The landing was a bone-jarring collision of rubber and steel. The Norton slammed onto the metal deck of the freighter, the suspension bottoming out with a scream that vibrated through my teeth. I fought the handlebars as the bike skidded across the rain-slicked surface, finally sliding to a halt inches from a stack of rusted containers. My heart was a frantic bird trapped in a cage of ribs, and the taste of salt and copper filled my mouth.
I didn't stay down. I scrambled off the bike, my eyes locked on the figure by the railing. The man stood perfectly still, his silhouette framed by the orange glow of the pier burning in the distance. He wore a dark duster coat that whipped in the wind, and his hands were tucked deep into his pockets.
"Dad?" The word was a broken whisper, lost to the ro
