The Journey of Kyle Gibbs Box Set

by Wayne Marinovich

  ‘Hello, Christina, how are you?’ he said with a German accent.

  ‘Good afternoon, Markus. I am fine, thanks.’

  An awkward silence followed, each looking intently at the other. Markus Schmidt, the Phoenix Guard Captain, eventually broke the silence. ‘Congratulations on the appointment to Deputy Minister. I look forward to us working together.’

  ‘Thank you, although I am not sure how much time we will spend working together,’ she said, trying not to look into his eyes.

  ‘Those are all my files you have there. Files I’ve worked on for many months now,’ he said.

  ‘I didn’t know that, Markus. It’s clear that you have put a lot of work into them. I will spend the next few days going over them and will start to move forward with recruitment for the Phoenix Guard.’

  ‘Ha!’ he snorted as he moved towards the window. He gazed over London and shoved his hands into his pockets. ‘Do you honestly think that you will be able to identify and recruit the best men in those files, without any previous military experience?’

  ‘Your esteemed superiors seemed so,’ she said. ‘If you disagree with the decision, take it up with them. I have no interest in debating this with you.’

  Markus’s face reddened, and his muscled jaw clenched as he ground his teeth. ’Now listen here.’

  ‘We’re not going to discuss this any further, Captain.’

  ‘I’m glad that you are getting your wish and furthering your bloody career, Christina. I will not take part in this ridiculous charade.’

  ‘We’ve been ordered by the Phoenix Council to work together and being childish about this all is not the best way forward,’ Christina said.

  ‘Is that the reason you broke off our relationship because I was childish?’

  Christina sat quietly, staring down at her desk. She rubbed her face. What time of day was it?

  ‘Well?’

  ‘It was because you were an obsessive, jealous idiot. And are incapable of loving anyone.’

  Markus glared at her for a moment then punched the window, cracking the large pane on one of the edges. He growled something in his native German, then stormed out of the office.

  Private Smith rushed in. ‘Are you okay, Christina?’

  ‘I’m fine thanks, Warren, although I’m not sure about the window,’ she said, placing her shaking hands on her lap beneath her desk.

  ‘I’ll get someone from maintenance to have a look at it,’ he said.

  Christina picked up the file she had started reading and went to sit on the couch by the window. Markus had made notes on the cover. The first note read: ‘Strongest candidate for Captain of a new Phoenix Guard’.

  Christina opened the file for Kyle Angus Gibbs.

  Chapter 6

  The prison ship ICARUS III - 2028

  The yellow wall-light flickered as Gibbs walked down the main passage of the crew’s quarters. The ship now had a deathly silence about it, and he rounded a corner to find Smithy still guarding the chief officer’s cabin, sitting on a wooden crate in a haze of smoke as he puffed away on a rolled cigarette.

  ‘Is the old man behaving himself?’

  ‘He hasn’t moved since you left, sir,’ Smithy said.

  Gibbs knocked and entered the shambolic cabin, expecting to see an angry CO, ready to confront him. Instead, the old man was fast asleep on his bunk. Gibbs glanced over at the wooden alcove that served as a chart table and saw a photo of a woman surrounded by a group of children lying next to it was an open black leather-bound Bible. There were yellow waterproofs hanging over the bathroom door and dirty clothes lying strewn across the floor.

  ‘Chief,’ he shouted. ‘Chief, wake up.’ Gibbs walked over to the man, lifted his boot and nudged the CO in the back.

  ‘What the hell?’ the chief officer said and rolled over to look at Gibbs. ‘What do you want now?’

  ‘Get your boots on, Chief. We’re going for a little walk.’

  ‘Like hell I am.’

  ‘Boots on now, old man,’ Gibbs ordered and removed the Glock from his belt.

  ‘You won’t shoot me! You don’t have it in you,’ he started to say, just as the Gibbs hit him on the side of his face with the Glock. The old man rolled with the blow and was flattened on the bed. He sat back up, holding his cheek, a trickle of blood seeping through his fingers. ‘Not so gentlemanly now, are we?’

  ‘Get up, or I start killing what’s left of your men,’ Gibbs threatened. ‘We have nothing to lose here, Chief. In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re already in prison.’

  The chief officer leant down and slowly pulled on his brown all-weather boots. Blood dripped onto the cabin floor in front of him. He stood up and looked Gibbs in the eye. Gibbs gestured to the door with a nod of his head, not breaking the chief’s gaze.

  ‘Where are we going?’ he asked as he started towards the door.

  ‘For a handheld stroll on a moonlit beach,’ Gibbs replied. ‘Where the fuck do you think we’re going? The bridge.’

  Pushing the CO towards the small wooden door, they left the cabin and slowly made their way up to the bridge level of the ship. The door to the bridge was still locked, and Gibbs pushed the CO up against the passage wall.

  ‘What is the second officer’s name?’ Gibbs asked.

  ‘Gallagher,’ the chief said. Gibbs ushered his prisoner towards the door and knocked using his pistol.

  He could hear movement and whispering on the other side of the metal door before someone asked. ‘What do you want?’

  Gibbs jammed the barrel of the Glock forcefully into the back of the CO and said. ‘Gallagher, I have your CO here with a gun pointed at the back of his head. Be a good boy and open the door.’

  ‘Don’t do it, son!’

  Gibbs pistol-whipped him on the side of the head again. The CO slumped down to his knees with a loud groan and lifted his hand to his now bleeding scalp.

  ‘Chief!’ a voice called from the other side of the door. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Open the door, or your beloved chief will be shot, Mr Gallagher,’ Gibbs said.

  ‘Gibbs,’ a voice from behind him called.

  ‘Shredder, what’s up? I am kind of busy here.’

  ‘I have just looked out of the portholes on the starboard side, and two of the sniper turrets are empty,’ he said.

  Gibbs thought for a moment. ‘You sure there was no movement at all?’

  ‘None, clearly they heard all the radio communications and have beat a retreat.’

  Gibbs smiled.

  ‘Shredder, take Killey and head back through the porthole I came through into the crew’s quarters. Take the external metal ladder up to the bridge and keep an eye out for snipers on the port side. I’ll distract the second officer here to make sure you get access to the bridge,’ Gibbs said.

  Shredder nodded.

  ‘Send Smithy up to me,’ Gibbs said. ‘And Shredder, leave us some prisoners alive in there, will you?’ he said with a smile.

  • • •

  Five minutes later, the lock to the sturdy bridge door clicked loudly, and the big metal door swung open. Shredder popped his head around the doorframe. ‘We’re open for business, people.’

  ‘Good man,’ Gibbs said as he stepped through the door. He smiled as he finally stood on the bridge of the prison ship and looked around at the hundred and eighty-degree view. The ship’s large windows let in a tremendous amount of light, and they overlooked the long green deck of the supertanker and across the sea to the blue haze of the coastal outline. Gibbs could feel the coolness of the fresh sea air as it streamed through the shattered window where his men had smashed their way in.

  Second Officer Gallagher and the chief engineer were kneeling on the floor in front of the vast array of ship’s panels and instrumentation, their hands on their heads. Shredder handed Gibbs the men’s two wallets, which Gibbs opened, and he looked down at a picture of a woman and two kids.

  ‘Officer Gallagher,’ he said. ‘Is this your family?’


  The second officer nodded his head. ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘Now, you are going to do everything we ask to ensure these kids don’t lose their father, aren’t you, Gallagher?’ Gibbs said as he grabbed the second officer’s arm and helped him to his feet.

  The man nodded his head.

  ‘Good to hear.’

  He ushered Gallagher over to the navigation desk at the centre of the bridge. ‘Point out to me exactly where we are moored right now.’

  The man pointed to Cardigan Bay on the large map. ‘Are you sure?’ Gibbs asked. The man nodded.

  ‘Well then, it’s just a short journey around to Fishguard Harbour, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes sir, but the engines don’t work, so we are stuck here,’ the man replied.

  Gibbs looked down. He started to move menacingly towards Gallagher when a voice called out behind him.

  ‘Do as he says, Mr Gallagher. It is out of our hands now. They have control of the ship,’ the chief officer called from the doorway.

  ‘Good decision, Chief,’ Gibbs said and turned to his men. ‘Smithy, take the chief down to the infirmary and get him stitched up, and you might as well untie Warden Clarke. After that, take them all down to the prison level and lock them in my old cell.’

  ‘Aye, sir,’ Smithy said.

  ‘Right, you two,’ Gibbs said, facing the two captive men. ‘Take us into Fishguard.’

  ‘Sir? It will take us a few hours to get the ship up and running again. It will also require ten men to do the job, engine room, bow thrusters, anchors and mooring chains,’ Gallagher said.

  ‘That’s all right, Gallagher. We have plenty of men on board who can help with those tasks,’ Gibbs said.

  The ship to shore radio started to crackle. ‘Fishguard to Icarus, come in please.’ Gibbs looked at the radio set on the main panel in the bridge. ‘Fishguard to Icarus, come in please,’ the radio squawked again. ‘Fishguard to Icarus, this is prison service headquarters here. What is the status of the uprising? Over.’

  Gallagher looked at Gibbs. ‘I’m afraid I broadcast a distress message before your men got onto the bridge.’

  ‘Of course, you did,’ smiled Gibbs as he walked towards the radio handset. He picked it up. ’Fishguard this is Icarus, over.’

  ‘Gallagher, is that you? Over.’

  ‘Negative. This is the leader of the group who now has control of the ship. Over,’ Gibbs said.

  There was a long pause.

  ‘Can you confirm that you are a prison inmate, and you have taken control of the ship? Over,’ the operator said.

  ‘Affirmative. Let me speak to your senior warden. Over,’ Gibbs said.

  ‘Icarus, this is Captain Rees of the GGC Rebel Army, based at Fishguard. Please state your name and your demands,’ a voice said.

  Gibbs paused.

  ‘This is Kyle Gibbs, and my intentions will only be communicated to a senior member of the Billionaires Club. Over.’

  ‘That organisation no longer exists,’ Captain Rees replied.

  ‘Well then, a senior member of whatever organisation is running London and the UK. Gibbs out.’

  Chapter 7

  GGC Building, Canary Wharf, London, England, UK - 2028

  A sliver of sunlight broke through the dull overcast London sky and streamed into Christina’s office. She was sitting, as she usually did, on the old and comfortable couch in her office, surrounded by a mountain of files and folders.

  ‘Warren, can you come in here please,’ Christina called.

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ he said as he walked in and saluted. He had clearly been sleeping, and Christina suddenly felt terrible as she realised that her assistant had been sleeping outside her office door.

  ‘Oh, Warren. I’m so sorry. I forgot to dismiss you last night, didn’t I?’ she said. ‘I feel terrible.’

  ‘Not a problem, ma’am. The couch out here is far more comfortable than my mattress in the barracks,’ he said.

  ‘Please call me Christina, there are no military men around,’ she said.

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ he replied, with a big smile on his freckled face.

  ‘Can you contact Lord Butler, Minister Kirilenko and Minister Kohler, please? I need a meeting with them to discuss five candidates that I feel should be interviewed. I also need four copies of these five files made, bound and sent by messenger to them beforehand.’

  ‘No problem, I’ll get right on it.’

  ‘Also can you ask Captain Schmidt to come to my office when he has a chance?’ she asked.

  At the sound of Markus’s name, Private Warren Smith squared his shoulders and replied. ‘Yes, ma’am. He is in the building, I believe. I shall fetch him immediately.’

  He turned and left the room, scurrying along the empty corridor to the stairwell.

  Christina grabbed another brown folder and read the notes on the next candidate.

  • • •

  ‘Ma’am,’ Private Smith called from the door. ‘Captain Schmidt is in the GGC operations room and asks if you can meet him there. He is handling an urgent crisis and doesn’t want to leave.’

  ‘Okay, thanks, Warren,’ Christina said.

  Christina took the long journey down the stairs to the fourth floor and showed her ID to the two Phoenix Guards, stood outside the ops door. They opened the reinforced steel doors, and she walked into the darkened room.

  There were manned stations all around the room with men and woman in GGC uniforms sitting in front of bright computer monitors, all wearing headsets and chatting away to unknown parties. Nobody looked up as she entered and moved around to the side of the room that resembled the NASA launch control room. Standing over one of the operators was Markus, engrossed in the image on the monitor in front of him and oblivious to Christina as she walked across to the middle of the room to where he was standing.

  ‘Captain Schmidt?’ she said.

  Markus turned around slowly, a grim look on his face. ‘What can I do for you, Deputy Minister?’

  ‘I’d like to have a word with you and get your opinion regarding the candidates I have selected before I propose them to the senior ministers.’

  Markus’s expression softened slightly. He stepped aside and pointed to one of the black and white monitors. On the screen was a picture of the man’s rugged face that she had come to study for the last twelve hours. Next to his picture was a live streaming video of what seemed to be a large ship.

  Christina frowned at Markus. ‘I recognise him from the files. What does he have to do with that particular ship?’

  ‘Then you will know it is Sergeant Kyle Gibbs, and that is the prison ship Icarus where he was serving his sentence,’ he said.

  Christina looked back at the screen. ‘You used the word was?’

  ‘Yes,’ Markus replied. ‘It seems that early this morning, he and other prisoners gained control of the ship and have taken the entire crew and prison wardens hostage.’

  ‘What?’ Christina said. ‘He was one of the top candidates that I was going to mention to you.’

  ‘Well that is settled then,’ Markus said with a smile. ‘With his impressive service record and the fact that he is in prison for manslaughter, he would be more open to negotiating a deal in return for his freedom.’

  ‘I beg your pardon. You mean, we should grant him the freedom to serve the GGC as a Phoenix Guard captain?’

  ‘Exactly,’ Markus said. ‘There are also three men from his old SAS unit who are serving with him who might follow his lead.’

  ‘That’s if we can persuade them,’ Christina said.

  ‘An hour with me and they will only be too happy to join.’ Markus rubbed his hands together. ‘It has been a long time since I have had a man of his calibre in the interrogation room.’

  Christina shuddered at the look in Markus’s glazed eyes.

  ‘Okay, Markus, thanks for your input,’ Christina said.

  ‘I will head out to Wales and get this man on board so we can start his training,’ Markus
said.

  ‘No. Don’t do anything until I have spoken to the senior ministers,’ Christina said.

  ‘Christina, he is refusing to talk to the GGC Captain in Fishguard. He says that he will only negotiate with someone that can guarantee their release and freedom.’

  ‘And that is not you, Markus,’ Christina said as she walked to the door. She stopped just before reaching the door, looking back at the man fuming at her. ‘Don’t do anything until I have the go-ahead from ministers Butler and Kirilenko. Is that clear, Markus?’

  The big German turned his back to her and stared at the photograph on the monitor in silence.

  Chapter 8

  South of Lake Chew Bahir, Ethiopia, Africa - 2028

  A cool breeze drifted over Chilemba as he stirred beneath his thin blanket. He reached out and felt the cold comfort of his AK-47, the wet feel of the dew on the wooden stock waking him up even more. The night had not been as cold as some he’d experienced during his many years of sleeping under the Kenyan sky, but it was still cold enough to cause even an exhausted man a restless night of sleep. He looked across at one of his men, who was huddled against a tree near to him. His eyes were wide open and staring over Chilemba’s shoulder. He looked back at Chilemba, urging Chilemba to look behind him.

  Chilemba slowly rolled over, closing his hand over the grip and trigger of the AK47, slipping off the safety in the process. As his gaze moved around the group, he noticed that one or two of the other men were looking in the same direction. He felt his stomach tighten.

  Standing two hundred metres from their camp was a majestic female Kudu. The African antelope was one of the most beautiful on the continent, and now so very rare. She had her head up in the foliage of the blossoming acacia and was delicately removing the nourishing green leaves, her long grey tongue stripping her breakfast from between the long white thorns. Standing as tall as a grown man, her light brown coat with white vertical stripes was the perfect camouflage in the thickets. Her long thin legs belying the strength and spring that enabled her to leap a six-foot fence with ease when threatened.