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JUNE 2016

The squat wooden fishing boat had been painted a dandy combination of periwinkle and lemon When the colors were fresh, they had lent the vessel an air of happy tranquility But that was al of sun and sea had beaten out all se pale and aneainst the ominous sea

The two Jaht to her dilapidated exterior Their only concern hether the sine would propel them back to their island hoe pump

“Quick with the bait while the tuna are still biting” The elderline over the side Near his feet, a pair of large silver fish flopped angrily about the deck

“Not you worry, Uncle Deser man picked up so of rusty hand-forged hooks “The sun is low, so the fish still bite on the bank”

“It ain’t the sun that’s waiting for the bait” Desrabbed the re off the end to a cleat on the gunwale He stepped toward the wheelhouse to engage the throttle but stopped and cocked his ear A deep ru thunder, sounded over the boat’s old diesel motor

“What is it, Uncle?”

Des off the port beam

The Javina creaked and groaned froed shock wave A frothy ball of white water erupted a short distance away, spraying a dozen feet into the air It was followed by a bubbling concentric wave that see the fishing boat and lifting it into the sky Desrabbed the wheel for balance

His nephew staggered to his side, his eyes agape “What is it?”

“Soripped the wheel hite knuckles as the boat heeled far to one side

The vessel hung on the verge of flipping, then righted itself as the wave subsided The Javina settled back to a cal froth

“That was crazy,” his nephew said, scratching his head “What’s happening way out here?” The small boat was more than twenty miles from Jamaica, the island’s coastline not quite visible on the horizon

Des eruption’s epicenter He motioned off the bow “Those ships ahead Theyfor oil”

A h-riding ocean barge down current An orange crew boat htly ahead of the ship All three were headed for the Javina—or, more precisely, the point of the underwater explosion