officers stood on deck and the loud hailer instructed them to pull over.
“Jim? What are you going to do?”
“Do what they want.”
“You can’t.”
“I have to.” Jim began to slow the boat and moved it to rest at the side of the waterway.
The police boat shot past and one of the officers waved his thanks.
Lou released a sigh of relief.
“For a moment I thought...”
“We all did,” Jim said. He pulled out into the main waterway again and followed in the wake of the police boat.
“Wonder where they’re going?” Staci said.
“Somewhere in a hurry. Maybe they’re late for lunch,” Lou said.
“With guns?”
“Maybe they’ve had lunch, and they’re off to kill the cook,” Jim said grinning.
“There it is,” Staci pointed. “It’s slowing down.”
Suddenly an almighty explosion fragmented the police boat into a mass of flames and smoke. Shattered timbers and twisted metal flew everywhere.
Staci screamed.
Jim swerved to avoid the debris.
“Jim, there are people out there. We have to help them.” Lou said.
“There are other people to help.” Jim said. “We’d be caught. My parents…”
“We’re closest. We can’t just leave them.”
“There are people on the quay, look, they’re already stripping down.” Jim’s face showed his indecision. He angled the boat towards the mess.
“Jim, those men are dying out there. Slow down. I’m going to help.”
“I know. Law of the sea, we have to help. Go on, then.” His expression was grim. “I’ll hold Avon steady. Staci doesn’t swim well enough. It’s up to you.”
As Avon slowed to a crawl, Lou dived over the side. A strong swimmer, she soon reached the site of the accident. She was the first person there, as she had correctly told Jim they were nearer than the people on shore. She reached the first body. Turning him over, she realized immediately that he was dead.
Swallowing hard, she turned away and swam across to the next one. His arm very obviously broken, he was treading water in a great deal of pain. Grabbing hold of him, she put her arm around him and swimming one handed, she towed him over to the quay. She pushed him into the waiting arms of the bystanders.
Turning around she swam back towards the inferno. Noticing a hand amidst the flames, she took a deep breath and dived under the water.
The water was illuminated with an eerie glow.
Something gleamed beneath her, possibly a face, but she wasn’t sure. I’ll be back she promised. Surfacing, she grabbed the unconscious officer and dragged him below the water. As soon as they were past the fire she surfaced and once again pulled a victim towards the quay.
Strong arms reached down and pulled him ashore.
Quickly, Lou turned and swam back towards the fire. Diving below, she went back to where she’d seen something. She stroked her arms down and touched the officer’s face.
His eyes opened.
Lou pulled at the timbers on him. They gave slightly.
Knowing he would die if he didn’t breathe soon, she pressed her mouth to his, and filled his lungs with the last of her air. She surfaced and took a huge breath. Diving down again she pulled at the timbers and they moved almost enough. Again, she gave him the last of her air before surfacing.
For a third time, she took a deep breath and dived down. She pulled as hard as she could. This time they shifted enough for her to pull the officer free. She grabbed him tightly and hauled him to the surface. There she adjusted her grip and swam. Once he was ashore Lou turned to go back again, but was stopped. She struggled against the man.
A strong vice-like grip held her arms. “There are others there now, miss,” a voice told her.
Lou shivered. She looked down at the last man she’d pulled out. “Is he OK?” she asked.
“He’ll be fine,” answered the man in uniform kneeling next to him. He looked up from tending to him and continued, “Thanks to you. What’s your name?”
Lou shivered again and someone put a
“Jim? What are you going to do?”
“Do what they want.”
“You can’t.”
“I have to.” Jim began to slow the boat and moved it to rest at the side of the waterway.
The police boat shot past and one of the officers waved his thanks.
Lou released a sigh of relief.
“For a moment I thought...”
“We all did,” Jim said. He pulled out into the main waterway again and followed in the wake of the police boat.
“Wonder where they’re going?” Staci said.
“Somewhere in a hurry. Maybe they’re late for lunch,” Lou said.
“With guns?”
“Maybe they’ve had lunch, and they’re off to kill the cook,” Jim said grinning.
“There it is,” Staci pointed. “It’s slowing down.”
Suddenly an almighty explosion fragmented the police boat into a mass of flames and smoke. Shattered timbers and twisted metal flew everywhere.
Staci screamed.
Jim swerved to avoid the debris.
“Jim, there are people out there. We have to help them.” Lou said.
“There are other people to help.” Jim said. “We’d be caught. My parents…”
“We’re closest. We can’t just leave them.”
“There are people on the quay, look, they’re already stripping down.” Jim’s face showed his indecision. He angled the boat towards the mess.
“Jim, those men are dying out there. Slow down. I’m going to help.”
“I know. Law of the sea, we have to help. Go on, then.” His expression was grim. “I’ll hold Avon steady. Staci doesn’t swim well enough. It’s up to you.”
As Avon slowed to a crawl, Lou dived over the side. A strong swimmer, she soon reached the site of the accident. She was the first person there, as she had correctly told Jim they were nearer than the people on shore. She reached the first body. Turning him over, she realized immediately that he was dead.
Swallowing hard, she turned away and swam across to the next one. His arm very obviously broken, he was treading water in a great deal of pain. Grabbing hold of him, she put her arm around him and swimming one handed, she towed him over to the quay. She pushed him into the waiting arms of the bystanders.
Turning around she swam back towards the inferno. Noticing a hand amidst the flames, she took a deep breath and dived under the water.
The water was illuminated with an eerie glow.
Something gleamed beneath her, possibly a face, but she wasn’t sure. I’ll be back she promised. Surfacing, she grabbed the unconscious officer and dragged him below the water. As soon as they were past the fire she surfaced and once again pulled a victim towards the quay.
Strong arms reached down and pulled him ashore.
Quickly, Lou turned and swam back towards the fire. Diving below, she went back to where she’d seen something. She stroked her arms down and touched the officer’s face.
His eyes opened.
Lou pulled at the timbers on him. They gave slightly.
Knowing he would die if he didn’t breathe soon, she pressed her mouth to his, and filled his lungs with the last of her air. She surfaced and took a huge breath. Diving down again she pulled at the timbers and they moved almost enough. Again, she gave him the last of her air before surfacing.
For a third time, she took a deep breath and dived down. She pulled as hard as she could. This time they shifted enough for her to pull the officer free. She grabbed him tightly and hauled him to the surface. There she adjusted her grip and swam. Once he was ashore Lou turned to go back again, but was stopped. She struggled against the man.
A strong vice-like grip held her arms. “There are others there now, miss,” a voice told her.
Lou shivered. She looked down at the last man she’d pulled out. “Is he OK?” she asked.
“He’ll be fine,” answered the man in uniform kneeling next to him. He looked up from tending to him and continued, “Thanks to you. What’s your name?”
Lou shivered again and someone put a
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