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It did not take them long to don warm clothes and begin their ascent, although Berrister, ever safety conscious, was the only one who thought to grab the knapsack containing their emergency supplies. It was a dishevelled, gasping group that reached the top of the escarpment to gaze down at the ship.
She was a curious vessel, red with rust, and with an odd collection of winches and hauling tackle on the afterdeck. Berrister was about to suggest that she was a fishing trawler, when he happened to glance behind him, back down at the camp. Two figures were moving about in it, setting it on fire.
For a minute, all Berrister could do was gape at the blazing tents so far below. There was a Zodiac on the beach nearby – he could only surmise that it had arrived while they were climbing the ridge. Then came a distant crack. One of the men was pointing at Sarah’s tent. A split second later, there was another bang as the second man did the same to his own.
‘They’re shooting,’ breathed Joshi in horror. ‘They think we’re still asleep, because it’s only six in the morning, and they want to kill us!’
‘Oh, God!’ gulped Graham, gazing accusingly at Berrister. ‘I told you I heard gunfire. Those men killed Dan and Freddy, and now they’re coming for us.’
‘Down! Get down!’ Berrister hissed. ‘Behind the rocks. Quick!’
Once out of sight, Sarah wriggled forward on her stomach to look down and see what was happening. She gave a stifled cry.
‘What is it?’ asked Lisa fearfully.
‘They’re burning the cook tent now. No! This can’t be happening.’
Lisa clutched Joshi’s hand and turned a terrified gaze on Berrister. ‘What’s going on? I don’t understand.’
Berrister was looking in the other direction, at the ship that had swung around on its anchor to display the side that had been hitherto invisible.
‘Christ!’ he breathed. ‘Look what’s tied to its side.’
The others peered over the edge. The vessel was listing slightly, the water around it stained red with blood.
