate's arm just in time, while I clung to Nate's legs for dear life. "I gotcha!"
"I'm going to fall!" I screamed as Nate and I swayed uneasily.
Sullivan reached back and grabbed Sam's other arm as support, "hold on tight, kids!"
Nate grabbed the back of the jeep by one of the railings, but struggled to climb up any further. I knew I was just dead weight pulling Nate down. I wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer, I could already feel my muscles began to tremble with strain.
"I'm not going to be able to hold on much longer!" I cried, my grip now slipping down toward Nate's ankles.
"Don't let go! I can climb up by the tire!" Nate starting to inch around the side of the jeep, but I could see his arms shaking from exertion.
"I'm just going to take you down with me!" I wailed. I didn't want Nate to fall to his death along with me. I was now heavily considering letting go just to end it here and now. Just like the cliff side in Scotland, part of me was drawn to how much easier everything would be this way.
"Hang on, Dani, I'll climb down and get you!" Sam turned fully around in his seat, extending his arms to reach me. "Just see if you can climb up a little further!"
"I can't!"
"Yes you can! Now come on!"
I reached up further on Nate's leg, gripping his pants as tightly as I could, but I was no climber and my body had reached its limit. While trying to climb higher toward Nate's hips I slipped. I screamed in terror as I started to free-fall down the mountainside; Nate threw down his grappling rope just in time for me to grab it, but even hanging onto that wouldn't last me long. My body jerked from being halted suddenly, my skin sliding against the rope made my hands light up, now raw and peeling.
"Holy shit, hang on!" Sam started to pull on the rope as Nate made his way into the driver's seat.
I clung desperately to the rope, wrapping my legs around for extra support. I went to climb up as Sam pulled on the rope, along with Sullivan. Eventually, through some miracle, I was pulled back onto the jeep. I was shaking so badly from fright that Sam had to hold me in place. Sam placed me in front of him, positioning my arms to wrap around one of the jeep's overhead railings, as he gripped it too.
"Okay, hang on!" Nate pressed on the accelerator slowly to head up the mountainside.
I was tucked under Sam's chin, close enough to feel his heart hammering rapidly in his chest.
"Hail Mary, full of grace
Our Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb!"
Sam uttered the Hail Mary prayer quickly. It had been about ten years since I sought solace in God, but now would be a good time to start again.
"Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen!"
I continued the prayer, squinting my eyes shut as we ascended shakily up the mountainside. I heard Sullivan say something to Nate, but he sound of the tires skirting against the rocks drowned it out. When I opened my eyes again, we were back on top of the cliff, now next to the tree. I was still clinging to the railing for dear life. I now sat back in my seat, trying to steady my breathing and relax. The guys tried to make light of what just happened, but I was still trying to catch my breath.
"You doing okay? That was a close call," Sam said to me.
I nodded, "thanks for saving my life again." I reached out and took his hand to express my gratitude.
He glanced down at my hand, then at me, seeming a little flustered from the small gesture. His calloused fingers hesitated to wrap around my own, "sure, no problem."
After making it to one of the bigger towers, descending into it, blowing up a wall, going down a staircase, we finally were able to find a big clue. At a wall, basked in sunlight, was a beautifully carved state of Saint Dismas. I gazed up at the wall in amazement, taking out my phone to take a picture and send it to Simmons so he could see we weren't just dicking around out here in Madagascar.
"Come check this out," Sam called back to Nate and Sullivan who were lagging behind.
"Ah, Saint Dismas, we meet again," Nate commented.
"So, what have we got?" Sullivan asked.
"More sigils," Nate answered, his eyes landing on the wall on the side of the statue. "There's our boy Avery." He pointed to the skull and cross-boned sigil. "Thomas Tew, and that's um.."
"That's Adam Baldridge," Sam finished. "That's uh, Joseph Harrell, and that's Richard Want."
I placed my hands on my hips, beaming in admiration at Sam. He certainly knew his pirates. I snapped a few more photos of the sigils.
"Pirate captains," Nate added.
"All right, so maybe your pirate pool theory wasn't so ridiculous after all," Sam replied.
"All right so, uh… let's see, what do you think the trick is here?" Nate asked no one in particular. He started feeling the statue for a switch. "You gotta push a button, pull something?"
Nate and Sam continued to search the statue, until Sullivan told them to take a step back and see something. The layout on the wall ended up being a map.
"The trapezoid is obviously the volcano," Sullivan explained, "the crown is King's Bay."
I listened to them decipher the man, now realizing that all the sigils were meant to mark towers on the map. That was a total of twelve towers, and there was a good chance the treasure was in one of them. But with Shoreline and Rafe hot on our trail, we didn't have time to search each one. I crossed my arms now, seeing the dilemma (and another obstacle) that was now laying out before us. I noticed Sam kneel down beside me, picking up a cigarette from the ground. It was still lit.
"Uh, Sullivan? You didn't start smoking cigarette by any chance, did ya?"
"Looks like we're not the first ones here," Sullivan sighed.
"Shit…" I mumbled, glancing down at my phone. I had just gotten a message back from Simmons and my father when a sudden explosion destroyed the roof and sent debris falling down.