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And there he had found his house a shambles； windows broken； the doors caved in。 Tears stinging his eyes； he had rushed inside。 His wife and daughter were gone。 There was a smear of blood across a wall； a bullet hole in a door； another in a window frame； the sight made him freeze in shock。 He had fought his way out of there； sobbing； not knowing if they were alive or slaughtered。
Kip saw figures struggling through the pall of smoke as he neared the harbor。 He tensed； slammed on his brakes； and reached for the rifle on the seat beside him。 The forms emerging from the darkness were islanders； terrified people running wildly past him toward the jungle beyond。 He saw their glazed； mad eyes and knew there was nothing he could do。
Except one thing。
He jammed his foot to the floor； blared the horn to avoid a man who staggered through a doorway into the street。 The jeep roared along the harbor through the blazing heat。 A bucket brigade had been started； the men moving in slow motion； their clothes smoking。 Wet wood whined and shrilled； to Kip it sounded like what he imagined a shell from a U…boat's deck gun； screaming from the sea； might sound like。
〃WHERE ARE YOU！〃 he shouted； his throat raw。 〃WHERE ARE YOU！〃 Smoke whirled before him； stinging his eyes； filling his mouth。 But he knew where they were。
It was war。 War； just as it had been in 1942。 Time had stood still for the U…boat's crew； and now it was frozen for the villagers as well。 But this was not war。 It was a massacre； a hideous and inhuman massacre of the innocents。 But； that was the way it was done； wasn't it？ War always took the innocents first； and then the things that had done the killing slipped back into the shadows to wait and plan for another day。 By all that was holy； he swore he would kill as many as he could with his bare hands if need be。 He left the burning village behind； sweat and tears mingling on his face； his pulse pounding with the knowledge of what was to e。
And then he was at the boatyard； crashing through the remnants of the gates； swerving past the junk piles； one hand guiding the wheel and the other gripping his rifle。 The naval shelter lay before him； a streak of lightning illuminating it for an instant。 The doorway was open。 He stopped the jeep； leaped over its side； and ran toward the shelter with the rifle clasped in his arms。
But before he reached it there came a hollow rumbling noise that seemed to make the earth tremble beneath his feet。
He stood where he was； listening； new sweat beading up on his face。 The noise came again； harsher； shaking the shelter's walls。 The distant sound of thunder； yes； thunder。
〃Noooooooo；〃 Kip hissed through clenched teeth； his mind reeling。 〃NO！〃 He took a step forward。
The noise died away； came back； growing； growing； growing； making the ground tremble。 With a shriek of metal the huge sliding bulkhead crumpled。
Kip forced himself to move； one sluggish step at a time。 〃I won't let you get away。。。！〃 he shouted against the brittle wind； the words flying out to all directions。 〃GODDAMN YOU； I WON'T LET YOU GET。。。〃
The bulkhead bent outward； a blister of metal。 It collapsed into the water with a metallic ripping noise。
And from the shelter； inch by inch； the U…boat's stern emerged。
The battered propellors churned oily water； the boat's aft deck slid out； then the conning tower。 Kip could see formless shapes on the dark bridge。 He raised the rifle and fired； hearing the bullet ricochet off iron。 The U…boat emerged like a reptile slithering from its den； and the entire length of it shuddered from the straining power of the engines。 It moved free of the shelter and began to turn； gradually； the iron protesting； toward the reef passage with foam streaking along its bow。
The U…boat ground itself over a skiff； rammed broadside into a small trawler at anchor and cast it away。 The sea was already filling the trawler's shattered port deck。 Lightning jabbed the sky； and Kip saw the iron monster cross the harbor； veering away from the sandbars； the boat gained the passage and began to move； sluggishly against the surge of white…capped breakers。 Kip ran past the water's edge and on into the sea； bringing the rifle up； firing without aiming； again and again。 The gun jammed； the U…boat was out of the harbor now； the ocean thundering against its hull； and when the next sheet of lightning came it was gone； swept away into the night； on a final and terrifying voyage。
The waves thrashed around his knees； almost throwing him off balance。 Wind sucked at him； howling within the empty shelter。 The Night Boat； Boniface had said。 The Night Boat； the most terrible of all creatures of the deep。 〃Nooooo；〃 he whispered。 〃I won't let you get away。。。〃
Lightning flashed overhead； and the thunder's boom sounded like the laugh of a war god； savage and victorious。
Rain began to fall； first in single heavy drops； then in sheets that rippled across the sea。 Kip stood in the downpour； his eyes fixed on the limitless blackness。 Very slowly he made his way out of the water and when he reached shore he crumpled to his knees in the sand； driven down by the weight of the storm。
Moore and Jana clung to each other； following the men through the curtains of rain。 They were Caribs； Moore realized； although he didn't recognize any of them。 They were moving across a high…grassed clearing into a part of Coquina he didn't know。 He could see the glimmer of lights in the distance。 The crowded shacks took shape out of the rain； and he saw the outline of the muddy street stretching down to the north harbor。 Caribville。 One of the Indians stepped from the path into thicket and sat on his haunches； facing back the way they'd e； with a rifle across his knees。 Another took his position a few yards away。
The streets were empty。 The heavy raindrops on tin roofs sounded like gunshots。 The man with the shotgun spoke quietly to the others and the group split in different directions； he motioned with his head for Moore and Jana to follow； and he led them to a shack where an oil lamp burned behind a window screen。 He opened the door and waved them in with an impatient gesture。
Inside there was a dim glow of low…burning lamps； the faint smell of tar and tobacco and food。 An emaciated old woman in a patchwork gown sat rocking in a chair in front of a cast…iron stove。 Her hair was knotted behind her head； her leathery flesh was stretched tight over her prominent facial bones。 Another woman； perhaps in her late thirties； stepped away from the door as they came through。
They stood in a large room； Moore could see another in the back。 There were a few chairs； a sun…faded wooden table with a lamp set at its center； cane blinds across the windows； a mat of intricately woven sea…grass on the floor。 Framed pictures that had obviously been scissored from travel magazines hung from nails around the room。 On one wall was a gun rack； now empty； near it hung a beautifully carved and smoothed wooden tribal mask； light gleaming on its oiled surface。 Its triangular teeth were bared； the eyes set in a fierce； warriorlike glare。
Moore put his arm protectively around Jana； supporting