Bobby Akart - Devil Storm

Tucker rushed out of the wheelhouse and made his way to the bow. He gripped the railing and waved his arm back and forth in a long arc. He and Sonny had always gotten along when the McDowell family came to visit. Growing up, Tucker had enjoyed learning about the greenhouses and the hydroponics operation in addition to the nonstop frolicking on the beach.

“Mr. Hank! Mr. Hank!” Sonny turned away from the shore and began running in the direction of the bungalows.

Lacey had slowed to an idle, and her wake began to push her towards the shoreline. She glanced over at the dock to check the waterline. It gave her an idea of whether the tide was low or high. Based upon her recollection of the shallow nature of the waters around Driftwood Key, she figured she was close enough to shore since it appeared to be low tide.

“Stand clear, Tucker!” she shouted through the side window of the wheelhouse. “I’m dropping anchor!”

Tucker stood back but remained on the foredeck, staring toward the shore. He waited to see his grandfather arrive to greet them. For an eternity, nobody else appeared on shore.

Mike eased across the bridge, eventually pulling the Suburban just short of the center point. He could make out traces of blood on the bridge, which immediately set off alarms in his mind. He reached for the holster sitting on the passenger seat and removed the .40-caliber Smith & Wesson handgun.

With the weapon swinging back and forth in search of a target, Mike slowly walked to the spot on the bridge where he’d noticed the blood. He dropped to a knee and felt the moist, sticky substance, which had begun to soak into the crushed shells.

He dared not call out for fear he might alert gunmen on Driftwood Key. The moist blood coupled with the unmanned gate concerned him. For whatever reason, they’d abandoned the only point of entry from land. Had a boat approached from the Gulf, forcing them to defend the dock? Then what about the blood? Whom did it belong to?

Mike didn’t waste any more time. He ran back to the Suburban and gently closed the driver’s door after retrieving the keys from the ignition. Then he locked it so that no one could steal the weapons or many thousands of rounds of ammunition he’d procured from the armory and the seizure lockers.

He made his way along the gate, using the strength of his arms to assist in climbing around the outside until he was within the compound. His wounds screamed at him, but he put all of that out of his mind as he focused on protecting his family.

Mike started running toward the main house but skidded to a stop as he heard someone shout his brother’s name.

Just as the anchor dropped into the water and Lacey put the boat in reverse to set it in the sand, several more people began running toward the dock.

The entourage was led by Hank and Sonny rushing toward them from the driveway. Jessica and Phoebe came from a different angle near the main house. Finally, Peter ambled along, moving somewhat like a pegleg pirate but keeping pace as he brought up the rear.

After shutting off Big Cam, Lacey ran out of the wheelhouse to join Tucker. Tears of joy streamed down their faces as they stood on the bow, waving to their family. Everyone called out one another’s names until Hank, Sonny, and Jessica ran into the water and began wading as fast as possible toward the Cymopoleia .

Without saying a word, Lacey and Tucker looked at one another. They climbed over the railing at the bow, grabbed each other’s hands, and jumped together into the waters off Driftwood Key.

Saturday, November 9

Driftwood Key

Everyone was sobbing as they hugged one another. Tears mixed with salt water soaked their bodies. Even Peter dragged his battered body into the water to hold his sister in an embrace they’d never shared with this level of emotional intensity. He’d been on the road like she had. He assumed she’d seen the devastation and depraved acts man could inflict upon his fellow man. He knew in his gut that something had happened to Owen and that she would bring herself to say it when she could gather the strength to do so.

The excitement of their reunion was muted by the absence of Owen and Jimmy. Lacey sobbed as she explained to everyone how Owen had died. She had difficulty catching her breath at times, so Tucker tried to explain in more detail. So much had happened to them en route from California. Lacey and Tucker weren’t sure they could remember it all.

Peter explained to his sister about Jimmy’s disappearance. The group had planned on starting a search for Jimmy, when Sonny had heard the boat arrive. Lacey immediately moved to comfort Phoebe, who broke down. For all of the joy surrounding the Albright family reuniting, in part, there was still the despair and uncertainty regarding Jimmy’s fate.

Searching for Jimmy became something they could all rally behind. Lacey and Tucker swore they had no need to sleep. Jimmy should be their priority. Peter, busted up as he was, agreed wholeheartedly. They all began walking on shore when Mike appeared at the driveway.

Lacey noticed him first. “Uncle Mike!”

The two had always been close. Mike never had children, and when Lacey was growing up, she was the little girl he’d always wanted. The two had been inseparable until Mike’s duties took him away from Driftwood Key and he married Jessica. Lacey had grown up, gone to college, and started a family. However, they still talked on the phone often and texted frequently, something Mike wasn’t a fan of but did in order to stay in contact with his niece.

It was a race up the beach, as Lacey got a head start, but the speedy Jessica quickly caught up. The two women joked as they playfully swatted at one another in their efforts to reach Mike first.

“He’s my favorite uncle!” shouted Lacey in a childlike manner.

“He’s your only uncle. He’s my husband!”

“Big deal! I’ve known him longer.” Lacey argued.

The two of them arrived at the same time. Mike had shoved his weapon into the waistband of his jeans and held up his arms to slow down the two charging women.

“Hold up, you two! Don’t forget. Knife wound.” He took a step back and gently tapped his heart with the palm of his hand.

Lacey stopped abruptly and scowled. “Knife wound? Jess said you were in the hospital. She didn’t say anything about a knife wound.”

“Long story,” said Mike with a smile. Now that the two were not moving at a pace capable of knocking him over, he opened his arms wide to hug the two most important women in his life.

“They released you early,” said Jessica as she buried her face between his neck and his shoulder.

“Yeah, long story. Speaking of long story, look at you, Lacey. You guys made it. That’s amazing.” Mike had more to say, but he stopped as he looked past the women toward the group walking toward them. He craned his neck and searched the rest of the beach. “Um, where’s Owen?”

Lacey looked into her uncle’s eyes and broke down crying again. All she could do was shake her head and bury her face against Mike’s chest. He gave them both a bear hug without speaking. There would be plenty of time to get caught up later.

Tucker joined the hugfest, and Mike pulled him close to his mom. The two locked eyes. Mike studied the young man. It had been more than a year since he’d seen Tucker. He was no longer a girl-crazy teenager who was more beach boy than young adult. That had changed. Mike could see it in his eyes. Tucker was hardened. Older than his years. And somewhat empty inside. He hadn’t given up on life. But it did appear he’d seen things that Mike felt sure he needed to talk about. He vowed to be Tucker’s sounding board when the time came.