#WitchcraftWednesday || ONC 2023 | ✔

Chapter 15: Phase One

There's a tension in the atmosphere tonight, heightening Nathan's senses, intensifying his experience of the world as he knows it. Rolling waves and the roaring of Patch Booker's motorboat hit him like a solid wall of sound. Sea salt hangs thick in the air. The stars are impossibly bright and so is the light spilling from the Mary Smith, glaring and hurting his eyes. He's got a gun and a dangerous plan on his mind; he's alert and on edge, so high-strung a single touch could make him jump out of his skin.

"You don't play by the rules," Patch says, voice grating in Nathan's ears. "You brought in outsiders. Didn't expect that from you."

"Shut up, Patch," Nathan replies. "Remember I'm armed and you've got your back turned to me."

It's a quarter past nine and Nathan, Veronika and Jinx steadily approach the yacht Derek holds Jamie in. Nathan glances at his bag; the book within will be his saviour, his doom or both. Veronika's next to him, staring straight ahead, looking a little seasick. Or maybe she's just worried about their plan, their simple-yet-solid plan that may or may not work.

Only Jinx looks somewhat relaxed, comfortably stretched out and regarding the ocean with fascination. I never knew, she says, that there could be so much water in one place.

"The cat talks," Patch mutters under his breath. His peanut-sized brain can't comprehend this knowledge. "The cat talks. Damn creepy beast."

The creepy beast, Jinx replies, has sharp claws. Would you like it if they damaged your other eye?

"No, Ma'am," Patch hastily replies, and Nathan almost smiles. The first thing he noticed upon meeting Patch in the harbour was that he wore his eyepatch over his right eye instead of his decidedly unscarred left one. Nathan inquired about this and Patch begrudgingly confessed Jamie briefly chose violence and went straight for the eyes.

Honestly, good. Nathan imagines this incident cured Patch of his little celebrity crush once and for all. An oddly satisfying thought.

They reach the yacht and, for a fleeting moment while Patch moors his boat at the appropriate platform, everything feels too real. Nathan swallows his nerves, though, gathers his wits as he waits for Patch to finish up. When the bastard is done, Nathan walks up to him, slinging an arm around his shoulders in a way that's less bro hug and more I'm trying to crush you to death to establish dominance. He makes sure Patch can see he still has a gun.

"This doesn't end here," Nathan tells him. "Jinx will watch your boat. You're coming with us. If Derek has Jamie for a hostage, you will do for me."

Veronika sends him a confused, warning look, because Patch Booker isn't part of the plan they concocted. Nathan doesn't care. Patch is a piece of shit, the source of a whole bunch of trouble, and Nathan never even got to beat him up for it properly. This is vengeance, nothing more. Patch can do with some well-deserved fear for his life. If Veronika objects, that's nothing to Nathan.

Leaving Jinx behind, the trio makes its way onto the yacht, Nathan still keeping Patch and his weapon close. He navigates corridors on distant memory—through luxurious lounges, past a swimming pool and unoccupied staterooms towards the main staircase, passing occasional crew members turning convenient blind eyes; these people work for a mobster and know to stay out of illicit business for their own safety.

Nathan's been on this ship before with Derek and the Bookers, one or two years ago—a gesture of goodwill on Derek's part, celebrating so many years of working together, dear friends, please enjoy yourselves. But Nathan hadn't enjoyed himself much, for the music was too loud and there were too many strangers and Derek was there, so he spent the whole evening drinking cocktails until he felt numb and could go home again.