Chapter 481: Maribel worried

After changing into clothes that would be easier to move in, I picked up my hand axe and checked my Beretta one last time.

The axe went into the loop at my side.

The Beretta rested securely at my waist, along with the spare ammunition I could carry without slowing myself down too much.

Then I lifted the case containing the Resonance Disruptor.

It was heavy, but manageable.

Everything was ready.

The only thing left was to reach the Boardwalk entrance, meet the others, and head toward the water.

I started walking through the dim streets.

The night watch had already taken position near the barricades. Battery lights shone along the roads, casting pale light over the repaired fences and reinforced barriers. A few guards looked in my direction as I passed, but nobody stopped me.

Then I noticed someone waiting ahead.

Maribel stood near one of the walls, leaning back with her arms crossed.

The moment she saw me, she uncrossed them.

"Maribel..."

I let out a quiet sigh.

"I told you—"

"I’m not here to come with you," she interrupted.

I blinked.

Maribel looked away for a moment.

"I’m not going to force it."

The words made something in my chest loosen.

I knew she had wanted to come.

I knew she had been worried that sending only me, Rachel, and Lucy was not enough. And honestly, I understood why. The last time I encountered Gaspar, I barely survived. Everyone who had seen me after that fight had reason to be worried.

"I just came to see you off," Maribel said.

"Right."

I smiled and lowered the Resonance Disruptor case onto the ground beside me.

"It’s not like I’m changing countries, you know."

Maribel gave me a flat look.

"Changing countries would be less dangerous, I think."

"Hey."

I stepped closer.

"I’ll be fine."

Maribel’s expression did not change.

"You know I have a big advantage against Gaspar, right?"

"That gun?" she asked, nodding toward the case.

"Nope."

She raised a brow.

"Gaspar might be able to kill me," I said. "But he wants me alive."

Maribel stayed silent.

"I don’t know why," I continued. "Maybe Gaspar wants something from me. But he held back the last time."

I looked at her.

"And I won’t."

Maribel’s eyes narrowed.

"If I have to fight him, I’ll go for the kill."

"That’s supposed to reassure me?"

She rolled her eyes.

I smiled a little.

"Well, you’re mostly worried about Gaspar, right?"

"He is the biggest threat there," Maribel replied immediately.

I could not argue with that.

Callighan’s guards were dangerous. Bullets were dangerous. Brigantine itself was dangerous.

But Gaspar was something else.

He was strong enough to crush me in a direct fight. His Plasma was better than mine. His Symbiote, Ravager, was terrifying in a way I still could not fully explain.

The only reasons I was still alive were Kunta’s weapon, Sydney’s speed, and Gaspar choosing not to finish me.

"With the state you were in after the last time you met him," Maribel said, "everyone is worried."

"Well..."

I scratched the side of my cheek awkwardly.

"I can’t really argue with that."

Maribel looked at me with a mixture of frustration and concern.

I knew I had looked terrible after the fight.

Blood running from my ears and nose.

Broken ribs.

Bruises everywhere.

Barely able to stand.

She had every reason to think that another meeting with Gaspar could end badly.

"But that’s the worst-case scenario," I said. "I barely have to step into Brigantine. We wait near the shore, Tommy brings them out, we get them on the boat, and we leave."

Maribel lowered her gaze.

"I guess so."

I stepped closer until there was barely any space between us.

Then I raised a hand to her cheek.

Maribel looked up.

Her eyes were still worried.

But she did not pull away.

I leaned forward and kissed her gently.

For a moment, Maribel froze.

Then her eyes closed.

Her hands moved to the front of my shirt, holding onto it lightly as she kissed me back. Her lips were soft, hesitant at first, but she quickly relaxed when I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer crushing the soft give of her breasts into my chest.

The heat of her body sank straight through my clothes. I claimed her mouth harder, deeper, no more tentative brushes, just hungry pressure until her lips parted on a startled, needy sound.

"Mmm~..."

The little moan vibrated against my tongue. Color flooded Maribel’s cheeks. I didn’t give her time to think. I pushed past her lips, sliding my tongue into the wet heat of her mouth, tasting her, claiming every inch. She jolted, eyes flying wide, but I only groaned and tangled my tongue with hers, slow and filthy, licking into her like I already had her under me.

Her body melted. Knees softened. A full-body shiver ran through her as pleasure she’d never felt before rolled down her spine and pooled low in her belly. She clung to my shoulders, fingers digging in, while I kept devouring her, wet, deep strokes of tongue, the soft obscene sounds of our mouths filling the quiet. When I finally dragged back, a glossy thread of saliva stretched between our lips and snapped.

I huffed a low laugh, still holding her close enough that every uneven breath pressed her tits harder against me.

"You okay?"

Maribel’s lashes fluttered. She couldn’t quite meet my eyes.

"T...That was... a bit overwhelming..."

"Didn’t you like it?" I asked, her a bit concerned.

I had started embracing my inner desires without holding back but I didn’t want to hurt my women either.

Maribel quicly shook her head thankfully.

"N...No—no, not at all. It was... good..." The last word came out soft, almost shy, but her thighs pressed together like she was trying to hide herself.

I grinned, thumb stroking the curve of her waist.

"Then once I come back... we can do more?"

"Idiot."

She shoved at my chest, but there was no real force behind it, just flustered heat and the lingering taste of her still on my tongue.

I laughed a little and stepped back.

I picked the Resonance Disruptor case up from the ground again.

Maribel watched me carefully.

The smile on her face faded.

"Be careful," she said.

Her voice was quiet and much more serious than before.

I nodded.

"I will."

I left Maribel behind and continued toward the Boardwalk entrance.

The closer I got, the more people I saw gathered near the barricades.

Everyone was already there.

Christopher stood beside Lucy, checking the gear she had brought with her. Cindy was nearby with Daisy and Rebecca. Rachel stood a little farther back, her expression calm but focused. She looked ready, though I knew her well enough to notice the tension she was trying to hide.

Sydney, meanwhile, was speaking with Theo.

Theo was one of the people usually assigned to watch the barricades. He had a weapon hanging at his side and a flashlight clipped near his belt, but instead of watching the road, he was listening to Sydney with an amused expression.

"So what?" Theo asked. "You guys are all in love with Ryan?"

"Yep," Sydney replied immediately. "All of us."

She said it without hesitation.

Without caring that Rebecca, Daisy, Christopher, and Lucy were all standing right behind her.

Christopher sighed.

"Don’t listen to her."

"Yeah," Cindy added quickly. "Please don’t."

Sydney turned toward them.

"What? I’m just being honest."

"What the hell are you talking about now?" I asked as I approached.

Theo laughed and looked toward me.

"We were talking about how popular you are with women," he said.

I stared at him.

"Sydney was curious about your popularity around here," Theo continued. "I told her plenty of women have been looking at you."

"Don’t exaggerate," I said.

Theo gave me a look.

The kind of look that made it obvious he thought I was completely delusional.

Sydney let out a long sigh.

"He’s dense," she said. "And he has a terrible opinion of himself. Forget it."

"I don’t have a terrible opinion of myself."

Sydney looked at me.

I paused.

"Okay," I said. "Maybe a little."

Cindy covered a small laugh with her hand.

Even Rachel smiled faintly.

The moment was brief, but it helped.

Everyone was nervous.

The rescue was only minutes away from becoming real. Once we reached the marina and got on the boat, there would be no more time for casual conversations. No more chance to turn back without leaving Mei, Emily, Tommy, and Keith behind.

I looked around at the group.

"Whatever," I said. "Are we all ready?"

Christopher nodded.

"We are."

Lucy checked the weapon at her side one more time.

Rachel gave me a small nod.

Cindy, Daisy, and Rebecca stood together near the edge of the barricade, each carrying the supplies they had prepared for the waiting point near the shore.

"Then let’s move," I said.

Rebecca’s eyes moved toward the rectangular case in my hand.

"What’s in the box?"

I looked down at it.

"A Starakian weapon," I said with a small smile. "Just in case."

Sydney’s expression brightened immediately.

"Cool. Alien technology."

She looked toward Christopher with a smirk.

"You heard that, Chris? Ryan gets all the fun weapons."

Christopher gave her a tired look.

"Hopefully it works."

"It will," I said.

Or at least, I needed to believe it would.

The Resonance Disruptor was our best chance if Gaspar appeared. The weapon had forced him to retreat once before. It had hurt Ravager. It was the one advantage I had that Gaspar might not be expecting.

"Don’t worry," I added.

Then I looked toward the road ahead.

"Let’s go."

Together, we left the Boardwalk entrance and headed toward the State Marina.

Midnight was getting closer.