Arcane Sequence: 1994: Never Stop Running... (WLW)

Part Two: Chapter Fourteen: Windley Key, Florida, December 1998

The latter half of the month of December had finally arrived and Berry got her things into her rented jet ski, thinking of her constant battle to reunite with her stolen family. "That's everything. Thanks, Santi." She extended her hand toward the marine biologist beside herself and he took it, shaking it several times with an encouraging nod. She regarded his facial features, knowing she would never see him again, but ecstatic for what that meant. "You've gone above and beyond to help us. Thank you so much."

"It's nothing. Ethan was my best friend in high school and you saved him. That makes you my friend, too." Santiago let her hand go and held something out in his hand, placing it in hers. She pulled her hand back and found a rolled up cluster of large bills, lifting her head with a furrowed brow. "We know you aren't going to stay long once you have your family, so consider this everyone's pitch to help your future. It's about ten grand. Sorry we can't do more."

After staying hidden within the confines of the geological state park since Ethan instructed her of all the pieces of their plan falling into place several months ago, Berry had grown quite fond of the scientists and their families there. Although even with how saddened she was at not ever seeing them again, she just couldn't hide what the morrow might bring. She gratefully pocketed the cash and got onto her jet ski after one last nod, turning it on and driving away.

It wouldn't take her long to get to Islamorada and she literally counted the nautical miles until she pulled up to the coast several estates down from Nadia's. She grasped the radio on her hip and brought it to her mouth. "Radio check, Delta Juliet November. Over."

"Roger, roger. Stand-by. Over."

As Berry began removing her supplies from the jet ski under the cover of evening light, her radio resting on her hip as it projected static, and she hurriedly got it up and beneath a nearby beach house. It was close to Nadia's compound, though far enough away from prying eyes as Berry located her binoculars and got up onto the stairs. After getting her com connected to her radio and settled in her ear, she stayed low and brought the binoculars to her eyes as a familiar voice came through her ear piece. "Roger, DJN. This is mission control. Over."

Ethan's voice was a blessing and Berry smirked as she surveyed the layout of the compound, surmising their intel was correct. "Hey, bud."

"You made it safely?" Berry kept up her surveillance with a grunt and Ethan finally added, "I have not been in contact with the asset as of nineteen-hundred hours last night. We are maintaining surveillance and she has been confirmed alive. Unharmed." They both released a breath of relief and Berry heard what sounded like a chair scraping along the floor. "Crazy Hair is alive and well, secured within his room. It's now orange."

"His hair's orange?" Berry thought of her little brother and the many hair colors Ethan's team had reported him dying his curly mohawk. She began wondering what he might choose next or if he may want something entirely different when he was far and away from Nadia. That being said, the goal was not for him to leave with her, but with Ethan instead. Berry still didn't believe she could give him the life he deserved, a task which would soon become significantly harder if they were victorious in their undertaking. Her smirk fell as she thought of just how brief their encounter would be, but she knew it was for the better if she bore a target on her back. Kirah coming with her was different, however, and nonnegotiable. "Eyes on. Eyes on. Over."

Berry focused her binoculars as a young boy ran along the pathway leading to the ocean. It was Tuck and her heart nearly broke as she realized just how much he'd grown. She'd missed it. She'd missed so much and that wasn't changing any time soon.

Firstly, Berry had one mission in life and it dictated her every action. She was going to rid the world of Nadia once and for all, consequences or law breaking be damned. Nadia had done too much damage to too many families and what was so odd was that during her research into the Costa family as she spent her days spying on them in Europe, she realized she wasn't as powerful as she once claimed. In fact, the woman held little to no power within the family since Fredo was released from federal prison and sent back to Sicily. Despite her taking care of everything in his stead as his son was still too young to have any real say in what the family did, Nadia had basically been cast aside with only one remaining task.