Chapter 69 - Fire on the Water
The battle on the aft deck became a chaotic nightmare of muzzle flashes and ocean spray. Bullets thudded into the superstructure of the *Vanguard*, ricocheting off steel stanchions with terrifying whines.
I kept my body completely draped over Emma, feeling her small heart hammering against my chest like a trapped bird. "Stay down, stay flat!" I whispered into her ear. "I've got you. I've got you."
From our pursuit boat, Marcus was answering with disciplined, lethal bursts, suppressing the bridge windows and keeping Harlan’s men pinned behind the helm. But Harlan himself was still on his feet, limping through the smoke toward the salon controls.
"Evelyn!" Harlan roared, his voice drowned out by the roar of an approaching squall. "If you won't unlock the vault willingly, you'll burn with the key!"
He reached into his heavy overcoat, pulled an emergency maritime flare, twisted the cap, and struck the base. A blinding, chemical crimson flame erupted from the flare, spewing toxic white smoke and intensely hot sparks across the deck. Without hesitating, Harlan hurled the burning projectile straight into the open hatch leading down to the yacht's auxiliary fuel storage.
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An instant later, a muffled *thump* vibrated through the floorboards, followed by a gout of black smoke pouring from the deck vents. The auxiliary diesel vapor had ignited.
"The boat's going up!" Marcus screamed over our tactical comms, his voice distorted by static. "David, get her off the deck! You've got two minutes before the main tanks detonate!"
