Gone (Gone #1)(72)

"Let's go for a walk, Patrick"

Edilio grinned as Astrid took her seat on the left side of the Boston Whaler. "Thank God. Now at least we got one smart person on this boat,"

Edilio and Quinn pushed the boat off the sand, back into the gently lapping surf. They climbed aboard, then trailed their legs over the side to clean off clinging sand.

Sam headed the boat out to sea, out toward the barrier. He hoped Drake was dead or at least badly injured. But he wasn't sure and he wanted to get well away before the psychopath started shooting at them.

It occurred to Sam that never before in his lite had he wished someone dead. Eight days had passed since the coming of the FAYZ. Eight days and he'd seen enough craziness to last him a lifetime. And now he was fantasizing about a kid being dead.

Once he pushed the throttle forward and was beyond the range of any bullet, he started to feel better. This was as close as Sam had come to surfing since the coming of the FAYZ. The waves were unimpressive short chop, but the Whaler landed on them with wonderful force that translated up through his legs, rattled his teeth, and brought a smile to his lips. Salt spray was flying, and for Sam it was hard to be grim when the spray was lashing his face.

"Thanks, Edilio. You too, Quinn," Sam said. He was still furious at Quinn, but they were—literally—all in the same boat now.

"See how much you want to thank me when I hurl all over this boat" Edilio said. He was looking a little green.

Sam reminded himself to keep a safe distance from the FAYZ barrier, but at the same time :ie wanted to keep it close. There was still the tantalizing possibility of a gap, a gate, an opening through which they could all sail and say good-bye to this madness.

Far to the north he could see the cliffs that marked the inlet occupied by the power plant, Beyond that, just a smudge in the haze, the outline of the nearest of half a dozen small private islands.

Astrid had dug out the life jackets and was strapping one onto Little Pete. Edilio accepted one too, but Quinn refused.

Astrid also found a small cooler packed with warm sodas, a loaf of bread, and the rest of the makings of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. "We won*t starve "she said. "At least not right away-"

The barrier was just to their left, a terrible, imposing, blank wall. The waves lapped against it, an impatient sound-The water wanted to escape, too.

Sam was a fish in an aquarium and the FAYZ wall was the side of the tank. It was the same semi translucent mystery it was on land.

He skimmed along until he was far enough out that Clifftop was no bigger than a LEGO perched above a narrow ribbon of sand. Perdido Beach was like an oil painting, dots and splashes of color that suggested a town without providing any detail.

Tm going to try something," he announced.

Sam killed the engine and let the boat wallow. The boat seemed to want to drift along the wall. There was a current, only slight, but definite. The current chased down the side of the wall heading away from land, following the long curve still farther out to sea.

"Do we have an anchor?" Sam asked.

The answer was a retching sound. Sam looked away as Edilio gave Up his lunch.

"Never mind," said Sam, Til look."

There was no anchor. But he noticed that Astrid was making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. She handed one to Sam.

He had not realized he was hungry. He stuffed half the sandwich in his mouth. "This is why they call you Astrid the Genius," he mumbled through the peanut butter.

"Man, don't talk about food " Edilio groaned.

Sam searched his little boat. No anchor anywhere, but there were some plastic bumpers, which he hung over the side in case he brushed against the barrier. And there was a coil of blue-and-white nylon rope. He tied one end securely to a cleat and tied the other end around his ankle. He stripped off his shirt and kicked off his shoes, leaving him in shorts. Rummaging in one of the holds, he found a long screwdriver.

"What are you doing?" Quinn asked.

Sam ignored him. "Edilio, man, you going to live?"

"I hope not," Edilio said through gritted teeth.

"Pm going to dive down, see if I can get below the barrier"

Astrid looked skeptical, worried, but Sam could see she was in her own head, preoccupied Probably trying to come to grips with almost getting shot.

Quinn said,"Til haul you in if you get jammed up"

Sam nodded, not ready to talk toQuinn. Not sure he would ever be ready to talk to Quinn. Then he dived off the side.

The water was a welcome friend. Cold, a shock, but welcome. He laughed at the taste of salt.

He took a couple of deep breaths, held the last one, and dived. He swam with powerful kicks and his free hand while the other hand held the screwdriver out to fend oft the FAYZ walk He had no desire to be pushed up against it. Touching with a linger had hurt, laying a shoulder or thigh against it would not be pleasant.

Down and down he went. He wished he'd had the tore* sight to grab some scuba gear or at least a face mask and fins at the marina, but he'd been a bit preoccupied at the time. The water was pretty clear, but still, visibility was reduced in the shadow of the barrier.

When he reached the end of his air he stabbed toward the barrier. The screwdriver hit nothing, and he felt a momentary surge of excitement that disappeared when his next thrust stopped dead against solid resistance.

He shot to the surface and gasped for air.