Hatteras Blue by David Poyer Read Free Book Online

thought of going back and pulling it off the cord. That would safe all three charges. But in this murk it could take minutes to locate it. Caffey seemed to be unconscious. He didn't respond or move. In the minutes it would take to find the detonator, the boy would drown.
    He had to get him free, and worry about the explosives later.
    Galloway doubled his legs under him and braced them against the bottom. He let the mouthpiece go, hoping that Caffey, even unconscious, would keep his teeth tight on it, and wrapped his hands around the boom. He pulled. The only thing that happened was that something gripped his shoulder.
    His knife was half drawn before he made out a mask. Keyes's blue eyes were wide behind it. Ah, Galloway thought. He's where I want him at last. He pulled the other man's hands to the boom. Keyes nodded.
    All right, Galloway thought. If we can move this son of a bitch at all it'll be on the first try. He set his knees in sand and sucked three deep breaths, as fast as his regulator would deliver them. One ... two ... he nodded at Keyes.
    The steel mass came up suddenly, slid, and toppled away toward Caffey's head. Galloway pulled him backward as the boom grated on sand once more. His hands moved over his partner, found a toggle. Gas thudded into Caffey's vest, and Galloway triggered his own.
    Ten seconds later they broke surface. Sunlight, the smack of a wave in his face ... he spat out his mouthpiece and breathed salt air, tried clumsily to swim. His legs were weak. He felt a hand under his arm. Keyes, vest inflated, was helping him. His eyes were worried behind the oval mask.
    "The boat," Galloway sputtered. "Don't have much time ... Bernie!"
    Her head popped above the gunwale. Her eyebrows lifted, and a moment later a life ring and line sailed toward them. Galloway grabbed it, nearly done, and let her pull him in.
    Keyes went up first. He and Hirsch hauled Caffey clear of the water while Galloway collapsed on the platform, pulling in great draughts of air. Blood dripped from his arm, trickling downward over rusty steel as if seeking the sea.
    When he could stand he did, and looked over the transom. The two of them were working on Caffey. After a moment the boy turned his head, shuddered, and began to cough up seawater. Galloway unbuckled his tanks and climbed aboard. He went directly to the wheel and pushed in the starter. The engines whined, backfired, and finally caught. "His chest?" he said tiredly to Keyes. The older man nodded. "Bernie, watch him. Don't let him move. If he's broken any ribs, he could puncture a lung easy."
    "Okay, Tiller."
    "Keyes, you get forward. Cut the anchor line. Yeah, just cut it, we'll recover it later."
    "Right."
    When his knife lifted, Galloway slammed the throttle forward till the engines screamed. The boat leapt ahead, fleeing for the inlet.
    Keyes came aft. He stood beside Galloway at the wheel, facing forward, their shoulders almost touching. "I saw what you did down there," he said. He spoke almost confidentially, though he was shouting to be heard above the engines.
    Galloway glanced at him, reached back to rub his spine. "That so?" he grunted.
    "I didn't help much on that boom. It was superhuman."
    Galloway looked at him again and grunted again. The bridge loomed. "Hey! Bernie! Did you call ahead?"
    4 Your radio needs fixing. They could hardly hear me. But they'll have an ambulance at the inlet."
    "No one's fault," said Keyes. "We'll back you up on that. That wreck was ready to fall apart. It confirms my choice."
    "What choice was that?"
    "I chose this boat, and I chose you. Not at random. But I had to sound you out, to see you personally."
    "And just what did you choose me for?" said Galloway. "Assuming I let myself be chosen."
    Keyes glanced aft, to where Bernice Hirsch bent over a now conscious Jack Caffey. "How's your schedule, Captain Galloway? Not too full, I hope?"
    Galloway seemed to go away for a moment, as if remembering something. Then he came back. "It was. But