He whirled and threw the flame in a high spluttering arc, out over the
leaking, stinking tank-deck.
It struck the steel tank and bounced once, and then rolled down the
canted oil-coated plating.
Nicholas stood paralysed at the rail staring down at it.
He expected a violent explosion, but nothing happened, the flare rolled
innocently across the deck, burning with its pretty red twinkling light.
It's not burning, Duncan cried. Why doesn't it burn?
Of course, the gas was only explosive in a confined space, and it needed
spark, Out here in the open air the oil had a very high flashpoint, it
must be heated to release its volatiles.
The flare caught in the scuppers and fizzled in a black pool of crude,
and only then the crude caught. It caught with a red, slow, sulky flame
that spread quickly but not explosively over the entire deck, and
instantly, thick billows of dark smoke rose in a dense choking cloud.
Below where Nicholas stood, the Sea Witch thrust her bows in and touched
them against the tanker's side. The seaman beside Nicholas jumped and
landed neatly on the tug's bows, then raced back along Sea Witch's deck.
Nicholas, Jules voice thundered over the loudhailer.
,jump, Nicholas. Nicholas spun back to the rail and poised himself to
jump.
Duncan caught him from behind, whipping one arm around his throat, and
pulling him backwards away from the rail.
No/ Duncan shouted. You're staYing my friend. You are not going
anywhere. You are staying here with me. A greasy wave of black choking
smoke engulfed them, and Jules magnified voice roared in Nicholas ears -
Nicholas, I cannot hold her here. jump, quickly, jump Duncan had him
off-balance, dragging him backwards, away from the ship's side, and
suddenly Nicholas knew what he must do.
Instead of resisting Duncan's arm, he hurled himself backwards and they
crashed together into the superstructure - but Duncan bore the combined
weight of both their bodies.
His armlock around the throat relaxed slightly and Nicholas drove his
elbow into Duncan's side below the ribs, then wrenched his body for-ward
from the waist, reached between his own braced legs and caught Duncan's
ankles.
He straightened up again, dragging Duncan off his feet and the same
instant dropped backwards with his full weight on to the deck.
Duncan gasped and his arm fell away, as Nicholas bounced to his feet
again, choking in the greasy billows of smoke, and he reached the ship's
side.
Below him, the gap between Sea Witch's bows and the tanker's side was
rapidly widening and the thrust of the sea and the drag of the tug
pulled them apart.
Nicholas vaulted on to the rail, poised for an instant and then jumped.
He struck the deck and his teeth cracked together with the impact; his
injured leg gave under him and he rolled once, then he was up on his
hands and knees.
He looked up at Golden Dawn. She was completely enveloped now in the
