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steward to come and make the room ready whilst we are gone.’
    Charity opened the door. He motioned for Mariah to stand on the far side. He then flicked off the light and slammed the door shut. For a moment they stood in the pitch black. The Tri ton moved gently in the swell. In the cabin, all was quiet and nothing stirred. They waited in the dark. Mariah realised that Charity thought someone was hiding in the room. He felt scared, his mouth was parched. He tried to breathe as quietly as he could as he listened for the slightest sound.
    Then it came – a sound like the creaking of a tree branch. In the half-light, Mariah could see the lid of the trunk lift slightly. First a finger, then a thumb and another finger appeared from under the lid. Mariah watched Charity out of the corner of his eye. He stood back against the wood-panelled wall of the cabin-suite. There was a slight smile on his face, as if he were about to enjoy what was going to happen. A hand appeared as the lid of the trunk lifted even more. Then, bit by bit, a man cautiously stood up in the trunk and looked about the room.
    ‘We have a guest,’ Charity said as he flicked on the light switch and stepped towards him. ‘Explain yourself!’
    The man didn’t reply. His hand darted to the pocket of his suit and then flashed a knife before them.
    ‘I won’t take you, Charity. I’ll get the boy first. Take another step and you’ll see,’ the man said as his eyes desperately searched for a way of escape.
    ‘You have me at a disadvantage,’ Charity said. ‘You know my name but I don’t know yours.’ He took a step in front of Mariah.
    ‘You can hide the boy all you like – but you can’t be with him forever. He should have just died on the train and saved us all the bother,’ the man replied as he pushed back the sleeve of his jacket.
    ‘Then put down the knife or fear the consequences,’ said Charity.
    The man laughed as he again reached into his pocket.
    ‘I never thought I would have to use this so soon,’ he said as he held out a small glass orb filled with a brown powder. ‘I will have to take my chances.’
    Charity stood his ground as he shielded Mariah from the assassin. ‘If I am not mistaken then that is sodium hydride and if the flask is broken there will be a large explosion.’
    ‘It goes bang, if that’s what you mean,’ the man replied. ‘Out of my way, Charity. Just open the door and I’ll be gone.’
    ‘But you’re on a ship with one thousand people – how will you ever escape?’ Mariah asked.
    ‘Now I know why they want you dead – and are willing to pay a price.’
    ‘I’ll open the door if you tell me who sent you here,’ Charity said.
    ‘You’ll open the door or else will explode – there shall be no more questions,’ the man replied as he sucked the air nervously through his teeth.
    Charity pulled the handle and opened the door. The man stepped from the trunk and looked at Mariah.
    ‘I’ll be back for you … Some time, some place … Your death waits,’ he said as he edged past Charity and into the corridor.
    Then the door slammed into his back, knocking him to the floor.
    ‘Get down, Mariah!’ Charity shouted as he leapt towards the man.
    In an instant the assassin spun out of the way and jumped tohis feet like a cat. Charity crashed to the floor of the empty corridor.
    ‘I didn’t think you’d just let me go,’ the man said breathlessly. ‘They told me that Charity would want to fight.’
    Charity kicked out with his feet, knocking the man to the ground. But again, as Charity dived for him, the man leapt to his feet as if he were an acrobat.
    ‘You must be getting old,’ the man scoffed. ‘Let me go unhindered and give up your foolish games.’
    Charity drew his pistol as he got to his feet, aiming it at the man’s head.
    ‘I never thought I should have to use this, but needs must …’
    Before Charity had finished speaking, the assassin threw the circular flask of sodium hydride towards