Page 69 of Riptide

“Evan,” Seth repeated as he reached out and touched a shoulder. “He’s warm.” He pressed his fingers to the side of his neck. “I don’t…no, wait…”

“Oh my God,” she cried.

“We’ve got a pulse. It’s weak though. Evan…” Seth’s adrenaline rushed through him as he gently rolled Evan over and caught sight of his bruised and battered face. His chest had been scarred by burns in various states of healing. His left hand was bandaged, and Seth suspected the bloodied stump was all that remained of his pinky.

“Go tell Marcus. We’ve got to get him out of here.”

“Yes, yes.” Kaimana jumped to her feet and sprinted into the cave.

Evan groaned as Seth attempted to slide an arm under him. He looked to the slot cave from which he’d entered. “No way the Coast Guard is getting you out of here on a gurney, bro.”

“Ughhhh…” Evan swung a heavy arm toward Seth but his fingers, swollen and curled shut, couldn’t grasp him.

“I’ve got you, Ev. It’s okay, buddy.”

“We’re getting you out of here, Evan.” Kaimana’s voice echoed from behind. “Marcus is calling in the guard.”

“Let’s get him out and they can take it from there,” Seth suggested.

He slid his arms under Evan’s armpits and Kaimana wrapped her arms around his legs. “It’s tight in there but just a few feet. We can do this. I’ll go first.”

“His feet are pretty badly burned,” Kaimana noted as she lifted him.

“They did a number on him, but my dude is going to live another day. Dumb fucks didn’t know who they were dealing with when they left him here.”

With great care and patience, Seth and Kaimana navigated an unconscious Evan through the crevice. By the time they reached the shore, the Coast Guard had already prepared a gurney and IV for Evan.

“Over here,” Marcus called.

“We’ve got him.” Seth held back emotion as he caught sight of Marcus’s face, his eyes brimmed with tears.

“Jesus.” The FBI agent knelt next to Evan as Seth placed him gently onto the gurney. “You’re gonna be okay.”

“Yeah, he will be.” Seth, at a loss for words, stood over Evan as the emergency workers took over and tended to him.

“What’s the assessment?” Kaimana knelt and helped wrap a blanket around Evan.

“Blood pressure looks good. He’s dehydrated,” a guardsman declared.

“Hey Marcus. Can I talk to you?” Seth moved away from the medics and turned his back, keeping his voice low as he spoke.

“What’s up, man?” Marcus asked.

“I think we should keep Evan at my house.” Seth plowed his fingers through his hair.

“What? Are you crazy? No. He’s got to be in the hospital.”

“Just hear me out—"

“He needs time to get stabilized under the care of a doctor,” Marcus insisted.

“He’s not safe. I don’t trust the hospital. Someone’s gonna get him. Marretta wants him dead. They’ll come after him. It won’t be difficult.”

“I’ve got agents, Seth. Now come on, this is—"

“No offense but there’s nothing stopping someone from coming in there and killing him. Even with agents. You don’t know who you can trust. It will be harder to get to him at my place. We’ll be able to better protect him. It’s gated. I’ve got security cameras all over the property. The only other way in is the water and we can cover it. Besides, there’s no record of my address for them to even find the place.”

“He needs a doctor.” Marcus crossed his arms, his tone tense.