Ocean Blue (Sea Lab Book 1)

CHAPTER 14

Tires rumbled over low grade asphalt.

Jake geared down the Jeep Wrangler and killed the headlights as they neared the beach house. A salty smell filled the air, and behind the house, the surf lapped against the shore. The bungalow was one of many on a two-lane street that ended in a cul-de-sac.

Jake peered over at Tony. Through gray eyes, he stared back, their minds communicating without words. Sarah caught Jake's gaze from the middle of the rear bench and appeared aware of the building tension. During the day, the neighborhood likely had a relaxing atmosphere, but at night with only a few security lights, the area took on a more threatening persona, especially with the trouble they'd ran into lately.

Thanks to Tony, they drove a topless jeep. He couldn't go on a vacation without his blond locks flopping in the breeze. The manager of the rental company warned them not to remove the top for fear it might get damaged, lost or stolen, so they let the island native hold on to it for safekeeping. With only a slight chance of rain in the forecast, it wasn't a hard decision. Though Jake felt like an easy target as they crept down the road, he knew it would make loading back into the vehicle a cinch under pressure.

Jake eased past the house and turned around in the cul-de-sac. Their brush with danger earlier in the evening produced vigilant eyes, scanning the dark crevices like a cat hunting for prey. He pulled over to the curb and slipped into an opening between a pair of cars. The location provided a good view of Sarah's rental property from two houses down. Refusing to take any chances, he spent a few seconds searching the shadows for movement. The nearby street light was blown out, cloaking the front door in darkness. That could work to their advantage. However, it could help conceal any assassins, too.

Jake unbuckled his seat-belt. "You guys ready?"

"Since conception," Tony answered.

"Let's do what we came to do and get out of here," Sarah said. "I don't feel good about this."

Jake twisted in the seat. "Do I need to remind you that this was your idea?"

Sarah signaled with a thumb toward the house. "This is necessary. I need my laptop. It has the data from our first two days on Paradise Island."

"Your dives turned up nothing abnormal, right?"

"On the surface. But we could have missed something. Besides, I have personal things here too. Like my iPad. It has pictures and credit card information. I can't just leave it. I have clothes too."

Great, Jake was risking his life for an electronic device and a change in wardrobe. He never mastered the skill of winning an argument with her.

His mind switched gears. "Maybe we can find something to use as a weapon."

Jake looked through the jeep's interior compartments and found a couple of handy items. One of them, a tire iron, he gave to Tony. He led the way, but stalled at the corner of the house next door. He peered around at their destination. The porch light was on at the neighboring cottage, hindering his eyes from acclimating to the dark.

He turned back to Tony and Sarah. "We should expect anything at this point. It'd be foolish to chance more than one of us to check out the place. I'll volunteer. When I feel comfortable, I'll wave you over."

"Watch yourself," Tony said. "Expect the worst."

Jake nodded. "I'll signal when it's clear."

Jake didn't wait for Sarah to object to his plan because he knew she wouldn't. He rounded the corner and shied away from the porch light on the adjacent house. Then he shot toward the front edge of Sarah's bungalow. Once he reached the vantage point, he leaned against the wood siding and let his eyes adjust to the dark.

He peered down at the beach. Waves rolled onto the sand and retreated under the faint light of the moon. Jake shifted his gaze to the front door and patio, detecting no movement inside or out. He focused on the street, and once again, nothing. No new traffic or anything to cause concern.

Jake swung his arm in a wide arc. The gesture went unnoticed because Sarah and Tony didn't appear around the corner. He whistled, sharp and loud. A breath or two later, they rushed his way.

"You're up next," Jake said to Sarah.

They followed her to the patio, where she withdrew a single key from the pocket of her khaki shorts. Quick with the lock, they entered and closed the door behind them.

"Sarah, here's a flashlight. Found it in the Jeep. Just keep it pointed away from the windows."

She snatched it from Jake's fingers and began gathering her things. As she did, Tony wandered into the kitchen to monitor the back of the house. He whistled a light tune to himself as he disappeared from sight.

In the living room, Jake held a vigil on the front of the property, peeking through the blinds. It remained quiet outside, with no sign of trouble. Satisfied, he let the plastic slits spring together and turned around as Sarah tossed her last article of clothing into the suitcase. She slid her iPad into her purse.

Jake opened his mouth to speak, but a car engine startled him. He swung around as the window brightened and fell dark again, the sound fading away. With the dead end drive, he assumed the vehicle would make another pass. It didn't, which meant someone was arriving at one of the other houses down the street. Or―

A metallic click-click interrupted his train of thought.

It came from the front yard. None of the activity alerted Tony in the kitchen.

"What was that?" Sarah asked.

Jake slipped over to the blinds and peered toward the road. At first, nothing stood out to him, but then two dark figures darted across the grass. After that, two more men ran through the yard. All of them had straps dangling from their shoulders, supporting long objects in their hands. He now understood what he heard, the sound of a magazine sliding into an automatic weapon.

The invaders remained paired up and disappeared at both corners of the house.

Jake whistled loud enough for it to be heard in the kitchen. "We've got company. Four. Armed with assault rifles."

"I have an idea," Sarah said.

"I'm all ears, but you better make it quick cause time is short."

"Then step aside and let me show you something neat about this place."