Rives and Jason paddled out; Miya too. Unlike Heesham, Miya was feather-light. I knew the board could float her if she just managed to stand up. She did.The waves were fresh and frothy, and for a few adrenaline-filled minutes, I forgot all about the days.I had thirty-five left.Waking up in the City today was harsh. Not quite full-on suckage, but close. The stakes were high, and I knew it; my internal Nil clock woke me up. The tick-tock, the urgency. The sense that I’d better catch a gate, and soon. Charley’s charts were solid, and I knew they’d up my odds. They already had. But in the end, it was up to Nil and how she wanted to play the game.When I’d passed the Wall this morning, my tired space screamed at me. Holding steady between two crosses, it begged for a check, like Kevin. I’m trying, I thought. God, was I trying.The triple tease Nil had sent two days ago was her latest cruel call. Three gates, three sprints. I’d never even been close enough to feel the heat.Shoving that memory aside, I blinked to clear my head and searched for Charley.
