Her Cruise Ship Surprise | ✔

Chapter Thirty-Seven

As Tamara crouched outside the gruesome bathroom, she hugged herself tightly. Her stomach churned at her most recent decision. She was supposed to protect life, not take it. That was the one thing she never liked. When she became a cop, all she thought about was putting away bad guys for the rest of their lives so they couldn't destroy any more families. If she shot anyone, it was a non-fatal shot to incapacitate them until the situation was under control.

Here, without much other recourse, she was left with no choice. They had to take back the ship, and there was no way she could get him down to the brig without being seen. If she just let him go, it could have caused more harm to the passengers. Gah! She was never going on a boat again.

Standing up, she wiped her hands on her pants as she tried to decide what to do. She knew the announcement was about her and the big kahuna would be on the bridge. It was a place where he'd be well protected behind a large metal door. One that was impossible to break into like a cockpit door.

If she could make them believe that she was the only one out here, then hopefully she'd be able to keep Logan, Jason, and Darla safe, and by them more time to rescue everyone. Slowly but surely she made her way up to the bridge deck. Standing at the railing, she stared out over the turquoise coloured water. On one hand, she wished they could abandon the ship and just disappear into the sunset, but she couldn't leave a ship full of people behind for her own selfish reasons.

Tamara pushed away from the railing and began the walk down the hallway to the door of the bridge, her body rigid. There was no telling her runaway heart to settle down nor was there any reassurance she could give herself. This was a suicide mission that she had no choice but to complete.

Everything inside her was telling her to run and don't look back. That eventually the bad guys would leave and they'd be fine, but her warrior spirit knew better. If they didn't stop them, they would just keep doing the same thing over and over. It had to end with them.

Tamara walked to the door, tilted her face up to the camera, and narrowed her eyes, wishing she could take them out with a death stare. "I'm here."

When the door opened, a man grabbed her arm and dragged her across the room to Captain Lockheart who had taken up residence in the captain's chair. "So the prodigal captive returns."

She tried to jump at him, but two of his men held her back. "You aren't going to get away with this."

Captain Lockheart stretched out his hands as if to say, 'look around. "In case you haven't already noticed, I have already."

"Men like you will always get what's coming to them," she replied, spitting at him. "You're a frickin' asshole."

The captain got up quickly and walked over to her. When he was in reach, he took a handful of her hair and yanked it back. "Mind your p's and q's, lady, or I'll make use of your own asshole."

"Just try it. I'll make sure you never use your sorry excuse for a dick again."

"Feisty one, aren't ya? I think I like you."

"Can't say the same, sorry!"

He just gripped her hair tighter, pulling her body back even more. Tamara tried hard to keep her balance as she fought to get her hands loose from the men holding her.

"Where's your friend?"

"She's dead," she snapped. "Let me go, damn it!"

Captain Lockheart ran his finger across her cheek. "Why don't I believe you?"

"I'm alone, aren't I?" Tamara pointed towards the crew sitting off to the side. "Let them go."

He whacked her across the cheek. "Don't tell me what to do."