Page 29 of Captivating Nash

The speedboat roared through the dark waters, its engine a steady hum beneath the weight of everything Deanna and Nash had uncovered. The mainland was still a distant blur on the horizon, the moonlight casting silver streaks across the choppy waves. Each second felt like a countdown, ticking away toward the inevitable. Deanna’s heart thudded in her chest, her pulse keeping time with the boat's rhythmic bounce over the water.

They were running out of time.

Her mind spun, replaying everything they’d learned—the conspiracy, the betrayal. Professor Hartley, Admiral Broadmore, Fatima’s weaponized drones. If they didn’t get this information into the right hands soon, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Beside her, Nash was silent, his eyes fixed on the dark horizon ahead. His grip on the wheel was tight, his jaw set with a hard line of determination. He hadn’t said much since they’d fled the small coastal village, but Deanna could feel the tension radiating from him. Every fiber of his being was focused on getting them to safety, on making sure they weren’t caught before they could deliver the intel to Fitzwallace.

Deanna turned her gaze to the sea, trying to calm the storm inside her. She was no stranger to pressure, to the weight of responsibility. But this—this was different. The stakes weren’t just academic or professional. They were life or death.

Nash had taken a satellite phone off Marcus. He pulled it out of his pocket and dialed a number. Deanna held her breath, knowing this would be the moment of truth.

“Fitz? It’s Nash. We’ve got trouble. Big trouble.”

“I’m listening,” Fitzwallace’s voice crackled over the line.

Nash’s voice was low and steady, despite the urgency. “We’ve got evidence of an enormous conspiracy. It goes deep—Deanna’s mentor, Professor Hartley is involved, but the real threat is my former commanding officer, Admiral Broadmore. He’s pulling the strings, and Fatima Al-Fayed is involved. She’s just a tool. I’m convinced they’re planning to use covert, stealth drones to disrupt military defenses globally.”

Fitz swore under his breath, the gravity of the situation sinking in. “Broadmore? Damn it. That explains a lot. We’ve been picking up a little chatter here and there, and every time I’ve tried to dig deeper, I’ve hit a wall. I didn’t think it went this deep. And Broadmore. I didn’t see that one coming.”

“Neither did I,” Nash agreed, his voice grim. “We’ve got the files, but we need an extraction. Now. We’re running out of time.”

The line crackled, and for a moment, there was only silence. Deanna’s heart raced as she waited, the boat cutting through the water at full speed, the coastline still far away.

Finally, Fitzwallace responded, his voice calm but urgent. “I’m sending you coordinates for an extraction point. It’s a secluded cove about fifty miles east of Monaco. You’ll need to move fast—my team can get you to the Cerberus safehouse from there. It’s secure. You’ll be safe.”

Deanna exchanged a glance with Nash as he ended the call and quickly pulled up the coordinates on a small GPS device. The extraction point wasn’t far, but the sense of danger pressing in around them felt heavier with each passing moment.

“Fitz’s team will meet us at the cove,” Nash said, his voice tight. “It’s our best shot.”

Deanna nodded, her pulse racing. “Let’s go.”

The boat surged forward, skimming over the waves with renewed speed. The wind whipped through Deanna’s hair, the salty spray stinging her skin, but she barely noticed. Every second felt like a race against time, the fear of being caught hanging over them like a shadow. Fatima’s men were undoubtedly tracking them, and the thought of what might happen if they didn’t reach the extraction point in time made her stomach twist.

Taking the satellite phone had been a risk, but they’d needed some way to communicate with the outside world.

The coastline grew closer, the jagged cliffs looming on the horizon. Deanna’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing through every scenario, every possible outcome. They were so close, but the distance between safety and danger felt razor thin.

“We’ll make it,” Nash said suddenly, as if sensing her rising fear. His voice was steady, but there was a hardness in his eyes that told her he was prepared for whatever might happen next. “We’re almost there.”

Deanna wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust that they’d outrun the danger, that Fitz’s team would be waiting when they reached the extraction point. But deep down, she knew better. Nothing ever went as smoothly as planned.

As they raced closer to the coast, Deanna’s eyes scanned the horizon, searching for any sign of movement. The cliffs loomed larger now, the dark shadows of the cove just visible beyond the rocks.

And then she saw it.

A flash of light. Faint at first, but unmistakable.

Her stomach dropped. “Nash…”

He saw it too. His jaw clenched, his grip tightening on the wheel. “Damn it.”

Ahead of them, two speedboats emerged from the shadows, their lights cutting through the darkness, heading straight for them. Fatima’s men.

“Hold on,” Nash growled, his voice taut with frustration. He slammed the throttle forward, the boat lurching as it picked up speed, cutting through the water like a knife.

Deanna gripped the side of the boat, her heart pounding in her chest as the world seemed to blur around them. The water roared beneath them, the wind screaming in her ears, but all she could focus on was the rapidly closing distance between them and the approaching boats.

“They’re gaining on us,” Deanna said, her voice tight with fear.

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