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Brèvard smiled wryly He’d known from the start that this was his weakness, the chink in his arht others with him, three of them children Even if they’d been adults, nine people couldn’t even keep the fires stoked for long, let alone guard the passengers and crew, and pilot the ship at the same time
But Brèvard was used to playing the angles His whole life was a study in getting others to do as he wished, either against their wills or without the He’d known he needed leverage, and the explosives in the two cases enabled him to turn the odds in his favor
“Bring in the prisoner,” he said
Ilbery watched as the bridge door was opened and an unkeht in a man covered in coal dust Blood flowed froash across his forehead
“Chief?”
“I’m sorry, Cap’n,” the chief said “They tricked us They used children to distract us And then they overpowered us Three of the lads are shot But it’s so loud down there no one heard until it was too late”
“What have they done?” the captain asked, his eyes groide
“Dynamite,” the chief said “A dozen sticks attached to boilers three and four”
Ilbery turned to Brèvard “Are you insane? You can’t put explosives in an environment like that The heat, the embers One spark and—”
“And we’ll all be blown to kingdoht for hi is, a rope waits forto die, I’d rather it be quick and glorious than slow and painful So don’t test me I have three of my people down there with rifles like these to make sure no one removes those explosives, at least not until I leave this ship at a port ofNow, do as I say and turn this vessel away from the coast”
“And then what?” Ilbery asked
“When we’ve reached our destination, we’ll take a few of your boats, a heap of supplies, and everyone’s cash and jewelry, and we’ll leave your ship and disappear You and your creill be free to sail back to Cape Toith a fantastic story to tell the world”
Using the bulkhead behind him for support, Captain Ilbery forced himself up and stood He stared at Brèvard with contempt The man had him and both knew it
“Chief,” he said without taking his eyes off the hijacker “Take the helm and turn us about”
The chief staggered to the wheel and pushed the hijacker aside and did as ordered The rudder answered the helan to turn