Page 43 of Honor Code

"Turn around," Phoenix repeated urgently, his voice rough with pain but steeled with grim determination. "We need to get out of here. Now."

"But they've already seen us," Ellie protested weakly. "And we don't have enough fuel to go far."

Phoenix locked eyes with her, his gaze intense despite the foggy double-vision. "Doesn't matter. Just turn us around. Hurry."

With hesitant, jerky movements, Ellie spun the inflatable into a wide 180-degree turn. The mystery boat was faster and more maneuverable, but there was still a quarter mile of open ocean between them. A slim lead, but it would have to be enough.

Phoenix slumped back, fighting to stay conscious as pain pounded through his abused skull. "Floor it," he managed through clenched teeth, praying they could outrun whoever was on their tail. "Get us out of here."

The little dinghy shot forward, its hull rising out of the water as it gathered speed, then lowered as they opened up again. The wind whipped up their hair, and Phoenix fell against the side of the boat, feeling like a herd of elephants was parading around inside his skull. "Keep going and don't stop until I tell you," he managed through gritted teeth.

"Who are they?" Ellie asked, a tinge of hysteria in her voice.

"I'm not sure, but that's not a rescue boat."

"Why would they want to harm us? Surely, they're here to help?"

"I don't know, Ellie, but you have to trust me on this."

He could hear the uncertainty in her voice, but she didn't slow down.

A loud bang rang out, like a firecracker. "Get down!" Phoenix yelled, reacting instinctively despite the pain lancing through his head.

Ellie ducked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Are... Are they shooting at us?"

More shots rang out, the sound echoing across the water.

"Just stay down and keep going!" Phoenix shouted, fighting to stay conscious as the world tilted and spun around him.

"Oh, my God." Ellie's voice was almost hysterical. "Why are they shooting at us?"

Phoenix couldn't answer that. He could only pray they had enough time to outrun the hostile vessel, or that it would redirect to the site of the explosion to scavenge off the doomed oil rig.

Risking a peek over the side, he saw the speedboat gaining on them, only four hundred yards away now.

More shots were fired, the distinctive rattle of automatic weapons sending a chill down Phoenix's spine. This wasn't good.

"Keep going," he shouted at Ellie, who had gone white with fear. She huddled down in front of the outboard motor, both hands clutching the tiller in a death grip. Despite the terror etched on her face, Phoenix was impressed at how she'd managed to keep it together. He'd seen civilians panic under far less provocation.

Three hundred yards.

Bullets whizzed through the air and fizzled into the sea around them, kicking up small geysers of spray. Thankfully, it was hard, if not impossible, to hit a fast-moving target, especially one bobbing up and down as well as surging forward, from a speeding boat. Phoenix knew this from experience, having tried it several times himself. As long as they maintained some distance, they should be okay for a little while longer. But he also knew something had to give. Eventually, the pursuing speedboat would catch up to them, and then it was game over.

Phoenix's mind raced, desperately searching for a way out of this nightmare, but the pounding in his head made it hard to think. Black spots danced at the edges of his vision, threatening to pull him back into the void. He blinked hard, fighting to stay awake, to stay focused. Ellie needed him. He couldn't pass out now.

The roar of the speedboat's engine grew louder, like an angry hornet's nest. Phoenix risked another glance back, squinting against the glare of the sun on the water. The gap had closed to two hundred yards, the figures on board now clearly visible. Two men, both armed, their faces obscured by dark sunglasses.

Phoenix's heart sank. These were no amateurs out for a joyride. They had the look of trained professionals, the kind who wouldn't stop until they finished the job.

Another burst of gunfire ripped through the air, the bullets zipping past so close Phoenix could almost feel their heat. Ellie screamed, the sound piercing through the fog in his brain. He had to do something, and fast, or they were both dead.

CHAPTER 21

“What are you doing?” Ellie asked, as the speedboat gained on them.

Phoenix didn’t reply. He just leaned forward and rustled in the storage compartment, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated.

"Ah-ha!" He sat upright, clutching something in his hand. "A flare gun."

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