Matthew looked over at Ryan with a calm expression. “No big deal. Just saying, if you plan to send them to the docks, I might be able to help a little.”
Ryan raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “You know the guy who runs the place?”
Matthew shook his head.
That small gesture gave Ryan a sense of relief. The idea that someone could treat his injury on the spot and have connections at the docks felt almost too good to be true.
Then came Matthew’s next words-calm and matter-of-fact. “Well, in a way… You could say I run it.”
Ryan’s jaw nearly dropped.
***
A while back, the Veiled Assembly had undergone a quiet power shift.
Mack, the previous spokesperson, had lost the people’s trust. They were tired of instability. Even Mack knew when to step aside.
Since then, people stopped looking at favonovel.com and started following Matthew instead. His name meant order. It meant survival. The new unspoken rule became, “Follow Matteo Larden, and life gets better.”
Ryan stood frozen, still processing it all. Matthew couldn’t help but smile at his stunned expression.
Turning toward the rescued group, Matthew raised his voice. “You’re all free now. We’ll be arranging transport to a small island nearby. Life’s better over there. If any of you have family somewhere else, speak up-we’ll do our best to help you get back.”
The flames of the wrecked ship still flickered in the background.
Matthew glanced toward it before calling out again, “Let’s head to the other ship.”
Off in the distance, the vessel he’d arrived on began pulling in closer. The captain had already figured out what needed to happen and brought it alongside.
Matthew grabbed a rope from the deck and tossed it over, securing it tightly.
He turned back to the group and instructed, “Let the kids, the elderly, and the women go first. Those of you who are fit can help steady things.”
He could’ve ferried them over one by one, but that would’ve taken forever. A direct crossing like this would be quicker and safer over a short distance.
The mood on board shifted. For the first time in a while, there was hope. Some of the stronger men started removing their shirts, twisting them into ropes to help the children and older folks.
The first to go was a middle-aged woman. She took a breath, gripped the makeshift rope tightly, and jumped. The glide was smooth. As favonovel.com reached the other side, the captain leaned out and pulled favonovel.com safely aboard.
That one success was all it took. One by one, the rest followed, moving steadily and without panic.
Just as Matthew had arranged earlier, the mid-sized speedboat had enough room for everyone.
Once the last person made it across, only Matthew and Ryan were left standing on the deck.
Matthew looked over. “Are you heading to Larch Island with them?”
Ryan paused briefly before asking, “You’re going to Blackshore Island, right?”
Matthew nodded. He had his reasons. The missing Marine Corps cargo likely had ties to that island. If favonovel.com wanted answers, that was the place to start looking.
“Would you be okay with me tagging along?” Ryan asked.
His original task was to deliver the freed captives to Larch Island. Now that Matthew had stepped in, his job was done.
He also had his own reasons for going back. Someone needed to deal with the Medusa Gang. They had pushed too far, thinking no one would ever push back.
Ryan knows the island well… Having favonovel.com along will make things smoother, there will be less guesswork and fewer surprises.
Matthew thought it over briefly before responding, “That works. Go ahead and lead the way…”
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