Page 28 of The Hijack

“Nana, we have some very important work to do,” I objected, trying to be as gracious as possible.

“Don’t give me attitude,” Nana griped. “Get on the boat.”

“Excuse me,” Jasmine interrupted.

“I’ve been following the briefings,” Nana said, dropping a whole load of information on me in one sentence. “These two are being accused of treason and are presumed dead. If you go to the airstrip, you’ll be captured and turned over to the authorities.”

“How do you know that?” I demanded.

The fact that Nana was read into our situation was mind-boggling. Just where was she coming across her information? Did she have contacts at MI6 or the CIA? Or was Nana Dark Sparrow as well?

I checked both Linc and Jasmine for clues, but they both looked as flabbergasted as I felt. I might have been accused of ageism, thinking that my sweet old grandmother could have nothing to do with political intrigue. Of course, she’d led a full life before I was even born, so anything was possible. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d stepped into some alternate reality where everything up was down.

“Never mind my sources,” Nana assured us without giving anything away. “Please hurry.”

Clark made up my mind for me, accepting Nana’s direction. She walked around the three of us and climbed up onto Nana’s ship without saying a word. It looked like I had no choice in the matter. I wasn’t going to let Clark sail off without me.

“We’ll take the plane,” Linc suggested.

“You don’t think they’re waiting for us at the landing strip?” Jasmine hesitated, Nana’s intel worrying her.

“Yes, I do,” Nana said succinctly. “Your pilot friend has been on the airwaves.”

Linc and Jasmine exchanged a look, and I could tell they were debating their next steps. I wasn’t sure where they would go, but I knew that our paths were about to part ways. I gave Linc a hearty clap on the shoulder.

“Thanks for taking care of her,” I said.

Linc scoffed. “It was the other way around, but you’re welcome.”

“I have no doubt,” I responded, following my grandma’s instructions and climbing up onto the yacht.

I turned back to help her up. Between me and Linc, we managed to get Nana fully situated before Linc and Jasmine hurried off. I saw them get into a car at the edge of the pier. Now it was just me and Clark alone with this woman I hadn’t seen for years. I had so many questions, but they would all have to wait.

“Let’s get out into the water,” Nana suggested. “And then I’ll explain everything.”

I nodded, eager to hear it. But first, we needed to get underway. Nana crossed the deck, slipping into the control booth. I followed her wordlessly, wondering if she was manning the craft herself. Surely there was a captain or another sailor there to help her steer the ship. But on a cursory examination of the vessel, I could find no one.

I returned to the control room where I found Clark and Nana standing side by side. They pointed the boat back up the canal and were busy steering. Clark flicked a switch to monitor the radio. Nana’s eyes were riveted to the water, guiding the boat with a practiced hand.

“Are you alone, Nana?” I asked.

“Of course,” Nana responded.

I checked with Clark to see if she’d found anything amiss in that statement. She just flashed me a smile, which told me all I needed to know about her opinion of my nana. Clark thought the older woman was a badass. Traveling around alone, listening in to all the encrypted channels, she was exactly what Clark wanted to be when she retired.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” I muttered, taking a seat behind the two of them.

“In due time,” Nana promised.

“Your grandmother was MI6,” Clark informed me.

The words felt like a quiver of arrows hitting my heart all at once. I knew what kind of danger came from that life. I’d been through enough close scrapes myself to realize that it wasn’t for the faint of heart. The thought of my nana out there battling crime and criminals was almost too much to swallow.

“No,” I declared, shaking my head to clear it.

“Why don’t you make us some tea?” Nana suggested.

I rolled my eyes. Just when I thought the situation couldn’t get any weirder, Nana made it truly bizarre by asking for something as delicate as tea. I stood up, realizing that they didn’t need me to look over their shoulders. If I was worried about Nana getting herself hurt, I didn’t need to worry about Clark. I knew she was perfectly capable of battling an entire invading army on her own. I wandered below deck to find the kitchen.