Page 64 of Raven's Nest
Her chin quivered, but she shifted her hand — placed it over Zain’s heart. It took a few minutes, but the wheezing slowly faded, replaced by deeper, shuddering breaths.
Zain gave her a squeeze. “Easy.”
“Sonar.”
The word rasped free, as if she’d been fighting to hold it back.
Zain lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Sonar?”
She nodded, closing her eyes as she grimaced. “It’s all still fractured. Waves and lights. That damn tone going on and on and on. But it was some sort of sonar array, only it wasn’t an array. There was something on the hull…”
She cursed, banging her head with the heel of her other hand. “God, it’s so loud.”
“Shhh…” Zain looked at Chase. “Chase, brother…”
Chase shifted closer. “Saylor, let it go.”
“No.” She sat up, nearly catching Zain in the jaw. “It’s all there, just out of reach because of that sound…”
“You’ve remembered enough. It’s all we need.”
She blinked, a few tears slipping free before she closed her eyes — leaned into Zain.
He rested his chin on her head, accepting the coffee Kash handed him. “Drink.”
Saylor took a few more shuddering breaths, then grabbed the cup, nearly shaking it all over the floor before she managed a few sips. Her breathing slowed, the shivers finally easing.
Zain sighed. “I know. Flashbacks are a bitch.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know what’s wrong. They’ve never been this bad. Never…”
“Saylor.” Chase waited until she focused on him. “In the past few days, you’ve had multiple attempts on your life. Had to board a ghost ship reminiscent of theVigilant. And have had to face the real possibility that you were sent to that ship to die. You might want to cut yourself some slack.”
“I just need to remember.”
“That wall’s already cracked. It’s only a matter of time before it completely shatters. Until then, don’t push it.” Chase grinned as he nodded at Kash. “Or you might end up a drooling, social mess like Kash.”
“Really funny, Chase.” Kash glanced at Greer, then back to them. “At least I grew a set.”
Chase flipped him off, taking Saylor’s pulse one last time. “Remember, don’t force it.”
“Drooling mess.” She smiled weakly. “I got it.”
Zain offered her the coffee, again, ready to catch it ifit slipped free. But the worst of the tremors had passed. “You, okay?”
She huffed, cringing when it came out rougher than usual. “I haven’t been this messed up since I woke in the hospital and Mac told me everyone was dead.”
“We don’t get to decide when those ghosts choose to haunt us. And you gave us the missing piece.”
“Did I? Because I’m not sure they’d kill an entire crew over new sonar tech.”
“Look what it did to you.” Chase handed her a granola bar, waited until she took a bite. “It explains why you can’t remember that night. Regular sonar broadcast at unsafe levels can cause headaches, nausea, confusion. If Vasquez managed to weaponize it…” He whistled. “Overlooking how deadly it could be to anyone in the water — to submarines and divers — it has the potential to cause massive internal issues. Result in pockets of missed time. In the wrong hands, a pirate crew could completely incapacitate a Naval ship. Make it ridiculously easy to acquire weapons. And no one would know it was a threat until it was too late.”
She let her head fall against Zain’s shoulder. “It was easier when I just thought I was crazy.”
Zain kissed her temple. “Pretty sure that’s still on the table, so…”
She smiled, but it quickly faded. “Good, then, you won’t be surprised when I say we need to go back to where Buck tracked theNexus. Tonight.”
