Deck Z - The Titanic by Chris Pauls Page B

you are the victim, and someone else is a murderer!” Ismay cried.
    “I don’t care whether or not you believe my story, so long as you believe that this plague has been unleashed on this ship. This manwho stole the vial is unstable. I don’t know how many people he may have condemned.”
    “If all you say is true, Mr. Weiss,” the captain said, “then by not seeking the protection of my office in Southampton, you brought both a plague and a killer aboard my ship.”
    Embarrassment flushed Weiss’s face. “Secrecy seemed the best plan.” He swallowed hard. “Clearly, I was wrong.”
    “I don’t believe a word of this. I will have you hanged,” snarled Ismay. “Mr. King, lock him up for the duration.”
    King grabbed Weiss roughly by the arm. “Don’t be a fool!” he shouted. “This plague is more than a sickness! Your passengers will become mindless fiends. They will stop at nothing except to feast on the flesh of the uninfected! They will lose their souls, their humanity—they will become like dead that walk the earth!”
    The room went completely silent. Even Mr. Ismay was at a loss for words. Captain Smith stroked his ivory beard and looked hard into Weiss’s eyes, searching for truth or madness.
    Captain Smith spoke quietly into the silence. “What you’re saying is this infection turns people into zombies.”
    Weiss let out a long breath, relieved not to be completely dismissed out of hand. “I have not heard that term before.”
    “Surely you’re not taking his story seriously?” Ismay asked the captain.
    “During my travels in the Caribbean, villagers sometimes told tales of the dead come to life. Naturally, I was skeptical. Yet even the wildest stories sometimes hold a kernel of truth.” He turned to Weiss. “Now here you are with a similar story, told with seeming conviction. But you have only your word as evidence—you who travel under an assumed identity, carry a hidden weapon, and have brutalized a young man’s head beyond recognition.” Captain Smith shook his head. “I agree with Mr. Ismay. Mr. King, lock this man up.”
    “Finally, some sense,” said Ismay. “For God’s sake, get him out of sight. And above all, keep this quiet. Don’t breathe a word of this beyond this room. The last thing we need is for the passengers to think that there’s a madman onboard.”
    Weiss despaired. “Please, Captain, don’t ignore this. If you do, your ship is doomed.”
    “I’ve heard your claims,” Smith said curtly. “Dr. O’Loughlin, alert me instantly if you encounter any more passengers with signs of illness. Mr. King, escort Mr… the German back to the cargo hold and stand guard until you receive further orders.”
    The Master-at-Arms rolled his head to crack his neck. “I’ll make sure he don’t go nowhere, Captain.”

16

    THE ATLANTIC OCEAN .
    APPROXIMATELY 750 MILES WEST OF SOUTHAMPTON .
    SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1912. 4:15 P.M .
    Titanic
steamed across the Atlantic, the ship’s hull cleaving a path through calm, azure waters. Smoke spilled from its stacks, leaving a misty trail above its wake. On the ship’s top deck, open to the sun and clear blue sky, children shouted and laughed, having the times of their lives.
    Nannies waltzed some of the wealthier boys and girls through their afternoon strolls, positioning parasols so they wouldn’t be exposed to the bright sun. On the ship’s starboard side, a small crowd of children gathered outside the gymnasium. Even though they had already taken their appointed turn inside, they eagerly crowded near the door for another glimpse of the exotic rowing machines, bicycles, and mechanical horses.
    Below, on Deck C, still more children turned up in the barber shop with shiny coins in their fists, anxious to purchase a souvenir of their trip. Teddy bears, dolls, penknives, and official ribbons embroidered with the name
RMS Titanic
were popular ways to spend pocket money.
    Passengers on the decks below were less well-dressed but the