RESTLESS HEARTS

CHAPTER 11

•JULIANA•

Once I made sure everyone on the yacht was thoroughly occupied, I sneaked downstairs to the engine room to secure the time bombs.

Conner and his friends were up on the deck, having a blast with a hired DJ spinning tunes for the trip.

I had to slip away from the rest of the yacht's crew, who were busy prepping drinks and food for Conner and his crew.

Finding the engine room took some time while I pretended to look busy. In my small duffel bag, I had stashed three bombs.

I hustled down a dim hallway within the engine room, scanning quickly for a hidden spot to stash those bombs.

I gave myself a tight ten-minute window to get this job done before heading back upstairs. I didn't want anyone getting suspicious about my absence, especially when they needed all hands on deck for food and drinks to be delivered to the guys. I had to keep playing my undercover role.

One of the bombs was safely secured under the engine pipes, held in place with duct tape from my bag. The next one went near the room's back wall, and the last found a cozy spot between some metal tanks.

With the bombs all securely taped down, I took a deep breath and activated their timers with a small remote in my hand.

The red timers blinked to life, counting down from 50 seconds. Grabbing my duffel bag, I rushed out of the room, jogged up the stairs, locked the door behind me, and headed outside.

The party upstairs was still in full swing, which was a relief because everyone was still engrossed in it. I rounded the side of the yacht and entered a narrow corridor, and that's when I saw it.

A zin boat.

It hung on the yacht's side, and without wasting a second, I searched for the lever to lower it into the water. The yacht had been anchored for some time now, exactly 300 miles from the island where I planned to make my getaway.

I'd done all the calculations, and so far, everything was going according to plan. I checked my watch. Thirty-five seconds left.

I grabbed the lever and pulled it down. The zin boat splashed into the water beside the yacht, creating a rather noisy disturbance. I quickly glanced up at the upper deck, hoping the noise hadn't attracted the partygoers' attention.

I tossed my bags into the boat below and climbed over the railings before jumping down. The boat rocked slightly beneath my weight.

I steadied myself and hopped into the pilot's seat. But my heart sank when I realized there were no keys; I'd forgotten to grab them from the storage room.

Goddammit!

Time was running out, and I had to think fast to get the zin boat started. I reached into my duffel bag, pulled out my pocket knife, and jabbed it into a small compartment beneath the wheel.

With a bit of effort, the compartment popped open, revealing a jumble of colorful wires. I cut the red and the violent wires, then connected the exposed electric ends together. The zin boat's engine roared to life, and I grabbed the wheel, speeding away from the yacht.

A massive explosion erupted behind me just seconds later. The explosion created a huge wave that not only pushed the zin boat farther from the yacht but also soaked me as water splashed into the boat.

I glanced back at the flaming yacht and the debris scattered in the water around it.

My job here was done.

OoO

I parked the zip boat by the beach and hopped out. Grabbing my bags from inside, a wave of panic washed over me when I realized they were both soaking wet.

I tossed both bags onto the sand and unzipped one. Frustration surged through me as I pulled out my satellite phone, water dripping from it.

Well, this is just great. No point in drying it now. It's been soaked for a while, so the batteries are probably toast.

Damn it. 

Without my satellite phone, I can't call my crew, and they can't pick up any signal from my side either.

I scooped up both bags and set off along the island's trail, searching for the cabin where I was supposed to stay for a few days.

I had a decent sense of direction, so it shouldn't be too tough to find, as the local guy I bought it from mentioned.

With my satellite phone kaput, I'll be stuck here for a bit. I'll need to figure out a way to reach my friends so they can get me from this place.

For now, it's time to kickstart the whole "laying low" plan.