“I have no desire to push your wheelchair around for the next forty years, assuming you live through the mutilation and don’t bleed out on the swim back. Come on, Nate. This is reckless at best, suicidal at worst.”

“And?”

Harv shrugged. “So let me do it.”

“I’m the stronger swimmer and you hate cold water.”

Harv turned left onto Gleason Road. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“Just keep the yacht in sight for as long as possible. If it heads for open ocean, drive out to the jetty.”

They raced past a four-story hotel on the left. The right side of the road featured diagonal parking with a strip of grass paralleling the sandy shore of Mission Bay. The water looked like hammered pewter. Nothing a little mind over matter couldn’t overcome.

“This is becoming a habit.”

“What?”

“Jumping headfirst into ops without any intel or plan. Montez can’t escape. Where can he go? Even if he makes it into open water, the Coast Guard can easily intercept him.”

“Harv, everything you said is true. I won’t deny any of it, but there are children involved. What’s the first thing Montez will do if he thinks he’s cornered?”

“They may not be on the yacht. You could be risking your life for nothing.”

“Think about it. Would Montez try escaping like this without hostage insurance? I saw one of the girls in the van.” He pointed. “Park right here, next to this little building.” Nathan pulled off his shirt, but left his pants on. “There’s some wind chop. He’ll never see me through it. Plus, I’m going to swim most of it underwater.”

“Listen to yourself. You’re not superhuman. I’m seriously thinking about pulling executive override.”

“Harv, we agreed to never implement EO except in the direst circumstances. If you call this off, I’ll honor your decision, but you’re forgetting another promise we made.”

“What’s that?”

“We promised Cantrell to keep this under the radar. We can’t do that if the harbor patrol or Coast Guard gets involved.”

“Is that really why you’re doing this?”

He taped the Sig securely to his calf and tightly wrapped its entire length. “You know it isn’t.”

“Is there anything you’d like me to say at your eulogy?”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

“Plan B?”

“If I can’t get aboard, or I’m blown trying, we’ll fall back and call the harbor patrol. Like you said, where’s he gonna go?”

Harv took Nathan’s cell. “Better get swimming. The yacht will be rounding the corner any minute. If he heads in the other direction, toward Crown Point, we’re screwed. I’m calling the harbor patrol if he does.”

“Agreed, but I think he’s heading for the open ocean to dump the Daltons. Alive.”

“Good hunting, partner.”

Chapter 38

Chapter  38