Page 178 of Her Reluctant Hero
Chapter Eighteen
Adrian couldn’t take another chance. He knew what had caused his narcosis; he’d figured it out floating in the ocean, watching the boat approaching.
Someone had switched the gases in his tank. The team had been using Heliox so they could stay underwater longer. Someone had switched his tanks to Nitrox, and he’d had higher levels of nitrogen in his blood, leading to his narcosis.
If he’d gone deeper, he could have died.
Ingenious, really. Anyone who paid attention to him knew he checked his equipment to the nth degree. Gas mixture was not something he’d thought to check.
But the experience had given him an idea.
Last night he’d slipped out the window of his cabin and smuggled three full-sized tanks from the boat, strapping them to the underside of the barge. He might manage a couple more pony tanks, and hope that would be enough. He and Toney could use the pony tanks—they were the most experienced divers. They wouldn’t have to go as deep as usual, so they wouldn’t use as much air. He just hoped they’d have enough to get to land without having to surface and risk being seen.
He’d gone back after securing the tanks and dumped the extra hoses and regulators overboard, then released most of the air in the remaining tanks. He’d cracked open the gauges and manipulated the needles until they stayed pointing to “full” before he added weights to the straps so they’d feel full. They’d run out of air before the divers descended too far, giving Adrian and the others a chance to escape. They ran the risk of the men surfacing to alert Smoller, and Adrian hadn’t decided if that was a risk he was willing to take. If Smoller brought them back, he would not go easy on them.
He’d tried to work out how to get control of his boat, but three unarmed men against six armed—he didn’t like the odds, the chance that Mallory could be hurt. If he only had to worry about himself and his brother, that was one thing, but he wouldn’t chance Mallory and Jacob. They had a better chance of swimming to safety under the radar, so to speak. So while it nearly killed him to do it, he poured water in the gas tanks of each boat so Smoller couldn’t follow them to shore.
He hoped Mallory understood his signal. He’d feel better if they could talk through the plan first, but there was no time. They had to act.
Mallory didn’t wait for Valentine to tell her to suit up after Adrian, Jacob and Toney went in. He cast a flat gaze in her direction as she tugged the suit over her clothes, zipped it up. She checked the hell out of her equipment while he watched. They would all know she was aware of their tricks now, and they’d think twice about trying them again.
Her nerves had been jumping since she’d overheard the conversation, and if she stayed around him too long, he would suspect and then act.
Or prevent her from acting.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked as she moved to the edge of the boat. “You need to wait for Karl.”
“You want your casket. I want to go home.” Before he could say anything, she dove.
Adrian knew if he hung back to wait for Mallory, the two men swimming with him would suspect something. They couldn’t turn back too soon, or they risked discovery. He’d have to trust she could catch up, that Toney and Jacob could retrieve the tanks from the barge. They weren’t being watched as closely as he and Mallory, a point in their favor. Adrian would keep an eye on the guards, alert for the moment they realized they were out of air. If anyone had to take drastic measures for their safe escape, he would. He was responsible for them all being here.
He saw the diver called Danny check his gauges and slow, straighten as he tapped the plastic casing. Oh hell. Too soon. Adrian looked around for Mallory, for Jacob and Toney, didn’t see them. Danny signaled to Brutus, then to Adrian, urging them to surface. Brutus pointed to himself and down, then to Danny and pointed up. Danny shook his head and stubbornly signaled with a sweeping motion for the three of them to ascend. Brutus repeated his message with frustrated movements, before he turned to descend. Adrian followed.
Danny grasped Adrian’s calf, pulling him toward the surface. Ahead of him Brutus swam forward, oblivious. How long would he stay that way? Out of the corner of his eye, Adrian saw Mallory swimming forward to help him. Damn it, he had to move now. He twisted, driving his elbow back as hard as he could into his captor’s stomach. The blow loosened his grip enough that Adrian could turn and rip off Danny’s mask, blinding him as salt water stung his eyes. Danny released him. Adrian drove his fist as hard as he could into the enemy’s face.
Crap. Blood spurted out of Danny’s nose. Bad news. Danny reached for his dive knife. Adrian slammed a hand into the man’s throat, but the water resistance prevented too much force.
The man slid his knife free and slashed it toward Adrian, who swam out of reach. But he wasn’t prepared for the backstroke. The tip of the blade sliced the palm of his hand. Damn. More blood in the water. He closed his hand around the stinging wound just as Danny jabbed his knife toward Adrian’s chest, falling short, a surprised look in his eyes as he sucked on his regulator, out of air.
Adrian looked over Danny’s shoulder into Toney’s facemask, to the glint of a diving knife and dangling air hoses. Where the hell had Toney gotten a knife? That was the one thing Adrian had failed to accomplish as he’d crept around the boat last night. He pointed to the knife and lifted his eyebrows behind his mask. His brother shrugged as Danny swam toward the surface.
Mallory approached, fins flipping behind her a bit frantically, and hooked her thumb over her shoulder. He looked past her to the two men swimming after her, drawing Brutus’s attention to his comrades.
Shit.
Adrian motioned for Toney to give Mallory one of the extra tanks and go, get away. They needed to take off now or risk being dragged back. If they failed, they wouldn’t get another chance. Hesitation flashed in Mal’s eyes as she strapped the tank to her chest. He glared in response and gestured toward the shore. When she still refused to leave, he pointed to his brother and then to her.
Now her eyes were mutinous. Oh, for fuck’s sake…she wouldn’t go. And he didn’t have time to force her as the three swimmers approached. Through the water, Adrian saw the glint of metal in the first man’s hand. Goddammit. A knife. Toney and Jacob swam up behind the others, quickly disabling them. Toney met Adrian’s eyes over the third diver’s shoulder. Adrian jerked his head toward shore, assuring his brother he could handle this one. He would see Mallory to shore if Toney could get Jacob there. Toney nodded, motioned to the younger man and started swimming.
Adrian glanced at Mallory, then looped a finger through his own air hose and made a slicing motion. She frowned and gestured to her hip. No knife.
He’d just have to get Brutus’s. He turned and swam to confront him.
The cold look in the big man’s eyes penetrated his mask as he lunged at Adrian with the knife. Adrian shot an arm out to block Brutus’s aim at his chest and felt a burning across his forearm as the blade sliced through his wetsuit.
Brutus surged forward to grab Adrian’s regulator. Adrian clamped his teeth over it and felt the pressure in his gums as Brutus tried to deprive him of his air supply. He gripped the wrist that tugged at his mouthpiece as he tried to block the arm slashing downward. He didn’t catch it before the blade drove into his biceps. Pain flashed brightly through him as metal scraped bone, but even as he reached for the hilt, Brutus withdrew it, finning backwards.
Adrian had to get some distance between them. With the water resistance, he wasn’t strong enough to punch the guy and do much damage, but his legs were accustomed to moving with force through the water. He pulled away and struck Brutus in the facemask with his foot. The man’s head snapped backwards, his mask cracked. Then Mallory was there, slicing his hoses.
