A Walk on the Water

"I've seen the work that they are doing out there, so far they have power back to the ship, and the lights are back on," he told her meaningly. "They are using the pumps to raise her out of the water. She"s listing badly, and it doesn"t appear that she can make use of her guns. Unless I miss my guess, they"re going to make a run for it. When they do, we"ll be right on their heels-"

A crash and sudden gunfire just outside the door sent them all scrambling for cover. The fighting was getting closer and now it seemed that even this cabin was no longer safe. Alannah looked up in fear as the door seemed to explode inward, as a rush of uniformed men came plowing through. Alannah found herself face to face with her father, he looked at her and there was anger in his eyes, and something else that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

At once the world ceased to make sense: as if in a dream, she watched as her father was dragged away by his men. His face was contorted with the mad rage that consumed him, and then somehow she was alone in the room, the sound of fighting receding from her, until at last there was prolonged silence- as pure and final as death. The world around her faded once more.

She wasn"t sure how long she lay there, listening, but at last she heard voices and approaching feet. They were searching for something, and then somehow there were people she knew in the room, picking through the rubble to get to her. They picked her up gently off the floor, placed her on the cot, and then as someone else approached, everyone in the room was quiet.

"Dominic?"

"Shush, my love. I"m here. Everything is all right now, we have finally found you." He said with pure emotion in his voice, and tears in his eyes. Looking at her badly beaten body, he was disgusted that they were unable to find her sooner, but happy that she was alive.

"What . . . where am I?"

"You"re in Port Lira ," he told her quietly. "And you"re safe at last."

"My brother . . . Rosemary . . . what happened to them?"

Dominic"s face was a wry blur. "They weren't here when we found the cabin, so I can only surmise that they managed to escape. A fitting pair, if ever there was one."

"And my father?"

"Gone. The last anyone saw of him, his men were dragging him back to the badly beaten yacht; he was ranting like a lunatic. He won't be bothering us or anyone else ever again."