The Secret Abyss

Author:Darrell Pitt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
ISBN: 9781922148964
Publisher: The Text Publishing Company
Published: 2014-06-24T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Jack settled into the corner with Scarlet. ‘We’ll get off when the ship stops,’ he said.

‘I pray that isn’t the North Pole. I’m not dressed for it.’

They were still wearing their evening attire. The rumble of the ship began to make Jack’s eyes heavy. He shook his head a few times. Scarlet was already asleep. I must stay awake, he thought.

The next thing Jack knew was that someone was digging him in the ribs. He opened his mouth to complain, but Scarlet silenced him with a hand across his mouth.

The sound of the paddles had faded. The engine had stopped. The boat was motionless. ‘I can’t see any houses,’ Scarlet whispered. ‘We’re out in the country somewhere.’

‘How long were we asleep?’

‘About three hours.’

They must have travelled several miles in that time. Where were they? And why had they stopped?

Voices came from the bow. Jack crept to the port side to see what was happening. Men hung over the railing, smoking cigarettes. A torch flashed, breaking through the gloom.

A signal came back from a spot in the water. Now Jack realised that a small dark shape lay in the middle of the river. A boat was lowered, a rope ladder thrown to it and people climbed in.

A distant sound broke the silent night: the drone of an engine. Jack stared back downriver. In the distance he saw the nightglow of Washington. Then a shape—as dark and large as the steamer—appeared in the bend of the river.

‘It’s another ship!’ Scarlet hissed.

It was approaching—and fast. At the same instant, a battery of lights came on all over the vessel. A siren rang out, and frenzied cries erupted across the riverboat. The appearance of the new ship had caused a panic.

‘Who the hell are you?’

Jack and Scarlet spun around to see a swarthy man with tattoos.

‘Uh,’ Jack said, ‘is this the Swansea ferry?’

He drew a fist back and threw a punch at the man’s chin. The man grunted, tipped, and hit the deck. Another voice boomed from the oncoming vessel.

‘Attention unidentified vessel! This is the United States Navy!’

Jack turned to run, but the tattooed man’s leg swept under his foot, sending him flying.

‘Help!’ he yelled. ‘Help!’

But the navy vessel was still too far away. Then the man was upon him, looping an arm around his neck. Scarlet ran at the assailant and jumped on his back, but she was shrugged off in an instant. The man lifted Jack, tightening his grip. Jack could feel the life being choked out of him.

‘You’re coming with us,’ the man growled.

Jack pushed backwards as Scarlet knelt behind the man’s legs, tripping them over. There was a satisfying crack as Jack’s head collided with the man’s nose. The assailant’s hands flew to his broken nose. Scarlet dragged Jack free.

As they staggered to the rear of the steamer, the navy ship fired. A whistle cut the air.

‘Get down!’ Jack yelled.

Ka-boom!

The bridge of Ashgrove’s ship exploded. Timber scattered like confetti across the water.

‘They’re shooting at us!’ Scarlet yelled, outraged.

‘Really? I hadn’t noticed.

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