By the look of it, it would just drop into the ocean. No cables were connecting it that would lower it into the sea. Jack enjoyed roller coasters, but the thought of that drop was frightening. He turned to face away from the sea to gain a better vantage point from which to look. He could see a control mechanism on the outside that would release the boat for a terrifying drop. There was no way he could look inside, not with cameras watching his every move.
His hopes dashed, he crossed the helipad once more and entered a doorway, stooping as he did so. His next task was to find a place to sleep. If nothing else, he would reserve his strength. Who knew what would happen next.
*
Major Foster to the briefing room. Major Foster to the briefing room, the tannoy blared, waking Foster up from his nap. He yawned and sat up, forgetting he was bunked in a low ceiling environment and banged his head. He rubbed the pain away as he swung his legs over the side of his bed and jumped down to the floor. Pulling on his jacket and shoes, he strode out of the room and climbed a set of steps. Striding a few paces, he entered the briefing room on his left.
Seeing Charlie, who was smoking his tenth cigarette of the hour, he walked over to him. ‘What’s up?’ He yawned.
‘We’re anchored about three miles from the target. You’ll never guess what it is.’
‘It had better not be a boat.’
‘No, even better. It’s an oil rig.’
‘An oil rig? What is it with this guy? Can’t he choose a regular place to hide out like an abandoned factory? The guys will love this one.’ Foster rolled his eyes.
‘Well, I’ve received new instructions from the brass. They’re sending in two Puma HC1 helicopters, along with another six guys. They just want you to hit it. Storm it and take out whatever moves; blow it to hell if that fails,’ Charlie continued.
‘And how are we supposed to do that?’
‘They want you to plant explosives at key locations. You’ll be given information where. If all else fails, the rig is history.’
‘There’s more to this situation than we’re being told.’ Foster frowned.
‘Indeed,’ Charlie agreed.
‘So do we get any kind of preparation at all?’ Foster asked, sitting down in a chair at the edge of the room.
‘Oh, yeah, you’ll be given details on the layout, but you won’t have long to prepare. It's a search and destroy mission. I’ll try and give you any information you need, but it’s going to be sketchy at best.’
‘So what do we have so far?’
‘Well, we know for definite our GPS tracker is on the rig somewhere. It’s an old oil platform built in the eighties. It was decommissioned about nine years ago. Apparently, it’s unsafe; the structure’s in danger of collapsing into the sea. We’ll be getting plans soon.’
‘Any chance of getting reconnaissance on the target?’ Foster asked.
‘No chance! There’s no way up from the sea; the former owners covered that side of things well. The only way in is via chopper.’
‘Well, at least it’ll be a quick infiltration. Charlie, keep me posted. I’m off to break the bad news.’ Foster stood up, cricked his neck, and walked out of the room without waiting for a reply.
‘Are they crazy?’ Fredrickson asked a short time later.
‘Well, we all know they are, but that’s what we get paid for; doing the impossible. Listen, I don’t like it any more than you do, but we have our orders,’ Foster replied.
‘Sounds like fun.’ Bob chimed. ‘Remember we had to attack that minimally fortified military base last year? Intel didn’t tell us about the bunkers with hundreds of soldiers in it.’
‘Yeah! I’ve never seen you run so fast.’ Jim laughed.
‘Well, I wasn’t gonna sit around and have them cut off my ... well, let’s just say I didn’t want them served up for lunch?’
‘Yes well, this operation can be completed. I know we can do it. What we know is we’ll be going in by Puma HC1s. Hit them hard. Find Yankee One; take him out and anything else that’s got two legs. If we can rescue the X-rays, that’s a bonus. Then we get the hell off the rig double-quick before the thing sinks,’ Foster said.
‘Sinks?’ Bob enquired.
‘Yeah, the damned rig’s crumbling into Davy Jones.’
‘It gets better and better.’ Jim shook his head.
‘Okay, we’ll have another six coming in to support the troop. Three teams of four. Team Three will take lower decks, Two the middle, and One upper. That’s assuming that they have more than one deck, of course. I’ll arrange it, so we have cover from the Pumas’ weapons. But now we have to wait for plans and reinforcements. Bob, when the rest of the troop arrive, will you brief them up to date?’
‘Yeah, no problem.’
‘I have one further bit of news. Natalie Simpson, the Professor’s wife, is a former X-ray. She’s aligned with Yankee One and is classified as a Yankee.’
‘That poor kid. We take her out her too?’ Jim asked.
‘Only if she puts up a fight. I think, despite what the D.o.D. say, she might prove useful. Okay, get your heads down while you can. I’m going to check out the plans for the rig.’
*
Joe began to feel fatigued as his eyes raced over the information onscreen. S.E.A.R.Ch had been repaired and was fully functional. Scorpio sat at his side transfixed, taking in everything Joe did.
‘Why would you create something so powerful, Professor? Not that I complain of course.’
‘I designed it to create a centralized location to monitor and control all functions normally required by many thousands of computers,’ Joe replied.
‘I think you did not realize its full potential until very recently. Am I right?’ Scorpio asked.
‘Yes, it scared me a little, but I had to see it complete before deciding whether or not to destroy it.’
‘Your masters would not have allowed this. I think,’ Scorpio smirked.
Joe paused and looked at Scorpio, then turned away, disgusted by the man.
‘Jack is a good boy, no?’ Scorpio asked.
‘Yes, he is,’ Joe responded, wondering where this line of questioning was leading.
‘I can tell. He has had a good parentage. It was such a pity that his mother had to die.’
Joe’s knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists.
Scorpio smiled at him. ‘Do not be angry, Professor. Her death was for a good cause. One day even you will be proud of the achievement of world peace.’
Joe stood up suddenly, glaring at Scorpio. ‘You believe that, do you? You really believe the crud that comes out of your mouth? You’re sick, twisted. Do you not understand that killing people will not create peace?’
Scorpio merely smiled. ‘I will forgive your outburst this time only. I can see you are tired and in need of rest and food. Guard, take the Professor to his son and feed them.’
The guard motioned for Joe to follow him. Joe's shoulders slumped as he slowly walked after the guard, who had a radio to his mouth.
‘Gregor? Where is the boy located?’
Section twelve, level two, room forty-four, Gregor’s voice replied amidst crackling from the radio.
‘Have food sent to that room for the Professor and the boy.’
‘Roger!’
‘Come,’ the guard motioned to Joe.
He had no choice but to follow, deeply dispirited, but glad that he could see Jack and take some rest.
One level and many doors later, the guard opened the door to room forty-four. From the light filtering into the room, Joe saw Jack lying asleep on a sagging single bed that had seen better days. Joe walked in and found the door was closed after him. He groped for the light switch, found it, and illuminated the room. Jack stirred.
Joe sank on the mattress, upsetting the balance and jerking Jack awake.
‘Dad!’ Jack smiled and sat up. He put his arms around his father in a deep hug. ‘Dad, I’m scared.’
‘No, Jack, you are the bravest boy I’ve ever
known. I’m only sorry I dragged you into this.’
‘You didn’t drag me. I did this of my own free will,’ he replied, his voice slightly muffled.
‘Still, I need you to forgive me. I’ve let my work get in the way of our relationship,’ Joe said. ‘If ... I mean, when we get out of this, I’m going to quit work, and we are going on an extended vacation. How about backpacking in Australia?’
Jack looked at his father. ‘Really?’
‘Yes, it’s only us two now. So it’s a deal? Australia?’
‘Yeah.’ Jack braved a smile.
‘Not as fun as camping near Brunswick of course.’
Jack rolled his eyes. ‘Whatever.’
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The sound was deafening as the Puma HC1s took off, carrying the twelve elite Special Force’s soldiers on their way to the target. There was no practice. No second chances. Whatever happened, there wouldn’t be an oilrig to speak of in one hour. They flew low, masking the sound of their approach as long as possible before the aircraft would incline steeply and hover above the platform.
Major Foster sat among the men in the cabin, holding a sniper rifle, dressed all in black and wearing a balaclava and goggles to protect his face from the biting wind. As they approached, he would take out any hostiles stupid enough to poke their heads out to see what the commotion was.
The twelve were hooked to the aircraft on long nylon rope, which would be dropped along with their anti-tangle bags as soon as they hovered above the platform.
‘One minute, coming up on target,’ the copilot shouted in his ear.
Each of the team members donned their respirators and prepared themselves mentally for what was ahead. Bob and Jim would fire smoke and tear gas into the drop zone, while the others jumped.
The pilot pulled the aircraft into a steep incline. At the apex of the climb, he leveled out and hovered above the platform. Foster was ready, scanning the area with his sight and one open eye. He saw a target and without hesitation aimed and took the shot. ‘Yankee down,’ he yelled.
Bob and Jim in their respective Puma HC1’s fired tear gas and smoke onto the decking. The smoke billowed, distorting views of the aircraft, as the teams sailed to the ground and immediately released themselves.
Regrouping, they took initial tactical positions and then moved forward to their entry points, engaging two Yankees who were outnumbered and fell where they stood. The upper-level team divided and two ran to a metal stairwell leading up to a wooden cabin set on stilts.
Pausing either side of the closed doorway, one grabbed a flash bang and released the pin as his teammate used a heel to kick the door open. The flash bang grenade was flung inside, and seconds later a blinding light erupted from the room followed by a deafening bang. Immediately, the two outside entered scanned the cabin and dispatched two Yankees who had been disoriented by the commotion.
Sirens wailed in the distance as Jack and Joe sat eating a meager meal of cold chicken. Jack rushed to the small window in the room and looked out. He received a shock when he saw a helicopter fly past the window. He craned his neck to see what was happening and caught a glance of men in black.
‘They’re back Dad!’ he shouted excitedly.
‘Who are?’
‘The men in black. Delta Force.’ There was no mistaking them.
‘Jack, listen to me carefully,’ Joe said, suddenly worried. ‘We have to stay here. Let them do their job.’
Jack nodded still smiling, unaware of his father’s unease.
Their guard opened the door. ‘Stay here,’ he ordered, and then closed the door, locking it behind him.
‘I wasn’t going anywhere anyway.’ Joe smiled wryly, secretly hopeful of rescue.
Jack paced the small bare room, anxious to get out when they heard the door open again. Scorpio stood there out of breath and white faced, brandishing a pistol and holding S.E.A.R.Ch. Karl stood behind him.
‘We’re getting out of here. Move!’ He ordered.
The two did not argue and walked into the hallway. Scorpio pushed them forward, hurrying them into a run.
They ran a route clearly known to Scorpio. ‘Left. Right. Straight!’ he shouted as he hurried them along.
As they turned left, they stopped dead in their tracks as two men in black ran towards them. Scorpio grabbed Joe and Karl held Jack.
The men stopped, and Jack heard a muffled shout. ‘Visual on the X-rays and Yankee One. X-rays being used as human shields.’
Jack did not hear a reply and was shocked to see the men back away and turn a corner.
Scorpio and Karl moved forward, pushing Jack, along with his father, to the next corner. The two Special Forces soldiers stood covering them with weapons a short distance away. The lights suddenly went out along the corridor.
But Scorpio had reached his goal and slammed open a fire exit. The group piled onto a gangway and Joe, and Jack were pushed along it. Karl ordered Jack to climb first, and Joe followed with Scorpio behind.
At the top, Jack looked around to see the two men again; one of them giving him a thumbs up. All around, explosions rocked the helipad, smoke belched great plumes, and something stung his eyes causing tears to stream down his face as he coughed and spluttered. But still, Karl pushed him on. Scorpio dragged Joe with him the few meters needed to reach the lifeboat, a gun held firmly to his head.
Out of the smoke, silhouettes emerged. More men in black moved silently, their weapons trained on the group, laser sights and torches creating streams of light through the smoke.
Scorpio managed to open the door to the lifeboat and was about to step inside when Joe elbowed him sharply in the stomach and attempted to run. Scorpio however, was too quick. He grabbed Joe by the arm, swung him round to face him and fired blindly.
‘No!’ Jack screamed. He furiously brought the back of his head into Karl’s face, breaking the older man’s nose with a gush of blood. Karl released him in agony.
Jack moved quickly, and summoning all his strength he hurtled towards Scorpio, bent his head down into a football tackle, and collided with all the force he could muster into Scorpios stomach. The big man doubled up, dropped S.E.A.R.Ch to the deck and staggered backwards, smashing into the lifeboat’s control panel. Thrown by force, he tripped on a loop fastener sunk into the deck and hit a barrier, which collapsed with a loud crack of rusting metal. Scorpio screamed, his eyes wide, the realization that certain death was imminent. He plunged into the sea, followed closely by the lifeboat which smacked into the water with a loud crashing of waves and spray.
Jack fell to knees and barely heard the multiple shots behind him. When he looked, he saw Karl slumped in a heap, dead. He was dazed, and everything seemed in slow motion as he crawled towards his father who lay on the hard metal of the platform, bleeding. He had barely reached his father when men in black surrounded them, knelt down and covered their arcs. Jack heard a voice shout: ‘Recall the choppers! We have an X-ray down.’
Jack heard a female scream. Knowing at once it was Natalie; he glanced up to see her being dragged by the hair. She was forced to kneel, as one of the troop applied Plasticuffs to her wrists.
‘Get off me!’ she wailed.
She was ignored and pushed to the ground, bruising her face as she fell.
A few moments later Jack heard the whine of a helicopter descending just in front of him. He was dragged to the opening in the side and pushed in, where more hands hauled him inside. He saw his father being lifted and quickly carried to the helicopter. Six Delta Force jumped in after them, and the aircraft began to rise. Not long afterwards as they travelled away from the rig, Jack heard two massive explosions. His brain hurt so much he didn’t bother asking what they were.
Hours later, Jack lay in bed next to his father’s aboard the Navy Destroyer. His father had undergone surgery to remove a bullet from his abdomen. He had been told that the surgery had gone well and that his father should make a complete recovery. As much as this pleased him, he was still reeling in shock
from his stepmother’s betrayal, and unable to comprehend what had happened to Allie. Over and over again, he replayed the sound of her scream, of her body hitting the floor, and the sight of the ship sinking beneath the waves.
Major Foster entered the ward all smiles. ‘Hello, Jack, nice to finally meet you. How are you feeling?’
Jack smiled weakly. ‘Okay,’ he muttered. How could he ever begin to explain what he was feeling?
‘Well, perhaps this will make you feel a little better.’ He motioned to the doorway, and after a rapid clicking of heels, a head poked around the side of the curtain. Jack lay in his bed, his shoulders slumped.
‘Jack?’
He looked up. ‘Allie?’
She rushed towards him, flinging herself on the bed, and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.
‘I thought I’d never see you again,’ she sobbed, tears streaming down her face.
Jack pulled her tight against his chest. ‘Allie, I thought you were dead,’ he choked. ‘I really thought you -’
‘Shush.’ She pulled away and looked at him. ‘You look a mess,’ she said, trying to smile.
Jack chuckled, sniffing back his tears. ‘Have you looked in a mirror lately?’ He ran his finger across her forehead, over the bandage. ‘Are you ok?’
She nodded. ‘I am now,’ she said.
Major Foster strolled over to Joe and placed the laptop on the bed. Joe opened his eyes and looked first at the Major, and then the laptop.
‘What do I do with this, Professor?’ Foster asked.
‘Throw it over the side.’ he mumbled, before closing his eyes again.
The Major nodded. ‘Jack?’
‘Yeah?’
‘Want to do the honors?’ Foster winked.
Jack smiled a broad smile. ‘Sure.’
He slipped on his shoes, leaned over his father and kissed him on the cheek. Then, hand-in-hand with Allie, he followed Foster out of the ward and up onto the main deck.
S.E.A.R.Ch Page 14