Chapters (45)
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Prologue
- 2046
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- About the Author
In the trough Harry takes advantage of the time before the next wave and slams the boat hard over while opening the engine fully. It bites to scream along the surface. Safa pointing at the yacht while he glances to the next wave and up at the sheer bloody size of it. No matter. He waits until the last second and forces the nose into the bank as it swells and starts to lift them higher. Easing the throttle, he lets the engine power them up until gravity starts to tug, then twists more, forcing the boat up.
Safa watches the yacht and the man pumping his fist into the air. He’ll make it. He’ll get over the wave. In that second, she sees the battle at play and the determination of the doctor as he tries to make his yacht do the impossible, but without power or sail the yacht cannot surmount a wave so high and it stops, pauses and sinks back. Turning side on as the bow tries to take over and it rolls over and over down the cliff face of water back into the valley beneath.
‘HE’S DOWN,’ she screams at Harry, who nods calmly and keeps the RIB going up the side of the wave, knowing that to try to turn now will also see them tipping over. He forces to the top then a hard yank of the rudder and along that bursting froth of raging sea he powers the boat. Deft touches left and right, riding the wave as it sweeps on its journey. Safa keeps her eyes glued on the spot where the boat first tumbled, scanning the dark, roiling, seething mass for the doctor.
‘FIND HIM?’ Harry shouts over the noise, sensing they can’t hold this position for much longer.
‘THERE.’ She points down the wall to the valley beneath and a flash of orange breaking the surface with two arms flailing about. Harry peers over the edge, showing teeth in a humourless smile. Ah well, died once and lived. He turns the rudder to start the descent while powering off the throttle and letting nature pull them down. The speed they reach is incredible. Hair flying free and tears whipped from eyes but neither of them think to tug the goggles down over their eyes. The doctor sinks from view as he starts the climb up the same wall they’re coming down.
Harry watches ahead, already planning on reaching the bottom and using the pit of the valley to turn and come back up.
The doctor sinks down out of sight then comes up again. Drowning with each lungful of water sucked in. Safa watches closely, praying he’ll stay alive long enough for them to reach him and cursing when they fly past.