Page 51 of Buck Baxter and the Mysteries of Love

“I love you too.”

Hammer and Garbutt shoved open the door, waving their guns.

Bockenheimer’s eyes opened in horror as he watched the spinning hands on the timer. He gulped with defeat. “Time’s up!”

I hit the red button and lay down, holding Harry tighter than ever before.

Hammer and Garbutt fired recklessly at us.

The hatch sealed shut.

The tube began to flood with water and Harry and I took a deep breath.

A second later, we felt a sudden rush as we were jettisoned out into the blue.

I opened my eyes as we were catapulted through the water away from the submarine…

And then…

In a ball of white…

The Millennium Expresswas ripped open from end to iron-clad end.

The eruption shattered the vessel into a million pieces, just before a shockwave from the blast slammed into Harry and me, sending us tumbling and twisting through the water, desperately trying to hold onto each other, our fingers almost losing their grip.

But in that moment, I swore to myself I’dnever let go of Harry ever again.

As the explosion sent us somersaulting through the currents, I snagged his hand in mind and held on tight.

I wasn’t sure which way was up or down.

My lungs were ready to burst.

I wasn’t even certain if Harry was still alive.

Then suddenly I caught sight of the ripples of daylight, shimmering down through the surface of the water.

With all my strength I swam toward it, hauling Harry behind me until soon I broke the waves with a gasp, wheezing and coughing and pulling Harry up for air.

The moment he emerged, his eyes opened, wide and terrified until he realized—

“We’re alive! We’re alive!” he laughed, before scanning the waters. “What about the others? Mother. Where’s Mother? Where’s Stella?”

“Over here!” came Stella’s voice from across the lapping waves.

Harry and I turned to see Stella and Mrs. Hart looking frayed and frazzled, but very much alive. Quickly we swam over to them.

“Are you hurt?” Harry asked his mother.

She shook her head as she fought back tears. “Not physically.”

I turned to Stella to ask her the same question, but before I could open my mouth she stuck two fingers between her lips and whistled in my ear. “What the hell was that for?”

“I’m trying to call those two creepy dragons. Have you seen how far it is to shore? My little arms ain’t exactly flippers, ya know.”

“I don’t think the Komodos can hear you from all the way out here.”

“Well, I sure as hell hope something comes to our rescue.”

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