Chapter 10 - Below Deck
The ship's bowels vibrated with the slow, idling thrum of massive marine diesels. Steam hissed from high-pressure lines, wrapping the narrow catwalks in gray fog. Leo followed the ventilation conduits toward the ship's auxiliary steering compartment—the lowest, most secure space on the vessel. Through a heavy marine hatch, he heard muffled crying. It was the exact sound from the jail cell, high and frantic. Peering through the reinforced viewport, Leo saw Toby tied gently to a bolted bench inside the compartment, wrapped in a blanket, while Clara wept uncontrollably in the corner with zip-tied wrists. Guarding them was Marcus Drake, checking his tactical watch while loading a sound suppressor onto a 9mm pistol. ""Orders just updated,"" Drake said coldly toward Clara. ""Mercer decided the boat leaves without any passengers. No loose ends."" Drake raised the firearm toward Clara's temple, his finger tightening on the trigger.
