Free Treasure of the Deep by Aiden James, J. R. Rain Page A

I stood up, feeling a sharp pain in my back. An affirmative nod from Ishi told me how I’d landed awkwardly when blown out of the tunnel. I must’ve tweaked it, giving me something to distract my thoughts from what Norema’s words meant. I looked toward the small yacht anchored next to the shore. Beautiful boat that must’ve belonged to some poor sap...maybe part of the wonderful sewer system as described by Badri.
    “Ishi and I will stay,” I said, after he shrugged his shoulders to say it was my decision to make. It could turn out to be his death sentence, and mine, too. But from the look on Ishi’s face I knew he couldn’t live with himself either, if these three kids were left behind.
    Ishi nodded. “A good choice, kemosabe.”
    I sighed. Looters with a conscious. It’s a terrible thing.
    “ You all should get going,” I said, rubbing my head, “since I’ve got a hunch Badri has more than just this band of pirates working for him.”
    “ You are correct, Mr. Caine,” said Badri, standing up despite the close proximity of Kintu’s rifle pointed at his face. He grinned with more malice than before. Apparently the hour I’d lost had been a productively meditative one for him. “I have two crews out patrolling the surrounding waters today. When they see the boat fleeing toward the north, they will cut it off. Depending on their mood, they’ll either kill the infidels, or bring them back for me to personally take care of.”
    Either option sounded pretty shitty to me. If Badri was bluffing, Norema and the others could find a safe refuge on one of the other islands, and perhaps protection, too. However, if Badri was telling the truth...
    “You had better leave now...we’ll help you finish getting loaded up,” I said.
    Norema likely shared my optimism that Badri was full of shit, and his threats exaggerated. The fact the pirates had only traded bullets with me after I fired the first shot, back when we first entered the tunnel from the Treasure room, formed the basis for my notion. It boiled down to consistency. Human beings are almost always a predictable lot. Pirates on the water wouldn’t shoot right away—not until the yacht was too far for them to catch—or, so I hoped.
    “We will send someone back here for you,” she promised, motioning for Kintu and Aafreen to join her at the boat. “But you should return to your side of the island. It’s safer to wait there. Call it a hunch.”
    “ Fine,” I said, knowing how accurate her hunches—or intuition—had been thus far. “Send them to where our original campsite was before your ladies and the pirate assholes raided the place. Besides, there might be a bottle of rum that you and they missed.”
    She chuckled and handed me my passport and driver’s license. “Don’t lose these, and in the future be careful where you bury them,” she said. “Goodbye, Nick. I hope you find the happiness you long for.”
    What a strange thing to say! Well, maybe not when considering what I’d learned about this unique and enchanting woman in the past twenty-four hours. She reminded me of Marie in so many ways, and from that association alone, I knew I’d miss her.
    She gave me a warm hug—one that made me a little self-conscious since she still smelled amazing, and I smelled like Badri’s sewer.
    “Goodbye, Ishi,” she said, touching his arm. She motioned toward me. “Take care of him, okay? Perhaps we will all meet again in happier times.”
    With tear-filled eyes, she moved quickly over to where her gals and their three wayward kids awaited. There was a momentary discussion on whether to leave the firearms with us, but given Badri’s confidence in his pirate-patrolled waters, I decided it might be one bluff better not left to chance.
    “I’ve still got my Beretta,” I said, pointing to Ishi, who was now brandishing it. I must’ve dropped everything when I became airborne. “Just send someone as soon as you can, okay, doll?”
    “ I will,