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
A huge rolling wave starts to lift him with a sensation he can feel and with that height gained he searches ahead. He catches a glimpse of the other square of blue light and a white yacht bobbing along towards it. Harry and Safa are there too, working to rescue the doctor and having no idea that within a few minutes they’ll be dead. That thought drives him on harder with a fresh burst of energy. He thinks of Harry and everything he knows about him, of his exploits and the daring missions he did, and now Ben knows him he can’t translate the movies and television programmes he has seen to the real man. Harry is real and absurdly easy-going and relaxed, but with a simmering, boiling temper just waiting to be released. The way he took that first drink of water to Safa, going so low and trying to appear less of a threat. If they ever make a list of the top human beings ever to have lived, Harry Madden will be on it.
Ben swims and swims, fighting against the wave trying to lift him up and the current sucking him back. Progress is made but too slow, and so he searches for energy to drive him on and make him faster before they drown. He has to reach them. He has to get the ropes and flotation devices into their hands and the breathing tubes into their mouths. Malcolm and Konrad can do the rest. No matter what happens, Safa and Harry must survive and get back. Doctor Watson told him how hard it would be, but never did he imagine it would be anything like this. The rise and fall of the waves. The wind screaming past him. The rain pelting down. The flashes of lightning. The boom of the thunder. The current is so much stronger than he factored and for a few seconds he realises the hopelessness of it.
Then he remembers that Safa didn’t give up on him, not for six months, and never has he felt so sorry for something in his life. He failed. He fucked up and let everyone down and they died because of that, but he will not let it happen again. So he swims. He refuses the pain starting to burn in his already exhausted limbs and he swims harder and faster while sucking air through a rubberised mouthpiece and all the time he stares at the spot where the blue light appears.
The yacht is closer now, see-sawing and spinning as it clashes with the currents, waves and wind. Thrown about, and for a few seconds it looks like the yacht will be lifted by the wave, but it drops down into the trough and starts what can only be the final run before it crashes through.