all he was worth. The peak struck his legs hard but he hung on.
‘Go!’ Stratton urged.
Binning focused his strength and as he closed on the span Stratton turned his attention to the others. ‘Disconnect together as I start my climb!’ he called out.
‘You ready?’ Jason shouted to Rowena.
‘Yes!’ she shouted.
The fraying line, however, was a second ahead of them and as Jason unclipped his karabiner the line snapped and both of them shot away from the leg.
Stratton was about to start his climb when he saw that Rowena wasn’t going to make it to the ladder. He slid down as the trough dropped away, grabbed hold of a lower rung and lunged in the direction of her track. Jason made the ladder and grabbed a firm hold on it that did not help matters. Rowena finned towards Stratton as hard as she could but as they stretched out their arms towards each other their fingers barely touched. She passed him by, staring at him, finning madly even though they knew it was hopeless.
The line attached to Rowena suddenly went taut. She was yanked to a stop as Stratton lurched towards her, twisting the line that he had managed to grab with his free arm while holding on to the ladder with the other. Jason made a grab for the line and together they began to win the battle of hauling her in.
‘Swim!’ Stratton shouted as a heavy swell suddenly put her above them.
Binning reached the top of the ladder and hauled himself over the span in time to see the drama below.
Rowena grabbed Stratton’s arm and pulled herself along it to his harness where Jason helped to hold her.
‘Climb!’ Stratton ordered him. ‘It won’t hold three of us for long!’
Jason ripped off his fins and as they went up the wall of water he grabbed the highest rung that he could reach. The swell moved on and when his foot found a rung too he climbed as quickly as he could.
‘Go!’ Stratton said urgently to Rowena before Jason had reached the top.
She gritted her teeth, then took a deep breath before ducking below the water to remove her fins. Stratton kept hold of her as they rose up the next wave and at its peak she surfaced, grabbed a rung of the twisting ladder and began to climb. She was strong and nimble, which Stratton was thankful for. He hung on for dear life as the water fell away beneath him. With the next swell, he followed behind her to the top.
Binning and Jason helped them onto the wide spar and when they were all secure the four of them remained seated for a moment to thank whatever gods might have helped to get them through the last hour.
Rowena looked across at Stratton, her breathing laboured. ‘Thanks,’ she said. It seemed difficult for her to say it.
He ignored her. There was no need for gratitude. It was what team members did for each other.
‘This might be an appropriate time to spare a thought for Smithy,’ Jason said.
‘I suggest you stay focused on your own lives,’ Stratton advised. ‘You may yet join your colleague.’
The platform shuddered as the waves crashed relentlessly against the legs. Stratton eyed the upper structure that was a web of crisscrossing steel spars. Light filtered through grilles in the decking, creating shadows and dark spaces.
‘Where do you need to place your device?’ Stratton asked.
‘The higher the better,’ Binning replied. ‘Especially in this weather.’ He got to his feet and scanned the complex of black steel above as if looking for the ideal spot. ‘I see why they call them spider decks.’
‘How do we get up there?’ Jason asked.
Stratton indicated the nearest leg. ‘From here on we’ll have to use the rungs. Not the best option but we don’t have the kit for anything else. I’ll lead. Beware of booby traps. Keep an eye out for taut wire or fishing nylon. If in doubt, don’t touch it. Let me know.’
Stratton got to his feet and removed the bungee that secured the silenced SMG to his waist. He gave it a brief check and left it to hang from the strap across his back. He felt for the pistol in its holster at his thigh. Satisfied, he made his way across the spar to one of the vast legs and the rungs that led up into the gloom.
‘Whenever you’re ready,’ he said, looking back at them.