Braddock saw Sully reach for the Drake boy’s hand and pushed herself, grabbing for his leg as the carrack shuddered all around her— —and she missed.
She fell, crashing across the hanging deck like a skipped stone, and plummeted through open air, under the shadow of the hanging, swinging carrack.
Braddock tucked herself into a ball, covering her head, spitting out the knife— —and she hit the water hard, went deep into the cool sea.
She uncurled and stroked upward, shocked limbs tearing at the murky blue. I’m alive! I’m alive!
Braddock’s head broke the surface and she took a big breath, looking up, and—
Fuck—
It was all she had time to think before the Concepción landed on top of her.
* * *
Sully pulled Nate up and they both lay on the deck, gasping. Nate rolled over when the last chain broke with a tremendous, rending shriek.
The Spanish carrack hit the water stern first, the bow smashing down seconds later, sending out white-capped waves. Boards Aew off the sides and more than half the sails popped loose, rolling down the masts, catching the trade winds and puffing out in streaming tatters. For just a second, Nate could see how she must have looked five centuries before, a majestic sight charging across the rolling deep…
And then, of course, she sank. The stern went first, churning bubbles rising out of the water. Shedding boards, the Concepción slid under the waves, the bowsprit the last thing Nate saw as she followed her anchor down.
“Look at her,” Nate said. “You can’t put a price on that.”
“You can, actually,” Sully said. “Four to six billion.”
They both watched the water bubble, foaming bursts of white against the blue sea.
“We can get a diving rig,” Nate said.
“Not before those guys,” Sully said, nodding south. Nate followed his gaze, saw a big military-looking boat off in the distance, turned their way.
“Property of the Philippines now,” Sully added.
Nate realized he wasn’t particularly disappointed. “The gold belongs to them anyway, if you think about it.”
“I don’t want to think about it,” Sully grumbled, standing. He went forward and dropped into the pilot’s seat.
Nate sat for another moment, taking stock of himself. Nothing was currently bleeding. He felt tired, beaten up, but also deeply satisfied. Sic Parvis Magna, Sam.
He stood up and stumbled for the co-pilot’s chair, holding his ribs.
“Let’s get out of here,” Nate said, but his voice was lost to the thunder of the engine.
“What?” Sully shouted. He had a headset on. He handed another set to Nate, who put it on as he sat down, his body grateful for the cushy seat. Nate was grateful for his life. He’d seen Sully hesitate, and he didn’t see the stuffed backpack on board. For Sully, it must have been Sophie’s choice.
Nate put the headset on. “I said, let’s get out of here.”
“You got it.” Sully looked down, then pointed. “Is that who I think it is?”
Nate saw a speed boat skipping across the sparkling sea, a lone, dark-haired figure at the wheel. Sully swooped lower, but even before they got in close, Nate knew it was Chloe. She had her phone in one hand and was headed for Demar. She looked up at the sound of the helo, shading her eyes, and when Sully banked east, putting the sun at their backs, they passed low enough for Nate to manage a second of eye contact.
Chloe smiled ruefully at Nate and shook her head, her eyes as bright as the shimmering waves. Well-played, Nate, she mouthed, and Nate grinned, and then they were past her and away. He sincerely hoped that they would meet again.
“I might have let her steal the wrong coordinates,” Nate said, still smiling.
“Now you’re getting the hang of it,” Sully said. “You got a heart of gold, Sully.”
“Real funny, wiseass.”
“Too soon?”
“Forever is too soon,” Sully grumbled.
“Maybe this’ll help,” Nate said, and dug into his front pocket, grabbing the small, heavy ingot he’d held onto. He handed it to Sully, enjoying the look of shock on the older man’s face.
“You kidding me? For real?”
Nate pulled out a gold link bracelet from his other pocket and passed it to Sully. The man was positively delighted, his face lit up and glowing with greed.
“Keep it coming, kid!”
Last one. A hammered coin, heavy and shining. Sully took it with an open, goofy grin. He looked like he wanted to jump up and dance.
“You got any more?”
Nate made a show of digging into his pocket again, then pulled out his last piece of Bubble Yum. The same pack he’d opened on the night of the auction, now that he thought about it.
He handed it to Sully, who promptly chucked it out the window. “Hang on!” Sully cried, and banked hard to the north.
“Hey, that was my last piece!”
Sully cackled, patting the gold in his lap.
Whatever. Fifty percent of just the three pieces Nate had swiped would buy a lot of gum. Nate sat back in the chair, looking out at the sea. Islands sparkled like jewels across the glittering water, and the warm, blasting air was sweet with salt. He touched Sam’s ring, their ring, and watched the world go by, breathing deeply.