Page 68 of Worshiping Faith

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Zachs says.

“Secure everything. I want only us with access.” I grab a set of keys from the wall, markings tell me each opens a different storage locker. Perfect.

We start sorting and locking shit up, knowing we only have minutes, maybe, before the rest of the survivors get bold.

Next we hit the main deck, divide and conquer.

Zachs takes the mess hall and storage near the galley. He’ll love that. Free reign over the food.

But the real win? Finding the infirmary.

We meet up in the central corridor, just as Zachs hauls a crate of rations onto a table. “We’re set,” he grins. “Got enough to last us a couple months, longer if we ration.”

“Infirmary?” I ask.

Trip nods. “Stocked.”

Good. That means antibiotics, painkillers, and whatever else we’ll need when things inevitably go to shit.

We head toward the crew and officer quarters.

Zachs kicks open a door, glances around. “We takin’ five and sandwiching our treasure in the middle?”

I grunt. He means Faith.

Trip stays silent.

“Here,” I say, picking a hall with sixteen room, eight rooms on each side. Enough for each of us to keep watch and no one getting too close to Faith or Jinx. And a few to spare.

“We need six,” I add. “Jinx is the key to long-term survival if we can get him to a doctor who isn’t corrupt as hell.”

Zachs raises a brow but doesn’t argue. It’s the truth.

I step into one of the rooms, checking the space. Tight, but clean. Cot, small desk, storage locker. It’ll do.

Trip moves to the next one. “Should work.”

Zachs flops onto a cot in one of the middle rooms, sprawled out like he owns the place. “Guess that means Doc’s in here.” He pats the mattress, full smirk.

I ignore him, already turning toward the hall. “Let’s go. We need Wilkes, Jinx, and Faith on board. Then we deal with the rest.”

Zachs stretches like he’s got all the time in the world. “This where we tell ‘em they’re guests, not crew?”

I meet his gaze, voice cold. “No. This is where we remind them who’s in charge. You two stay here. If any asshole tries to board before I set shit straight, end them,” I say.

I don’t wait for agreement. There’s too much to do, too much to lock down. And it’s been too damn long since I laid eyes on Faith.

Some of the men actually stayed on the wall like I told them to. Good. I make a mental note of who followed orders and who’s already making a beeline for me, looking for answers or a fight.

The first wave is a small cluster of guards, the ones who always thought they were too good to blend in with the cons.

“They got anything useful?” one of them asks, voice low, eyes sharp.

“This and that,” I say. Vague enough to keep them from getting ideas. I level my gaze at the group. “Gather everyone and meet me in chow.”

They hold my stare but don’t push.

Good. That’s one problem handled for now.

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