Covert Crossings

by Frank Lazorishak

  The club is quiet this evening. Bad weather? And the Clubhouse Bar is empty. Bad weather, or planning?

  Frank introduces himself to Barron. We all shake hands.

  I have to know. “Is the Bertram yours?”

  “Yes. The Canadians loaned it to us. We wanted to have a presence near you, but didn’t want an obvious one.”

  “Are there people aboard?”

  “Six, I think. Maybe eight. We thought it was a good idea to have some of our people close to you. Just in case.”

  Kate joins in. “I’m glad. I think.”

  “Shortly after you return to your boats, the Bertram’s ‘owners’ will return to their boat. They’ll probably stop and say hi as they go past your boats.”

  There is nothing more we can say. We sip our drinks.

  Another couple comes in. A hostess has appeared while we’ve been talking. She seats them at a table overlooking the water.

  Franks walks by us. “Frank, are they yours?”

  He stops. He leans over the bar. “No. We can’t close the club entirely. But we do have people on the grounds.”

  “Sam, at the Fuel Dock?”

  “Yes.”

  And he goes to get the drink order from the hostess.

  * * *

  We’re getting near the end of our second round of drinks. A few other people have come in. Some are at the bar, and some in the dining room.

  We just kind of sit – waiting for someone to say something. Katya does the job. “I’m starting to get hungry. I’d like to get something to eat. But I want to shower and clean up first. Will they allow me to do that?”

  “Don’t ask. Tell them that you’re doing it. We’ll do the same.”

  “Great.”

  “I need to talk to Frank first. Give me five minutes.”

  I walk toward the restrooms. As I pass the bar service station, I stop for a minute. “Frank, I need to talk to you. Is there somewhere?”

  “Manager’s Office. By the restrooms. I’ll be right there.”

  * * *

  I stop in the Men’s Room first.

  Frank and I get to the Manager’s Office at the same time. Frank starts. “What’s up?”

  “I need to know your plan. We all need to know your plan.”

  “That’s fair. And it’s pretty simple. Unless absolutely necessary, we will do nothing here. We have noted activity along the fence behind the Fuel Dock. Our guess is that they’ll breach the fence tonight.”

  He continues. “There are two scenarios: one, they’ll get picked up on Whisky Island Drive just outside the fence; two, they’ll walk up the grade, cross the Shoreway, and head for Ohio City on foot. Either way, they will be apprehended before they get very far.”

  “Yasin used the word simple, too: we dock, they leave tonight. That’s all I know.”

  “Okay. Now I have a question. What went down out on the lake. When your PLB went off?”

  “We lost one terrorist overboard. His name was Omar. Mid-twenties. He got seasick and fell overboard while throwing up over my stern rail.”

  “And they wouldn’t let you look for him.”

  “Not for long. They said he was a martyr.”

  “Yeah. Right.”

  “Actually, he didn’t have much chance. He didn’t have a life jacket. He couldn’t swim. He went under and never came back up.”

  “One less terrorist to worry about. You have seven, and Collins has eight, right?”

  “Right.”

  “This will work out okay. They will be off of your boats and out of here before the excitement starts.”

  “God, I hope so.”

  * * *

  I walk back to the bar. “Let’s go get cleaned up, and come back here for dinner. Unless you guys want to go somewhere else.”

  Barron answers for the group. “Here sounds good.”

  Both of the girls nod agreement.

  CHAPTER 82

  As we leave the bar, I notice a couple sitting at a table by the door. It’s pretty obvious that they’re watching us.

  My guess is that they’re the ‘owners’ of Adventurer. They’re dressed like typical middle-aged pleasure boaters, but they just don’t have quite the right look. They sit too straight. They look too intent. Frank really needs to get his people more training at blending in.

  We head back toward the X Dock.

  Sure enough, we’re halfway out the dock to our boats when I see the couple from the Clubhouse Bar walking toward the dock. “I suspect that the ‘owners’ of Adventurer are following us. Let’s wait for them between our boats. If I’m wrong, they’ll keep going.”

  We stop next to Bella Fortuna’s bow. The couple walks up to us and stops. “Hi guys. Did you just get in?”

  “Yeah. We just came across the lake from Leamington.”

  “That must have been a rough trip. I’m Mark. This is my wife, Wendy. We own the Bertram up there.”

  He holds out a hand. I shake it. “I’m Peter, this is my wife Kate. We own Morning Star. And this is Barron and his wife Katya. They own this boat.”

  We all shake hands. “Glad to meet you. We’re in from Port Dover. We’re waiting for the weather to break before we head west.”

  “West? Where are you bound for?”

  “Just west. We’re cruising. West for three weeks. Then we turn around and head back home.”

  “Sounds nice.”

  “If the weather cooperates.”

  Mark looks toward Adventurer. “We’ve got a little work to do on board. We’ll be around all evening if you need anything.”

  “Thanks. We’re going to get cleaned up, and then head back to the club for dinner. Want to join us?”

  Mark wasn’t expecting that. I didn’t mean to catch him off guard. After a pause. A too long pause. “No. Thanks. We’re eating aboard tonight.”

  “Okay. Nice meeting you.”

  We all head for our respective boats.

  * * *

  We go aboard. The salon is empty. When we go below, Yasin is waiting for us. “Who are those people? What did they want?”

  “They’re from Canada. They’re waiting out the bad weather.”

  “What did they want?”

  “Nothing. They just stopped to say hello, and to introduce themselves. We boaters do that. It’s polite. Do you know polite?”

  “Of course, I do. I am sorry. I am – nervous.”

  “Yeah. Me, too. When do you leave?”

  “When the marina is quiet. Late.”

  “We’re going to shower, change clothes, and go back to the club for dinner.”

  “Very good.”

  “We don’t want to hang out on the boat. We’ll stay ashore as long as we can.”

  “Without attracting suspicion?”

  “Without attracting suspicion.”

  “Kate, why don’t you go ahead and shower? I’ll hang out topsides. Let me know when you’re done.”

  She says nothing, but she goes into the owner’s cabin and closes the door.

  I go topsides, and plop down on the helm seat.

  Shit. What a day. A couple more hours, at most.

  I look aft and see Barron sitting up on his flying bridge. The Azimut has a flying bridge; the Sabre does not. Different styles for different folks.

  I call him on my regular iPhone. He waves. And answers. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing. Kate is in the shower. I’m next.”

  “Same here. What time do you want to go to dinner?”

  “Just as soon as we can. I don’t want to hang out on the boat.”

  “Same here. Come on over when you’re ready.”

  “How about we meet ashore?”

  “That sounds even better. See you.”

  And he disappears below.

  CHAPTER 83

  In about a half hour, Kate comes up the companionway stairs. “Wow. You look nice.”

  “Why not?”

  “Yeah. Why not. This is happy ending we’ve been waiting for.”
>
  She comes over and gives me a kiss. “Go make yourself look worthy of my beauty.”

  “That’ll take some time. Are you going to wait here?”

  “Would you mind if I went ashore?”

  “No. Not at all. I would.”

  I walk with her to the stern. “Katya might be ready.”

  “I’ll check. Don’t make me wait too long, Cap’n.” She says it with a smile. But there’s a note of seriousness there.

  “It’ll take some work to make me ‘worthy,’ but I’ll be as quick as I can.”

  * * *

  In twenty minutes, I’m on the dock. I call Barron. “Hi, Barron. Where are you?”

  I’m on Bella Fortuna, but I’m ready to go up to the clubhouse if you are.”

  “I’m already on the dock. I’m by my boat, and heading your way.”

  * * *

  We walk up to the clubhouse. The girls are sitting at a table overlooking the harbor, and drinking wine. Our drinks are waiting for us. We join them.

  The Clubhouse Bar is quiet. It’s a bad weather night, and it’s a little late for dinner; almost eight-thirty. There are a few couples finishing their dinners, and a couple of solo guys sitting at the bar.

  Our waitress comes over, and we order dinner. They have a pretty diverse menu here, but I love their perch.

  * * *

  By the time we finish dinner, it’s pushing ten. The club is dead. Frank is still tending bar. This must be his command post. “I need to do a potty break.”

  Frank sees me coming. He heads for bar service station. “We’re finishing up dinner. Anything happening?”

  “Your boats are quiet. Your passengers are just sitting. Everyone is waiting.”

  “I think that we’re going to go into the lounge and watch TV for a while.”

  “Don’t stay out too late.”

  “I think we’d like to stay out all night. Or at least until this is over.”

  “Seriously. I know you don’t want to, but we need you on your boats.”

  “Why?”

  “We need to know what’s going on. We need to know when they’re going to make their move. If you’re on board, they will talk more. Especially if you ask questions.”

  “Okay. I don’t like it, but I understand. We’ll do it. Give us a half hour of TV. We’ll go back aboard at eleven.”

  “I don’t like it, but…”

  “I’ll call Yasin from the lounge. I have my B iPhone with me. You can listen.”

  Before he can argue, I turn my back on him and head for the Men’s Room.

  While I’m peeing, Barron comes in. “I decided to join you. What did Frank say?”

  “Only that our boats are quiet. There has been no sign of anybody moving.”

  “Now what?”

  “We’re going to go watch TV until eleven, then go back to our boats. And I’m supposed to call Yasin, and tell him our plans.”

  “And then what?”

  “Frank wants us to ask them, the bad guys, what’s going on. When we get back to our boats, that is. Frank’s people are listening.”

  “Jesus.”

  “I agree. Let’s gather up the girls and move to the lounge.”

  * * *

  When we get back to our table, our bills are waiting. We add the tips, and sign them. They will bill us through VYC.

  “Let’s go watch some TV.”

  As we walk to the lounge, I tell Kate and Katya the plan. Katya’s face lights up a little. “Can we just stay here?”

  “Not a bad idea. How could they object? I’ll ask Yasin when I call. Let me rephrase that. I’ll tell Yasin when I call.”

  We settle into the lounge. Barron turns on Fox news. I speed dial Yasin. “Hello?”

  “Yasin, we have finished dinner, and we’re going to watch TV for a while. Barron and I will be back aboard about eleven. The girls are going to stay here for a while.”

  “No. You must all return. Immediately.”

  “Why?”

  “We are preparing to move. We must know where you are. All four of you. You must return. Right now!”

  “Okay, okay.”

  I hang up. “You guys heard?”

  Barron nods. “Enough.”

  “Let’s go. I’ll tell Frank what’s happening.”

  As we walk past the end of the bar, Frank is waiting. He smiles. But it’s a strained, tired smile. “We heard. It’s almost over. Good luck.”

  I make eye contact with him, and nod. We keep walking. Out of the Clubhouse Bar, and toward our boats.

  CHAPTER 84

  It’s pushing eleven o’clock as we walk out the X Dock. It’s a cloudy night. The moon is just a thin sliver. Visibility on the docks is poor. As we walk past Bella Fortuna, I think I see somebody in the salon. “Baron, it looks like they’re waiting for you. If you have any problems call.”

  “On what?”

  “At this point, I don’t think it matters.”

  He says okay, and he and Katya go aboard. Kate and I continue to Morning Star.

  * * *

  We check our lines, and then go aboard. Yasin is waiting in our salon. “Where were you?”

  “At the clubhouse. But you knew that. What’s the big hurry?”

  “We start to disembark at eleven thirty. We need you back here so that you don’t interfere with our movements.”

  I ask questions for Frank’s benefit. “What do you mean by ‘start to embark’? Do you, or don’t you?”

  “What do you mean? Why do you want to know?”

  He’s getting paranoid. I’m getting angry. “I’d kind of like to know what’s going on? It is my boat.”

  “Two of us, one from each boat, will leave every five minutes. Two people on the dock look normal; a large group does not.”

  “That makes sense. What are you going to do about the gate? I think the gate guard goes home at eleven. You need a card to go in or out.”

  “We will not use the gate. We will leave from behind the Fuel Dock. We will have transportation waiting there.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  Kate has said nothing during this exchange. Her head turns from one to the other as she follows our conversation. Yasin turns to the companionway, leans in, and starts talking to the people below.

  Kate points to the lump under his shirt in the small of his back. He turns back to us. “They are ready. I’m going to move the people from the aft cabin to the galley. It will be less confusing when we start to leave.”

  I stand. “Yasin. You are armed?”

  “Yes.”

  “I thought that this was ‘political.’”

  “We must be prepared. We are all armed.”

  “Shit.”

  He goes to the little aft cabin door. I have never come up with a good name for these guys. I’ve called them people and passengers – now I have the correct name: terrorists.

  * * *

  It’s eleven-fifteen. Kate and I are still sitting in our helm seats. Yasin is still sitting on the port settee. Are we supposed to just sit here? “Yasin, are we supposed to just sit here?”

  “Yes. When the time comes, I will go below to direct the operation. You will stay where you are, and watch. If you see anything unusual, you will tell me immediately.”

  “Does Barron know what is happening?”

  “Yes, I believe so.”

  “May I call him to be sure?”

  “Yes. That is a good idea.”

  I pull out my cell phone, and call Barron. He answers on the first ring. “It’s going down, Pete.”

  “I know. Where are you?”

  “Katya and I are up on our fly bridge. We’re supposed to watch.”

  “Us, too. I don’t know what the hell we’re supposed to watch for…”

  Just then, Yasin’s phone rings. He answers with one word. It sounds like “ha.” He listens for about thirty seconds. He repeats “ha” and hangs up. “It begins.”

  And he goes below.

  One terrorist comes up an
d goes aft. He has his back pack. He climbs out onto the dock. He walks toward shore. When he gets to Bella Fortuna, a single terrorist jumps to the dock and joins him. They walk ashore and turn left. I watch them disappear behind the Fuel Dock building.

  Sound carries well over water. But the wind is blowing fairly hard toward the Fuel Dock, and I can hear nothing from that direction. All seems quiet. There is nobody around.

  In five minutes, the process repeats.

  In another five minutes, another two terrorists.

  In less than an hour, this will be done, and they’ll be gone. But every five minutes seems to get longer than the last one.

  * * *

  We’re down to just Yasin on this boat, and two in the other boat. In five minutes, it will be done. Forever, I hope.

  * * *

  I hear a gunshot. From behind the Fuel Dock.

  CHAPTER 85

  A single gunshot. Then yelling. Then three more gunshots in rapid succession – a semiautomatic? Then more yelling. More gunfire; louder – AK-47? Silence.

  Yasin comes tearing up the companionway stairs, and stops dead. He has his pistol out. He looks at me. He looks at Kate. We don’t move. We don’t speak. I look back at him. I can see indecision on his face. He knows that he has no good options. He is screwed. He doesn’t know what’s happening, but he knows it’s not good.

  He pulls his cell phone out of his pocket, then puts it back. He looks at me. I think I can see the moment when he decides not to shoot us.

  Yasin runs aft, and jumps onto the dock. At the same time that he hits the dock, a guy in camos jumps from Adventurer and tackles him.

  Two more guys from Adventurer jump to the dock and run toward Bella Fortuna. One has his pistol out. The other carries an M4, I think. They’re at Bella Fortuna in seconds. I watch as they jump aboard. One hits the foredeck, and one goes aft. I can’t see well, but I think I can see scuffling.

  Back here, Yasin is down. Two more guys in camos have joined the guy who tackled him. Yasin is cuffed and immobile; he is face down on the dock; his terrorist days are over.

  Two more guys from Adventurer walk stealthily towards Bella Fortuna, guns drawn. Again, one hops on the foredeck, and one goes aft.

  * * *

  It’s quiet on Bella Fortuna for a minute. There are four good guys aboard. And I think, two bad guys.