The Tomb (Repairman Jack)

And then he found a ship—directly between him and Governors Island. On previous passes he’d confused its running lights with the lights on the buildings behind it. But this time he caught the glint of the setting moon off its aft superstructure. An adjustment of the glasses brought the long deck into focus. When he saw the single kingpost and its four cranes amidships, he was sure he had her.

'That's it!'

He handed the glasses to Gia. She took them with a bewildered look on her face.

He ran to the back of the truck and dragged out the raft. Abe helped him unbox it and activate the CO₂ cartridges. As the flat oval of yellow rubber began to inflate and take shape, Jack slipped into the harness of the flamethrower. His back bothered him hardly at all. He carried the box of incendiary bombs to the bulkhead and checked to make sure he had his variable frequency beeper. He noticed Gia watching him intently.

'Are you okay, Jack?'

In her eyes he thought he detected a hint of the warm feelings she once had for him, but he saw doubt there, too.

Here it comes: She means, Are you all right in the head?

'No, I'm not okay. I won't be okay until I'm through with what I've got to do out there on that ship.'

'Are you sure about this? Is Vicky really out there?'

Yes. She's out there. But she's dead. Eaten by—Jack fought the urge to burst out crying.

'Positive.'

'Then let's call the Coast Guard or—'

'No!' He couldn't allow that. This was his fight and he was going to do it his way. Like lightning looking for a ground, the rage, the grief, the hatred balled up inside him had to find a target. If he didn't settle this personally with Kusum, it would destroy him. 'Don't call anyone. Kusum has diplomatic immunity. Nobody who plays by the rules can get to him. Just leave this to me!'

Gia shrank from him and he realized he was shouting. Abe stood by the truck with the oars in his hands, staring at him. He must sound crazy. He was close to the edge...so close to the edge...had to hold on just a little longer...

He pulled the now-inflated boat to the edge and pushed it over the bulkhead into the water. He sat on the edge and held the boat in position with his feet while he lowered the crate of incendiary bombs onto it. Abe brought the oars. Jack settled himself into the boat and looked up at his best friend and the woman he loved.

'I want to come with you!' Gia said.

Jack shook his head. Impossible.

'She's my daughter—I have the right!'

He pushed away from the bulkhead. Leaving the land was like cutting a bond with Gia and Abe. He felt very alone at that moment.

'See you soon,' was all he could say.

He began to row out into the bay, keeping his eyes fixed on Gia, only occasionally glancing over his shoulder to make sure he stayed on course toward the black hull of Kusum's ship. The thought that he might be going to his death occurred to him, but he let it pass. He would not admit the possibility of defeat until he’d done what he had to do. He’d set the bombs first, leaving enough time to find Kusum and settle up.

He did not want Kusum to die in the blind, indiscriminate, anonymous fury of an incendiary explosion. Kusum must know the agent of his death...and why.

And then what would Jack do? How could he go back to Gia and say those words: Vicky is dead. How? Almost better to be demolished with the boat.

The pace of his oars increased as he let the rage mushroom out, smothering his grief, his concern for Gia, consuming him, taking him over. The universe constricted, focused down to this small patch of water, where the only inhabitants were Kusum, his rakoshi, and Jack.

30

'I'm so scared!' Gia said as she watched Jack and his rubber boat melt into the darkness. She felt cold despite the warmth of the night.

'So am I,' Abe said, throwing a heavy arm over her trembling shoulders.

'Can this be true? I mean, Vicky is missing and I'm standing here watching Jack row out to a boat to take her back from an Indian madman and a bunch of monsters from Indian folk tales.' Her words began to break around sobs that she could not control. 'My God, Abe! This can't really be happening!'

Abe tightened his arm around her, but she took scant comfort from the gesture.

'It is, kid. It is. But as to what's in that ship, who can say? And that's what's got me shook. Either Jack has gone stark raving meshugge—and comforting it's not to think of a man that lethal being meshugge—or he's mentally sound and there actually are such things as the monsters he described. I don't know which frightens me more.'

Gia said nothing. She was too occupied with the fear that clawed ferociously at the walls of her brain; fear that she would never see Vicky again. She fought it, knowing if she let it through and truly faced the possibility that Vicky might be gone forever, she would die.

'But this I'll tell you,' Abe went on. 'If your daughter is out there, and if it's humanly possibly to bring her back, Jack will do it. Perhaps he's the only man alive who can.'

If that was supposed to comfort Gia, it failed.

31

Vicky sat alone in the dark, shivering in her torn, wet nightie. It was cold in here. The floor felt slimy against her bare feet and the air stank so bad it made her want to throw up. She was utterly miserable. She’d never liked to be alone in the dark, but this time alone was better than with one of those monsters.