Gone (Gone #1)(73)

The barrier extended at least twenty feet down below the surface. If there was a bottom to it, he'd have to find it using an air tank and flippers.

The boat was rocking against the barrier, fifty feet away. He heard the distinct snap and pff as Astrid popped open a Coke for Little Pete, Quinn sat o:i the bow tending the rope, and Edilio was still looking as if he might heave up a part of his liver.

Sam swam to the boat, taking his time, enjoying the water on his skin too much to feel disappointed that he hadn't found a way out of the FAYZ.

He heard the sound of the engine and the smack-on-wave impact long before he saw the boat. He kicked hard to lift his head above the water far enough to see. * Hey" he yelled.

Quinn had heard the engine a: the same time. "Boat coming. Fast," Quinn yelled.

"Where?"

"From town," Quinn reported. "Fast," he repeated.





TWENTY-SIX


126 HOURS, 10 MINUTES

SAM SWAM AT full speed and soon had his hand on the gunwale of ihe Boston Whaler. Quinn hauled him aboard. Up and over, falling and rolling onto the deck.

He was on his feet in a (lash and saw the big speedboat, the kind they called a cigarette boat, bearing down on them, not a quarter mile away The boat threw out a huge bow wave. At the wheel was a kid Sam couldn't recognize from this distance. Standing like they were holding on for dear life were Howard and Ore. No Drake.

"We can't outrun them" Quinn said.

Adrenaline seemed to have steadied Edilio's stomach. "Maybe, man, but we don't know till we try"

"No,Quinn's right "Sam said."Astrid, hold on to Little Pete."

Edilio reeled up the slack in the rope, both hands flying. They couldn't leave it trailing in the water or it would foul the propeller.

As soon as the rope was aboard. Sam gunned the throttle and quickly picked up speed ruining along the barrier. Ore's boat veered to follow.

AStrid, clutching her little brother, peeked over the side and yelled* "He's chasing, not aiming to intercept us"

It took Sam a second to understand what she meant. The cigarette boat could have set an intercept angle and easily cut them off. But the driver hadn't thought of that.

Almost too late, the speedboat's driver veered right, trying to drop in behind Sam, but the turn was sloppy and the speed too great. The cigarette boat slid sideways into the barrier with a surprisingly loud, bass-drum smack. Then, when the props bit again, the cigarette boat surged forward and shot past the Whaler.

"Hold on " Sam warned..

The wave from the cigarette boat's turn washed over the Whaler and slammed the smaller boat against the barrier Sam rocked but held on, his bare feet fighting the crazily tilting deck for traction.

The Boston Whaler stayed upright, and as the propeller found water again, it gained speed. They shot to the right of the cigarette boat, close enough that Sam could have stuck his arm out and high-fived Howard.

Now the Whaler was going ail out, bouncing from wave top to wave top with the barrier Hying by on the left, heading farther from land.

But the speedboat was much faster, and now that the driver had recovered, he came roaring after Sam and was soon churning Sam's wake.

"Pull oven moron " Ore bellowed at Sam.

Sam ignored the demand. His mind was racing. How could he gel away? His boat was slower. It was more nimble, but il was definitely slower And the speedboat was so much bigger, so much heavier, that it could run right over the Boston Whaler.

"Pull over or well run you down," Ore shouted again.

"Don't be stupid, Sammy" Howard yelled in a smaller voice, barely audible over the roar of engines and rush of water.

Astrid was suddenly at his side. "Sam. Can you do anything?"

"Maybe. I have an idea."

In a tight whisper she said, "Are you talking about.. r

"I don't know how to do that, Astrid, it just happens. And this isn't exactly the time for me to consult Yoda on how to use my power."

Edilio was with them now. "You got a plan, Sam?"

"Not a good one."

Sam picked up ihe radio handset beside the throttle. He keyed the button. "This is Sam, are you guys receiving? Over"

Glancing back, he saw the surprise on Howard's face. Yes, they were receiving. Howard lifted his handset and frowned at it.

Sam keyed his radio. "You hold down the button, Howard " Sam said. "Then when youVe done, you say 'over' and let go of the button. Over."

"You have to pull over," Howard said, his voice harshened by the tinny receiver. "Oh, over"

"I don't think we're going to do that, Howard. Drake tried to kill Astrid. You and Ore almost killed me. Over."

That occupied Howard for a minute while he thought up a good lie. "It's okay, Sammy, Caine changed his mind. He says if you behave yourselves, he'll let you all go free. Over-"

"Yeah. I absolutely believe you," Sam said,

Sam edged his boat still closer to the barrier. It was so close now, he could have touched it.

He depressed the send button again. "You try to run me down, you may run into the barrier," Sam warned. "Over."

There was a silence. Then, a new voice, faint but audible. It had to be coming from a radio onshore. "Get him " the voice commanded, "Get him or don't tome back "