The Curiosity Machine by Richard Newsome

her, not sure what to say. He had seen Ruby’s volatile side enough times to know that she could be a little dramatic. But this wasdifferent. He took a silent breath. ‘Not having such a great time?’ he asked.
    Ruby stared into the wash churned up by the Archer ’s propellers as the ship surged into the night. Gerald waited a few seconds then leaned on the rail beside her. ‘Are you crying?’
    Ruby wiped the soft velvet of the rat mask across her eyes, smearing tears over her cheeks. ‘No,’ she lied.
    Gerald had no idea what to say. ‘Um—’ he started.
    â€˜Don’t,’ Ruby said, looking straight ahead. ‘Please just don’t.’
    There was a long silence.
    â€˜Don’t worry about the present,’ Gerald said. He looked at the compass he still held in his hand. ‘I really like it.’
    Ruby sniffed back a tear. ‘It’s not about the stupid present,’ she said.
    â€˜It’s not?’ Gerald blinked. He had the feeling he was about to enter a conversation that even Felicity’s compass could not help him navigate. ‘Because that little blow up at Felicity seemed to be all about the present.’
    â€˜It’s not the gift, though it doesn’t help,’ Ruby said.
    â€˜If it’s not the present, then what is it?’ Gerald asked. ‘Have I done something wrong?’
    â€˜Yes, you have,’ Ruby said. She turned to face him, her eyes reflecting the light from the lanterns. ‘You inherited all that money, you big dope.’
    Gerald was taken aback by the sheer sadness inRuby’s face. But before he could think of anything to say a movement at the waterline caught his eye. He leaned over the rail. A jet boat had appeared out of the darkness: sleek, dark and oozing menace. It sped alongside the yacht. Then, swift as cats, six men dressed in black leapt from the boat and onto the Archer . Each of them was carrying a submachine gun.

Chapter 9
    Gerald and Ruby stared in disbelief. Like a scene from a bad action movie, the squad of black-clad men surged onto the lower deck, crouching as they moved, guns at the ready.
    Gerald turned to Ruby and for a moment his mind spun. ‘We’ve got to tell someone,’ he said.
    Music, laughter and light spilled out from the party inside. Gerald and Ruby dashed towards the broad opening to the ballroom just as Felicity and Sam walked out onto the deck.
    â€˜There you are,’ Felicity called. ‘I thought we better come find you so Sam can apologise.’
    Sam recoiled. ‘Me apologise? You’re the one who needs to say sorry.’
    Gerald cut Felicity off before she could continue. ‘There’s no time,’ he said. ‘Where’s Captain Cooper?’
    Felicity was shaken by the tone in Gerald’s voice. ‘I suppose he’s in the ballroom somewhere,’ she said, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder. ‘What’s the matter?’
    A scream sliced through the music. Gerald looked through a bank of windows to see a half dozen gunmen storm into the ballroom. A bar table went flying; trays of glasses shattered across the dance floor. More screams sounded out as the masked figures began herding people into the middle of the room. Gerald saw his parents frogmarched at gunpoint beneath a mirror ball that still spun its slow-moving lightshow. A hand clutched Gerald’s shoulder and pulled him to the deck. He turned to find Ruby staring at him, her eyes urging him to keep silent. Sam and Felicity crouched behind her.
    The music from inside the ballroom was replaced by shouted threats for everyone to follow directions. There was a thunderous crash to Gerald’s right. One of the gunmen had shut the doors to the deck, locking the partygoers inside. The man stood with his back to the glass, his gun trained on the crowd. Gerald’s heart jack-hammered against his ribs. If the gunman so much as glanced to his left he would