Free Carpathia by Matt Forbeck Page B

time, though, Quin knew that Abe's refusal to try another way might get them both killed, and he had to do something to stop it.
      "You will let us on this boat!" Abe shouted.
      "Or what?" the crewman said. "You'll report me to the captain?"
      Abe launched himself toward the boat, and the crewman brought the oar down at him hard. Abe saw it coming and tried to catch it, but the flat of it smashed into his arm instead and drove him back.
      "You unbelievable bastard!" Abe said.
      "Bugger off!" The crewman raised the oar again, this time turning it so he could strike with the edge of the paddle instead.
      One of the other crewmen atop the boat leaned over to his side. "What's this then, Amos?" the man said.
      "Our little lordship here thinks he deserves a seat next to us." Amos held the oar in front of him, never taking his eyes off Abe.
      "Sorry, gents," the second man said. True regret tinged his voice. "We're full up here. Off with you then, and best of luck to you."
      "Luck?" Abe growled and splashed armfuls of freezing water at the men. "We need help, not luck!"
      Amos drew back the oar to attack Abe once more.
      "Forget it," Quin said, grabbing Abe by the arm. He pulled his friend back, out of range of Amos's length of polished wood.
      "Forget it?" Abe threw up his arms as he struggled to get free. "You can't be serious."
      "Abe." Quin pitched his voice low and serious, but soft enough that he hoped the men on the boat couldn't hear. "I have a plan."
      Abe snarled. Quin couldn't tell at who, but he held his friend's arm fast, even when Abe tried to pull away.
      "Trust me," Quin said. "You have to trust me."
      Abe hesitated. Quin could tell he wanted nothing more than to leap straight out of the water and thrash the men on top of the lifeboat within inches of their lives – and then knock them another yard past that. Abe glared at him with naked hatred for getting between himself and the objects of his fury, but Quin refused to flinch or turn away.
      "Fine." Abe shrugged out of Quin's grasp. He stared up at the boat with sullen, heavy-lidded eyes, but he spoke to Quin. "Let's try it your way – for once."
      Quin swam away from the boat, back in the direction of the mass of people struggling to survive in the churning froth of water where the Titanic had gone down. Abe followed after him, but as he went, he called back to the boat. "I hope you realize I'll be forced to write a sternly worded letter to the president of the White Star line!"
      No one – not even Abe – laughed.
      Once they were twenty yards away, Quin hauled up short and waited for Abe to catch up with him. "All right," Abe said. "Spotlight's on you, my friend. What's your plan?"
      Quin pointed back at the boat. "There's space on the other side, and no one there guarding it. We just need to get there."
      "And how do you propose we do that?" Abe said.
      "They're watching us. Hell, they're watching all around. There's no way to get around them."
      "True," Quin said, jerking his head toward the boat. "But we can still get under them."
      Abe nodded as he considered the plan. "Under normal circumstances, it might work, but – well, I don't know about you, but I'm knackered. I might be able to make it to the other side of the boat, but I'll come up gasping so hard, they'll be on us in an instant."
      "Right," Quin said. "But we don't have to make it all the way to the other side of the boat. We can stop for a break along the way."
      "You happen to have a diving bell and an airline down there? You've been holding out on me."
      "Not necessary," Quin said. "What do you think is holding up that boat those men are guarding so well?"
      An impressed grin split Abe's face wide. Quin basked in it for a moment, knowing full well how hard it was to get such a response from his sometimes jaded friend. He tried to avoid wondering if it might be the last time he ever saw it