Page 3 of Rescuing Nathaniel

There were no other options.

She was going tohaveto find a way to make this work.

Because she knew she had nothing to lose, Ava didn't waste time worrying about the what-ifs and all the things that could go wrong. The bottom line was that staying here was a death sentence. They were not going to let her live, not when they could make so much money selling off her organs one by one.

So she used what energy she had left to scramble over the side of the railing, and then she just let go.

The landing sent blinding pain stabbing through her body, and she cried out, grateful for the roar of the approaching helicopter that drowned the sounds out.

White dots danced at the edge of her vision, but she clung to consciousness.

Had to.

She wasn't safe yet.

Grabbing the ropes, she worked as quickly as she could to lower herself down to the ocean.

Finally, just when she thought her trembling body was going to give out on her, she heard the lapping of water against the lifeboat.

Had she done it?

No one had called out, and no lights had flashed on her, which had to mean that no one knew she was gone yet.

That wouldn't last though.

Unhooking the ropes, Ava used the last of her energy to push her little boat away from the big one. There was still a good chance she would be spotted. And even if she wasn't, she was hardly safe. Out there, she was at the mercy of the water and the weather. She had no idea where she was or how to get to the nearest land.

All she could do was sink down into the bottom of the boat.

Losing her fight with consciousness, the encroaching darkness stole her away.

If she didn't make it, at least she would die knowing she had literally done everything in her power to save herself.

Now her fate rested in God’s hands.

* * *

February 29th

8:58 P.M.

As soon ashe came up for air, he knew something was wrong.

There were two boats within sight.

There should only be one.

Faulty intel could lead to death, and Navy SEAL Nathaniel Trevino was immediately on edge.

This should have been an easy in and out. A helo dropped him in the ocean about a mile back, and he’d made quick work of swimming the distance, hidden by the dark night and darker water. Now he was within sight of the former cruise ship that was rumored to be used as part of a large organ trafficking ring.

Their tip had not mentioned that there would be any other vessel.

Was it possible someone had learned he was supposed to be there and was trying to flee? There would be no point, the point of this mission was not to engage. All he was supposed to do was tag the boat with a tracker and then disappear back the way he’d come.

Over the last twelve months, this ring had gained confidence, dominating the black-market organ market. They were becoming a go-to for wealthy families with ill loved ones who were on official organ transplant lists but had so far had no luck in a match turning up. They operated by snatching innocent young men and women off the street, the majority of their victims in their twenties, so they avoided the extra attention of taking minors, while still getting the youngest and theoretically healthiest bodies they could find.

This tip had been a godsend because before that, there had been no links to the ring.

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