Danger Down Under: Another Vince Hamilton Investigation

by Patrick Slaney

  'So I take it that we have to stay here and wait for something to happen,' I suggested.

  'That's correct. While we are waiting I will have a kip in the Ute,' the Inspector said. 'I was up all last night and am badly in need of some sleep.'

  I was left on my own again while he went and slept in the passenger seat of the Ute. I wanted to sleep myself but appreciated that my role was to keep watch in case something happened.

  Four hours later the Inspector emerged from the Ute and stretched. He looked as if every joint in his body had locked in position.

  He walked over to me. 'You can sleep now if you want Vince, I've had enough. If I sleep any longer in the Ute, I won't be able to walk for a week.' He was still trying to get his joints moving.

  I walked over to the Ute and made myself comfy. In a few minutes, I was sound asleep.

  I was woken by the satellite phone going off.

  The Inspector grabbed the handset and put on the headphones.

  'Inspector Johnson,' he answered.

  I looked at my watch; it was six o'clock. It would be dark very soon.

  The Inspector listened to what was being said; nodding his head as he took in what he was being told.

  'Thank you,' he said, 'If there any changes will you, please phone me back.'

  He put the handset down and took off the headphones.

  'There is some movement at last Vince. A plane, with the call sign of the Beechcraft we are looking for, VH-MTC, has been located. It is now three hundred kilometres from here heading due south. Air Traffic Control can confirm that it is coming from the direction of the Indonesian Islands. If it maintains its current course, it will come to one of the airports in this area.'

  ‘So it could be flying to Port Keats or Palumpa?’ I asked.

  ‘Yes, but since the welcome party is here, I think that we can safely assume it will come here.’

  'That's a big relief,' I said. 'How long do they estimate it will take to get here?'

  'If the aircraft keeps going at its present speed, it will only take them ninety minutes.'

  He grabbed hold of one of the shortwave radios.

  'All stations, all stations - Inspector Johnson here - Plane on the way - kindly take up your positions - ETA ninety minutes - dark in forty-five - do you read - over and out.'

  'Captain Marsh here - Roger on info - join you in five - over and out.'

  'Rod here - we are returning to base in thirty minutes - food required - over and out.'

  'The poor buggers haven't had any food all day,' the Inspector commented. 'I brought some over earlier and it is in the cabin of the Ute. I was waiting until it got dark to take it to them.'

  'At least it will be dark when the plane arrives so we won't have to go in using the Hummers,’ I said. ‘The enemy would have heard them coming from a mile away and there would have been a massive firefight.’

  ‘Even if it is dark, it is going to be difficult to get close and we will require the backup of the Hummers.’ The Inspector was clearly worried about how we were going to get close enough to grab Stuart.’

  I would like to drive the Ute and be the one to try and stop the plane taking off again once it has landed. If there are any of the Mafia on board the plane, they might force him to take off again.'

  'That’s a crazy idea Vince; I don't think that you are in a fit state to drive.' The Inspector apparently thought that I wouldn't be up to the task. 'I'll get Rod to drive the Ute.'

  'Then I will go as his sidekick or shotgun just like in the old Westerns. He won't be able to drive and shoot at the same time.'

  'We'll see what Rod has to say. I don't want you putting yourself in danger and getting shot again.'

  'While you and the drugs squad are recovering the drugs and arresting the leader, and also dealing with the heavily armed welcoming party, Rod and I can focus on rescuing Stuart.'

  'I won't give you an answer Vince until I have talked to Rod. I am not promising anything.'

  There was no further discussion on the matter as the Captain arrived with one of his men.

  'This is my plan Inspector.' The Captain was highly energised and action orientated. 'I will position my team around the airfield, but I will also move the Hummers closer than they are at the moment in case we need them. They may be required if the enemy try to escape in their vehicles.'

  'What do you want us to do?' the Inspector asked.

  'Your main task will be to rescue the pilot and secure the plane and the cargo,' the Captain replied with a high degree of urgency. 'Perhaps you could also place a man, equipped with a gun, in each of the Hummers to protect the drivers. I want all my guys to available for the initial attack.'

  'That should be fine,' the Inspector concurred. 'Rod will drive the Ute and his primary task will be to rescue the pilot. Vince will act as his sidekick as he is a good shot. Brian will stay here with the 4 x 4 in case we need that at any stage. You can, therefore, have Tony and Kevin for the Hummers.'

  'When the plane comes to a halt we will go into action. Is that clear?' The Captain looked at us for confirmation that we understood what was required.

  I was delighted he had decided to give me a role in the front line. Things were looking up even if it sounded as if it wasn’t going to be any picnic.

  Just after it got dark Rod, Brian, Kevin and Tony returned from the airfield. They looked utterly exhausted having been out in the open for the whole day. They explained that they had managed to get some sleep during the day on a rota system.

  Also joining us were most of the drug squad team, the two exceptions were the men who would be responsible for driving the Hummers in the attack.

  The Captain, who was now in charge of the operation, explained how it was all going to work and who was going to do what. He got one of his guys to take Tony and Brian back to their base where they would join the Hummers. I wished Tony luck as he did me. He added that he hoped that this time I would stay out of the way of stray bullets.

  All blacked up and with our flak jackets on, we went to our allocated stations. It was getting close to the expected arrival time of the Beechcraft. We all recognized that we would have to be very lucky for this operation to be a total success.

  Soon Rod and I were on our own. I had a machine gun and also a Glock 17 stuck in my belt. It was like old times, and I felt a lot more confident carrying the guns.

  'I think that I will move a bit closer to the airfield,' Rod said when we were seated in the Ute. 'While I was beside the airstrip today, I noticed that there are a couple of strategically placed bushes at the western end of the runway. We will conceal ourselves behind those.'

  Rod started up the Ute and slowly moved across the scrubland with the lights off. He kept the engine at minimum revs, so the engine noise was at a minimum. He also stayed off the main track just in case they were monitoring the road.

  By my watch, it was 7.15pm. We wouldn't have long to wait.

  We, in fact, heard it before we saw it. Gradually the noise increased. The next thing we noticed was that they were switching on the lights that must have been located along the runway. In the black night, without any moon, the lights seemed to light up the surrounding countryside. They obviously were very confident that they were on their own and safe from prying eyes. It was also confirmation that they didn't know that we were in the vicinity.

  The aircraft touched down, landing in a westerly direction. It taxied to the turning circle at the end of the runway and headed back towards where there was a group of people standing with two large vans. These were parked at the midpoint of the runway. As soon as the plane hit the runway they started to switch off the landing lights.

  Rod started the engine. We were ready to go.

  'Here we go Vince. As soon as the first shot rings out we will get going. I suggest that you get in the back with the machine gun and shoot at anybody who starts shooting at us.'

  I climbed into the back of the Ute, not in a very dignified way I might add.

  A
gun fired from the darkness surrounding the airfield signalling that the attack had begun. We took off heading for where the plane had parked. Most of the lanterns had already been extinguished so at least we weren't in the spotlight. In fact, the welcoming party were concentrating so much on the incoming gunfire and taking cover that they didn't see us approach.

  We managed to get right up to the plane before I needed to open fire. A gunman had spotted us and had started firing. I hit him, and the gunfire ceased. I jumped down onto the tarmac leaving the machine gun in the Ute. I took the Glock out of my belt and prepared the pistol for use. I took up a position beside the access door set into the side of the fuselage.

  The door started to open, and a head popped out. It wasn't Stuart, and it wasn't Luigi. Whoever it was ventured further out to see what was going on. I put my gun to his head and told him to drop his weapon. He complied with my request, so I handed him over to Rod. I stuck my head in through the open door of the plane.

  'Stuart,' I called out. 'It's Vince Hamilton, are you there?'

  'Yes, but I am chained to the seat.'

  'Are there any cutters on the plane?'

  'No, there is nothing that could cut this chain,'

  'Hold on I will try and release you with a bullet.' I had been taught how to do this when I was a member of the SAS.

  I didn't hit it with the first bullet but got it with the second. I pulled the chain away, and we immediately left the aircraft and joined Rod on the tarmac.

  The man I had removed from the plane was now lying on the ground with a pair of handcuffs on.

  'Part of my training as a policeman Vince, I always carry cuffs with me in situations like this.' Rod looked very pleased with himself.

  A Hummer pulled up beside us. Tony stuck his head out. 'Stuart jump in here quick,' he shouted.

  Rod pulled open the rear door, and Stuart dived in. The door was slammed shut, and the Hummer took off down the runway.

  We both got back into the Ute and had a look around, trying to work out what we should do next.

  The shooting suddenly stopped, and it appeared as if the situation was under control.

  Suddenly a 4 x 4 took off at high speed out of the darkness. It headed back down the airstrip towards the exit where the road left the airport. One of the Hummers gave chase. Rod didn’t need any further encouragement; he gunned the engine and took off after the two fast moving vehicles.

  'I suspect that is our Italian friend Luigi, the big boss of the operation,' I said.

  'Makes sense that he would want to get away after what he has been up to,' Rod added.

  We tore across the grass apron that surrounded the runway and joined the other two vehicles that were now heading north on a dirt track. The ride was rough to say the least causing me considerable pain. Also, there was so much erratic motion in the Ute that there was no chance of being able to take some of my painkillers. I would have to suffer in silence for the time being.

  No matter how hard Rod tried, he couldn't keep up with the two vehicles in front. They slowly started to creep away from us. If this went on for much longer, we would lose them.

  'Do you think that we should give up this chase Vince?' Rod asked.

  'We are not too far behind; I think we should keep going until we lose sight of them,' I replied.

  'Hold on, it looks as if the Hummer's closing on him,' Rod pointed ahead.

  We then heard shots.

  'Who is firing at whom?' I inquired.

  'I can't tell from here,' Rod said. ‘It will be either Tony or Kevin in the Hummer and I don’t know if either of them can fire a gun. I would think that is more likely to coming from the enemy’s 4 X 4.'

  'The Hummer has armour plating so he should be protected,' I added.

  We watched as the Hummer drew level with the 4 x 4. He slewed the large vehicle towards the other; it was no contest, the side swipe from the heavier Hummer made the 4 x 4 spin.

  'Get your machine gun ready Vince,' Rod instructed.

  I wound the window down and balanced the M7 on the door ledge.

  It took the Hummer quite a long distance to stop as he had been going so fast. By this time, we were approaching the 4 x 4. Rod switched off the lights so as we made less of a target. Whoever was in the vehicle started shooting at us, but only with a handgun. I gave him a burst from the machine gun, but the bullets went nowhere near them.

  Rod, rather surprisingly, and alarmingly from my point of view, headed straight for the drivers side of the 4 x 4. He buried the front of our Ute, together with our "Roo Bar", into the vehicle.

  We were both thrown forward but stopped from going through the windscreen by our seat belts. The air bags deployed making it difficult for us to make a quick exit. The pain was agonising, and I was incapable of moving.

  'Are you still alive Vince?' Rod called out to me.

  'I'm still alive but in great pain. I'll need help to get out.'

  'I'll be with you as soon as I have checked on the guys in the vehicle we have just wiped out.'

  Rod got out just as the Hummer pulled up beside us.

  'You guys must be mad,' the Hummer driver said. 'Mind you, it was a very effective way of stopping them. I hope that you weren’t planning on using the Ute again in the near future.' He smiled at us; obviously a comedian.

  Rod and the Hummer driver spent a few minutes with their heads buried in the 4 x 4.

  Rod came back to give me a report and to help me extricate myself from the Ute.

  He told me that both the driver and the man who had been in the rear seat had been propelled across the vehicle when our Ute crashed into it. The driver had been severely injured, but the man in the back had been killed.

  I struggled around to the far side to inspect the carnage.

  Peering into the rear of the vehicle, I discovered the badly damaged body of Luigi Bandarella. There was blood everywhere; it wasn’t a pretty sight. He clearly wasn't going to trouble anybody again as a gangster. He was a very dead Mafia chief.

  'Mr Bandarella is dead,' I announced.

  'The driver is still alive, but he is in a bad way,' Rod said. 'We need to get him into the Hummer and get him back to the airfield.'

  Rod and the Hummer driver managed to get the injured man into the back of the vehicle, and we all returned to Peppimenarti Airport to report back to Inspector Johnson and the Captain.

  Chapter 24

  The journey back to the airport took a lot longer than I anticipated. This was either because I was in absolute agony, or we had gone a lot further chasing the 4 x 4 than I had realised. I suspected that it was a bit of both.

  We drove to a point on the runway where we spotted the Captain. As soon as the Hummer came to a halt Rod got out and went across to talk to him. The Captain nodded his head a few times and Rod returned to us.

  'They're going to give you a morphine injection Vince to relieve the pain so hang on for a minute while they get organized.'

  'What about our friend in the back he seems to be in a lot of pain. I am sure he could do with some morphine too,' I suggested.

  'Good idea; I'll see if he has enough morphine with him to dose the two of you.'

  One of the members of the team came over and stuck his head into the Hummer.

  'Are you able to get out for me?' he asked. 'I can't give you an injection in there, or, I can, but I may do you damage and miss the spot.'

  I was helped out and sat on the door ledge with my back against the seat. He found the spot he was looking for and gave me the injection; I was then helped back into the Hummer. Almost immediately the pain became bearable, and I could relax my face.

  He went around to the rear of the vehicle and did the same for the severely injured man in the back.

  The Captain came over to us; he stuck his head into the Hummer

  'I hear that Rod tried to kill you, Vince.' He smiled at me.

  'Yes, I would have preferred a slightly more gentle approach, but he didn't ask for my opinion before he buried the
Ute in the enemy's 4 x 4.'

  'How are you now? Has the morphine helped?'

  'Yes, I am a lot better. It should gradually settle down now.' I was already starting to feel a bit more normal.

  'I have called in a helicopter to take you and the injured driver to Darwin. One of my guys was also wounded in the firefight, and he will go along with you.'

  'Thanks, I appreciate that.'

  The Captain left me to rejoin his men. I hadn't realised it, but Tony had been waiting for the Captain to finish, and he now joined me.

  'How are you Vince; I gather that Rod used a rather unorthodox method to terminate the chase.'

  'It was very effective and had the desired result; however, my wounded shoulder took the full brunt of the sudden stop. The seat belt cut into the wound.'

  'Is it very sore?' he asked me.

  'They gave me a shot of morphine, so it is not too bad now.'

  'The Captain said that he is flying you out to Darwin so as you can get treatment. The rest of us are taking the prisoners back to our base at Port Keats Airport. We will fly back to Darwin from there.'

  'Do you know how Stuart Smith is?' I asked Tony. I just hoped that he wasn't one of the causalities of the firefight.

  'I am told that he is one hundred percent. They took him back to the base at Tom Turners Creek, well away from the action. I gather that he is on his way back here now.'

  About ten minutes later the Inspector came over to talk to me.

  'I think that you have met this man before Vince?'

  I suddenly realised that Stuart was with him.

  'Hi Vince, I believe that I have a lot to thank you for.'

  'Hi Stuart, it's so good to see you all in one piece.'

  'They tell me that it was you at Lekunik Airport in Indonesia when I was ordered to abort my landing because of armed men in the area.'

  'It was Tony and me, but we didn't have any guns. In fact, I was the one to get shot and had to be flown back to Darwin.'

  'I'm sorry that you were severely wounded on my behalf.'

  'It was just one of those things Stuart, and I was lucky it wasn't worse.'