Shark Eater

by K D McNiven

  He gave a slight shake of his head. “I’d rather not. I don’t want them to feel like they need to rush back here when I’m doing all right. You know my boy! He’d have fire at his heels trying to get back here. As if he could do anything about it.”

  CHAPTER 25

  Cap-Haitien, Haiti

  The sky flushed pink as the sun began to sink behind the Caribbean skyline. The team sat outside the galley enjoying a dinner of fresh grilled fish, sliced pineapple salsa, and rice. The atmosphere was a bit somber after their earlier clash with Chronis Manufacturing. They were aware that they had lost their anonymity and, no doubt, would have to watch their every move.

  “How wise is it to go out in the Zodiac tonight?” asked Callie.

  Decker shrugged. “If we don’t come up with soil samples or some solid evidence that points the finger at them, we won’t be able to involve the authorities.”

  “Obviously, they’re going to retaliate, we don’t have the vaguest idea how, or when,” commented Dax.

  “A little unnerving,” Callie said.

  “Our only protection presently is that we are docked so close to shore,” Decker said. “They won’t do anything to draw attention to them. However, once we leave the shelter of the docks…” He left his words dangling for each of them to guess what their plight might be.

  “We don’t have much choice but to follow this through,” Dax concluded.

  Decker’s mouth was pressed into a tight line. He exhaled sharply. “This intrigue reminds me of our expedition into the Honduran jungle. It seemed that danger followed us every step of the way while searching for the lost city of Ciudad Blanca.”

  Dax grinned. “Did you find it?”

  “With a lot of resistance, my friend,” Decker said. “We found a lost city all right, but no one will ever know if it was the legendary Ciudad Blanca. It was an extraordinary find, though.”

  “I remember reading about that,” Karina said. “You found some incredible artifacts—even skeletal remains of a man over eight feet tall, as I remember correctly.”

  “You are correct,” Callie told her and clicked open her cell phone to show them the photos she had taken.

  “That’s stupendous!” Dax said. “Look at the bones in that hand compared to yours, Callie. It is three times the size.”

  “There were many legends regarding hairy giants who once dwelt there. It was definitely an adventure we’ll not soon forget,” Callie shook her head, recalling the life-threatening situations they had faced there. And now, once more, they were crossing swords with an enemy they had never met.

  “You two have had your fair share of danger,” Dax said, his brows slightly furrowed. “When we finish up here, let’s suit up and prepare the Zodiac. Maybe we’ll be lucky this time and slip in and out of there without a mishap.”

  “Can’t say I’m looking forward to this, but we have limited resources and our options are few,” India frowned, though she had never been one to shrink back from a challenge, even if it was a dangerous one.

  “I have two sets of night goggles,” Dax said. “That will help us a bit. We don’t want to hit the beach with lights flashing.”

  There was a span of quietness, each of them reflecting on how Chronis would strike back. It was apparent with the helicopter attack that they had a surplus of financial backing that would make them a formidable enemy. But powerful arsenal or not, it was much too late to turn back now. They would have to give it their best. This time, however, they would go prepared with assault rifles. The last thing they wanted was to be an easy target.

  The four of them dressed in dark clothes and rubbed black grease on their faces. When they finished up, they laughed at their appearance.

  “We look like cat burglars,” Callie giggled.

  “So long as it works,” Decker told her. “I’m glad we had it on hand. They used to make this stuff out of burned cork ashes.”

  Callie shook her head, “I don’t know where you come up with some of these tidbits of trivia, Decker. I still claim you stay up all night looking through encyclopedias.”

  “Don’t want to be a dead head,” he chuckled

  The Zodiac was being lowered into the black swells below. All of them were anxious about what they would face. The two men were dressed in their wet suits, and Callie and India would remain on the Zodiac unless otherwise instructed. Each possessed a hand-held radio to keep in contact. In a small pouch were glass vials to collect soil samples from several different locations and a camera that was able to take night photos. With any luck, they hoped they would find some barrels containing chemicals.

  The motor whirred in the night air. The Zodiac bucked as it scudded over the breakers. Lights reflected off the water from the city lamps along the waterfront. There were still numerous fishing vessels offshore which would be bringing in a fresh haul to the local markets.

  As they neared the beach, they shut down the motor so no one would hear them. They took out the oars and paddled until they were about seventy-five feet away, then dropped their anchor. Decker and Dax slid over the side and into the ocean with masks and snorkels. Their rifles were stored in rubber water-tight bags to protect them, as well as the camera.

  “If there happens to be a big commotion, you girls head out of here and head back to the ship,” Dax told them in a hushed voice.

  India’s dark eyes were narrowed with displeasure, as if to say, “Right, Dax, we’ll leave you both here while we make our way to safety...don’t think so.”

  As if Dax could read her mind, he shook his head, knowing he was wasting his breath on India. She was too stubborn for her own good. “We’ll keep in contact,” he whispered, unwilling to have a war of words with her right now.

  Once on shore, they kept low and headed inland, thankful for bushes that provided some cover. They were happy to have the night goggles as there were no lights in that area and there was no moon. They stopped in several places, taking the time to gather samples, but mostly they were hoping to come across a place that looked as if storage containers had been there at one time or another.

  To the right of them was a dock, not a large one, but one that could easily be used to load barrels of waste onto a small barge and hauled out to a cargo ship. The area was secluded enough that such an act could be more easily accomplished if done at night when ocean traffic was minimal. This was a good place to start. If this was the place they used for hauling waste, there would be tracks and evidence that it was a well-used spot of land.

  Indeed, tire tracks were present. Decker bent to one knee to examine them. Because of the rain, the imprint was indistinct but deep, probably made by a heavy flatbed truck. Decker motioned for Dax to follow him along the muddy road to see where it led.

  Their feet sunk in the rain-soaked earth. The road stretched to the far side of the plant away from the public's comings and goings. It was mostly hidden behind a dense thicket and wall of trees.

  There was an area that angled downhill, and evidence that a bulldozer had sliced out a large section of the hillside. Decker and Dax headed down the slope, half standing, half sliding on their backsides; a trail of rocks and dirt rushing behind them. They hoped the embankment had redirected the noise away from the buildings.

  “Look at this,” Decker pointed. The mud was swirled with an oily blue and rust colored substance. Leaning down, Decker took a sample. “Looks like something has been stored here and has leaked out.”

  “I’ll take some samples, and hope it confirms our suspicions,” Dax said, stooping to fill several tubes.

  In the distance, they could hear a dog barking. It was growing louder by the minute, and it didn’t sound like a Chihuahua. The last thing they wanted was to tangle with was a vicious watch dog. They exchanged looks that said, “Run!”

  They bolted back in the direction of the beach fast as they could go but were unable to outrun the pursuing Doberman. The dog lunged from the higher ground, its seventy-five pounds landing squarely on Decker’s back, forci
ng him to fall headlong into the mud. He felt the dog’s teeth sink deeply into his shoulder with a vice-like grip. Decker rolled but could not shake the dog free.

  Dax, hearing the fracas, turned back and grabbed the flashlight strapped to his waist. He struck the dog hard on the side of the head. The dog yelped and dropped.

  “Hope I didn’t kill him,” Dax huffed, reaching down to pull Decker to his feet. “But I didn’t have much choice.” He could see blood seeping through the holes in Decker’s wet suit, and by his pinched face, he knew he was in pain. Far be it from Decker to complain though.

  “I assume the barking sounded an alarm. This might be a good time to return to the Zodiac.”

  “Too late.” Dax nodded toward two guards racing across the sodden ground; their guns sighted squarely on them.

  “Take cover in the rocks!” Decker yelled as shots rang past their heads. “I don’t think that is friendly fire.”

  “What makes you say so?” Dax said, diving for cover behind the rocks that served as some kind of wall.

  They stationed their guns on the top of the wall, fighting to steady their sights while catching their breath. The two guards had taken cover behind some trees to protect themselves. A round of gunfire zinged loudly off the rocks. As soon as they stopped, Decker and Dax began an assault, spraying bullets in their direction. Bark and debris sprayed like rain around the men as they slipped back behind cover.

  Decker pressed forward discharging his semi-automatic, muzzle flashes contrasting with the night sky. He heard a grunt, and one of the men slumped over and tumbled down the embankment where he lay sprawled out on the ground. “One down,” Decker rasped, rolling to the side to eject his magazine and reload. “I hope there aren’t more on their way.”

  “How about we both open fire and head for the beach?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Dax inhaled deeply. “One, two, three…”

  ***

  Soon as Callie and India heard shots being fired, Callie fired up the engine on the Zodiac. She banked it sharply left, made a wide circle and headed for the shoreline. Both she and India grabbed hold of their firearms, preparing to engage in battle. The rounded prow plowed through the black waves and the only thing guiding them was the pocket LED lights Decker and Dax were carrying. They could see the bright beams of light whipping from side to side indicating they were on the run and heading toward the waterline, a barrage of bullets following after them.

  As the Zodiac closed the gap, they saw trails of muzzle flash and could hear the staccato report of gunfire. India stretched out at the front of the Zodiac and withdrew her Heckler & Koch 9mm from her thigh holster. She propped her arms to steady it, knowing the target would be more difficult to strike with the boat’s jarring motion as it plowed through the rolling waves. Taking aim, India popped off several rounds where she saw the AK bursts, the sound resounding in the cool night air.

  “Sorry, India, I can’t smooth it out,” Callie yelled over the roar of the motor.

  “No worries,” India replied. “Only trying to buy time for the guys until they can make it to the water. I can see they’re getting close.”

  Decker and Dax stood, took aim, and sent a shower of bullets at the last man. Keeping up their offence, they retreated to the beach and were surprised to hear the added gunfire coming in from the ocean front. They smiled knowing the cavalry were on their way. They knew all along Callie and India would not hold station if they saw the two of them were in trouble and they were thankful they didn’t. The added gun power was welcome.

  At the edge of the water, they quickly slipped on their fins and masks and headed out into the waves. Once the onslaught subsided, the other guard chased after them, a crackle of gunfire discharging from his assault weapon.

  Ducking their heads under the water, Dax and Decker propelled themselves out past the waves toward the Zodiac. Both were relieved when they spotted the craft in front of them. India and Callie helped to drag them up over the edge.

  “Let’s get out of here!” Dax shouted.

  Back at the Shark Eater, they hoisted the Zodiac back on board. The four of them piled out, thankful to have made it back safely, but as Dax started to walk across the deck, he slid to the floor. They rushed around him, horrified to see he’d been shot in his side.

  “Take him to the infirmary!” Decker said, following at their heels as the crew carried Dax.

  Once inside, Decker applied pressure on the wound until the bleeding slowed. He took scissors and cut off the wetsuit to inspect the damage. The bullet appeared to have gone straight through evenly and did not appear to have damaged any organs. Decker’s army medical training kicked in gear as he prepared to stitch Dax up. To prevent him from going into shock, Decker elevated his feet and draped a thermal blanket over him. He gave him a shot of antibiotics, cleansed the wound and stitched up the two holes that thankfully were not large.

  After Decker finished up, Callie saw that he was wounded as well. She helped him strip the wet suit from his shoulders and saw puncture wounds that the dog had made in its attack. She wiped the caked blood from his shoulder and scrubbed it clean with antibacterial soap.

  “I want you to give me a shot of antibiotics,” he told her, holding out the needle and vial.

  “You trust me with that?” She asked.

  “You forget, I saw you giving shots to the young native children alongside Alice in Honduras. You’re a pro.” He smiled, but his eyes were glazed with pain. The dog’s teeth had burrowed deep into his flesh.

  “You two look like you’ve been in a war zone,” Callie said, poking the needle into his arm.

  “We have been.”

  Callie shook her head. “Whoever we are dealing with is every bit as dangerous and lethal as Bruno Castillo was.” She would never forget how evil that man had been, and the lives he had destroyed.

  “I believe you’re right, Callie. We need to be watchful of our every move. Whoever is behind all of this isn’t going to turn a blind eye to our snooping on his factory’s grounds.”

  “Where do we go from here?”

  “First thing is for Karina to take the vials of soil samples to the lab and see if we found anything to implicate Chronis Manufacturing.”

  “I’ll have her prioritize it,” Callie assured him. “You need to rest. Why don’t you go to your bunk? I’ll keep a close watch on Dax and make sure he doesn’t start running a fever.”

  “You’re a good woman, Callie,” he told her lovingly and kissed her on her cheek.

  “God blessed me the day I married you.”

  Her eyes blazed with love for him. “I’m the one who is blessed. Now, go, you need some sleep.”

  Callie took a few minutes to take Dax’s temperature before going to find Karina. The rest of the crew had gone to the galley and sat drinking coffee. All eyes flicked up when Callie entered the room. They were anxious to find out how both Dax and Decker were doing.

  She dropped down into one of the chairs around the table feeling exhausted. “They’re both doing all right. Dax’s wound was clean. Decker got him stitched up and has him on antibiotics. I gave Decker a shot and sent him to bed. I imagine they’ll both be pretty sore for a few days, but thankfully, they made it out of there alive.”

  “I should have gone with them as a backup,” India reasoned.

  “Then we might have had three wounded soldiers instead of two,” Captain Manny stated. “But from what I heard, you did back them up.”

  India was used to being planted in the middle of danger. It wasn’t her nature to stay put. She started to say something in response but thought the better of it. He was the captain, after all, and he deserved the utmost respect. In spite of her head-strong and impulsive ways, she knew there were times when she should clamp her lips together and let the matter drop. This was one of them.

  “Too late tonight, Karina, but Decker is hoping to have the results from the samples soon as possible. We can’t involve the authorities until we have so
me solid evidence that Chronis Manufacturing is the culprit,” Callie said.

  “I know,” she replied. “I took the samples to the lab and will see to them first thing in the morning.

  CHAPTER 26

  Shark Eater

  It was Decker’s groan that awakened Callie in the morning. She saw from his expression that he was in pain. She reached over to the bed-stand and grabbed the bottle of painkillers and a glass of water and gave the pills to him.

  “How’s Dax?” he asked first thing. “The pills knocked me out last night.”

  “I got up a couple of times and wandered down to check on him,” Callie said. “He seems to be doing quite well, all in all. No fever and he looked restful.”

  He released a sigh. “That was a close call.”

  “You’ve gotten pretty close to Dax, haven’t you?”

  “Yeah, he’s a quirky sort.” Decker chuckled. “But he’s a kindred spirit.”

  “Let’s go see Dax together this morning. First I’ll check your shoulder to make sure it isn’t getting infected.” She flipped the covers back and slid out of bed.

  “You’re starting to sound like a doctor.”

  “You keep putting me in this position,” Callie scolded. “Stop getting hurt.” She heard his laughter trailing her as she went to freshen up.

  Dax was awake when they entered. He was sitting upright in bed, a cup of steaming hot coffee in his hand and a broad smile on his face. “Next time we go nosing around, take along some doggy biscuits, mate!”

  “Obviously, you’re feeling better than last night.”

  “I’m not sure I felt anything last night. What the heck did you give me?”

  “A good shot of morphine.”

  His grin broadened. “My thanks to you, Dr. Hayden.”

  “And to you. If you hadn’t had your flashlight handy, I might not have had a face today. Or an arm for that matter. That dog apparently thought I was a giant steak. He was pretty determined to have me for dinner.”

  Laughter filled the room which was a welcoming sound for the crew, who poked their heads in periodically to see how they were doing. It was hours before that the both of them were caked in blood and looked the worse for wear. Decker and Callie’s doctoring skills had paid off.