فصل سی و ششم

Chapter 36: A Change in Plans

Taylor and I lay on the front room couch talking until she fell asleep around nine in the morning. About a half hour after that I heard the garage door open. Jack walked into the front room. He was wet with sweat.

“Michael,” he whispered.

I got up without waking Taylor.

“What’s up?”

He motioned for me to follow him out to the garage. After he’d shut the door behind me, he said, “The plan doesn’t make sense.” “You’re telling me now?” I said.

“Better now than never.”

“What part doesn’t make sense?”

“It doesn’t take five people to plant an explosive. Just one. If I could get on the boat, I’d do it myself. But I need your help to get on board.” He looked me in the eyes. “We don’t need everyone else.” I wasn’t sure how to answer. “But we’re a team.” “That’s no reason to risk their lives,” Jack said. “Think about it. What do we need Ostin for? We don’t need his brains, the plan is already set. He’ll just slow us down. Do you think he can even climb the rope?” I didn’t answer. We both knew he was right.

“Or McKenna? Taylor might be helpful, but is it really worth risking her life? Are you okay with that?” I frowned. “No.”

“I didn’t think so. So here’s the new plan. We turn off everyone’s alarms, meet Jaime outside, and tell him it’s just the two of us. You get me on the boat, help me score a key, then once I’m inside you get clear.” “What if you’re stopped on the way to the engine room?” “I blow it.”

I just looked at him.

“You heard the man, if the bomb’s inside, it’s going to take the ship down.” “I can’t send you in there alone.” “You’re not. I’m sending myself in there alone. What’s the difference? I’m going in there anyway.” I shook my head. “I can’t let you do this.” “Look, remember in the Starxource plant when you stayed inside and locked the pipe so none of us could go back for you? What was that, huh? It was a calculated risk. You did what you felt was right under the circumstance. And because of it, you saved your mother and the rest of us. And you even got out yourself.

“And what about when Zeus blew the water pipe, knowing it would kill him? This is no different. All I’m asking is that you let me do the same thing.” I shook my head. “Jack, I know you think that Wade’s death was your fault. . . .” “This has nothing to do with Wade’s death,” he said. “It has to do with your life and everyone else’s. I’m expendable, dude.” “No, you’re not. Not to me.”

“I know. Because you’re my friend. And you’re a good friend. So let me do this, Michael. Let me do this one good thing. You made that choice in the Starxource plant. Let me make that choice too.” I looked down a moment then said, “I don’t like it.” “But you know I’m right,” he said.

I breathed out slowly. Finally I said, “Okay. We’ll do it your way.” “Thank you, Michael. It’s the right thing.” “I hope so,” I said.

“It is,” Jack said. “Semper Fi.”

I just looked at him sadly. What he didn’t know was that I had no intention of leaving him alone on the boat. “Semper Fi,” I said. “Semper Fi.”