by Bobby Akart
She paused for a moment as she turned on the computer monitor. After receiving a blank screen, she reached under the desk and found the Dell computer box and powered it on. While the Windows-based system took its sweet time to power up, she continued. “Anyway, they created these outposts around the world where the volcano’s profile met the criteria they were looking for. Some outposts are more elaborate than others, and those are typically manned twenty-four seven.”
The computer was almost finished booting, so Ashby rummaged impatiently through the drawers. She pulled out a logbook and thumbed through the pages with Jake looking over her shoulder.
“It appears this station was visited every ninety days, with the last trip just before Yellowstone’s eruption. Ha, in fact, it was the same week I was in Hawaii studying Kilauea.”
“What are all those notations?” asked Jake.
“The last volcanologist to visit here made notes of their findings, or at least a summary, for the next person. If there was anything of interest, they made a notation and pointed it out here.”
Ashby read through the notes. The computer booted, and a screen requiring a password immediately appeared.
“Crap, I was afraid of that, but not surprised.” She turned her attention back to the logbook and read aloud. “Logistical support from the Mexican Navy to measure seven fumarole and hot spring temps in the summit region of Evermann.”
“Evermann?” asked Jake.
“Yes. Mont Evermann was the name given to the dome complex at the top of the volcano. Evermann was one of the first American scientists to study this region.”
“Ashby, this volcano is dormant, right?” asked Jake.
She continued to flip the pages of the journal, studying the entries made every ninety days. “No, technically, it’s still active. But remember, it’s a shield volcano like Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Its lava flows are entirely fluid, with slow-moving eruptions. While we’re here, we’ll want to monitor the island for new fissure vents.”
“Or we could find another island,” interrupted Jake. “Hey, I could have the yacht tanked and loaded by sundown. We could move—”
“No, Jake. We’re not leaving, especially over a tame volcano like this one. Think about it. I get it all to myself.”
“Oh, joy,” said Jake with a chuckle. “Are you locked out of their computer?”
“Yes, but they definitely have internet here as well. Between the military internet and this facility, I’ll get back online as soon as I take the time to bring my MacBook.”
“About that. We can come back here any time. We need to get the yacht and bring it to the dock. Let go of the keyboard, Dr. Donovan. Rubbing your fingers on the keys won’t open it up.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Chapter 44
The Pacific Ocean
Isla Socorro
“I kind of expected Miguel’s men to come down and investigate our arrival,” said Jake after he turned off the diesel pump at the dock. It had taken him twenty minutes to pull the large vessel into the dock, keeping it pressed against the black rubber tires that acted as bumpers. Ashby had moved quickly to secure two of the dock lines at the bow and stern so that Jake could tie off two more midship. They planned on securing the yacht under the assumption they’d be staying for many years.
“I can’t wait to see them in the naval uniforms,” added Ashby. Jake had asked Miguel to dress the men out in the extra service uniforms located in the storage building. The navy, white, and black digital camouflage uniforms would lend the impression that the navy still maintained a presence on the base. If the crew of the liveaboards came looking for their Italian friends, they’d find armed soldiers milling about the base during the day.
“Well, it would’ve been nice to get a lift up the hill, too,” said Jake as he covered his eyes to assess the steep climb up to the base.
“One of the first things I want to do is get online if possible,” said Ashby, ignoring Jake’s comment. “Even if I’m locked out of their desktop computers, I can still get internet access. I hope.” Her voice trailed off, as she wasn’t absolutely positive of this.
Jake glanced back at the top of the yacht at the damaged HughesNet antenna and the destroyed Doppler radars. “I don’t know much about electronics, but the hardware on top of the airstrip office looks similar to our damaged stuff. Maybe Miguel has an electrician who can help us scavenge parts from the military buildings to repair the antenna and radar on our roof.”
They kept walking, gradually slowing as fatigue set in. They’d already hiked ten miles across the island, mostly uphill. This last stretch was brutal on them both. Ten minutes later, without any further discussion, they arrived at the circle drive surrounding the compound and stopped.
“Where is everybody?” asked Ashby.
“I don’t see the truck either,” replied Jake. He glanced at his watch. It was still hours until sundown. As he became more concerned, he pulled his rifle around in front of him and brought it to a low-ready position.
Ashby quickly mimicked him. “Jake, what do you want to do?”
He spoke in a hushed tone of voice. “Spread out. Stay on the road but walk at a low crouch. Keep your eyes open for any form of movement. Whistle once and point in the direction of the movement if you see anything.”
“Got it.”
Ashby quickly took the road to the right side of the compound, which connected to the airport road. Jake moved left toward the barracks. Keeping constant eye contact with one another, they moved up the hill until the compound leveled off. After five tense minutes, they met up in front of the administration building. Ashby slipped the strap of her messenger bag over her head and set it on a picnic table.
“I guess they decided to leave,” she said as she rolled her head and neck around her shoulders. The tension wasn’t going to release that easily, so she exaggerated the movement until a series of cracks and pops could be heard.
“Yeah, very disappointing. We counted on them to have our backs while we retrieved the yacht. Miguel even gave us some sightseeing to—” Jake cut his sentence short and then gave Ashby a concerned look.
“What?” she asked.
“I didn’t see any evidence of foul play, did you?”
“No,” she replied.
“We’ve been gone a long time,” continued Jake. He started walking briskly toward the warehouse and the storage building at the back of the compound.
Ashby scurried alongside him. “Do you think they came and cleaned us out or something? Jake, they wouldn’t do that.”
Jake reached the door marked la despensa and tried the handle. He breathed a sigh of relief when he discovered the door was still locked.
Ashby reached past him and placed the key in the lock. She unlocked the door, and everything was still intact.
“That’s a relief, but it still doesn’t explain what happened to Miguel’s men,” said Jake. “I’m gonna get the golf cart and take a load of supplies down to the yacht. You know, just in case we have to leave. As I do, I’ll bring some of the weapons back up here.”
“Okay, do you want some help?”
“Nah, I can do it just as fast on my own. See what’s happening in the world if you can. I’m getting cabin fever.”
“Island fever?” asked Ashby.
“Yeah, same thing.”
Jake pulled the door shut and Ashby locked it. In the distance, they could hear the pickup racing toward the compound. Nervous and unsure of what was happening, they ran to the front of the administration building and took up positions behind the block half wall that formed a semicircle around the flagpole.
The truck sped into the courtyard, leaving the road, and slid to a stop in the grass. Miguel and another man poured out of the front seat, waving their arms and yelling Jake’s name.
Chapter 45
The Pacific Ocean
Isla Socorro
“Rápido! Rápido!” shouted Miguel to the man who was still dressed in the Mexican naval uniform. He
pointed toward the dock, and the shorter, heavyset man, who was carrying the shotgun like he was cradling a baby, scurried across the courtyard toward the road.
Jake left Ashby and ran toward the pickup, taking the few steps onto the courtyard with a single leap. With his rifle ready, he shouted to Miguel, “What’s happened? Why were the men pulled away?”
Miguel jogged around the pickup to greet Jake. He was sweating profusely and his chest was heaving, causing him to gasp for air. Jake shouldered his rifle and put his arm around the much older man. Miguel allowed Jake to guide him up the hill toward the picnic tables when he stopped and waved his arm back toward the truck.
“There is a note. In the front seat. Please hurry.”
Jake glanced back at Ashby, who immediately turned to enter the mess hall. By the time Jake had retrieved the piece of paper containing a handwritten message, Ashby emerged with three bottles of water. They helped Miguel up the stairs and he quickly gulped down half a bottle before exhaling.
He nodded and wiped the sweat off once again. “Okay. I’m okay. Gracias.”
“Miguel, calm down and tell us what’s wrong.”
He took a deep breath and began. “While you were away, the men were patrolling the compound in the uniforms, as you suggested. One of the men stopped to relieve himself in the bushes and was hit on the back of the head with a rock. As he fell, he pulled the trigger on the gun, which alerted the others.”
“They ran to assist him and saw three men running down the hill toward the dock. They stole Juan’s gun.”
“Did your people recognize the men, or how they arrived here?”
“Only by their boat,” replied Miguel. “It is from the dive ship Nautilus.”
“Did the men say anything?” asked Ashby.
“No,” replied Miguel, shaking his head vigorously from side to side. “The note. Read it.”
Jake had crumpled the page in his excitement to hear what had happened. He laid it flat on the picnic table and straightened it. It had moist bloodstains on it.
He glanced at the simple block script. It was written in English, so Jake read it aloud.
“Our friends are missing and their boat has been wrecked. We have your boys. You can have them back by returning our friends, giving up your guns, and providing us a new boat. If not, we will feed the boys to the sharks, one piece at a time. You have until tomorrow night at sundown. No excusas!”
“What is this all about?” asked Jake as he handed the handwritten note to Ashby. She shot him a concerned look and he nodded slightly.
“After the boat people left, they drove down the coastline toward the village. Um, my nephew and—”
Miguel couldn’t continue as he broke down crying. In between sobs, he relayed the story as witnessed by some other kids who were standing on the cliff above the scene.
His nephew and his regular fishing buddy were trolling along the cliffs when the liveaboard’s inflatable boat came speeding toward them. The boys paddled as fast as they could to escape the men, who were yelling and cursing at them, but they were quickly overtaken.
The boys jumped out of the boat and attempted to swim toward the cliff; however, the men positioned the boat between the rocks and the kids to block their progress. As they attempted to haul the boys out of the water and into the inflatable, the kids on the cliff started throwing large rocks at the inflatable, hoping to puncture it or sink it.
This angered the men, who fired two rounds of buckshot at the children. Although they weren’t hit, they were frightened and ran back to the village, where they alerted Miguel. He sent two of his men racing across the island to retrieve the armed guards from the compound.
In the meantime, the inflatable, while towing the boys’ fishing boat, drove along the shore of the village, taunting the women and children. One of the men was holding the boys at gunpoint while the others shouted at the villagers.
Finally, they fired the shotgun toward the houses twice, scaring everyone, before releasing the fishing boat and tearing off into the ocean. They found the note in the wooden boat, along with one of the boys’ pinky fingers. Now Jake understood where the blood had come from.
Miguel continued to cry as Ashby joined his side to comfort him. Jake stood and wandered around the steps, kicking at stones and balling his fists. He was steeling himself for a fight, but he had to think it through.
Anger clouds judgment. Acting on clouded judgment will get you killed.
Chapter 46
The Pacific Ocean
Isla Socorro
“Jake, what are you thinkin’?” asked Ashby as Miguel began to regain his composure. “Are you considering giving them what they want? I mean, the Italians are dead. We can give them the Zodiac. I hate the idea of giving them any more—”
Jake spun around and calmly replied, in a deep, guttural tone, “We’re gonna give them what they deserve. We’re rescuing the boys and then they’ll pay.”
Miguel looked up and wiped the tears off his face. “Jake, my men are not fighters. We don’t know how to shoot. They are willing to—”
“Miguel, this battle will not be won with bullets flying around. The boys are hostages and will be guarded. We have to take them by surprise, using a combination of distractions and speed.”
“You have a plan, yes?” asked Miguel.
“Maybe, but I can’t do it alone,” replied Jake. He stopped speaking and turned around to stare in the direction of the liveaboards. For a minute, he stood defiantly with his hands on his hips, considering his options.
Ashby stood to join him and rubbed his shoulders. “What do you want us to do? We have to help these boys. They are our family now.”
Jake smiled and looked at the grassy courtyard. “He gave us until tomorrow at dusk, but we will make our move tonight.”
“What is our move?” asked Miguel.
“Miguel, I need two of your best swimmers and two of your strongest young men who can paddle the fishing boats quickly. I also need a man who knows how to fight with a knife. Five people, two boats. Do you have that?”
Miguel responded in part. “Our best swimmers are girls.”
“They have to be fearless,” insisted Jake. “All of them, Miguel. They must go with me without fear and full of determination.”
“I will make sure of it, my friend.”
“Good. Now return to the village, identify your people, and tell them to rest. Take the rest of your men and women and place them along the cliffs facing the dive ships. If these guys try to make a move early, I want to have some warning. Will your people help?”
“Yes. Absolutely. I had to stop them from going after the boys today in their fishing boats.”
Jake was blunt and direct. “That won’t work and would just get them all killed. We’re settled, then. Meet me back here before midnight.”
Miguel moved toward Jake and extended his arms to hug. Jake hugged Miguel and patted him on the back as the tears poured out of the eyes of the loving uncle.
“Please save these boys. They are good young men and don’t deserve this.”
“I will, Miguel,” said Jake. “Now pick your people, and get some rest. I will see you tonight.”
Miguel patted Jake on the shoulder and then made his way to the pickup truck. He left his guard behind and sped off toward the village. After the truck was out of sight, Jake took a deep breath and exhaled. He walked with Ashby to the picnic table and they sat next to one another on the bench.
“Do you really have a plan?”
Jake shrugged and responded, “Yeah, sort of. I mean, it’s a plan that would work every single time in the movies.”
“Does it involve a stunt like the one from yesterday?”
Jake sat quietly and stared off into the distance.
After he didn’t answer for a minute, Ashby nudged him with her shoulder. “Jake?”
He deflected. “Um, do you think you can access the internet with your laptop?”
“Probably, yes. Why?”
“I need an interior layout of those ships. Hopefully, to attract tourists and to book dives, they have a website showing off their sleeping cabins, amenities, etcetera.”
“But—” began Ashby before she was interrupted by Jake.
“There’s another thing or two I’ll need.”
Ashby turned sideways on the bench and faced him. She scowled and reached for his face to force him to look into her eyes. “Not another word until you answer my question. Are you gonna do something dangerous like crashing that boat?”
Jake grimaced and shook his head. “Worse. Much worse.”
Chapter 47
The Pacific Ocean
Isla Socorro
When Jake explained to Ashby that he planned to use the explosives she’d found as a diversionary tactic, she threw her arms up in frustration and stormed off. Jake had to run in order to stop her from going to the commander’s bungalow. It took him twenty minutes to plead his case and provide reassurance after reassurance that he’d be careful. She finally acquiesced, under the proviso that his stunt days were over after tonight.
While Ashby used her MacBook to access the satellite internet system on the base, Jake gathered what he needed and took it to the administration building. One of the offices there also doubled as a small conference room with a large whiteboard affixed to one wall.
During one of his trips to the yacht to retrieve ammo and weapons, he took the road along the coast so he could take another look at the two liveaboards in the daylight. With the marine binoculars, he was able to gauge the distance between the two ships. Also, both the ocean currents and the winds turned them on their anchor lines.