by Mike Monahan
“Hey!” Micko cried out. “Where did you get that bandana?”
“I didn’t steal it, mister!” the man cried. “Really, I didn’t.”
“Okay,” Micko agreed. “What’s your name?”
“They call me Rambo,” he whimpered.
“Stop sniveling and be a man!” Micko ordered. “Where did you get that bandana?”
Rambo broke down and told the sad story of the Barrett brothers, and how he had left them when he knew that they were dead. “I didn’t mean anything,” he said. “They had dozens of bandanas, and I only took one. They were underwater way too long, so I knew that they were dead. Please don’t report me. There was nothing I could do.” The young man broke down in tears again, falling down to his knees and pleading for leniency.
“All right, Rambo, what’s done is done,” Micko said. “I won’t do anything to get you in trouble. Do you know where Flacka lives?”
“Yes, she is a good friend of mine. She is badly hurt. I will take you to her.”
Micko grimaced at the news as Rambo took him through several narrow alleys and into a small dark shanty.
“Is this where she lives?” Micko asked, surprised.
“No, Flacka must hide from the Russians,” Rambo explained. “This place is safe.”
“Who’s there?” a male voice growled from inside.
“It’s Rambo and an American friend of Flacka’s.”
“The policeman?”
“Yes, my name is Mick O’Shaughnessy, but people call me Micko.”
“My name is Tiki. Please come in.”
Tiki lit several small candles, and the room suddenly looked much larger as the shadows danced in a plethora of oscillating waves. Micko could see Flacka lying on a makeshift bed, her face covered in bandages. Anger welled up inside of him, and he knew what he had to do. His confidence had been slow to return, but he would need more now as he turned back into detective mode.
“Who did this to you, Flacka?” he asked.
“Disco wanted to know where you were going and on whose boat,” she told him painfully. “He and that bitch Tanya were going to follow you and kill you. I didn’t tell, but a neighbor saw Disco and Nike beating me and told them that you were going out with Celestial. I’m so glad that you are alive. I thought they would kill you.”
Micko held her hand and spoke gently. “Don’t worry about me. Just get back on your feet again real soon. The people at the pool bar miss you.”
He smiled at her and she smiled back. Then he delivered a final warning.
“A lot of things are going to change here real soon, so I want you to stay out of sight.”
“I have plans for tonight as revenge for this,” Tiki announced.
“But I want my pay before anything happens,” Flacka cried.
“How do you get paid?” Micko inquired.
“I see my friend Chuu and he pays me.”
“I’ll send Rambo to get Chuu to come to your house and pay you. This way they will think that you are still at home. I want you to tell him something that will get my plan into action. Tiki, I want you to bring her back here after Chuu leaves.”
Micko explained his plan and sent Rambo to the hotel to wait for Chuu. Suddenly, they heard loud explosions from the lagoon.
Tiki jumped up and was about to flee when Rambo stated, “They are dropping dynamite in the atoll to kill a big fish that injured some divers. I heard them talking down at the dock, so I came back here to pull out my traps so my bait fish wouldn’t get killed.”
“What big fish?” Tiki asked in disbelief.
“Trust me, it’s a long story,” Micko said. “Don’t go swimming until after the barracuda is confirmed dead. Just get Flacka back to her own bed while Rambo goes to the hotel, and then bring her back here under the cover of darkness.”
***
Celestial pulled into his berth on the end of the wharf and saw the unusual boat activity out at the Saratoga. Without warning, explosions ripped the quiet of the scenic island. All heads turned in time to see huge spouts of water rising one hundred feet into the air and then cascading back down again into frothy foam.
***
It was hidden in the shadows of the netting high in the superstructure of the Saratoga. It liked to look down on Its territory, which It had successfully defended against the gray reef sharks and the awkward bubble-blowing fish. Now It was perched to defend Its realm again if need be.
Suddenly, It felt the presence of large creatures against his lateral lines again. It was unable to see anything below, and then It realized that they were above him. Many shadows were converging on It, and at first It thought that the sharks had somehow outmaneuvered him and were about to attack. It had lost the advantage of the shadows by allowing predators to get above.
It swam swiftly off in a southerly direction since the shapes approached from the north. When It was a good distance away, It heard very loud noises and felt repeated blows to his body’s lateral lines. After a while, the noises ceased, but It felt the shockwaves for a considerable time. It realized that a new predator lived above the water. It would recognize these enemies from their cylinder shapes and the awesome noise that violently moved water. Now that the antagonists had stopped their attack, It would initiate one of Its own.
***
Hiroshi burst into Andrej’s office and slammed his fist down on the huge mahogany desk. His face was so red that it looked purple, and several veins were popping and pulsating on his forehead. “You idiot! What are you doing? Don’t you see the VIPs have arrived? Don’t you know who they are? You’re blasting away our idyllic South Pacific lagoon the day of our grand opening while I have fireworks planned for tonight. This is madness, utter madness!
“Have you located the Bible? That is the only thing that will save our lives, but no, you haven’t found the Bible! You are too busy killing cops and blowing up fish right in front of our honored guests!”
Hiroshi was demonic in his rage. He pounded the poor desk furiously, and his eyeballs nearly burst right out of their sockets. He spoke in a heated rush that caused his mouth to foam with saliva.
Andrej tuned him out, daydreaming his defense to the Russian mob while Hiroshi ranted and raved like a maniac. Meanwhile, Hiroshi, a lover of war strategy, believed that the best defense was a good offense. He was pretending to be out of control to lull Andrej into a false sense of security thinking that he had lost command. He also wanted the hotel staff to hear an angry dispute in which he was laying all the blame on the Russians.
Andrej fell right into his hands, since he didn’t dispute any of his accusations. Each man was playing a deadly game of Blind Man’s Bluff.
***
Chuu knocked respectfully on Flacka’s door and she told him to enter. Chuu was fond of her and had spent many hours at the pool bar talking to her, telling her stories about his home in Japan. He trusted her since she was an expatriate and not associated with the Russians. He looked at her wounds, fell to the ground, took a praying posture, and rocked back and forth, whispering prayers in Japanese.
“I never meant for this to happen to you. The Russians are out of control. I just prayed for your quick recovery, and I will speak with Mr. Hiroshi about this outrage. He is a man of honor and will make amends. Here is your pay, doubled as a start for reparations for this violation.”
“You are a good man, Chuu,” Flacka said, “and I harbor no resentment to you, Mr. Hiroshi, or any of the Japanese. I am grateful for the extra wages. I will need them since I will be out of work for some time.”
“I will speak to Mr. Hiroshi, and I am sure that you will be paid for your sick leave.”
“Thank you, Chuu.” She hesitated, as if torn, playing her part well. Then she launched into the speech Micko had instructed her to give. “I know I shouldn’t get involved, but you and Mr. Hiroshi have been very good to me, so I will tell you. A few days ago, I was ordered to bring vodka to Andrej’s office. I brought the bottle and stopped to see what else needed
to be refreshed in the liquor cabinet. I just wanted to do my job, but also I overheard Andrej tell Disco to take the Bible with him when he took the suitcases of the Barrett brothers to the Bikini resort and checked them in. He said they could kill two birds with one stone. They could sneak the dead brothers’ gear into the Bikini resort and then mail the Bible from there back to New York without the Japanese knowing.
“The Russian Mafia planned on double crossing the Japanese Yakuza, keeping all the laundered money and pulling out of the Majestic after the grand opening. Andrej figured Mr. Hiroshi would be too busy with the grand opening to know anything was going on. He was elated that he had made a fool out of the entire Japanese organization and knew that all of you on Shark Ally Island would be condemned to death. Andrej is ecstatic and will probably get away with this. I fear for your safety, Chuu.”
Chuu’s merrily dancing eyebrows furrowed into an ominous frown. “Flacka, you are a good friend. As I stand before you, I swear to avenge this indignity the Russians have done to you and my associates.” He gently kissed the top of her head and bowed solemnly before leaving.
Flacka smiled. She knew that the cop’s plan was now falling into place. Despite her injuries, she felt alive and good. This had the makings of an unforgettable night.
***
The men assembled in Regis’ cottage and shared a meal of fresh fruit, nuts, and fish. When the silent meal was over, Micko told the others of his plan. He laid down the groundwork for the two mafias to fight amongst themselves. Hopefully, they would be so busy fighting each other that neither would bother about them. This would buy them some time until Buddy and the FBI arrived. If all went well, they would arrive the next day, so they just had to survive the night. If the Russians and the Japanese fought each other overnight, they would be safe. The grand opening would also keep them busy, and Tiki and his rebels had a vandalism plan that would certainly distract them.
The men liked the strategy. It was a three-pronged scheme that would buy them the time they needed if they kept quiet and laid low. The scientists lamented how their studies were suffering just when they were on the brink of great discoveries. Then the conversation turned toward the giant barracuda and how it had developed. Questions were raised as to whether there could be another giant predator waiting to be released, something larger, meaner, and more fearful than the barracuda.
Regis laughed, “How could anything be meaner? This thing attacks and kills schools of sharks as well as divers. The only thing meaner than this is the Grim Reaper himself.”
The men all had a good laugh at this, and the levity was welcome as they waited for the fireworks to begin.
***
Chuu had just finished relaying Flacka’s story to Hiroshi and was waiting for a reaction.
His boss sat still, absorbing what he had just heard, for several minutes in deep thought before he spoke slowly and deliberately. “Chuu, have all our men armed tonight. This grand opening has all the markings of a grand funeral.”
This made Chuu happy, and he was ready to serve his revenge cold. Both the Japanese and the Russians had weapons lockers in their quarters. Chuu went to the casino and spread the word that, one by one, the workers should take a short break, go to the weapons room, and be assigned a weapon. Normally, only workers on guard duty were assigned weapons, but this night was going to be different.
Wealthy people were packed in the casino, watching a bawdy burlesque review. One of the Russian racketeers named Pavel noticed the unusual activity among the Japanese workers, so he followed a blackjack dealer going on a cigarette break and learned what was going on. He left the raucous, breast-touted show to warn Andrej that a standoff was imminent.
***
Hiroshi was back at the dock, directing the Lily I and II as they pulled the fireworks barge into position. He had a point-to-point radio to simultaneously direct both captains. Once he was satisfied that the barge was in the best position possible for maximum effect, he directed the boats to secure it with a heavy-duty anchor line. He wanted his guests and the villagers to see the fireworks display, but he didn’t want the guests at the Bikini resort to get a free show.
Mara was in charge of securing the barge. There was a strong easterly wind blowing, and the weather reports called for a breezy night. Mara knew that the wind was blowing across the atoll toward the Majestic wharf, so he wanted to lay out extra anchor line to ensure a strong hold against the wind. Unfortunately, the steel anchor chain was too short to accomplish this, so he attached a rope line to the steel anchor line and played out more than enough line for his purpose. Once the anchor was dropped and the barge was secured, the two Lilies berthed at the dock.
The sunset was gorgeous as usual, and Hiroshi had to make the final preparations for the lavish party. He had the Japanese staff set up the outdoor tables and string up Japanese lanterns. The caterers were preparing exotic dishes and appetizers, and the twelve-piece orchestra was tuning up on a luxurious bandstand. Hiroshi was content in the knowledge that the grand opening festivities were running smooth. Now, he thought, it’s time to deal with those double-crossing Russians!
***
The intercom system throughout the Majestic Hotel, casino, golf course, and grounds issued an invitation to the great lawn for cocktails, appetizers, and entertainment. The message also indicated that the Majestic director, Mr. Hiroshi, would say a few words and christen the resort in a grand opening ceremony to be followed by a regal fireworks show.
Soon a myriad of curious, high society guests and crime lords began to converge on the great lawn. Some of the visitors were members of the Micronesia bureaucracy, while others were wealthy environmentalists; and still others were just rich gamblers who had come to feed their lust for gaming in exotic casinos.
Mixed into this group of influential people was a pack of wolves in sheep’s clothing. On one side, there were the Japanese businessmen who made their fortune at the expense of others, high-ranking members of the Yakuza escorting young women half their age. On the other side were high-ranking members of the Russian crime syndicate based in Brooklyn, New York. Some were older crime bosses with their hooker girlfriends, while others were younger hotheaded soldiers with too much testosterone and money to spend.
Under ideal circumstances, this mix was a recipe for disaster. Cultured wealth stood champagne glass to champagne glass with armed felons. The spiritual, educated, Japanese, who were so strong in tradition, were facing off against what they considered to be immoral Neanderthals. The two crime families shared a ruthless mantra and a need for power and wealth, but that was about all they had in common.
While the non-criminal element of high society enjoyed being waited on hand and foot, the crime families were eyeballing each other in a Mexican standoff. Hiroshi made the rich and famous feel so comfortable and at ease they never noticed the visual hostility between the Japanese and Russian guests.
The sunset was a spectacular event as the orchestra played Strauss waltzes and the waiters delivered champagne, caviar, oysters, and jumbo shrimp to the eager diners. The breeze whipped up the ends of the white tablecloths, resembling swans trying to take flight.
When the sun dipped below the horizon, the Majestic Resort Hotel was bathed in darkness. Hiroshi was keeping the lights off for a minute for effect. Suddenly, there was a drum roll, the Japanese lanterns were lit, and some waiters waltzed about with glowing sparklers while others rolled in a smorgasbord of delights. The guests helped themselves to filet mignon, chicken marsala, lobster, fish chowder, and a bevy of desserts.
When Hiroshi was convinced that everyone had been wined and dined, he stepped up to the microphone on the bandstand. “Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the Majuro Majestic Dive Resort and Casino,” he announced to a thunderous applause. After a short pause, he continued, “As you all know, the Majestic is dually owned and operated by representatives from both Russia and Japan. I am Hiroshi, your host and the director of this lovely resort.”
Another ro
und of applause was followed by a short burst of fireworks from the barge. Hiroshi introduced Andrej and several other key people, and thanked the Micronesia government and people for making this all possible. He then announced, “You have all been invited here to share in the beauty and splendor of the grand opening of the Majuro Majestic Dive Resort and Casino, and I hope you all have a night that you will never forget.”
The orchestra broke into a reel of John Philip Sousa songs as the sky lit up with a fabulous fireworks show. For the first few minutes, the guests kept applauding as new and varied shells exploded in wild displays of rainbow-colored starbursts. Soon they realized that the show might go on for hours, so they sat with their drinks and just “oohed” and “ahhed.”
Hiroshi watched anxiously as his guests were mesmerized by the pyrotechnics. To this point, the grand opening was a success, but he had bigger fish to fry. He had sent Chuu to search through records in Andrej’s office to incriminate the Russians for stealing the Bible and sending it to New York. Hiroshi knew how anal Alex was, and he was sure he kept a record of the mailing, as well as the orders to do so. This was Hiroshi’s only way to save face and inevitably save his life and the lives of his staff. The fireworks display was the perfect venue for distraction. Hiroshi smiled to himself. There was still time to salvage his honor and his career.
12
It swam back to the home of Its den after the shockwaves stopped bouncing off Its lateral lines. It felt safe without the presence of the oblong shadows. It spotted some dead fish floating on the surface and others slowly sinking from above. Never one to pass up a meal, It fed heartily on the dropping fish. But It was always on guard because the shadow figures from above used noise to kill. It could not attack an enemy that had withdrawn, and so was forced to wait to ambush the shadow adversaries the next time they appeared. It would kill first, and then reign over Its kingdom unmolested. It was content to wait for Its enemy to return and then wage a battle to the death.