[San Corvo — Shipyard — Day 44 — 8:00 AM]
The boat was almost ready.
The shipyard master had finished the second hull point at dawn — ahead of the estimated time, because the shipyard master was the kind of person who found it insulting not to meet a deadline and even more insulting not to beat it if he could.
Max inspected the work with his hand on the wood — touching each repair point, testing the resistance, listening to the sound it made when he tapped lightly with his knuckles, as if the boat could tell him something his eyes couldn't see.
Viktor sat on the dock with his coffee. The last day in San Corvo. The team was still at the market — Seraph with Alex at the morning training, the girls at various points on the island gathering the last things they needed before setting sail.
The dock was quiet.
The sun was still low.
It was Viktor who saw them first.
Three people on the north dock.
