Read Evan Arden 04 Isolated for Free Online Page A

speaking to when I first woke up and presumably the captain of the vessel.
    “ Hey there, LT,” Eddie-boy says quietly. “How are ya feelin’?”
    “ I’m good,” I say. He eyes me, knowing full well that I’m lying.
    Another man approaches, this one in overalls and boots. He speaks to Eddie-boy in Russian and then checks out my arm and leg. He shoves a thermometer at me, and I roll my eyes as I place it in my mouth.
    “ Medic says ya gotta keep warm,” Eddie-boy tells me.
    “ Yeah, no shit,” I respond. “How much training did he get to tell me that?”
    “ Don’t be an asshole, LT,” Eddie-boy says. “He’s been watching you for hours.”
    I glance at the man and try to take in everything I can. My head hurts, and I don’t seem able to process much information. He’s got a wedding ring on his left hand. The ring is worn, but clean. When he’s not tending to me, the medic uses his thumb to spin the gold ring around and around his finger.
    He misses his wife.
    He hasn’t seen her in a long time; I’m sure of it. I can’t say how long it has been but more than just the few days they’ve been waiting around for me. Maybe she left him a long time ago, but he can’t bring himself to remove the reminder.
    He speaks, and I look to Eddie-boy, who shrugs at me.
    “ He’s surprised you weren’t ripping your clothes off,” he says, translating.
    “ What the hell does that mean?”
    More Russian words are exchanged, and Eddie-boy smirks.
    “ Apparently, some hypothermia victims tear off their clothes,” he says. “You were a little delusional but not quite that far gone.”
    “ Well, there’s a plus.” I don’t bother to hide the sarcasm.
    I’m handed two hot water bottles and a jacket to wear. It’s not easy to get the jacket over the sling, but I manage. Eddie-boy thanks the medic for me, and he gives me a tight-lipped smile before gathering up his stuff and hauling it out of my sight.
    The captain of the sub speaks in my direction, and Eddie-boy, the communications guru, translates.
    “ He says your life isn’t a meadow.”
    “ What the hell does that mean?”
    “ Ah, I think he’s glad he’s not you.”
    I look the man over briefly. He seems to be good-natured enough, and he wins me over when he offers me a cigarette from his pack. I inhale deeply, and Eddie-boy waits for me to finish before he speaks again.
    “ So, did you win?”
    “ Not really,” I admit. “As far as anyone knows, I’m dead. I need to keep it that way.”
    “ For how long?”
    “ Forever.”
    Eddie-boy stares into my eyes for a long time. It’s very possible that this is the last time we will work together or ever see one another again, and he knows it.
    “ Well, let’s get some food into ya,” he suggests, his voice rough with emotion. “I kinda thought I’d lost ya for a minute there.”
    The food is meager but warm. I down about a gallon of water along with it. My leg is sore, and my arm hurts like a bitch, but I feel a lot warmer after getting something in my stomach. Eddie-boy brings me an extra blanket and drapes it around my shoulders. He also hands me a backpack.
    “ Everything ya had on ya is in there.”
    I open it up and try to hold it with my left hand while I reach in with my right. There isn’t much—the transmitter I had used to call Eddie-boy, some ammo, matches, and my cell phone. A wad of cash has been added to my things as well. I don’t have to count it—I know exactly what’s there. I’d given it to Eddie-boy before this whole tournament shit started.
    Always have a contingency plan.
    “ Is there someplace I can plug this in?” I ask as I pull out the phone. I want to hear Lia’s voice even though I know she’s going to be pissed off. I’m not about to tell her over the phone about anything that’s been going on, but I still want to talk to her.
    Eddie-boy looks at the captain, points to my phone, and then translates my request.
    “ Da,” the captain says.
    I plug it in,