Chapter 8 - The Sinking Ship
The sudden, deafening silence on the yacht made Julian completely freeze in place.
He frantically pressed the engine restart buttons on his remote key fob, but absolutely nothing happened.
Maya stood on the wooden dock, holding up a heavy pair of wire cutters.
"I cut your main fuel lines before I went to the warehouse, you idiot," Maya yelled triumphantly.
Julian realized his perfect escape plan was completely ruined.
The sound of police sirens was growing louder and closer by the second.
Dozens of red and blue lights began flashing down the highway leading toward the harbor.
Julian’s cruel facade finally cracked, replaced by pure, desperate panic.
He grabbed Leo tighter and backed toward the edge of the luxury yacht.
"If I am going to prison, I am taking him with me!" Julian screamed like a madman.
Claire could not stand back and watch her nephew suffer anymore.
She sprinted across the wooden dock and leaped gracefully across the dark water.
She crashed hard onto the deck of the yacht, rolling quickly to her feet.
Julian aimed his gun at Claire, but Maya immediately opened fire from the dock.
Bullets shattered the expensive glass windows of the yacht, forcing Julian to duck for cover.
In that split second of distraction, Leo bit down viciously on Julian's hand.
Julian yelled in pain and dropped his grip on the small child.
"Run to Claire!" Maya screamed from the pier.
Leo scrambled across the wooden deck and threw his arms around Claire's waist.
Julian recovered and pointed his gun directly at Claire and the boy.
"Die together, then!" Julian roared, pulling the trigger.
Click.
The gun was completely out of ammunition.
Julian cursed loudly and threw the empty weapon across the deck.
He pulled a heavy, jagged hunting knife from his belt and charged wildly at Claire.
Claire pushed Leo behind her and braced herself for the fatal impact.
Before Julian could reach her, the entire yacht tilted violently to the left side.
The massive boat was rapidly taking on water from the severed engine lines.
Julian lost his footing and slipped on the wet, expensive mahogany deck.
He crashed hard into the metal railing, dropping the hunting knife into the dark ocean.
Claire grabbed Leo and carefully climbed up the tilted deck toward the edge.
Maya extended her hand over the dark water to help them across.
Claire tossed Leo safely into his mother's waiting arms.
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As Claire prepared to jump, Julian’s hand shot out and grabbed her ankle like a vice.
"You are not leaving me here!" Julian screamed as the boat sank deeper into the freezing water.
