The Dead Fleet (Juggernaut #3)

Nineteen

Malachi saw movement. The pirates were closer than they thought. He let go of Ellie's hand and pushed her behind him.

She complied quickly, quietly. The threat around them was growing more real by the second. She could almost feel it, like claws in her mind.

Malachi held his breath, waiting for the pirates to pass by, hoping they would not be seen. He silently plotted their best path to the cargo area with the information he was sure of. The trouble was he was sure of so little. They had already been turned around and from this angle he still couldn't see the hanging chains.

Still, in a moment the pirates would be gone and they could move.

All they had to do was be quiet.

Then from behind them came a sudden crash of metal on metal. For half a second it was too much for Ellie. The moment overtook her and she screamed.

And the pirates turned back.

Tila was already running for the console. There was no point being careful any longer. Now speed was their best weapon. She was safe up here. She had to hope her friends would stay out of sight long enough for her to get the crane working.

It should be Malachi up here.

Ellie's sudden scream pulled her attention back to the floor. But it was one quick frightened exclamation. Something had scared her, but not found her. At least not found her yet. Her friend was in danger, but as much as Tila longed to leap over the guardrail and fight everyone down there, she knew the best thing she could do to help Ellie, to help them all, was to turn on the crane.

It should be Malachi up here.

'Run!' Malachi breathed into Ellie's ear. She was almost paralysed with fright. He pulled her away from the machinery by her shoulders and pushed her forward. Ellie ran blindly. Every corner suddenly a hiding place. Every footstep heard a foe.

Malachi chased after her, and with a shout the pirates chased after him.

Tila planted both hands on the centre console and scanned it for the controls she needed. She blinked, forced herself to go slower, to take in what she was seeing. There it was: Crane Control.

She pulled a lever to lower the crane. Nothing happened.

Tila thumped a switch to send power to the crane controls and tried again. Nothing happened.

She looked up into the darkness, imploring the crane to move, and hammered the controls again.

Nothing happened.

Then Ellie screamed again.

Malachi followed Ellie's scream around the next corner as close as he could, but she was smaller and far more nimble than he. Ellie sprang around obstacles. Malachi charged forward, his shoulders bouncing off hard surfaces like a human pinball.

A pirate had got in front of them and already had Ellie by the sleeve. Her frantic attempts to escape had stopped him getting a firm hold on her.

Malachi bounced off the last corner and saw them.

It should be Tila down here.

But it wasn't.

There was no doubt that Tila was the better fighter, but Malachi had spent years lifting and moving heavy machine parts around the workshop. It was time to put that strength to use.

It wasn't a graceful punch but it got the job done. Ellie escaped the pirate's grasp the moment his head snapped back under Malachi's inexpert fist. Ellie darted behind Malachi. Malachi took two steps forward and shoved the pirate full in the chest with both hands, sending him to the floor.

Malachi clutched his wrist. 'Aaahhh.'

'Did he hurt you?' said Ellie.

'I hurt myself. How does Tila punch so many people?' he muttered.

Tila banged and kicked the console. It had to work. It had to.

They were already discovered, so Tila shouted heedless into the cavernous space.

'Ellie!'

Then it worked. Something deep inside, some corroded part of the machine, woke up. Power flooded the system and the crane started to move with a slow, thudding crank as the giant links unwound themselves.

If Ellie shouted back now Tila wouldn't hear her over the noise.

Tila leaned over the rail. Was that a foot poking out behind one of the machines? It wasn't Ellie's or Malachi's.

Then her friends ran into view to the centre of the cargo bay.

Ellie waved and shouted something into the noise. Tila shook her head and waved at her ears. Ellie shouted and waved again. Malachi joined her. Their words were lost in the booming echoes of the chain, but they were looking and waving at something behind her.

'It's almost here. Hold on,' Tila shouted back. She doubted they could hear her well either but if they looked up they would see that their escape was close at hand.

Tila turned back to the console, where she thought they were pointing. But the console was not what concerned them.

He strode confidently along the walkway. His surprise already succumbing to determination.

He saw Tila and crushed one gloved fist inside another.

Typhon.

Tila automatically reached behind her for the staff. Her fingers found only air.

Tila took a breath, stepped backward and looked down.