The Judas Strain - James Rollins [109]
Monk reached the speedboat first and hauled himself up and into it like a beaching seal. He stayed low and surveyed the tender dock.
No shouts arose.
The ship still rang with alarms. Everyone was probably still heading to the upper deck, where the fugitives had last been spotted.
Ryder reached the boat next with Susan.
As Monk helped them aboard, Lisa closed the distance.
She was almost to the boat when—
—something struck her leg, bumping it hard.
Startled, she floundered a bit. She searched the dark waters. Something brushed against her hip. It left a tracery of green fire in the water, flashing, then gone.
Hands grabbed her shoulders.
She almost cried out. She had not known she had reached the boat. Ryder hauled her up and over the edge.
Lisa sprawled across the floor. Abandoned tools pinched her backside. She smelled oil in her hair. But she didn’t move. She breathed deeply, slowing her heart.
The engine behind her suddenly gave a watery growl. Ryder yanked off the mooring lines. Monk edged the boat away from the dock. He went slow at first, keeping their noise to a minimum.
Lisa sat up and glanced back to the dock.
A shape stepped out of the ship and onto the planks of the tender dock. Even with his face shadowed, Lisa pictured his tattoos. Rakao. The Maori leader had not been fooled. He knew there were only so many ways off this ship.
“Go!” Lisa shouted. “Full throttle, Monk!”
The engine shook, coughed a bit of water, then roared.
As Lisa stared, Rakao lifted his arm. She remembered his giant horse pistol.
“Down!” she yelled. “Everyone down!”
Muzzle fire flashed. The metal side of the boat rang from a glancing shot. The boat’s speed kicked up, churning a thick wake.
Rakao fired again, but even he must have realized it was wasted. He already had a radio to his lips.
Monk sped away from the cruise ship.
Lisa noted another speedboat appear from around the stern of the cruise ship, still some distance off. It must be returning from the beachside village. It suddenly sped faster, aiming for the tender dock.
Rakao must have summoned it, preparing to give chase.
But they had a good lead.
That is, until the engine choked with a loud clank and an oily gout of smoke. The speedboat shuddered and slowed. Lisa sat higher, twisting around. She stared down at the tools she had sprawled atop. The oily towel crumpled in the back.
The boat had not been waiting to ferry passengers between boat and village—it was being repaired.
The engine’s smoking grew worse. Its roar became a putter.
Ryder swore, climbed past her, and opened the hatch on the engine.
More smoke poured out.
Ryder scowled. “This little tinny’s gone tits up.”
Back at the cruise ship, Rakao leaped from the dock to the speedboat. It took off after them.
“We have no choice,” Monk said, turning the wheel as they weakly limped along. The engine sputtered a bit more speed. “We’ll have to make for shore. Hope for the best.”
Lisa stared at the beach, then back toward Rakao’s boat.
It would still be a close call.
Monk cajoled as much horsepower as he could. The dark forest rose before them. At least it looked dense enough to hide them.
A half minute later, the engine finally died completely.
“Swim for it!” Ryder said.
The beach was not far. Less than fifty yards.
“Abandon ship,” Monk agreed. “And haul ass.”
Once again, they all leaped into the lake. Lisa kicked off her boots and followed. Rakao’s boat roared toward them.
Only after she hit the water did she remember something bumping her earlier, her momentary panic. But right now Rakao scared her more. Having been diving all her life, Lisa had been bumped by her fair share of inquisitive sharks.
Rakao was definitely scarier.
She kicked for shore.
Glancing behind her, she noted strange flashes in the water.
Emerald, ruby, sapphire.
Scintillations, like fire underwater.
They streaked through the water, aiming for their group.
Lisa suddenly knew what had bumped her, what sped toward them, a pack of hunters, communicating with flashes of light, a predatory