"What's up, man? I thought you were going on your own."
"I was." Dane bent over, resting his hands on his knees while he caught his breath. "I came back to tell you. There's somebody coming in on your port side. Different boat than before. Big white cabin cruiser."
Eren experienced a tingling rush of adrenaline. They were far from the coast here, with nowhere to hide or get help, and the fishing boat wasn't made for outrunning anything. "Are you sure it's them?"
"Not positive," Dane said. "I didn't get a good look at who's on board. But I figured I'd warn you. They're heading right for you and you'll see them soon."
"Thanks for the heads up. Want to rest and warm up?"
Dane shook his head. "I'll do some more recon." He took a deep breath and jumped off the back of the boat into the churning gray water.
"Be careful!" Eren called after him.
The orca surfaced, rolled over, and went under again.
Eren went back inside, wiping water off his face. The weather was starting to be as much of a concern as the possibility of pursuit. He found Lucy working hard to keep the boat steady, and she looked relieved when he took the controls back again.
"Dane said we might have company."
"My uncle?" Lucy asked, going still.
"Possibly. Different boat. He wasn't sure." Eren changed their heading slightly to give him a few minutes to think about it, and opened up the throttle full blast.
Lucy stayed where she was, holding on to the handle under the window. "If it's them, what are we going to do?"
"I'm not sure." Eren glanced at the chart, calculating speeds and distances in his head. "We could turn around, go back to Griffin Island if we have to. We're not all that far out."
"Can we outrun them to the island if we try?"
"It's not likely," Eren admitted. "I won't know for sure until I see their boat, but this tub isn't made for speed. We were able to use the island before, but out here on the open sea, if it turns into a race, we're not gonna win."
He was thinking, though, that the weather might work to their advantage. The boat Dane had described would be easily visible from far off, while the fishing boat might be able to escape notice in the growing fog. If they could slip past the other boat, they could potentially gain a strong lead and be able to beat them back to Newfoundland.
"Can you help me look out for their boat?" Eren said. "It's big and white, according to Dane. I think anything you see is likely to be it. There can't be too much other traffic out in this weather. Anything else is likely to be a commercial cargo ship."
"Will do," Lucy said. She clung to the handholds, squinting out in the rain.
Eren glanced at the chart. The sea was getting choppier. He was starting to think that any little rocky island they could find would be worth it for the shelter, as well as the opportunity to potentially slip by their pursuers without being noticed.
"There!" Lucy cried, pointing.
It was far off in the storm. Eren might have missed it through the sweeping gray sheets of rain. Lucy had sharp eyes.
"Good work," he told her. "Hold on. I'm going to make a sharp turn and try to slip behind them before they notice us."
With that, he turned sharply. Lucy clung to her handholds. The boat tilted steeply and then leveled out.
Eren thought for a moment that there was a chance they might make it without being seen. He opened up the throttle and ran full out, beating his way through the storm.
"Eren, they're turning," Lucy called. She had made her way hand-over-hand to the back of the pilothouse so she could see what was happening behind them.
Eren cursed under his breath. "Let me know what they do."
After a moment she said, "They're gaining on us."
So much for the hope that it was someone out for a pleasure cruise who had nothing to do with them.
Eren glanced back and saw the boat more clearly. It was large, a rich man's toy, with a big enclosed cabin and a second deck above that.