Paradise Falling (ONC 2024)

30 -- Putting It Out There

Baltray, Ireland

June 2024

~~~~

From the rocks that divide the beach and the narrow coastal road, I let my gaze drift across the sand. Chelsea tosses a ball for her dog by the waterline; despite the nice weather, the area is pretty much deserted but for a few colorful dots in the distance that could be joggers or people taking a stroll by the sea. Unthinkable for Cyprus where tourists flock to the beaches all year around. In a way, this type of setting seems frozen in time, emitting a peace and calmness I envy. My whole life has been one big rat race with violence and death as a routine occurrence.

I slip off my shoes and carry them in my hand as I make my way toward the crashing waves. The sand is wet and cool under my soles and the wind rips through my hair. The sun is by no means as burning hot as it is in Cyprus; the warming rays are more like a pleasant caress on my skin. Salt from the ocean weighs heavy in the air and each breath is like a cleanse. About halfway to my destination, Chelsea turns and shields her eyes from the sun. She stands frozen in place until I join her. Questioning eyes meet mine.

I give her a small nod. "It's done."

The big caramel-colored dog rushes toward me; our introduction is cut short by Chelsea picking up the ball and tossing it far into the water. With a few leaps, the dog follows and disappears between the waves.

When she looks at me again, tears sparkle in her eyes. "I know it's stupid, but I'm a little sad."

"You did love him, at least at some point. It's only natural to feel sad."

"I suppose." She wrinkles her nose. "What now?"

"Not sure what you mean."

Her gaze is on the dog swimming back to shore. "You could've called or even texted. Why are you here, Bastian?"

"I promised you—"

"You said you'd contact me. That doesn't require a visit."

The dog shakes the water out of its fur, showering us with droplets. To stall, I pick up the ball and toss it back into the ocean. With a happy bark, the Terrier takes off.

"Are you here to kill me?" Her question is mumbled under her breath and almost drowned out by the howling wind.

"If I wanted you dead, I would've sent someone else."

She folds her arms and turns away from me. A shiver runs through her body; it could be the cold as well as fear. Stepping closer, I pull her against my shoulder and nuzzle my nose into her hair.

"We know about Conor."

She tenses.

"But don't worry, no one has any idea where he is. He covered his tracks well."

"How did you find out?"

"The burner phone. Falk noticed a second ping, the rest was easy."

"So it's all over?"

"No. This is just the beginning, at least if you want it to be."

"Go on."

I drop my arms. "Why don't we take a walk?" Getting my blood circulation flowing will help me to sort through my mingled thoughts.

How much to tell her?

How far should I go?

Should I trust her?

This could become a make it or break it situation, and if it goes wrong, I won't have a choice but to kill her.

Hand in hand, we stroll along the water, the dog chasing back and forth between the waves and our moving legs. The silence between us is charged. I'm terrified to trust her and risk another betrayal, but my chances of success without her are slim to none. It's time to find an ally.

I clear my throat. "I might be wrong, but my gut tells me that you aren't happy to let this end with Marcel's death. You want to hold more people accountable."

"That's a fair assumption."

I halt and turn toward her to find her eyes. "How far up the ladder do you want to go?"

She clicks her tongue and sidesteps around me. Whistling for the dog, she avoids glancing in my direction.

"Chelsea, how far are you willing to go?"

She spins around. "Why don't you tell me?"

I close my eyes; here goes nothing. "I want to take down the Disciples. And I want Icarus Pappas dead."

Her gaze stays on me for the longest time.

Dissecting.

Leery.

Doubtful.

"Why?" Her voice has an edge. "As far as I know, he's your uncle and you are being groomed as his successor."

She and Conor did their homework. "Let's just say that there's a lot of things I did that I'm not proud of. It's not how I want to live my life. I made bad choices, but that doesn't mean I have to continue to make the same mistakes. I want out, but as you know, you can't simply quit the Disciples, so dismantling the organization is my only option."

She snorts. "And you just want me to believe you? You've been lying to me from the start."

"You haven't been exactly truthful either," rests on the tip of my tongue, but I swallow down the words. I'm not here to argue with her. "What can I do for you to trust me?"

"Tell me who killed my son."

I turn my head. Giving up Nico who's the only Disciple I'd still trust with my life is not an easy feat. "His name is Nico Dessler."

"And he works in your crew?"

"Yes." When I glance at her, I can't shake the feeling that the information isn't new to her.

A smile plays on her lips. "You give a little, I give a little, so it's my turn. Yes, I do want to hold Icarus accountable, and I wouldn't mind destroying the Disciples in the process. Now what's your plan?"

"There is one thing I need to do before this final part. My son lives with Icarus in Cyprus and I don't want him caught up in this." Especially if things go south. "I need to get him out."

She nods. Again, the news about Vitaly doesn't seem to come as a surprise, but then again, she could've overheard Anton and me discussing him on the plane before our detour to Nicosia.

"Okay, and how do we do that?"

"Call the dog. I'm getting cold and this will take a while."

WP total word count: 33,542

So Bastian took a huge leap of faith and confided in Chelsea. Will their allegiance hold or will one of them betray the other? As we are nearing the end (at least for ONC purposes -- more to come after the contest), I'm planning on a few tense chapters, so keep those eyes on the updates.

Thanks for reading and sticking with this story. Votes and comments always make my day, so no need to hold back 😋