Dragon's Triangle (The Shipwreck Adventures Book 2)

by Christine Kling

  The damned savage excelled only at the most basic skills—tracking and killing people—but lacked the finesse required to do anything that required an intellect. If only he could just let Benny kill them both and be done with it. Elijah hated all this waiting.

  He lifted the binoculars that hung round his neck and focused them on the freighter that inched past the island. Through the lenses he could make out the tiny men on deck. These glasses would suit his purpose.

  Where was Benny? Surely he didn’t get lost. There was a big sign along the roadway that identified this place as Hamilton Battery. Corregidor was nothing if not well marked and all the drivers knew every landmark. The Filipinos had turned the entire island into one big museum. He took a couple of steps over to the edge of the cliff and looked out across the bay toward some other small islands to the south. Any boat entering Manila Harbor from the south would pass by here.

  He had come out here a couple of days earlier with Esmerelda, and they had taken a private tour. She explained to him that some of the locals eschewed the ferry and instead came out on their own boats. There was a jitney bus service to get around on the island, and they went to the beach on the south side. But no one was supposed to stay on the island overnight.

  Riding around on the jitney bus with mobs of Filipino tourists was not going to work for him. He had hired one of Esmerelda’s friends who worked on the island as a guide to be his driver for the day. Elijah had sent him away while he waited for Benny.

  The crunch of footfalls on the rocky surface of the battery made Elijah turn. Benny was strolling over to the edge of the cliff like he didn’t have a care in the world. As always he carried that leather satchel of his, a constant reminder of his ability to deliver a quick death. Elijah was surprised he had not heard the vehicle that had dropped Benny off out here.

  “You’re late.”

  “You chose the meeting location. It’s not so easy to get to.” Elijah wondered if he had walked from the boat dock.

  “Have you ever been out here before?”

  “No.”

  “Hmm,” Elijah said. He wasn’t surprised. People like Benny had no intellectual curiosity. History meant nothing to them. They lived only in the present. “Well, perhaps you’ll learn something. You are going to have a chance to get to know Corregidor very well.”

  “Why?”

  “You want to know why? Because you screwed up, that’s why. A girl and an old man, and you can’t even handle them. They leave you tied up on your back in a rowboat. Like a trussed-up hog.”

  Elijah looked at the savage, but Benny’s face was turned toward the sea. Elijah continued. “The only reason I choose to do business with a man like you is because you are supposed to be good at what I need you to do. How many times does that make now that they got the drop on you?”

  Benny continued to stare out across the water, but now Elijah could see the muscles of his jaw working.

  “How’d they do it anyway, Benny? Was it because her tits were hanging out and you were thinking with your little head instead of taking care of business? Men like you just can’t leave that alone when it’s right there for the taking, can you? And she’s a white girl, too.”

  Still, he didn’t acknowledge Elijah.

  “Listen, boy. You answer me when I’m talking to you.”

  Benny swung his head in Elijah’s direction, but the rest of his body remained rigid. “What do you want me to do?” His black eyes screamed hate but the features of his face remained stiff and calm.

  “You’re going to stay right here on this island until you see her boat come sailing past right there.” Elijah pointed out at the band of blue water. “Then you are going to call me.”

  Benny turned and took a step toward him, continuing to stare with those hate-filled eyes. “You could have told me. I’d have brought my gear.”

  “This is going to be your chance to go native. I thought you’d like that. You can fashion yourself a loincloth if you want. Catch rabbits or something and cook them over the open fire.”

  “And if they find me staying out here?”

  “I would be very disappointed in you. You’re supposed to be the great tracker and outdoorsman. Besides, if you are starving, there is the restaurant on the other side that serves lunch. But I would think that would be the coward’s way. Are you a coward, Benny?”

  Benny’s face was now only inches from Elijah’s. “I’m not afraid of you, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  Elijah laughed in his face. “You are so predictable. My dog is smarter than you, Salim. It’s no wonder this girl keeps outsmarting you, but alas, you’re all I’ve got. So here it is. Be my watchdog.” Elijah lifted the binoculars so the strap slid up off his head. He held them out to Benny. “Her boat is slow, but you won’t be able to sleep the nights through. Nap. Then wake and check. Don’t let her get by you this time. Do you understand?”

  Elijah could almost see the slow movement of the gears inside the man’s head. His jaw muscles flexed again. Then his eyes lowered to the binoculars. He reached out and took them.

  “That’s right,” Elijah said. “You find her and this time, call me. I’ll take care of her myself.”

  Benny didn’t walk back to the road. He took off into the trees, following the ridgeline. In less than a minute, he had vanished.

  Elijah checked his watch. His driver would be returning in twenty minutes. He leaned against the barrel of the big gun and resigned himself to wait.

  The heat from the black-painted metal passed through his shirt and into the muscles of his back. He felt some of the tension begin to drain out of him. He probably should go wait in the shade, but there was something about the power of the big gun that drew him to it. It was nothing more than a museum piece now. It probably hadn’t fired in more than sixty years, but the aura of its destructive power was still there and it drew him like a magnet. He wondered how many men had died from its firepower.

  Elijah felt let down that he hadn’t been able to get Benny to strike. It had been a while since he had made it to training at the dojo in Sparks and Elijah wanted to hit somebody. He needed to blow off some of his own power. He’d studied karate and ninjutsu, but the philosophical part of those martial arts bored him. He didn’t want to meditate. He wanted to inflict pain. Recently he’d taken up the study of Krav Maga. He believed he had finally found a martial art that was teaching him something about real fighting. Of course at the dojo one had to hold back all the time. Elijah wanted the opportunity to try out some of the new moves without worrying about the damage.

  Elijah was startled by the sound of crunching gravel behind him again. He looked over the top of the gun expecting to see Benny returning, but instead he saw a lone man standing there staring at him wide-eyed.

  “Excuse me,” the man said, and then he began coughing a deep wet cough that shook his entire thin frame.

  Elijah turned away. He had no desire to talk to the stranger. The man looked like a drug addict. He had long stringy blondish hair and his huge eyes were too big for his face.

  When the coughing fit stopped the man spoke again. “Mr. Hawkes?”

  That got Elijah’s attention. He turned around, then stepped out and around the big gun emplacement. “Who are you and how do you know my name?”

  “My name is Nils Skar. I wouldn’t expect you to remember me. I worked on one of your projects about five years ago. They call me the Norwegian Psychic.”

  Yes, he did remember something. “That project. Where was it?”

  “In Santiago City. My appearance has changed some since then. I’ve been ill.”

  He looked so different Elijah never would have recognized him. “Did you follow me here?”

  “I came to Manila to find you because I have information for you.”

  So he was selling information. “Go on.”

  “I met a man in Aparri who has a map. He claims to have got it from an old man—a World War II vet.”

  Elijah ran his hand over the bl
ack paint on the big gun. He didn’t want to appear interested. “That is not a very original story around here. You know that.”

  “But I saw this map—or at least a copy. It looks genuine. And I understand you have recently lost such a map?”

  Elijah’s head snapped up and he stared at the man. “Who told you that?”

  “Mr. Hawkes, remember, I’ve been employed as a contractor for you and your organization. I know many people. And besides”—he smiled—“I am a psychic.”

  “So what are you proposing?”

  “The man I met in Aparri is on board an excellent salvage vessel. He appears to be operating under a false name. I thought that might interest you.”

  “Go on.”

  “I can be your eyes and ears on this—if you are willing to compensate me for my time.”

  A dark car drove up and pulled off to the side of the road. Elijah recognized the car that had driven him out here.

  “There’s my car,” he said. “Would you like to join me for the ride back to the ferry dock?”

  Aboard Bonefish

  Manila Bay, Philippines

  December 2, 2012

  Wouldn’t you know it, the wind died just as they were ready to make their turn toward Luzon and Manila Harbor. Riley watched the sun set behind them as Bonefish ghosted past the lighthouse on Cabra Island, and the wind dropped away to almost nothing. Most likely it was some sort of land effect that was stifling their breeze. But they had been lucky with the wind until now, so if they had to motor the last seventy miles or so, she figured she had no right to complain about it.

  “So close and yet so far,” Peewee said as he set his dinner bowl down on the cockpit cushion. He picked up the binoculars to look at the lighthouse. A tall, white, modern-looking tower stood next to the old Spanish ruins of the previous lighthouse. They were no more than two miles offshore, and they could smell the scent of an open fire on shore.

  The boat rolled in the swell. The headsail spilled the light breeze and snapped back and forth from one side of the boat to the other, making a loud thwack each time the sail was whipped to the opposite side of the boat. Other than the noise from the sail, though, it was quieter than it had been in days. No wind, no rushing water, no creaking rig or boat. Riley wasn’t in too big a hurry to start the engine.

  She scraped the last of the chicken pilaf from the bottom of her bowl and stuck the fork in her mouth. She had to force herself to swallow. It would be nice to get into port and eat some fresh fruits and vegetables for a change. She’d run out of ideas for ways to make canned chicken and tuna look edible.

  “So Irv, we need to talk.”

  The old man rolled his eyes and playacted a melodramatic shiver. “Those are the four words men fear most. ‘Honey, we need to talk.’”

  “I know you pretty well after sailing with you these past few days. When you want to avoid something, you joke about it.”

  “Me?” he said, again with the exaggerated look of innocence.

  “Yeah, you.” She picked up his bowl and stacked the dishes. “First, I want to make sure you’re not planning to disappear again.”

  Irv tried to make a long face, but the side of his face that was scarred only drooped halfway. “Sweetheart, would I do that?”

  “Peewee, you’ve done it twice.”

  He grinned and pointed his finger at her like it was a gun. He pulled the trigger and said, “You got me there.”

  “We need a plan. I’m pretty sure they’ll be expecting us in there.”

  “Knowing Hawkes, he’s got people keeping watch on all the ports of entry.”

  “He’s that good, huh?”

  Irv worked his lips over his teeth and nodded.

  “So, we’ve got to be better,” she said. “From this point on, we need to be on full alert.”

  “Your boyfriend said he would send a plane.”

  “Don’t call him my boyfriend.” Her voice was louder than she had meant it to be.

  “Okay, okay. Cole. Any idea what he meant by that remark about a plane?”

  “No. Not really. You don’t suppose he’s rich, do you? He only recovered a ton of gold.”

  Irv cocked his head to one side and looked at her. “Riley, you know this isn’t fun and games. These Enterprise guys are really dangerous.”

  “Believe me. I know the type.”

  “They’re fanatics. They started out political—they were rabid anti-communists during those Cold War years. But now it’s just about money and power. This thing could end badly for all of us. I’m sorry I got you involved. I mean, what do you get out of this?”

  She sat up a little straighter and swiveled her head to look all around the horizon. “Oh, boy. That is the big question. What do I want?”

  “Is Cole Thatcher the answer to that question?”

  She took a deep breath, then exhaled. She’d been so angry at Cole for leaving her alone all those years. Then he’d taken her documents and was trying to locate this wreck without her. She wanted to stay mad.

  But when she thought of him, she heard his laughter and saw the sunlight dancing in those sea-green eyes. The muscles at the corners of her mouth tightened. “What can I say? I know he’s crazy and he drives me crazy, but I’m also crazy about him. The thing is, Peewee, I’m not sure the feeling is mutual.”

  “Crazy, huh? That’s a unique way of putting it.”

  “Well, Cole is one of a kind. You know, I joined the Marine Corps after my brother died because I didn’t want to have to think anymore. I wanted someone to tell me the right thing to do.”

  “That’s what being in the military is about. Following orders.”

  A strip of coral-colored light lay on the western horizon. A single star shone in the navy sky. “You see, what makes Cole so different is he follows his own path—always. He decides what’s right and wrong. When you start letting others make decisions for you, things can go terribly wrong. As they did for me in the Corps. I hate to think I’m like my father in that, but I suppose it’s true. I don’t think Cole can stomach that.”

  Irv leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “What was so terrible about your father?”

  “Oh, God. Have you ever heard of an organization called Skull and Bones?”

  Riley was surprised by the startled look on his face. “I’ve heard of them.”

  “I suppose you have. Cole thinks they’re affiliated with the Enterprise. My father was one of the head honchos. He was willing to sit back, follow orders, and sacrifice his own son for the organization—so believe me, I know something about fanaticism.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Irv, tell me about my grandfather. He was a Bonesman, too. What kind of man was he?”

  “Ozzie? He was a swell guy. We were best buddies as kids. He would’ve done anything for me. Give me the shirt off his back.”

  “Really? I’d like to believe that, but I haven’t seen much evidence of that in the family so far.”

  “Sweetheart, trust me. Your grandpa was a real American hero.”

  “You told me in that letter you sent that you would tell me what really happened to him.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not as good a man as Ozzie was. I lied to you to get you to come meet me. It was bait for the hook. I don’t know what happened to your grandpa.”

  Riley leaned back on the cockpit seat and looked up at the sky. A handful of distant stars were visible now. Without looking at him she said, “You know, Irv, you asked me why I’m on this crazy quest—what I want. I remember when I was a kid when my folks were still married and my brother was still alive. We were all so close. We were a family. Now, we’re like those stars up there that may or may not exist anymore. Where there once was a family, now there’s nothing but residual light and cold empty space. See, that’s it, Irv. That’s what I really want. I want to be part of a family again.”

  “Riley, I’m sorry. I—”

  “Well,” she said. “Enough of that.” She stood, slapped her hands on her thighs, th
en rubbed at her eyes. “Let’s get back to the plan for tomorrow. Assuming we get to the dock safely, we’ll be in quarantine until the Manila Yacht Club gets the customs and immigration people to the boat. I’ll plug my iPhone in now so it will be fully charged, and we’ll wait for the text. Cole only uses burner phones, so we can’t call him.”

  “Listen, sweetheart. I know Manila. It’s my town. I got friends there. Once we’re cleared, we don’t wait on your boat. We can get lost in this city. You just follow me.”

  “Okay. Hey, remember your complaint this morning about the dried egg on your fork? Well, now it’s your turn to wash the dishes.”

  “Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all.”

  He was starting to drive her nuts with these sayings of his. “Okay. I’ll fire up the engine and take in the headsail. With the engine running we won’t have any problem running the radar all night. If either one of us sees an approaching vessel, we wake the other. Hopefully, whatever surprise they have planned for us is supposed to take place on land, not out here, and we’ll be on the dock by the time the sun rises.

  Northern Luzon

  The Philippines

  June 26, 1945

  Ozzie sputtered and spit the water out of his mouth. He shook his head. The water continued to drip onto his face. He tried to turn away and blink the water out of his eyes. He saw an olive-drab sleeve and a dirty brown hand holding a canteen. Water warm as piss dribbled out of the mouth of the canteen.

  “Cut it out,” he said. “I’m awake already.”

  He started to sit up but the butt of a rifle slammed into the center of his chest, knocking him back and snapping the back of his head onto the ground.

  “Ow, shit,” he said.

  The pain at the back of his head was blinding. He squeezed his eyes shut again.