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re； in his own mirrored gaze： a powerful； soul…aching fear。 Then it passed； and Cheyne found his stern mask again。 He seemed to be giving the men some kind of instructions。 They listened intently。
When he'd finished the two men returned into the night。 Cheyne stood watching them go； and then he rebolted the door。 〃OUA！〃 the old woman shouted wildly。 〃NO！〃 She shook her head from side to side and the younger woman left Jana to try to calm her。 At the back of the house； a baby began to cry。
〃What is it？〃 Moore asked him。
Cheyne reached out and took the shotgun from Moore's grasp。 〃You will not need this。 They're gone。〃
〃How？〃
〃They've taken their boat；〃 Cheyne said； 〃and left Coquina。〃
At once Jana was on her feet。 〃That can't be！〃
〃Those men saw the boat move around the point and disappear into the northwest。〃
Moore shook his head； his shoulder burning； his mind whirling with the horrifying events of the night。
〃It can't be！〃 Jana said forcefully。 She looked over at Moore； her gaze helpless； almost childlike。
Moore slowly let himself sink back into the chair。 He felt the Carib watching him。 〃We helped them；〃 he said wearily。 〃God save us； we helped them repair their boat。 We put them in the boatyard； gave them access to fuel and oil and tools。 And all along； while we were sleeping； they were piecing that terrible machine back together…and we never knew。 God。。。 we never knew。。。〃
〃Now listen to me！〃 Jana said； rallying suddenly。 〃Even if they have worked on the diesels and replaced enough of the battery cells； they can't be getting but a fraction of their former power out of those old engines！ I don't care what sort of equipment they had； they couldn't have repaired all of the systems！ Their steering will be sluggish； they'll be slowed to a crawl and forced to keep to the surface！〃
〃You said the systems were duplicated；〃 Moore reminded her。 〃One operated by machinery。 One by hand。〃
〃No！〃 She looked from Moore to Cheyne； back to Moore。 〃They may have gotten the skeleton moving and maybe a portion of the brain working； but the veins and nerves are still dead！〃
〃Can you be certain of that？ What about their torpedoes； their deck gun？ And that damned boat itself； with its blade of a bow； could batter a hole through a timber…hulled freighter。。。！〃
Jana was silent； trying to piece together what he was saying。 〃No。 What you're thinking is。。。 madness。 This isn't 1942。。。 this isn't World War II。。。〃
〃To them it is；〃 Moore said。 〃If they're moving northwest they may be going back toward Jamaica。 And there are shipping lanes between here and there。 Lanes that they may have prowled forty years ago。 They're bound to have known the charts and how to reach the lanes from here。。。〃
〃God！〃 Jana whispered。 〃What's kept them。。。 alive after more than forty years underwater？ What sort of things have they bee？〃
The baby's crying was louder； the Carib woman left the room； went back through a doorway； and returned holding a black…haired infant cradled in her arms。 The baby groped for a breast； and she unbuttoned her blouse to let it suck from a nipple。 She kept her eyes fixed on Cheyne's back； as he stood at the window。
〃You can go back to your village now；〃 Cheyne said after a long silence。 〃It's safe。〃
〃They may still need your help；〃 Moore told him。
〃No。 I have no time to waste on them。〃 He turned and spoke to the young woman； whose face was taut with apprehension。 The woman struggled to rise； her arms trembling with the effort； and Cheyne crossed the room to her。 He whispered gently and stroked her hair while she muttered pleadingly； clutching at his arm； holding the child close to her body。 He looked into Moore's face。 〃I say go back to your own kind。〃
Moore rose and took a single step toward him。 There was a fierceness in Cheyne's face that made him the living duplicate of that hand…hewn tribal mask。 In the light of a nearby lamp the scars seemed only the exterior wounds of something that had mauled his soul。 〃What are you going to do？〃
〃It's no concern of yours。 Now leave； both of you！〃
Tears had begun to stream along the old woman's face。
Moore's voice was unyielding。 〃What are you going to do？〃
Cheyne continued to stroke the woman's hair。 When he looked again at the white man his jaw was set and firm； the eyes shotgun barrels。
〃I'm going after the Héhué；〃 Cheyne said。 〃And I'm going to destroy it。〃
Twenty…three
MOORE WAS SILENT under the Carib's powerful stare。 Overhead a crack of thunder shrilled through the sky like a shell； burning it blood…red。
〃How？〃 Jana asked。 〃With a shotgun； or a knife？ You don't know what you're dealing with！ If you're planning to sink it you'd better find yourself an armor…piercing projectile and some heavy artillery； or a bomb； or a limpet mine。。。！〃
Cheyne turned his attention to her； moving past the old woman； he came to her side and scowled down at her。 〃If need be； yes； I'll fight it with a blade。 I'll rip those plates open with my bare hands。 It has a debt to pay me。。。〃…his hand came up； the callused fingers touching the terrible plain of scars…〃。。。here and within。〃 He held his hand over his heart and glanced at Moore。 〃What's to prevent it from returning here； where they realize they can find fuel。。。 and food？ What will prevent it from entering those sea lanes and churning blood all the way from here to Kingston？〃
〃I've got to think；〃 Jana said； pacing the room。 〃Now they can't have stored enough diesel fuel for a long voyage； and they can't be moving very quickly； not with the sea running high。〃
〃If the boat is headed for the lanes； the nearest route from here is between Big Danny Cay and Jacob's Teeth。 And if I reach them in time I can force the boat across the reefs and rip its hull open；〃 Cheyne told her。
〃No。 We can use the wireless here to reach the Coast Guard；〃 Jana said。 〃They can stop it before。。。〃
〃Now you're talking nonsense。 Do you think they'd listen for one minute to what you'd have to say？ And by then the bastard would have made it through the passage； and it would be lost to me。 No！ It's mine； damn it！ I've waited a long time to meet it； on the open seas where I'd have a fighting chance； and by all that's holy in this world I mean to follow it！〃
〃I saw those trawlers down in the harbor；〃 she said。 〃If you're going after it in one of those you're mad！ That U…boat will make matchsticks out of。。。〃
〃That's enough。〃 Cheyne's voice was hard。 〃Go away from here。 Both of you go tend to your dead in Coquina village。 I don't want you around Caribville； there's an hour until dawn light and I have much work to do。〃
He held Jana's gaze for a few seconds； then abruptly turned back to the old woman； he knelt before her； looking into her eyes； and kissed her cheek。 She ran a withered hand along the unscarred side of his face。 When he stood up again she clutched at his legs； but then he went to stand beside his wife and the baby。 He took the child in his arms and held it close。
〃My son；〃 he said softly； speaking to Moore。 〃He'll be the next Chief Father； after I'm gone。 He'll rule justly and fairly； and he'll be str