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Ace dropped into the boat and helped Jasmine down the ladder, guiding her to a seat on the other side of the driver's seat.
Fearghas was next, followed by Dmytro.
“You shouldn’t come,” Jasmine said to Dmytro. “You’ve done more than enough to help me get this far.”
“And miss the action?” The Ukrainian shook his head. “I am with you until you get your son back.”
Jasmine touched his arm. “Thank you.”
As soon as Dmytro was on board, the boat’s driver released the line holding them to the yacht and swung the boat around, heading toward shore.
He shoved the throttle all the way forward, sending them bouncing across the waves.
Ace leaned forward and yelled over the roar of the engine. “Let me have your bag.”
She handed over the satchel with the scrolls.
Ace transferred the box from the satchel into the backpack he’d been given. Then he stuffed a small life jacket into Jasmine’s bag and zipped it closed. When he was done, he passed the bag with the life vest back to Jasmine.
“If anything happens to me,” she stared into Ace’s eyes and then shifted her gaze to Dmytro and Fearghas, “I expect you three to get this scroll to Bertolli and free my son.”
Ace frowned. “Nothing’s going to happen to you.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know that. If I can’t do the job, promise me you’ll free my son.”
Ace’s frown deepened.
“Promise,” she said again.
Ace’s lips pressed into a tight line. “Okay, I promise.”
Jasmine turned to Dmytro. “You, too.”
Dmytro nodded. “I promise.”
When she faced Fearghas, her brow twisted.
Fearghas nodded. “I promise.”
Jasmine stared at each of them. “Thank you.”
Then she looped the satchel over her neck and held onto whatever she could as the driver attacked the waves.
Jasmine rose off her seat several times, landing hard. She watched Ace as he was tossed about with the backpack over his shoulders.
Was she wrong to hand off the scroll to him?
With everyone searching for her, she hoped entrusting the scroll to Ace would ensure its safety. One way or another, someone had to make that trade for Eli.
Undeterred by the darkness of the early hours of the morning, the driver plowed forward, aiming for a light strip of sandy beach near a high-rise hotel.
As they neared the shore, a jet ski raced across the swells, coming at them from their starboard side. Another emerged from the darkness into the starlight, approaching from the port side of the little boat.
Bullets hit the water near the boat. Warning shots.
Ace wrapped his arms around Jasmine, shielding her body with his. Fearghas, Dmytro and the boat driver ducked low.
As the first jet ski approached, their driver suddenly veered into his path, bumping into the waver runner. The rider flew from his seat, landing in the waves. Immediately, he swam toward the jet ski.
