The escape at sea reaches its climax. Under the thick cover of the Malacca Strait mist, the small lifeboat carrying Julian, Kartika, and their family must outrun pursuit boats from the KNM De Ruyter, while Adrian prepares on land to welcome them with a line of resistance.
Wooden oars sliced through the water's surface in a steady yet hurried rhythm. Julian was at the front, his arm muscles straining as he helped Elena steer the lifeboat away from the searchlights of the KNM De Ruyter. The morning mist off the Kendal coast was incredibly thick, providing both protection and peril; they couldn't see the enemy, but the enemy could only guess their position.
"Silence," Kartika suddenly whispered. She raised her hand, signaling everyone to stop moving.
From behind the wall of mist came the sound of a small approaching steam engine. Friedrich wasn't letting them go that easily. Two Dutch steam launches had been deployed to hunt them down manually.
"They're using simple sonar or just following our ripples," Elena whispered lowly. "Julian, get your rifle. If they get closer than ten meters, this mist won't hide us anymore."
Anne Marie hugged Ibu Siti tightly in the center of the boat. The evidence box sat at her feet, protected by waterproof cloth. In those gripping moments, Ibu Siti gripped Anne's hand, her lips moving silently as she recited an old protective mantra used by Javanese sailors.
Suddenly, a dark silhouette emerged from the mist on their right. A Dutch soldier on the steam launch shouted upon spotting the shadow of Julian's lifeboat. Bang! The first shot was fired, the bullet lodging into the wooden rim of the boat, just centimeters from Julian's shoulder.
"Now!" Julian shouted.
He fired back, while Elena rowed with all her might toward the shoreline where Adrian's torches were starting to flicker. At the same time, Kartika stood up, tossing a bottle of kerosene with a lit wick toward the pursuing steam engine. A small explosion followed, creating a flare that cut through the mist and provided a momentary distraction for their pursuers.
"Look! It's Adrian!" Anne Marie cried, pointing toward the beach.
On land, Adrian stood atop a reef, holding a torch high. Behind him, hundreds of Kendal villagers stood with bamboo spears glinting in the firelight. They were no longer hiding. As Julian's lifeboat touched the sand, Adrian leaped into the water to pull the boat to the safety of the shore.
"Welcome home, my brother," Adrian said, his voice heavy with emotion. "The war at sea is over. Now, we bring this storm to the gates of Friedrich's palace."