Southtrap

'Do you think I'd leave her behind, knowing what she knows?' asked Wegger. 'She comes with us. That's final.'

'Linn…' I started. But she stood there with her head held back, and I knew in my heart that I'd rather have her with me, Wegger or no Wegger.

'Right,' I conceded. 'But we're in for a rough ride. The sooner we get over to the Quest, the better. The weather's working up.'

Just how much it had deteriorated since we had first made our way into the iceport was apparent once the motor-launch carrying Wegger, Ullmann, Linn and myself cleared the entrance and left the protected water behind. The launch started to pitch and toss and the Quest, nearer the ice than she should have been for safety, rose, corkscrewed and plunged. I was now concerned about how Botany Bay would fare once she stuck her nose outside. I was also deeply anxious about Linn. She sat silent, looking ahead. I admired her pluck in wanting to come but not her wisdom.

I checked my time as we cleared the arch.

Ten o'clock.

The buoy's launching-time.

I wondered how Smit, T-shirt Jannie and Pete would take missing it. Or the rest of the watching weather world.

Then suddenly the scheme to beat Wegger dropped tailor-made into my mind.

It was so simple, so neat, that I almost laughed.

To carry it out, though, I would need another person's help. Linn's help. They'd be guarding me all the time when we reached the Quest; I'd never escape their vigilance. But Linn could. It would need only a few minutes…

I shifted from the stern thwart and moved alongside Linn, who was amidships. Wegger frowned and Ullmann kept ready. I put my arm round her, as if to resolve our constraint over her attitude about Botany Bay.

I whispered, 'Into the bows. Quick! I want to tell you something!'

She gave me a startled, puzzled look, but did as I said.

In the bow I steadied myself by a grab-handle and said softly, 'Linn, I've got it! When we reach Quest I want you to go straight to the scientists' place and find Smit. Tell him to set the balloon's instrument package in operation…'

'But we've missed the launching-point, John! Quest is over a hundred kilometres from it!'

'I know, I know,' I responded urgently. 'Listen. The package is a tiny thing — it weighs about half a kilogram. Get him to set it working — right? Then take it yourself. Put it inside your parka…'

'Me? Take it?'

I threw an anxious glance astern. Both Ullmann and Wegger were watching us keenly but they couldn't hear what we said.

'It won't take a moment to unhitch it from the balloon's envelope,' I rushed on. 'Don't you see — explain all this to Smit — all the weather stations will be on the look-out for the balloon to track it across the sky. We'll start it operating. The GARP stations will pick up the transmissions via the satellite. But it won't be doing 30 or 40 knots on the wind as it should be, it'll be travelling a mere six or seven because we'll have it with us in Botany Bay. The experts will realize at once that something is wrong and an alert will go out. From the satellite's readings they'll be able to pinpoint the transmitter's position exactly — and with it, Botany Bay's position. Got it?'

She pressed my hand. 'Wonderful, John, wonderful!'

'Careful,' I warned her. 'Don't let those thugs suspect us. It's up to you, Linn.'

'I'll do it, John.'

There's more,' I went on urgently. 'Tell Smit to set the buoy's transmitter in operation…'

'John! Quick! Explain! I don't follow!'

I dropped my voice as low as I could. 'The tracking stations know that the buoy's maximum rate of drift is less than one knot an hour,' I hurried on. 'If the satellite is registering the buoy's speed as fifteen knots — the same as Quest's — a similar alert will go out as for our balloon package, which we will have in Botany Bay, Quest won't be able to explain until the radio blackout's over, but the experts will be able to pinpoint her position exactly, just like Botany Bay's. They'll realize that the two transmitters are being transported artificially.'

'What chance of using Botany Bay's radio when the black-out's over?'

'Nil, I'm afraid. The batteries are finished. Wegger will smell a rat if I suggest anything there.'

'John! Watch out! He's coming!'

'Here!' Wegger rapped out. 'That's enough chattering, you two.'

The Quest was now almost on top of us. Wegger steered for the scrambling nets I had had rigged. McKinley was making a poor job of holding position. He had her half beam-on, and the seas were letting the ship know it. She looked like a ghost ship. Her decks were deserted. The only figures visible were on the bridge.

I seized a boat-hook and held the motor-launch fast once we had gained the lee of the hull.

'Up,' Wegger ordered Linn. 'Get to your cabin — and stay there. Be ready in fifteen minutes — we'll fetch you.'

I steadied her hand. She gripped me reassuringly in return and started up the wet, swaying side of the hull.

Wegger pocketed the Luger. He picked up the case containing the explosives and swung himself effortlessly into the scrambling net.

Linn had almost reached the top when a head looked over. It was Smit.

I saw my plan vanish like a puff of smoke. If Smit stayed and argued with Wegger…

'Captain Shotton!' he called in an agonized voice. 'Where have you been? We've missed Bokkie's launch-ing-time!'

I watched Linn race for the top, her shoes slipping on the wet net. She realized the dangers as well as I did.

Wegger stopped; glanced up, gestured to Ullmann.

'Get back to your cabin!' he shouted at Smit. 'Get back! Inside!'

Linn had reached the rail now and was throwing a leg over. Ullmann lifted the Scorpion. He couldn't fire without hitting her.

'For Pete's sake, Smit, do as he says!' I yelled.

Ullmann's warning shot into the air rang out simultaneously. Smit's head vanished. Linn disappeared, too. Wegger hung on for a moment or two and then looked enquiringly down at Ullmann.

'He took the hint, the stupid sod,' Ullmann called. 'He's gone, skipper. It's okay.'

Wegger nodded and finished his ascent.

'Shotton!' he called. 'Up! Make the launch fast. Then up!'

I secured the boat by running a line through the meshes of the net. I went up. The deck was empty — there was no sign of Linn or Smit. I breathed an inward sigh of relief.

Then Ullmann joined us.

'March,' ordered Wegger. 'The bridge!'

Before entering, Wegger called, 'Bravold! Everything okay?'

'No problems,' came the answer.

Both McKinley and Petersen were on watch. McKinley hadn't shaved and there were heavy shadows round his eyes. His face was blotchy as if he had been roughed up. Petersen looked as guilty and inadequate as if he'd been responsible for the entire hijacking.

'McKinley,' said Wegger, 'I'm leaving the ship to you. I'm taking your captain with me.'

'The ship to me!'

'That's what I said. And look after her well, you miserable runt!'

McKinley stood gaping at Wegger and me. He seemed to have lost his voice. Wegger strode to the engine-room telegraph. He rammed the pointer over. It's metallic clatter was almost a protest in itself.

Wegger rang, 'Finished with engines.'

McKinley stuttered, 'Finished with engines — sir?'

Wegger ignored him. He said to Ullmann, 'You know what to do.'

Ullmann took two 10-kilogram ice-charges from the box, hitched his machine-pistol over his arm, and went.

'Finished with engines!' Wegger repeated.

The realization of what he was up to hit me then. 'Wegger — you can't blow up her engines!'

I started forward. Bravold was very quick in covering me with his Scorpion.

'Do you think I'd leave this little rat to turn tail and race back to the Cape to tell them what's happened?' said Wegger.

'You can't leave everybody aboard to die in a helpless ship in the middle of the Southern Ocean!'