Take My Breath Away

Chapter 436: Keeping Hope Alive

Wesley didn't return until late that night. Ivan, Niles, and Kinsley had been waiting for him on the shore.     

"Something bad happened. There's no sign of the boat, or its crew," he told them.     

Niles asked anxiously, "How could they just vanish like this? We couldn't find them either. Or their boat. You'd think there would at least be wreckage."     

Wesley fell silent. After a few seconds, he said, "Keep calm. I'll dispatch some helicopters tomorrow."     

"Get a hold of them now. That way they can be mobilized immediately," Niles urged, scratching his head. He regretted not having gone with Debbie and Carlos. He might have been able to help.     

They went back to the village to rest and regroup. Ivan was about to walk into his room when he found a woman hanging out, sitting outside the door.     

Kasie.     

"Any news?" she asked anxiously once she saw him.     

Ivan checked the time. It was already past 2 a.m. "Why are you still up?"     

"Debbie is not back yet. I couldn't sleep." Tears streamed down Kasie's cheeks. Yesterday, she and Ivan were kissing, and now Debbie vanished. She felt so sorry. She wondered if it were her fault.     

Ivan's face went solemn. He took Kasie into his arms, giving her a comforting squeeze and patting her back. "Everything will be okay. She's with Carlos. He won't let anything happen to her," he said quietly.     

Kasie shook her head miserably. "She's my best friend. I can't lose her. Can... can I go with you tomorrow?" She had already lost Emmett. If she lost Debbie too, she wouldn't be able to stand it. Myriad emotions stirred in her heart—anxiety, sadness, and guilt all mixed together.     

Ivan looked around. Then he opened the door and invited Kasie in. Closing the door, he hugged her again, consoling her. "Relax. Under Wesley's orders, they'll be sending out search and rescue teams, professionals, helicopters. Debbie and Carlos will be fine.     

Kasie rested her head on his chest. They were so close she could feel his heartbeat. His arms were strong and warm. "But I can't sleep. I saw Debbie cry for help as soon as I closed my eyes." She also saw Emmett in her dream. He had called out for her, said her name so sweetly.     

Ivan looked at the gargantuan four-poster bed and suggested, "You can sleep here."     

Kasie was surprised.     

Ivan let her go and reassured her with a smile, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen." He scratched his head. "Maybe I could work during the night while you rest." Ivan pointed at his computer on the desk beside the bed.     

"It's okay. I think I'll sleep in my bed. Thanks. Good night."     

Ivan could see the vulnerability and helplessness under her brave disguise. It hurt him. He gave her hand a comforting squeeze and said gently, "Don't be a hero. Stay here. Trust me."     

"But Debbie..." "...will be mad," she wanted to say. No matter what, Debbie was married to Ivan. Kasie thought she'd be miffed if she spent the night in his room.     

Ivan got it. "Debbie won't mind. She loves Carlos, and she's with him. So, go to sleep."     

Once again, their marriage puzzled her. "Why are you two married, anyway? You don't love each other, so what's up with that?"     

Ivan smiled. "Not now. It's not the right time."     

Kasie decided to trust him, and stay the night.     

Lying in bed, she watched Ivan working at his computer, the glow of the screen illuminating his face. She tossed and turned, for God knows how long, but sleep wouldn't come. "Um, maybe you should come to bed too," she said, sitting up.         

Ivan rubbed his forehead. "I'm good. Go back to sleep. I'll crash on the sofa."     

Kasie thought about it for a minute, and then got out of bed. She walked over to Ivan, slowly closed his laptop and said, "I trust you."     

He promised he would divorce Debbie. She believed he was a decent man and would never cross the line before he and Debbie got a divorce.     

When he heard this, Ivan stopped protesting. He left the chair and lay beside her on the bed.     

The next morning, Debbie felt something hit her face. She opened her eyes and found herself in Carlos' arms.     

She reached out to touch her face. Then she screamed, "Ahhhhh!" She raised her head and glared at the wheeling, skirling birds flying free in the sky.     

Carlos was roused by her scream. He hadn't fallen asleep until dawn. He looked at her, trying to figure out what happened. When he finally figured it out, he couldn't stop laughing.     

"Oh, shut up!" Debbie snapped, covering her face. She ran to the stream to wash her face.     

Then it got all over her hands. Looking at the black and white bird droppings in her hands, she was disgusted and pissed. What a "wonderful" morning!     

Carlos watched her frantically scrubbing her face. "Turn around. I can help you make sure you got it all off," he said.     

Debbie refused to turn around. "I don't think I'll ever feel clean," she said crankily.     

Carlos crouched next to her and started to wash his face too. "You're hotter than I am. Why didn't it crap on you?" she grumbled.     

"Most likely, it was a female bird. Opposites attract."     

'Seriously?' She rolled her eyes at him.     

After a pretty sad breakfast, Carlos told her they had to do something.     

He went into the forest, foraging for thick branches. He found leaves and vines, which could be braided into a rope to bind the branches. After a few hours, he constructed a crude lean-to.     

Then, he used the rest of what he gathered, and started in on a boat or raft.     

At noon, the killer whale visited them again.     

It had brought them lunch. Debbie was glad to find that this time there was a lobster.     

"Check it out, old man—we can have lobster sashimi for lunch." She raised the lobster, which was struggling in her hand, for a busy Carlos to see.     

With a smile, he stopped what he was doing and came to the killer whale. After stroking its head, he said to it, "Do me a favor."     

Then he took off his trunks, and Debbie pretended not to notice, though she did keep her head turned while he was buck naked. While she busied herself collecting fish, Carlos slit his swimming trunks with a rock and tore a piece off before donning them again.     

Then he put the piece into the killer whale's mouth with half of it hanging out. "Buddy, take this to people. Lead them here. Thank you," he said as he stroked the whale's head again.     

As if the beautiful mammal could understand him, it made a happy sound and disappeared beneath the waves.     

Holding a fish she'd caught, Debbie watched the killer whale disappear. "Will it work?" she asked.         

Carlos grabbed the lobster and decided to cook it. "Dunno. Worth a shot." He had a hunch that it would work.     

"All right." No matter what, they had to try. They couldn't give up on hope.     

Meanwhile, at the resort, some helicopters landed there, along with a rescue team.     

Wesley took control of the team, directing them each with the easy demeanor of a man used to being in command. "You, take south. You, go southeast. You, southwest. You, retrieve the boat. They were on a cruiser."     

When everything had been straightened out, Ivan and Niles said to him, "We want to go too."     

Wesley looked at them and said, "Leave it to them. This is the best rescue team in Y City. They'll find them. Oh, Niles, you should come along. You're a doctor. Ivan, please wait here."     

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