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hese people as you can from the harbor； get them up to the clinic。 David； can we use your hotel as shelter？〃
Moore nodded。
〃Then that's settled。〃 He turned back to J。R。 〃Get as many as you can up there。 The storm's not far away； from the looks of that sky。 Just get them in out of the wind。〃 Kip turned to his wife and clutched her hand。 〃Go on。 You'll be all right。 Hurry。〃
She hesitated； clinging to him； he called another woman's name and she came over to lead Myra away from her husband。 〃Remember；〃 he said to J。R。 before handing him the rifle。 〃Make sure these people get in some shelter。〃
Kip and Moore made their way silently along Front Street； they could hear the racket of the trawler's engines； and Cheyne shouting at some boys to help him throw off his bow lines。 〃I've been trying to raise someone on the radio for the past two hours；〃 Kip explained。 〃I've just been getting fragments from ships at sea。 There's a godawful blow working out there somewhere。〃
〃You don't have to e with us。 Coquina's your responsibility and that's all。〃
Kip shook his head。 〃I know that boat is still out there； David。 And I won't be able to live with myself if I don't try…at least try…to stop it before it takes its evil elsewhere。 There'll be more killing； and more innocent people will die。 If I turn my back on that I turn my back on everything I've ever believed in。〃
They reached the boat where Cheyne was already hauling in the lines； Jana working right beside him。 The Carib stared at Kip for a few seconds but said nothing。
Moore climbed aboard and helped the Carib and Jana with the bow lines； Cheyne then disappeared into the wheelhouse and the trawler began to move toward Kiss Bottom's passage； its diesels rumbling。
The ocean became a shifting plain of blacks and whites around the trawler。 The waves lifted them and then dropped them into liquid； glassine pits that shimmered like a thousand eyes。 Foam broke over the trawler's prow； streaming along the deck and through the scuppers。 Moore； at the bow watching for bommies； looked to the sky。 It was a forbidding； featureless mass of grays and yellows。 As they swung in a northeasterly course； black； thick clouds loomed in the distance； closing off the horizon； making it a vast； empty doorway。
He turned to look back at Coquina； a mass of green against the gray。 Then a cresting wave； streaked with weed； rose up and blocked his view。 They were through the passage； moving across the deep Abyss； the sea striking up underneath the hull。
And with a cold shudder he realized what that horizon was。
A doorway； yawning wide。
A doorway into the realm of the dead。
He made his way aft； clinging to the gunwale； past Kip and into the wheelhouse。
Twenty…four
〃BAD WEATHER AHEAD；〃 Cheyne said grimly； the muscles standing out on his forearms with the effort of handling the wheel。 Timbers creaked the length of the boat； water struck the windshield with a noise like a handclap。 Though the wind had quieted； the sea was rising。 A bad sign。
The sea was being churned into a frenzy further ahead； nearer Jamaica。 They weren't moving fast enough； although Cheyne knew that the waves would be holding the U…boat back as well。
Cheyne let the Pride run for openings through the waves； seeking smoother water before the foam crashed back and closed the holes； there was a strong current thrashing that wanted to take the rudder and spin the boat broadside。 Cheyne cherished the Pride like a strong； responsive woman。 He had built this boat with his own hands； with lumber stolen from Langstree's yard and salvaged engine parts。 He'd captained the craft for seven years； using it to fish with a Carib crew。 She was a fine； fast boat； with a good balance。 He kept his attention focused directly ahead； at times checking a pass and a brass barometer mounted on the panel before him。 The glass was low and still falling。
〃The sea can pound hell out of the U…boat；〃 Jana said； 〃and it'll keep right on going because of the way it's built； low to the water。 There's no capsizing it。〃
〃All those years；〃 Kip said to Moore； 〃those things were working to put the boat back to sea。。。 maybe they'd been maintaining the engines as best they could even when they were on the bottom。 All that time with a single purpose。 A desire to strike back； a burning hate and need。〃 He'd related everything Boniface had said。
〃U…boat crewmen were trained to improve；〃 Jana told him。 〃They used whatever was at hand…wires； cables； pieces of timber； even the bulkhead iron。 There are documented cases of submarines being raised from the bottom after several days…just before their air gave out for good…due to the sheer guts and ingenuity of the crewmen。 In some ways I think they must have been the bravest of all warriors。〃
〃The Night Boat；〃 Kip whispered to himself from where he stood at the rear of the wheelhouse； an arm hooked around a beam。 He felt weary and battered； and he wondered what he would have done if his fears had been realized； if Myra and Mindy had been killed。 When he'd seen that blood on the wall of his house； his world had begun to collapse。 Two of the horrors had broken in and one had slashed his daughter with a claw； but Myra had fought them off with the rifle and had run to the village with Mindy in her arms。 There she'd found more of the things； and they would have killed her in the street had a group of men not appeared through the smoke and held them back。 She'd remembered Langstree； she'd told Kip； beating at the things with an iron pipe before he was dragged into their midst。 Myra had found refuge in the grocery's cellar； along with a few other men and women。 The things had almost ripped away the overhead trapdoor； but then the grocery had caught fire and they had scurried away； fearful of the flames。 Myra and the others had barely gotten out before the burning roof had collapsed。
〃God；〃 Kip said aloud； shaking off the terrible memory of her story。 〃What if it's taken another passage； moved toward Trinidad； or Haiti； or even the States？ You said you'd force the boat onto Jacob's Teeth if you could catch it； Cheyne。 I want to know how。〃
Cheyne didn't turn his head。 He watched the storm curtain thickening。 〃When the time es；〃 he said。 〃I'll find it； all right。 It's not through with me； just as I'm not through with it。〃
〃Why？〃 Moore asked； moving alongside Cheyne and supporting himself against the instrumentation panel。 〃I've seen the hate and the fear in you。 How did it get there？〃
〃I think；〃 Cheyne responded； light glinting off his golden amulet； 〃you see too much； Moore。〃 He paused a moment； as if weighing a decision。 Then he nodded and spoke： 〃I have a nightmare； Moore。 It won't let me be。 I can't free myself of it。 I am in a room； lying on the bare frame of a bed。 I'm a child； and I know nothing of terror or the evil in man because my world is enclosed by the huge cathedral of the sea and sky。 I lie in a darkened room and I listen to the nightbirds。 But then they're silent； and there's another noise。 A thin wailing noise that es closer and closer； but I cannot escape。 And then the noise is all around me； hot and screaming。 There i