“She’s waiting for us on the docks.” X let go of Michael and gave him some space so he could throw up the rest of the water.
“Good job, man,” X said, clapping Ton on the back.
Ton nodded proudly.
Victor coasted up to the docks, where several hands pulled the boat in.
“Tin!” Layla cried.
X helped Michael up and out of the boat. He broke free and ran to meet Layla. When they were ten feet apart, Michael went down on one knee.
But he hadn’t fallen.
Panting to catch his breath, he reached into his vest and pulled out the ring that Rodger had made for him several days earlier.
X hurried over with Ton and Victor while others moored the boat and started unloading the gliders.
Miles barked happily as he trotted over with X to stand behind Michael. Michael held the ring in a shaky hand.
“When I was out there in the darkness, all I could think about was you and Bray,” he said. “I want to be with you two forever.”
He held up the ring. “Will you marry me, Layla?”
She cupped her hands over her face and nodded.
“Of course I will,” she said.
They embraced while applause broke out all around.
X almost burst into tears. As the sun rose over the Vanguard Islands, he wanted to collapse in his bed with Miles and sleep for a day. But the skinwalkers were still out there, and he had to plan more defenses and arrange for several more funerals.
The elevator across the dock clanked down with the Hell Divers who had landed on the rooftop earlier. Hector, Edgar, Ted, Lena, Arlo, Rodger, and Magnolia ran over to see what the commotion was about.
The chugging of motors drew X’s eye to the docks, where several boats had just arrived. Sergeant Wynn hopped out of one with a radio in his hand and ran over. He clearly wasn’t here to celebrate.
“Sir, a boat’s been spotted on the eastern border,” Wynn said, panting. “Should I sound the alarms?”
“What kind of boat?”
“It’s small, sir, definitely not a warship,” Wynn replied. “I’ve dispatched several of our vessels to intercept.”
“Don’t sound the damned alarms,” X said. “I don’t want to frighten people over one boat. Just make sure everyone’s ready for another attack.”
“Got it, sir.” Wynn relayed the orders over the radio.
X bent down to Miles. “Sorry, boy, but this time you really have to stay here.”
Miles went down on his haunches, but he didn’t whine when X took off for his armored speedboat. Mac and Felipe fired up another boat, pulling away a moment later.
Ton and Victor jumped with Wynn into the war boat that once belonged to el Pulpo. It would be a fitting end to his son, X thought, to kill the bastard with the mounted machine guns. He would proudly hang the skinwalker’s bullet-riddled corpse on the prow if that happened.
But he had a feeling it wasn’t Horn who had breached the border in a small craft.
X climbed aboard, standing next to Wynn.
“Wait!” Magnolia yelled from the docks. She ran over with Rodger, Edgar, and Arlo. Michael and Layla also joined them but stopped shy of getting on the boat.
X caught Michael’s gaze and saw the reluctance this time. He turned to the other divers to make sure Michael didn’t try to follow.
“Stay here with Michael and Layla!” X yelled. “I’m not losing any more Hell Divers today.”
He nodded to Wynn, and the sergeant turned the wheel and pushed the throttle down, blowing a wave of water against the pier.
Several clouds rolled across the morning sky, threatening to block out the sunshine. Lately, nothing good seemed to last long. All the losses came crashing over X.
A small armada of vessels joined the speedboat on the journey to the barrier between worlds. X looked out over the waves. The warriors’ faces seemed stoical, each man and woman ready to face whatever awaited them.
Ton and Victor, holding rifles instead of spears, gazed at the horizon. Sergeant Wynn stared ahead, too, gripping the wheel with one hand and holding the radio up to his ear with the other.
“It’s one of our boats,” he called out. “Probably why the divers missed it earlier.”
“So it’s just drifting out there all this time?” X asked. “How’s that possible?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
“Because it’s not possible,” X said.
There was no way they had missed it on their scans, and boats didn’t just show up out of nowhere.
“Keep everyone back,” X said to Wynn.
“We’re already forming a perimeter, sir.”
X pulled out his pistol. Something felt wrong about this boat. His gut told him this was another trap.
“Make sure Colonel Forge keeps Shadow positioned between the Hive and the capitol tower,” he said. “We need all the firepower there we can get.”
Wynn relayed the order to their liaison working with Forge.
In calmer waters, the boat picked up speed. Ton and Victor shouldered their rifles as they approached the loose ring of boats surrounding the mystery boat.
X saw the red Vanguard logo on the side. Bullet holes perforated the militia boat’s hull and enclosed cabin above the waterline.
“Everyone, keep sharp,” X said. “Wynn, you’re with me.”
“Sir, leave this to us,” Wynn said. “It’s too dangerous for you to go.”
Victor pointed at the deck. “You stay here, King.” He said something to Ton in their native language, and Ton moved over to grab the wheel.
“Fuck that,” X said. “I’m going.”
“Sir, all due respect, but this could be another trap,” Wynn said. “What if the boat is loaded with explosives?”
The sergeant was right, which meant anyone who set foot on the deck was at risk of being blown into fish chum.
But what choice did they have? With Cricket gone, they had no way to board without risking lives.
The speedboat cruised to a stop, and X stared at the shot-up militia boat.
“We need volunteers,” he said. “Make sure they know the risk.”
Wynn raised the handset to his mouth and put out the request.
“I go,” Victor said, pounding his chest.
“No,” X said. “You stay with me.”
Wynn listened to a transmission and then looked to X. “Mac has volunteered to go with Felipe,” he said. “They’re waiting for your permission, sir.”
“Send them in,” X replied. “Then pull everyone else back a good distance.”
The cordon of boats pushed back, except one. A fishing boat with nets draped over the side cruised forward with Mac at the helm.
X grabbed a pair of binoculars to watch their advance, alternating between their boat and the militia vessel. When they were close, Felipe leaped from the bow to the mystery boat’s hull, grabbed the rail, and swung over.
He quickly tethered the two boats together. Once they were connected, he helped Mac aboard. The old Barracuda leader drew his sword. Felipe unslung a shotgun, training it on the hatch to the enclosed cabin.
It swung open without resistance, and both men disappeared inside.
X braced himself, but the only explosion was pain where his right arm no longer was. He lowered the binos in a shaky hand.
“King,” Victor said.
“I’m fine,” X replied through clenched teeth, trying to ignore the pain. It wasn’t until he saw motion on the boat again that it dissipated.
X pushed the binos back up and centered them on the young Cazador warrior, who was waving in the air.
“He’s signaling us,” X said. “Take us in, Sergeant.”
“They haven’t searched the entire boat yet,” Wynn replied. “I still think we should stay back, sir.”
“And I think you should remember who is in charge here.”
Wynn moved his jaw, but X didn’t give him a chance to protest. Nudging Wynn aside, he took the wheel and gunned it toward the militia boat.