Page 12 of Latham
“Really?” Helaine gave the footwear in question a critical look. Maybe he liked laces?
“I think you’re sexy in anything. Or nothing.” He nuzzled her shoulder.
Although flattered Helaine was getting anxious about the idea of the tide covering up the islet while they were lingering, so she kissed him on the cheek and got up to fix her clothing.
* * *
The beach at the cove was deserted as Latham steered their boat to the dock.
“The Harlecky contingent must be having one of their meetings,” Helaine said as he handed her out of the boat.
“Judging by what we’ve seen they’ll take a break soon enough.” He made the rope fast as she walked toward their bungalow. When he finished the mundane task, he stood for a moment eyeing the beach. It felt too quiet to him and the back of his neck tingled the way it used to on combat patrols right before the enemy attacked. No enemies here, he reminded himself fiercely. Glancing at the bungalow, he saw Helaine had gone inside already and was singing a song as she put away her things from their excursion. Reaching a decision, he headed in the other direction. Several of the bungalows’ doors were open which was odd and he lengthened his stride, heading for the big hut where meetings were held. He lingered outside for a minute or two but heard nothing so he knocked and then entered. The room was in disarray with papers strewn on the floor as if someone had dropped them, half drunk cups of coffee and partially eaten snacks on the tables. One chair was knocked over. A holo of concepts for buildings flashed in the center of the room, revolving slowly, heedless of the lack of audience.
He backed out of the room and ran to the nearest bungalow, shoving past the half open door. The interior was bare of anything personal. The next hut was the same, although he spotted a sock lying on the floor forlornly as if the owner had been too rushed to pick it up.
“Latham?” Helaine called from the other end of the walkway. “The power’s off.”
He raised a hand to indicate he’d heard but his attention was caught by a disturbance in the pristine white sands of the beach. Vaulting over the rail to the sand, he trotted to the area and squatted to examine it. “As if a big flyer or a shuttle hovered here on antigrav,” he said out loud. “What the seven hells happened here while we were gone?”
Now seriously alarmed, he sprinted to the bungalow, surprising Helaine with his rushed entry. ”They’re gone.”
“Who’s gone? You mean the corporates? Did they tell us they were going on a hike today?” She pushed the hair out of her face.
“No, I mean packed up and gone, left, out of here.”
Now she frowned. “Weren’t they supposed to be staying a few more days and going out on the ship with us? Did they finish their retreat early?”
“Harlecky left everything in the meeting room—binders, notes, papers, the holo still running. I don’t like this, sweetheart. Pack up our stuff while I go to the utility hut and see if there’s a note or a com from IDA.”
“Pack our stuff?” She repeated, clearly puzzled by his urgency.
“Things are seriously wrong here. I wish the damn corporates had taken five seconds to leave us a note but my gut is telling me we shouldn’t stay here either or at least not until we know more. Grab a few survival rations and water bottles and stuff them in my rucksack but hurry.” He went to her and gave her a hug, rubbing his hand up and down her back in an attempt to reassure her and then a kiss. “Trust me, okay?”
“Okay.” Not bothering to hide a frown, she moved to pick up her clothes and fold them to go into the backpack. He’d kept his stuff mostly in his bag but a few things were lying around the bungalow.
“Be ready to go in ten minutes,” he said. “I’m going to run over to the utility shed and check for any messages or coms.”
Chapter Five
Helaine was thoroughly puzzled by the whole situation and she hoped Latham was overreacting. For all they knew something had happened to the Harlecky corporation on their home world and the team had had to rush back to deal with the crisis. After all, Sariah was a vice president and a few of the others had senior titles. The cove was as peaceful as always and she couldn’t feel too bad about having it all to themselves for the next few days. Besides, surely Sariah would have left them a note if there’d been anything they needed to know.
As she packed, she became aware of an unusual sound of water flowing under the floor and finally she went outside on the walkway to check. Even when the gentle tides came in and out she’d never heard a noise like this one, a sort of sliding, sucking sound.
“Lords of Space,” she said as she stepped onto the wooden planks. As far as she could see the water was…retreating was the only word for it. Fish flopped on wet sand and sea shells and seaweed lay exposed across the mud. The boats were tilted, the sterns resting on muddy sand while the bows were held up in the air by the moorings. The effect was wrong and unsettling and she didn’t hesitate to run toward the utility shed, calling Latham’s name.
He met her halfway. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s going to sound silly but the ocean is going away,” she said, not sure how to explain what she’d seen. “It’s not the tide, the whole bay is exposed.”
Latham stiffened as if he’d been shot. He grabbed her hand and dragged her with him in the direction of the bungalows until the ocean came into view. Or where the turquoise waters usually sparkled and now only exposed mud flats were visible. “We’ve got to go now,” he said fiercely. “Head for the cliff and I’ll catch up.”
“What do you mean? We’re going hiking now? I’m not wearing my boots?—”
He gave her a push. “Please just do as I say because your life depends on it. Run.”
She staggered a few steps, stunned by his attitude but he’d already pivoted and was sprinting full out toward the bungalows. Upset, she hesitated but then between his urgency and the weird thing happening with the ocean, she grew scared and trotted toward the base of the cliff. She hadn’t gotten too far up the steep incline when Latham was back, their backpacks flung over his shoulders.
“I can’t go any faster,” she said apologetically, “Not in these shoes.”
