Knockdown (32 page)

“What is your best
guess?” Nick slammed the book closed.

“I think we are a couple of days south of
San Francisco. We could go back, but it’s a difficult harbor to get into. There are really strong currents and we don’t have any instruments, remember.”

“We can’t keep screwing around. Angelina’s…” Nick saw Makala’s
frightened face. “Angelina’s sick.”

“We don’t know if we’ll get help or more problems if we go ashor
e. We should try Jervis’ medicine,” Dylan said.

I stepped to Dylan’s side.
“Didn’t the President say the Golden Gate Bridge got knocked down? I don’t think we can sail into San Francisco if we wanted to.”

Nick slammed the book down.
“We have to do something. We can’t just let her…”

“Talk to
Zoë. She knows more about medical stuff.” My pan of snow was almost completely melted and ready to pour into the water tank.

As if on cue, Zoë
came up and warmed her hands over the fire. She didn’t look at or speak to me.

I decided to take the high road.
“Do you think Angelina is in danger?” I asked her.

Zoë
turned her back to me and answered. “Her fever is high, but I don’t think she’s critical. She’s still aware.”

“Would you say that if it were Dylan lying down there?” Nick threw his hands in the air and began to pace.

Zoë gazed out to sea. “I made the same call with Cole. He needed help, but there was no help to get.”

I adjusted the wheel.
“If there are any hospitals left, they’re inland. We have no ground transportation until we get to Santa Barbara. My family said they’d be there. I’m sure they’ll have a car. In the meantime, we can try Jervis’s tea stuff. It might work.”

“The teacher said three days. I’m sure of that.”
Jervis started reeling in the fishing line.

“Do we have a fish
, ‘ervis?” Makala danced. “Do we?”

“I think we do
.”

Makala
ran to grab the net.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Warming Trend

That afternoon it began to rain, hard. Dylan smiled up at the deluge and said rain was a good sign. It meant the weather was getting warmer. But the rain kept putting out the fire, and without the fire pit, the wet seemed almost as cold as the ice and snow.

Takumi and I left Dylan and Nick
on deck, and went below to warm up and rest before our shift. Jervis gently snored. Angelina and Makala were in the girls’ cabin. Boots curled alongside Makala.

I leaned across the bed to check on Ange
lina. Boots growled at me. I shushed him and rubbed his ears. I felt Angelina’s forehead. Her skin was warm, but she seemed to be resting comfortably.

Takum
i was already in bed when I came out. I climbed over him.

“Something
wrong?” He whispered.

I stared
at the raindrops hitting the skylight in the ceiling. I couldn’t get Angelina’s words out of my mind.

“Toni!” Takumi made me face
him.

“I’m scared. T
hings are changing too fast.”

He cradled me in his arms. “
Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”

I snuggled even closer.

Drops of water startled me awake.

Nick leaned over our bed and shook Takumi’s shoulder. “Your turn, stud. Get up.” Water ran off the sleeve of his jacket
and into my face.

“Go away. You’re all wet.” I pulled the blanket up to keep dry
.

Nick scoffed, took off his coat, and headed to the girls
’ cabin.

Zoë
came down just as soaked as Nick had been. I dreaded leaving my warm bed.

Nick ran out of the bedroom and grabbed
Zoë’s arm. “Angelina’s really burning up. I can’t wake her.”

Zoë
hurried to the top of the stairs. “Dylan, bring down some ice before it’s all gone.”

“What can I do to help?” A wave of dread washed over me.

“Make some ice packs.” Zoë took off her foul weather gear. ”We need to get Angelina’s temperature down.”

Zoë
searched the kitchen for baggies.

“I can take over so you can get some
sleep if you tell me what to do.”

Zoë
started for the girls’ cabin, and then paused. “I’ll let you know.”

Dylan handed
down a couple of melting ice chunks. Zoë crushed and divided the ice into two baggies. Amazingly, Jervis slept through the commotion. Takumi and I woke him, climbed into our foul weather gear, and went up for our shift. It wasn’t until I got settled that I realized Zoë was talking to me again.

Was that a good or bad thing?

Takumi took the boat pole and tied it to the wheel so we could steer from under the awning. The sea was calm, with gentle swells. There was enough wind to keep the sails filled, but not heel the boat over.

I huddled as close to the cabin as I could. I’d stay dry as long as the wind didn’t blow the rain into me or I didn’t have to adjust a sail.

“Head south. We can’t go towards shore when we can’t see anything.” Dylan tightened the jib and pointed out the compass heading.

I forced myself to leave my sheltered corner and helped Dylan gather
the last of the ice and snow. The rain was melting it fast and the deck had become a slushy mess. Dylan took the bucket of ice and left to go below and sleep.

I shivered and wondered where
Jervis was. He was supposed to be up here too, a part of our team. But now that the snow had stopped, we really didn’t need him. Takumi and I were fine all alone. I liked that thought and suddenly hoped Jervis wouldn’t show.

“I never thanked you for the service you held for Cole.” I pulled my knees up to my chin and moved back under the awning.

Takumi checked the compass and re-adjusted the boat hook to the wheel. “We should have talked it over with you before we planned it. Sorry you got so upset.”

I motioned for him to sit in the dry area n
ext to me. “I was angry. I didn’t want to let go of Cole. I still don’t. And I hated that muddy and awful place.”

Takumi scooted close
r. Our legs touched, and even through the layers of clothing, I felt a connection, a sense of longing. I cleared my throat and continued. “But as I watched you guys honor him, I realized that after all we’ve gone through, we’re like a family now too.”

Takumi put his free arm around me
and pulled me close.

“Dylan and I saw it all from the deck of that fancy yacht. We couldn’t
hear anything, but the sight of the raft on fire was lovely.”

Takumi grinned. “The paper flowers were Angelina and Makala’s
idea. They needed to do something to thank him.”

“Dylan said he and Cole used to give a similar service to their action figures when they died
as heroes. He thought Cole would have liked it.”

“I’m glad
.” Takumi checked the sails then came back.

I rested my head on his shoulder. The rain slowed to a
drizzle. Then the drizzle stopped. I peered towards where the shoreline should be but a thick fog blocked our view.

Ta
kumi jumped up and hurried to the wheel. A wooden porch floated past us.

He adjusted
the wheel one way and then the other. We were in another debris field.

Takumi came back to the bench and we snuggled.
I thought about what Dylan had said about the island. I couldn’t wait to get off the boat.

We pulled apart when
Zoë appeared on deck and asked for more ice.

“Angelina
?” I scooped up the last of the slushy ice and handed it down.

“I don’t know.”
Zoë was exhausted. “I’m terrified she’s going to …”

“
Let’s try Jervis’ medicine,” I interrupted.

“It’s only been fermenting a day and a half.”
Zoë stared at me. “He said it took three days.”

“But what
can it hurt?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t know. Her wound doesn’t look good.
And we’re out of Neosporin.” Tears dripped down Zoë’s cheeks. “I don’t know what to do.”

For the first time ever, I felt sorry for
Zoë.

I hugged her and was surprised she didn’t pull back.
“No one expects you to perform miracles. But we have to do something. Didn’t Jervis say all she needed to take is a shot glass full? And that moldy water won’t hurt her? There’s a lot of water in the jar. We can keep growing it, but maybe there’s enough penicillin in there now to help her, even if it’s just a little. What do we have to lose?”

“
Yeah, you’re right. I’ve managed to get her to swallow water. I’ll try it.” Zoë left with the pan of ice.

I felt so helpless
. I crossed my fingers that Jervis’ medicine would work as I took the wheel. Angelina had to get better. She just had to.

Takumi
decided to start a fire. He had to dig out the last of the dry wood from the storage locker. More debris floated around us and I swerved a couple of times. Even while standing out at the wheel, I felt warmer. The chilly bite in the air was gone. I checked my cell. It was four in the morning.

Takumi
got a small fire going but felt he should to stand and drive. The fog was closing in. It was hard to see ahead and maneuver through all the floating wreckage. I missed having him next to me.

Dylan climbed o
ut on deck and scowled. “You guys drunk or something?”

I gestured out at the water
. “There’s a lot of floating junk.”

Dylan stood at the rail and squinted toward the mainland
. “We must be close to a big city.”

“Go back to bed
. I won’t hit any floating skyscrapers,” Takumi promised.

“Okay. I’m just waiting for
Zoë. She’s been with Angelina most of the night. I’m not sure who I’m more worried about, Zoë or Angelina. I don’t think Zoë could forgive herself if Angelina…”

“
Jervis’ moldy tea is going to help her. I know it.” I stirred the fire. “I’ll go down and see if she needs help.”

Nick was climbing on the steps as I started down. I
moved aside to let him by.

He stood for a few moments at the cockpit opening. “Head
to shore.” He pointed Angelina’s gun at Takumi.

Chapter Forty

Two Days Late to Find Dad

I stared in disbelief. Takumi’s mouth hung open.

“What
the hell?” Dylan scowled.

Nick held
the gun in his shaking hand. “Angelina needs a hospital. We’re off the California coast. There has to be lots of towns on the shore. I’m not going to sit by and let her die.”

Dylan
clenched and unclenched his fingers. “Look! I have no idea what the shoreline is like. It’s suicide to get too close when we don’t know where we are.”

“No more talk. Change course. Due
east.” Nick swung the gun from Dylan to me and back again. “Give the order.”

I felt
totally helpless. This couldn’t be the Nick I’d known my whole life.

“Don’t be stupid. I know
you won’t kill anyone.” Dylan edged closer to Nick.

“Dylan,” I whispered.

“You’re right. I won’t kill you, but I
will
hurt you. Or better yet, I could shoot your sister.” He turned the gun back on me. “Then you’d need to find a hospital, too.”

Dylan froze. “Put that gun down.”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the top of Jervis’s head at the bottom of the stairs. I forced myself not to stare in his direction.

Nick motioned to Dylan. “
Move the sail. Takumi, adjust the heading. Do it, or I’ll shoot Toni in the leg.” He aimed the gun at my thigh.

Dylan growled. “Don’t you…”

Takumi gripped the wheel, crouched like a tiger ready to pounce. His eyes met mine. I motioned ‘wait’ with my hand at my side and hoped he saw it.

“Change course
, now!” Nick waved the gun. His hand shook so hard I thought he might drop it.

Takumi swung the wheel far
to the right. The boat heeled over and rocked. Jervis rushed the stairs and tackled Nick. They both crashed face first onto the deck. The gun went flying. It bounced off the cockpit bench and onto the toe rail. Jervis straddled Nick. Takumi let go of the wheel and leapt for the gun. He caught it seconds before it fell into the ocean.

The boat shook and the sounds of wood splitting and cracking roared in our ears. The boom flew through the air across the stern. Dylan and I ducked just in time. When we stood up, the
small sail in the bow, the jib, was tangled around itself. The main sail was hanging still on the wrong side of the boat.