Terror of the High Seas Part II
The KOZANOSTRA lifts gently on the swells of a sapphire blue sea as her engines are brought to idle after a short push to reverse. Her momentum slows, then stops as we sit two hundred yards off the bow of our target ship.
We can hear conversation on the other ship and the sound of running feet. I look at Lou and he at me. I guess asking "what now" is out of the question. There is a long silence. Captain Blood doesn't move an inch... no wave, no "Ahoy", nothing. Just when I thought the silence would last forever, he speaks. Lou whispers the translation to me.
"He told them the radio is out, that it was shot out when they took the boat."
More silence.
Lou taps Blood on the side of the calf with his knife, "Tell them you have a hostage that knows the location of the stones. That he want's to speak to whoever is in charge."
Blood repeats what he has been told, that the man wants to speak to the Reina Mortal... that he will tell only her.
"That's a good boy, Captain Blood." Lou puts his knife away and pulls the Kimber, checking the load and then tucking it back in his belt.
"So now what?"
Lou hands me his rocket launcher. "Take this... and don't miss."
"What?"
"You are going to take the shots at the ship while I take Captain Blood here down to meet our guests."
"Oh crap, are you shitting me? You are the one that knows how to use these things. I was going to give you mine."
"I have to deal with whoever they send over... hopefully she comes with them." He makes sure I am looking at him, then continues. "When you hear gunfire, then take your shot... just below the waterline and closer to the bow if you can."
"They are coming." Captain Blood starts to look down at us, but then snaps his head back out to sea.
"Showtime." Lou reaches up with the handcuff key and frees our hostage. "Nothin' funny, Blood, or I cut you."
And with that they are gone. I am on the bridge of this yacht with two rocket launchers, two uzi's, a forty-five automatic, and a case of nerves that would shake the Rock of Gibralter. I chance a look at my target and see that we have turned in the water, showing our starboard side to their bow. I also catch a glimpse of the runabout before it disappears behind us.
I extend the tube on one of the launchers, flip up the sight, and take the safety off. It is ready to fire.
Seconds pass. I wait for gunfire? I am waiting until someone gets shot? There must be some way to hear what is going on down there.
I look at the control panel. Someone had a hard-on for toggle switches when they built her. I find a bank dedicated to the intercom system. I find the one for the salon and switch it to monitor.
I hear movement... then Captain Blood says something in Spanish, to which the reply is the sound of arms being brought to bear.
Then Lou's voice can be heard, "So you are the Reina Mortal, huh... I wouldn't have expected that."
Now I hear a woman's voice... "I am told you have the stones?"
There is a pause.
"No... but I know where they are."
There is movement.
"Not another step or I kill him."
I wait. Then there is a shot. Oh shit... they shot him, or he shot Blood... or her.
I freeze for a moment, then grab the rocket launcher and stand, lining up the waterline at the bow in my sights. I can hear voices on the intercom, barely audible over the beating of my heart.
"Enough of this foolishness." She sounds pissed. "He meant nothing to me. I don't think you are afraid to die, but why take any more lives with you. I have a friend of yours... a guest aboard my boat."
There is the sound of a man on a hand held radio speaking to someone on the other boat. When the talking stops, I can see two men with a man slumped between them on the bow of the other craft. A familiar shirt... shape, it's Jerry.
"He has made it plain to see that he has no answers for me. But you, sir, I think you can be persuaded to give me what I want."
There is sporadic gunfire once more. I hold the rocket launcher up and take aim. From what I can see, Jerry has been beaten badly. He can't stand on his own.
I can't take the shot. I can't kill my friend... the hesitation is endless. I slump down out of sight.
"Take the shot." I hear him say from the salon. I don't know if he is talking to me, or them.
"Do it now. Take the shot."
I stand line up on the waterline and pull the trigger. A lick of flame shoots out of the ass end of the launcher as the rocket zips toward the boat.
WHAM... it hits the target two feet above the waterline. The explosion knocks the men down on the bow and Jerry is free. He either falls or jumps over the side and splashes into the water.
"Oh SHIT."
I ready the other launcher. At the same time the runabout, with Lou aboard as prisoner, is speeding back toward their ship.
I draw a bead on the waterline, this time a little lower. It must kick up a little when the rocket fires. With a pull of the trigger I send the second rocket on its way. This time I hit low and aft of the first hole. It is right below the waterline, tearing an opening about three feet wide, and coupled with the other hit about four feet high.
When the smoke clears, I can see the water pouring into the hole. There is smoke from the engine room as the old diesel is fired. General mayhem on the deck as the men left aboard scatter to do damage control.
I look to the runabout just in time to see Lou, hands bound, go over the side in an attempt to escape. I have lost sight of Jerry in this crazyness, but find him about twenty yards out and floundering.
I run from the bridge. There is a life ring and a long rope on the stern of the ship. Taking the ladders two steps at a time, I make the main deck in a heartbeat and run for the fantail. Just as I make the back of the boat, I see Jerry going down for the last time.
The life ring... I grab it and the line and hurl it toward him. It overshoots him by about ten feet. His arms flail and catch the rope. He is at the end of his energy... barely getting the ring under one arm before he collapses on it.
I haul it in as quickly as I can. As it comes toward me, Lou surfaces... out of breath and still hands bound. He calls to Jerry, who takes a limp arm and collects him with it. They are right at the back of the boat and I haul Lou up on the deck, and then grab for Jerry.
"Come on, Jerry... hang in there. Stay with me, buddy." He looks like he is going to pass out on me.
"Get these fucking ropes off of me." Lou hisses, pulling at them.
Too knotted, too tight... I have to get a knife. He knows what I am thinking.
"My knife and my rifle are in the salon, behind the bar... hurry."
I run in and see Captain Blood, dead from a shot through the skull, laying by the bar. I reach behind the bar and grab the rifle and knife and return to the fantail. With a quick swipe I cut the bindings and Lou is up on his feet immediately.
"We need to get this boat moving, right now." He jacks a round into the rifle and then slings it over his shoulder.
"Grab him, we'll take him topside with us."
With Jerry up on the fly bridge we make her ready to get under way. I take a quick look over my shoulder and see that the runabout has rendezvoused back with the old ship. Now instead of the bow, we are seeing her stern, and a very large gun being aimed our way.
"Lou... "
He puts the boat in gear and pushes the throttles forward.
"LOU."
The first of four shots blows over our head, the second explodes into the deck below us, the third presumebly tags our hull. All as we are moving out... making our escape. The fourth round causes a major dilema. I think it has disabled one of our engines. With her huge, lumbering weight we still feel her lurch. The control board lights up with failures as Lou cranks the ships wheel giving them our good side.
"TAKE THE WHEEL."
Lou unslings his rifle and peels off a flurry of shots. He manages to take out the gunner, but he is replaced with another man.
"GO, JAKE, KICK THIS PIECE OF SHIT."
The throttles are at their stops. I crank the wheel back the other way. Maybe zigging and zagging will make for a harder target.
Lou fires a couple more rounds... he rakes the pilot house. If there was anyone standing in there, they aren't standing now.
We start to put some distance between us and them. Another barrage of shots from the deck gun. The flybridge shudders as one of the explosive rounds hits about ten feet behind us. Fiberglass and teak wood pelts us, the debris covering Jerry as he lays on the deck at our feet.
Lou takes a couple more shots as their boat turns.
"Here they come."
I look over my shoulder. Their ship is turning behind us. Thick black smoke is pouring from the stack as they put the coals to her. KOZANOSTRA has a bit of a smoke trail as well, but this is battle damage.
"We are slowing."
Just before their ship turns completely to follow us, the deck gun lets loose with one last barrage. They hit just above the waterline at our stern. It seems like they must have saved their best gunner for last because none of the four shots missed their target. A muffled explosion and it was apparant that we were not being propelled forward any longer.
We can hear conversation on the other ship and the sound of running feet. I look at Lou and he at me. I guess asking "what now" is out of the question. There is a long silence. Captain Blood doesn't move an inch... no wave, no "Ahoy", nothing. Just when I thought the silence would last forever, he speaks. Lou whispers the translation to me.
"He told them the radio is out, that it was shot out when they took the boat."
More silence.
Lou taps Blood on the side of the calf with his knife, "Tell them you have a hostage that knows the location of the stones. That he want's to speak to whoever is in charge."
Blood repeats what he has been told, that the man wants to speak to the Reina Mortal... that he will tell only her.
"That's a good boy, Captain Blood." Lou puts his knife away and pulls the Kimber, checking the load and then tucking it back in his belt.
"So now what?"
Lou hands me his rocket launcher. "Take this... and don't miss."
"What?"
"You are going to take the shots at the ship while I take Captain Blood here down to meet our guests."
"Oh crap, are you shitting me? You are the one that knows how to use these things. I was going to give you mine."
"I have to deal with whoever they send over... hopefully she comes with them." He makes sure I am looking at him, then continues. "When you hear gunfire, then take your shot... just below the waterline and closer to the bow if you can."
"They are coming." Captain Blood starts to look down at us, but then snaps his head back out to sea.
"Showtime." Lou reaches up with the handcuff key and frees our hostage. "Nothin' funny, Blood, or I cut you."
And with that they are gone. I am on the bridge of this yacht with two rocket launchers, two uzi's, a forty-five automatic, and a case of nerves that would shake the Rock of Gibralter. I chance a look at my target and see that we have turned in the water, showing our starboard side to their bow. I also catch a glimpse of the runabout before it disappears behind us.
I extend the tube on one of the launchers, flip up the sight, and take the safety off. It is ready to fire.
Seconds pass. I wait for gunfire? I am waiting until someone gets shot? There must be some way to hear what is going on down there.
I look at the control panel. Someone had a hard-on for toggle switches when they built her. I find a bank dedicated to the intercom system. I find the one for the salon and switch it to monitor.
I hear movement... then Captain Blood says something in Spanish, to which the reply is the sound of arms being brought to bear.
Then Lou's voice can be heard, "So you are the Reina Mortal, huh... I wouldn't have expected that."
Now I hear a woman's voice... "I am told you have the stones?"
There is a pause.
"No... but I know where they are."
There is movement.
"Not another step or I kill him."
I wait. Then there is a shot. Oh shit... they shot him, or he shot Blood... or her.
I freeze for a moment, then grab the rocket launcher and stand, lining up the waterline at the bow in my sights. I can hear voices on the intercom, barely audible over the beating of my heart.
"Enough of this foolishness." She sounds pissed. "He meant nothing to me. I don't think you are afraid to die, but why take any more lives with you. I have a friend of yours... a guest aboard my boat."
There is the sound of a man on a hand held radio speaking to someone on the other boat. When the talking stops, I can see two men with a man slumped between them on the bow of the other craft. A familiar shirt... shape, it's Jerry.
"He has made it plain to see that he has no answers for me. But you, sir, I think you can be persuaded to give me what I want."
There is sporadic gunfire once more. I hold the rocket launcher up and take aim. From what I can see, Jerry has been beaten badly. He can't stand on his own.
I can't take the shot. I can't kill my friend... the hesitation is endless. I slump down out of sight.
"Take the shot." I hear him say from the salon. I don't know if he is talking to me, or them.
"Do it now. Take the shot."
I stand line up on the waterline and pull the trigger. A lick of flame shoots out of the ass end of the launcher as the rocket zips toward the boat.
WHAM... it hits the target two feet above the waterline. The explosion knocks the men down on the bow and Jerry is free. He either falls or jumps over the side and splashes into the water.
"Oh SHIT."
I ready the other launcher. At the same time the runabout, with Lou aboard as prisoner, is speeding back toward their ship.
I draw a bead on the waterline, this time a little lower. It must kick up a little when the rocket fires. With a pull of the trigger I send the second rocket on its way. This time I hit low and aft of the first hole. It is right below the waterline, tearing an opening about three feet wide, and coupled with the other hit about four feet high.
When the smoke clears, I can see the water pouring into the hole. There is smoke from the engine room as the old diesel is fired. General mayhem on the deck as the men left aboard scatter to do damage control.
I look to the runabout just in time to see Lou, hands bound, go over the side in an attempt to escape. I have lost sight of Jerry in this crazyness, but find him about twenty yards out and floundering.
I run from the bridge. There is a life ring and a long rope on the stern of the ship. Taking the ladders two steps at a time, I make the main deck in a heartbeat and run for the fantail. Just as I make the back of the boat, I see Jerry going down for the last time.
The life ring... I grab it and the line and hurl it toward him. It overshoots him by about ten feet. His arms flail and catch the rope. He is at the end of his energy... barely getting the ring under one arm before he collapses on it.
I haul it in as quickly as I can. As it comes toward me, Lou surfaces... out of breath and still hands bound. He calls to Jerry, who takes a limp arm and collects him with it. They are right at the back of the boat and I haul Lou up on the deck, and then grab for Jerry.
"Come on, Jerry... hang in there. Stay with me, buddy." He looks like he is going to pass out on me.
"Get these fucking ropes off of me." Lou hisses, pulling at them.
Too knotted, too tight... I have to get a knife. He knows what I am thinking.
"My knife and my rifle are in the salon, behind the bar... hurry."
I run in and see Captain Blood, dead from a shot through the skull, laying by the bar. I reach behind the bar and grab the rifle and knife and return to the fantail. With a quick swipe I cut the bindings and Lou is up on his feet immediately.
"We need to get this boat moving, right now." He jacks a round into the rifle and then slings it over his shoulder.
"Grab him, we'll take him topside with us."
With Jerry up on the fly bridge we make her ready to get under way. I take a quick look over my shoulder and see that the runabout has rendezvoused back with the old ship. Now instead of the bow, we are seeing her stern, and a very large gun being aimed our way.
"Lou... "
He puts the boat in gear and pushes the throttles forward.
"LOU."
The first of four shots blows over our head, the second explodes into the deck below us, the third presumebly tags our hull. All as we are moving out... making our escape. The fourth round causes a major dilema. I think it has disabled one of our engines. With her huge, lumbering weight we still feel her lurch. The control board lights up with failures as Lou cranks the ships wheel giving them our good side.
"TAKE THE WHEEL."
Lou unslings his rifle and peels off a flurry of shots. He manages to take out the gunner, but he is replaced with another man.
"GO, JAKE, KICK THIS PIECE OF SHIT."
The throttles are at their stops. I crank the wheel back the other way. Maybe zigging and zagging will make for a harder target.
Lou fires a couple more rounds... he rakes the pilot house. If there was anyone standing in there, they aren't standing now.
We start to put some distance between us and them. Another barrage of shots from the deck gun. The flybridge shudders as one of the explosive rounds hits about ten feet behind us. Fiberglass and teak wood pelts us, the debris covering Jerry as he lays on the deck at our feet.
Lou takes a couple more shots as their boat turns.
"Here they come."
I look over my shoulder. Their ship is turning behind us. Thick black smoke is pouring from the stack as they put the coals to her. KOZANOSTRA has a bit of a smoke trail as well, but this is battle damage.
"We are slowing."
Just before their ship turns completely to follow us, the deck gun lets loose with one last barrage. They hit just above the waterline at our stern. It seems like they must have saved their best gunner for last because none of the four shots missed their target. A muffled explosion and it was apparant that we were not being propelled forward any longer.
posted by Jake Allen at 10:47 AM
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