Chapter 29 - The Shadow on the Water
The river was a dark ribbon of glass, flanked on both sides by jagged walls of black timber and snow. Daniel pushed the throttles to eighty percent, the cold wind slicing across his face like razor blades.
Behind them, high on the mountain ridge, the lights of the Sterling chateau flickered like a dying constellation. But five miles downriver, Daniel saw the flashing amber beacons of a maritime patrol boat blocking the channel.
"Dad," Leo called out from beneath the thermal blanket. "There’s a boat ahead."
Daniel squinted through the salt spray. The vessel bore the insignia of the German Federal Border Guard, but something was wrong. The searchlights were not sweeping the water; they were locked in a stationary perimeter, and the men on deck were wearing heavy tactical vests without official maritime uniforms.
Arthur had closed the river.
"Marcus," Daniel muttered, his jaw clenching.
Daniel checked the dashboard. A maritime radio hissed with static. He clicked the channel to open frequency, keeping the boat’s speed steady.
"Sterling Vessel One," a voice crackled through the speaker—smooth, professional, and sickeningly familiar. "Cut your engines and prepare to be boarded. Do not make this harder than it needs to be, Daniel."
It was Marcus.
Julian scrambled up from the bench, leaning close to Daniel’s shoulder. "He has sniper rifles on the wheelhouse roof. I saw them loading them at the compound yesterday."
"How far does the French border run from this bank?" Daniel asked Julian.
"The middle of the river," Julian said without hesitation, his tactical training surfacing automatically. "The left bank is France. But there are submerged rocks near the shoals. A boat this size will tear its hull."
"Then we don't use the boat," Daniel said grimly.
He reached beneath the console, finding the emergency flare gun and two red distress canisters. He jammed the throttle forward to maximum, locking the steering wheel in a direct collision course with the patrol boat's bow.
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"Hold on to me!" Daniel yelled, gathering both boys against his chest.
***
