Tom Brand Escapes

25 - Escapes Canada, Eh

It was just past sunset when the boat arrived at the drop point. Just as Ripps had predicted, the wind picked up and the rain began to fall. Brand climbed over the safety railing and settled his feet onto the edge of the steps. Petras shook Brand's hand.

"Good luck," he said.

"Thanks, Petras," Brand said. "We'll see you on the other side."

Brand pulled the wet suit hood over his head and put on his mask. He plunged into the water and secured the sea scooters Ripps and Petras lowered to him. The scooters were sleek and light, not more than twenty pounds each. Brand tested the automatic buoyance system on both as Ripps had showed him. They submerged smoothly and level and drained quickly. Jenn was soon beside him. Brand pushed the apparatus toward her and quickly reviewed it with her.

The frigid water was an unrelenting shock. Ripps shouted to them over the roar of the motor, the steadily increasing winds, and the building waves.

"Just keep the lighthouse in sight. You'll be fine, just fine."

Brand thought enviously for a moment of the warm, dry cabin.

Then they were off. Skimming above the water and then diving below, alternating above and below, above and below. After emerging, the sea spray would feel warm for a few seconds before it would begin to sting. Wherever his skin was exposed felt as if it would freeze, crack and fall off.

As they advanced toward Louise Point, the sky grew darker and Brand lost his visual on Slater. The scooters were virtually silent against the sound of the storm. As they drew close to the landing point and more into the surf, Brand was pushed violently south by the tide and his scooter hit rock, shattering the propeller casing. He hooked it to his belt and dragged it off the rocks, swimming the last 100 yards to shore, swallowing water as he went.

Jenn was pulling her scooter into the weeds as Brand struggled into the shallows near the cement deck. She clicked on the flashlight attached at her hip and pointed it to guide him.

"Are you all right?" she said in a loud whisper.

Brand hissed at her to shut the light off then vomited briny water. Brand laid back for a moment to kick his flippers free and listened to the waves pound the shore around him. At least the rain had stopped for the moment.

Jenn retrieved his shattered scooter as he recovered. She grabbed his flippers, too, and dragged them into high brush. When he sat up his head was clear but he still had a heavy feeling in his chest. He forced up some more water as he began to strip off his wet suit. Wearing only the linings that were underneath the suits, they would need shelter quickly. He rolled up his suit with Jenn's and hooked them to the underside ledge of the dock with a bungee cord. If they needed to get back in the ocean, they would last only minutes without wet suits, and not much more with them.

Brand checked the time and cocked his head toward the cliff. It was higher and more steep than Ripps had indicated. They needed to move fast to make the signal. Jenn detached a small flat square attached to her suit lining, opened it and rubbed the contents onto her hands. She began her ascent up the slippery rock wall, amazing Brand with how quickly she did so. He followed, placing his hands where a soft glow marked where hers had just been. Within minutes they were both atop the ridge.

"I have to give it to, Ripps," Jenn said. "He could patent that stuff."

"Knowing Ripps, he already has."

The glowing substance, made by Ripps from some kind of sea urchin, provided just enough light to see the hand holds in the rock as well as some friction for grip. It became inert in mere minute but Ripps had cautioned them to not touch their eyes or mouths until they could thoroughly wash their hands. "You'd get quite ill," he had grinned.

Jenn wiped her hands vigourously against the grass. The patch glowed a faint milky white and then slowly faded.

The rain started up again as they headed off toward the woods. It was just past the appointed signal time. In the distance, the lights of a house twinkled, then one light blinked on and off.

"It looks like we're clear," said Brand.

They went along faster now. The house was set back from the river, with one road that met the driveway and led out and a narrow drive that led from the house to the lighthouse. As they approached the backyard that bordered the area between the woods and the house, Brand pulled out from the sleeve of his suit lining a thin black card. He tapped each side of it against a tree and it popped out, forming a small box. He motioned to Jenn to stop and then raised the binoculars to his eyes to scan the house.

"There's someone with him," Brand said. He could see two figures moving between the windows in the back of the house.

"Ripps said Charles would be alone." Jenn said with chattering teeth.

"I know. Come with me." Just beyond the tree line, inside the yard, was a hollow of a large tree. They crouched together next to it.

"We'll wait five minutes for another signal," he said.

"And if we don't get one?" Jenn asked.

"I'll think of something," Brand said.

Just then the kitchen light went out. A moment later the sound of a door opening and closing was followed by the headlights of a car shining in the woods to the right of them. The whole of the woods on that side was illuminated and looking back, Brand could see through almost to the inlet. Had they been anywhere on that side, they most certainly could have been spotted.

"That would have been embarrassing," Brand said.

Faintly, they could hear talking.

"Come on."

Brand stood up and grabbed Jenn's hand. Together they emerged from behind the tree and up the path to the back door as if they were guests at a garden party. When he tried the door's handle he found it was unlocked.

Jenn looked at him with alarm but Brand winked and pushed the door fully open, pulling her in with him.

"I smell coffee," he said