Phantom Prospect - Alex Archer [51]
“If you had a sniper rifle and could guarantee that you could take out the oblongata, then that would be a different story. But a pistol round won’t stop the brain in time from sending the nerve impulse to shoot.”
Jax glanced at her. “Okay, then.”
Dave had the dinghy raised off the railing and was steering it over the side of the ship. He glared at Sheila. “Where do you want it, bitch?”
“Be nice,” Sheila said. “Or I’ll shoot you, anyway. Put the dinghy down right there.”
Annja frowned. “You sure you want to be going out in that thing?”
Sheila looked at her. “Shut up.”
“It’s just that with that shark out there, you never know. It might show up looking for something to eat. And that dinghy’s awfully small.”
Sheila gestured with the pistol. “Back up, Dave. Over by the others.”
Dave frowned and shook his head. “Let Steve go and we’ll both get out of your way.”
“You think I’m stupid? Jax will shoot me.”
Hunter cleared his throat. “No, she won’t. If you want to go, be my guest. No one’s going to stop you. I’d rather you were off the boat, anyway.”
Sheila eyed him. “I don’t trust you.”
Hunter shrugged. “Trust me, don’t trust me. I don’t care. But leave Steve alone.”
Sheila nodded. “All of you, back inside the cabin and pull the door shut behind you. Once I see that, I’ll let him go. But you stay inside until I’m in the dinghy and away from the ship. Listen for the motor and then you can come out. Leave before then and I’ll shoot Steve.”
Dave growled under his breath. “Why exactly are we letting this chick walk like this? I could close that distance and kill her.”
“Too risky,” Hunter said. “And Steve would die in the process. I promised his father I’d look after him.”
“I still think she should die,” Dave said.
“Agreed,” Jax said. But she did as Hunter said. They all moved back into the cabin together. Annja could see Sheila struggling with the pistol and the weight of having to deal with a hostage. If they’d wanted to, they could have taken her. But Hunter didn’t want to do that. She wondered why.
Sheila clambered over the side of the boat and eased herself into the dinghy. Steve fainted on the deck.
“Jesus,” Dave said under his breath. “Someone get that kid a freaking spine.”
Cole cleared his throat. “Most people haven’t actually been in combat before, Dave.”
He nodded. “I guess.”
They heard the motor kick over and then they were all spilling outside onto the deck. Hunter ran to check on Steve and Cole helped him. Jax and Dave ran for the railing. Annja went with them.
Off the stern of the boat, already a hundred yards away, Sheila’s dinghy was racing away at a good clip.
“Where the hell is she going?” Dave asked.
“Mainland,” Jax said.
“Can she make it there in that thing?”
Dave nodded. “She’s got two fuel bladders in the dinghy. That should give her more than enough gas to get there. I just wonder if she knows how to deal with the engine.”
Annja turned to him. “Why’s that?”
Dave looked at his watch. “Because it ought to be kicking out in about ten seconds.”
Annja looked back at Sheila’s dinghy. A thin trail of gray smoke steamed out of the small outboard motor. She grinned. “How the hell did you do that?”
“SEALs know a few things about how to make boats and motors work. Or, in this case, not work,” Dave said.
“So now what?” Jax asked. “We just stand here and watch her float away on the current?”
Dave shook his head. “Nah, I’m sure a willful soul like Sheila will very soon come to a decision.”
“What kind of decision?”
“As to whether she’ll let the tide carry her into the mainland, or if she’ll swim for it.”
Annja frowned. “She’s got a busted wrist. I doubt very much she’ll decide to swim for it.”
“Especially with that huge shark out there,” Jax said.
Dave shrugged. “You’d be surprised what people will think about doing when they’re faced with a big decision.”
“I’d wait it out,” Jax said. “Wait for someone to come and get me. No way I’d chance it against the shark.”
Annja watched as the dinghy’s motor sputtered and then coughed before completely dying. Sheila pumped the starter cord a few