"Estimated intercept time?" Dorian asked.

"Unknown."

"What do you mean, unknown?"

"They're moving at almost thirty knots. We don't have a ship fast enough to catch them."

Dorian shook his head.

"But if they slow down or stop, we'll be on them. Or- if they enter port somewhere, we can corner them."

"Notify our source. And get me a map of Ceuta's firing radius. I need to know how to fly around their guns."

CHAPTER 62.

Somewhere off the coast of Ceuta

Mediterranean Sea

David waited at the door to his and Kate's stateroom, listening, hoping for any sound, any clues as to what was happening on the ship. The engines had completely stopped and the one-hundred-thirty-foot yacht was cruising almost silently now. David glanced out the floor-to-ceiling gla.s.s windows that led out to their balcony.

He backed away from the door. If whoever had killed Martin was taking the boat, they would be set up outside the master stateroom, waiting for him.

He exited onto the balcony. There were no other boats in sight. Even the lights from Ceuta had faded, leaving only the moon to light the boat.

David inched forward on the balcony and peered into the saloon-the living s.p.a.ce beyond the bedroom. Empty.

Tiny recessed lights twinkled, illuminating the lavish living and dining accommodations.

The main deck was devoted entirely to the master stateroom and living and dining s.p.a.ces. The lower deck below them housed the crew quarters and guest rooms. David didn't hear any movement there either.

a.s.suming he lived through the next few minutes, he would have to move Kate belowdecks, to a room with no balcony and fewer windows. It would be easier to defend her there. However, he could also fold the balcony off the master into the ship, closing off the side entrance to the master stateroom. Which would add better protection? He'd have to sort it out later.

At that moment, he heard a footstep on the deck above: the upper deck. It housed the ship's c.o.c.kpit, a s.p.a.cious guest stateroom, as well as indoor and outdoor lounging s.p.a.ce.

David exited the stateroom quickly and rushed up the stairs, his gun leading the way.

The upper saloon was empty.

He heard voices in the c.o.c.kpit. David stepped quietly toward it.

Dr. Ja.n.u.s stood there, the same impa.s.sive look on his face, no hint of concern at the sight of David and his gun. David panned around the room. Kamau and Shaw stood on the port side, arguing. They turned toward him and stared.

"David-" Kamau began.

David's mind raced. Chang. "Where's Chang?"

"We haven't seen him-"

David darted out of the c.o.c.kpit, back through the upper saloon. He was about to round the stairs when the door to the saloon's bathroom opened. Chang glided out, seemingly talking to himself.

David wheeled around, still holding his sidearm straight out, and closed the distance between them.

Chang almost collapsed back into the bathroom. He held his hands up, shaking. "I... I'm sorry, I didn't know whether to flush... then I felt the boat stop... I..."

Kamau, Shaw, and Ja.n.u.s walked into the saloon. The African spoke first. "We're out of gas."

David let his gun fall to his side, but he still gripped it tightly. "That's impossible. We had over half a tank when we left the harbor in Ceuta."

"True," Kamau said. "But there's a hole in the fuel line. We've been leaking."

David stared at the four men. One of them had killed Martin, and now he had cut the fuel line. He wanted the boat stranded. For what? An extraction?

Shaw spoke up. "There could be other damage. There are bullet holes in the engine room."

Kamau nodded slightly, confirming that the damage was there.

Bullet holes, David thought. Could the boat have taken fire from soldiers on the plague barge or during the firefight at Ceuta? It was possible...

A plan formed in David's mind. He would need to fix the fuel leak before they could go on, but the size of the leak-whether it had been cut or simply severed by a bullet-might reveal the killer. "Where were each of you just now?"

"I was in the galley, preparing a meal," Ja.n.u.s said.

"I was in the c.o.c.kpit," Kamau said. "I hadn't thought to check the fuel, but when I saw our status, I killed the engines."

"I was..." Chang began. "...using the restroom."

Shaw cleared his throat and straightened his back. "I was actually about to knock on your door and demand you release Dr. Warner to me. A demand I now press, especially in light of our circ.u.mstances-"

David had hoped one of the scientists had seen Kamau, had hoped he had an alibi. David desperately wanted to rule him out. His primary suspects were Shaw and Chang-in that order.

"I want your guns."

"I... don't have a gun-"

"I'm not talking to you, Dr. Chang." David stared at Kamau and Shaw. Neither made a move.

"David, there are pirates on the Med," Kamau said. "We need to be armed-"

"It's an order."

Kamau nodded, glanced at Shaw, then extended his pistol, b.u.t.t outward.

"Well, you can't order me, and I won't relinquish my-"

"Hand me your gun or I'll shoot you right here, Shaw. Try me." David took another step closer to him, lifting his pistol to chest height.

Shaw cursed and muttered but handed over his gun. He made to leave the saloon.

"You stay here, all of you." He nodded to Kamau. "Bring me my sniper rifle and our automatic rifles."

David knew that neither Kamau nor Shaw needed a gun to kill him or Kate, but ensuring they had to do it hand-to-hand gave David a bit more comfort. If it came down to fighting hand-to-hand with either man, he liked his chances.

Kate strained to hear what was going on up above. She heard footsteps occasionally, but no gunfire. That was a good sign. She considered leaving the bathroom long enough to retrieve the sat phone to call Continuity. She wanted to find out how much time she had, what the status was. She heard the outer door-the door to the stateroom-click open.

She started to call out for David, but she hesitated. Someone was running around the room, ransacking it.

A knock came from the bathroom door.

"Who-"

"It's David."

She opened it. Relief washed over her. "What's happened?"

"We're losing gas."

"Losing-"

"Either someone sabotaged the ship or one of the bullets nicked the fuel line. I'm thinking sabotage." He led her into the room. He had turned it upside down.

"What were you looking for?"

"A safe." He pointed to a wall safe with a combination. It was closed, but a smaller, portable safe-what might have held a large necklace-stood open. Several handguns and magazines from rifles lay inside. David closed it and handed Kate the key. "You and I have guns now. Only us. We need to decide what to do from here. Stay focused. One of them is not who he claims to be. Their next actions could reveal who."

CHAPTER 63.

Somewhere off the coast of Ceuta

Mediterranean Sea

David led Kate up the stairs to the upper deck where the four men were waiting. Kamau and Shaw stood and paced impatiently; Chang and Ja.n.u.s sat, staring out the boat's windows like nothing was amiss.

David focused on Kamau. "How much fuel do we have left?"

"Less than a quarter of total capacity."

"Range?"

"Depends on our speed-"

"Can we make it to the coast?"

Kamau wavered. That made David nervous. "a.s.suming we fix the leak, I think so, but there is no guarantee that we will find fuel there."

"We're sitting ducks out here," Shaw said. "This luxury liner is the juiciest bait on the Med. Pirates will be on us within hours, certainly by sunrise."

David wanted to rebut the argument, but... it was true. In the post-plague world, for those that had survived the initial outbreak and avoided the Immari or the Orchid Districts, the seas were safer than the sh.o.r.e. A lot of people were waiting the plague out on boats scattered across the Mediterranean. Survivors could fish and catch rainwater-a lot of it on a boat this big. The one-hundred-thirty-foot-long motor yacht was irresistible bait, and it would draw pirates.

When David didn't respond, Shaw continued. "Kate, I need to use your sat phone. I'll have my government airlift us out of here within hours. You know we're racing the clock here. We'll be in London soon. You can continue your research there and hopefully save some lives."

Chang and Ja.n.u.s both stood. "We'd like to join you-"

"n.o.body's going anywhere," David said.

"We've been doing our own research," Chang said.

"What sort of research?" Kate asked.

"Research on a cure," Ja.n.u.s said. "We were close to a permanent cure, or at the very least, an Orchid alternative. We have worked in secret, withholding our findings from the Immari."

"The treatment you gave Martin," Kate said.

"Yes," Chang said. "That was our latest prototype. It's not one-hundred-percent effective, but it was worth a shot."

Kate whispered in David's ear. "Can I speak with you?"