Operation: Beach Angel

by Margaret Kay

  Lambchop took hold of the marine radio. “Equalizer calling Royal Flush, federal agents ordering you to slow for boarding.”

  No reply came. He repeated the hail.

  “Here, call it over the speaker. We’re in range now,” the Master Chief said, flipping a switch so Lambchop would now transmit over the loudspeaker.

  Lambchop repeated his order. The yacht increased speed and Akana fired several shots in their direction. So much for the nonviolent approach. The old man pushed the throttle forward and came up beside the Royal Flush. Akana fired off a few more shots. They pinged the fiberglass hull of the Equalizer. Lambchop and Sloan returned fire, striking very close to Akana.

  Akana figured it wasn’t worth it. He ducked back into the safety of the interior of the cabin. He ordered his henchman to remain on the deck to watch the boat that pursued them. He went directly to the bridge.

  “What should I do?” The captain asked him.

  “We’ve got more than twice as much fuel as they do. We keep going. They’re not going to ram us and damage their own boat. They’ll run out of fuel and we’ll be in international waters. The authorities won’t be able to touch us,” Akana said.

  Back on the Equalizer, the men made ready to execute a high-speed boarding maneuver. Lambchop stood ready with a grappling hook attached to a rope he would toss over the rail of the Royal Flush to use to climb aboard. Mother manned the end of the rope. Sloan watched the curious henchman who looked like he was figuring out what they planned to do. He ducked into the cabin and out of sight.

  “Master Chief,” Lambchop yelled above the whine of the engine. “Bring us in and hold her as steady as you can.”

  “It’s Woody,” he yelled back. “You?”

  “Lambchop,” he replied. He pointed to each of his teammates and told the old-timer their callsigns.

  “Executing now,” Woody said.

  He eased the nose of the Equalizer into the wake thrown off by the Royal Flush. He inched closer to the other boat’s hull, coming alongside her. It was the smoothest damn maneuver Lambchop had ever seen. The other boat took no evasive action, probably didn’t know how close they were to them or the threat they posed.

  Lambchop threw the grappling hook. It grabbed onto the deck rail on the first try. He secured the rope to the deck under his feet, stretching it taut. He was in a lunge position, providing his body the best stability possible. Sloan took the end of the rope secured beneath Lambchop and he wrapped it once around himself and held it firmly, using his own weight to keep the line taut.

  Sherman held the rope and climbed onto the edge of the Equalizer. The spray from the wake hit him in the face. In classic Birdman fashion, he held the rope and launched himself towards the deck rail of the Royal Flush. Despite the pitching and rolling of the boat, he effortlessly pulled himself aboard and then crouched with his back to his teammates, drawing his weapon.

  Mother followed Sherman. Once he was aboard the target boat, Sloan released the rope. Then he too made the leap over to the Royal Flush, assisted by Mother. Lambchop would be last to board with no one securing the line. With his powerful upper body strength, he easily transferred from the Equalizer to the rope and then up to the rails of the Royal Flush, pulling himself up and over. Once squatted beside his teammates, Lambchop drew his weapon. Woody moved the cigarette boat away from the side of the Royal Flush but remained near.

  Lambchop held his .9mm in his grip, leading the way towards the back door, crouching low as he moved to remain hidden below the cabin windows. They moved quickly across the back deck, past the hot tub and the deck loungers, past the outside wet bar and dining table, coming up to the sliding doors.

  Just as they reached it, it slid open and the armed henchman rushed out, just as surprised to see them as they were by his sudden appearance. He hesitated a costly second. Lambchop grabbed hold of his weapon and threw him forward. He fell face-first onto the deck and came to rest up against the hot tub. His AR-15 remained in Lambchop’s hands.

  Mother was on the downed man fast. He disabled him even faster. Sherman came in beside him. Somewhere he’d found a rope. He bound the man’s hands behind his back and then hogtied his hands to his ankles. He and Mother then dragged the man to the side of the covered back porch where Sherman tied the rope to the deck rail to keep him secured there when he regained consciousness.

  They penetrated the interior without incident. Lambchop gazed around the opulent room. No one was in sight. The couches were black leather, the floors blonde wood. A staircase to the left led below deck to presumably the sleeping quarters, the one on the right led up.

  As they had no comms, they’d stay together. Lambchop motioned to the staircase on the right. Best to take control of the boat first. He took point and mounted the stairs. Mother was right behind him. Glancing back, he saw that Sherman and Sloan covered their six.

  He came to the top of the stairs. It opened into a large dining room lined with windows. The massive wood table that dominated the room could seat twenty people. Who needed a table that large? He crept forward, keeping himself concealed behind each of the intricately carved padded chairs as he advanced. At the front of the room was a door that was propped open. It led into the kitchen. From his vantage point, he saw no one within. Beside it was another staircase that led up. He assumed it would lead to the bridge.

  As he neared the stairs a woman carrying a small tray with a martini on it came out of the kitchen. She startled and stopped dead seeing him and the others. Lambchop raised his finger to his lips, shushing her. “Sh. Federal agents, we’re here for Akana,” he whispered.

  Her eyes flashed to the stairs.

  “Is he up there?” Lambchop whispered.

  She nodded yes. Mother moved in close.

  “How many people are back through there?” Lambchop asked.

  “Two cooks in the lower galley,” she whispered.

  “How many up top?”

  “Three. Mr. Akana, the captain, and one of his security detail.”

  Lambchop wasn’t sure if she was referring to the armed man they’d dropped out by the hot tub, or there was a second man. “And how many people below deck?”

  “Besides the cooks, a steward, and Mr. Akana’s new girlfriend.”

  New girlfriend? Already? Nevaeh’s body wasn’t even released from the coroner’s office yet. Lambchop made eye contact with the team. He pointed up and motioned two or three. He pointed below the kitchen and motioned two. Then he pointed below himself and motioned two more. He motioned to Sloan and to the woman. Sloan nodded.

  As Lambchop climbed the stairs, with Mother and the Birdman following, Sloan tucked the woman into the corner of the room below the stairs and stood beside her. “Please cooperate. Stay here and quiet. We’ll have him in custody shortly. No one needs to get hurt.”

  She nodded and then set the tray to the floor. She kept the martini in her hand though and drank it. Sloan wasn’t sure she was of legal drinking age. She looked like a teenager, but he wasn’t going to stop her.

  Lambchop neared the top of the stairs. He stayed crouched low. He came into a small vestibule. Doors on each side let out to the walkway around the deck. Through the window on the door in front of him, he saw the bridge. He saw the captain at the helm and Akana standing beside him. His view was limited. He couldn’t see if anyone else was in the wheelhouse. He motioned to the others that he saw two within.

  He and Mother came forward, still in a low crouching position. There wasn’t enough room to come to a full standing height and be concealed from the window. Lambchop counted out three, two, one on his fingers. They both stood. Mother threw open the door and followed Lambchop in.

  “Martin Akana, federal agents! You’re under arrest,” Lambchop announced as he crowded into the room, weapon trained on Akana.

  Akana pulled his gun but didn’t aim it. Lambchop held the AR-15 in his grasp. “Put it down. I’ll shoot!”

  Akana glanced between the two men. He held the gun up, his hands
in a surrendering position. “Whatever you have, it won’t stick,” he taunted.

  No one besides him and the captain were in the wheelhouse.

  Lambchop came forward and slammed him into the windowed wall. He took his weapon and patted him down. “This time it will.”

  Mother patted the captain down. Then he took the controls. He reduced the boat’s speed and initiated a wide turn to bring the boat back to the marina.

  “Who else is on this boat?” Lambchop demanded.

  Akana shrugged. “You got a warrant? Go look.”

  “Nevaeh Mahoa,” Lambchop said.

  Akana looked surprised for a second, then covered his reaction. “She’s not on this boat.”

  “That’s right, because she’s lying in the morgue. You put her there.” Lambchop charged.

  “Prove it,” Akana said.

  “Nevaeh is dead?” The captain asked, clearly surprised.

  “Shut up,” Akana warned.

  “Yes, she was strangled and left lying on the ground like a piece of trash,” Lambchop said.

  “Nevaeh was a sweetheart,” the captain said.

  “I said shut up!”

  “Not this time, Martin,” the captain said. “If he killed her, the proof will be in the safe in the master stateroom. I’m sure he’s already given her phone and her jewelry to the new whore who’s waiting for him in that bedroom. I was shocked to see a different woman come on board with him. Talk to the rest of the staff on the boat. Nevaeh was kind to all of them. They’ll all help you make a charge stick against him.”

  “You’re a dead man, Rafe,” Akana threatened.

  “We’ll get you into witness protection,” Lambchop told the captain.

  “You have my help either way,” the captain said.

  Akana shook his head at the captain, a wicked glare twisting his face. “You’ve just signed your own death warrant.”

  “Not this time,” the captain repeated. “There’s proof on the other murders he’s committed.” He paused and shook his head. “I can’t believe you killed Nevaeh.”

  Sherman stood in the vestibule. He kept his eyes moving outside of the windows. He saw movement to his left. A gunman came into view, gripping an AR-15 in his hands that was pointed at him. A split second after he saw him, the man crumpled to the deck, and he heard the far-off gunshot. The Equalizer was below him and slightly aft. Master Chief Woody dropped his right arm with his weapon to his side. Sherman threw a lazy salute his way. Then he went out onto the deck and checked the man. Damn! Woody hit him square in the chest. Sloan checked for a pulse. There wasn’t one.

  Lambchop poked his head out. “The captain is cooperating, liked Nevaeh. He’ll go below deck with you and Sloan to round up the other crewmembers and Akana’s new girlfriend from the master cabin. The captain said the rest of the crew will cooperate. Mother called it in. The local police and the Coast Guard will meet us back at the marina.” He glanced at the downed man. “I’ll be damned. He was one of the thugs who tried to mug Michaela and me the other night.”

  Ducking back into the wheelhouse, Lambchop threw Akana against the window again after the captain had followed Sherman down the stairs to return to the dining room. Lambchop leaned into his face and jammed his pistol against Akana’s temple. “I will ask you once only. Why did you kill Nevaeh Mahoa?”

  “This won’t hold up in court,” Akana whined.

  “I don’t care. I need to know.”

  “Dumb bitch couldn’t handle one simple assignment, get a whale to a game. She didn’t follow my instructions and then mouthed off to me about it and made excuses. I caught her coming out of his room. I think she preferred doing him to completing her assignment.”

  “There were two L. Johnson’s registered to arrive the same day, asshole. Your whale was the other who didn’t check in until yesterday, was late. I was the one who showed up on the fifteenth that Nevaeh made contact with. Nevaeh was a nice woman. I wish she would have asked me for help to get away from you.”

  When they arrived at the marina, with Master Chief Woody’s boat trailing them, Lambchop and Mother led Akana down to the back deck. The pier was busy with police, EMS, and the coroner. The captain hadn’t been lying. Thanks to him and the other crew members, they had evidence against Akana that they turned over to the local police regarding a multitude of crimes. Nevaeh’s phone was amongst the items that were turned over. They also had videos the captain had recorded of meetings between Akana and other criminals. He’d planted a camera and mic in the living room that Akana used for his meetings.

  “You overestimated our loyalty to you, Martin,” the captain said as the police put Akana in cuffs. “Nevaeh was more worthy of our loyalty than you.”

  Lambchop came in close to Akana. “Burn in hell.”

  Master Chief Woody approached as the four men from Shepherd Security disembarked. Lambchop reached his hand to him. “Nice shooting. Thank you for your help.”

  “It was fun,” Woody said. “I’m glad I could help.”

  “Sorry about the bullet holes in your boat,” Lambchop said.

  “No worries,” Woody said dismissively. “The Equalizer will be good as new with a little time in the shop.”

  Sloan presented his hand next. “Master Chief, it’s been a pleasure.”

  “The pleasure was all mine. You boys are good, would expect nothing less of anyone in the Teams. Even your jarhead friend performed admirably,” he said, nodding to Mother.

  Mother presented his hand. “Coming from you, I take that as a high compliment, Woody.”

  Sherman was the last to shake the old-timer’s hand. “I’ve never seen a boat run a highspeed boarding maneuver so smoothly.”

  The women approached and wrapped their men in embraces. Lambchop kissed Michaela and then made the introductions as well as apologized for the delay in their planned whale watching expedition.

  “I’m just glad you are all okay,” Michaela said, her arm still wrapped around him.

  “We can still get in a few hours looking for whales,” Annaka said. “But we need to leave now.”

  Lambchop invited Woody to go with them.

  “No thanks, boys. I see the whales daily.” He pointed to a forty-eight-footer that was tied up next to the Equalizer. Her name was the Counter Point. “That’s where I live. I take one of the two boats out daily and see the whales nearly every day. Enjoy your trip out.”

  He headed back down the pier towards his boats.

  The scientific research vessel, Wikiwa, fast canoe in Hawaiian, tootled out of the harbor. It was a stark contradiction to the velocity in which the Equalizer had departed. Lambchop breathed in the fresh ocean air as his eyes scanned the horizon, appreciating it for its beauty. His arms were around Michaela’s waist. He held her snuggly to himself, something else he appreciated.

  Annaka was in her element. She chatted with the research vessel staff, comparing humpback whales to belugas. Lambchop settled back in the seat and relaxed, purging the last of the adrenalin from his system. His eyes took in his teammates. Sherman and Sloan both held their wives as he did Michaela. He recognized the need for them to physically connect with the woman they loved. He was glad the action on the Royal Flush had taken place far from their sight. Brielle saw operations go down through viewing the mission feed, but neither Kaylee nor Annaka needed to be reminded what gunfire sounded like or what a man being killed looked like.

  Mother sat beside Annaka, watching her with much affection. Lambchop also saw the pride in Mother’s gaze as Annaka spoke with authority about whales. Yes, Lambchop was sure he’d be officiating their wedding ceremony soon.

  The boat slowed. Annaka and the vessel’s staff motioned to the port side of the ship. They all went over to the side of the boat. A mother whale and her calf were twenty yards away in the deep blue water. The calf was about fifteen feet long. They watched in amazement, the moves they made, flipper slaps to the top of the water, dives that lifted their giant tails into the air before disappearing be
low the waves, and resurfacings that caused excitement in all who viewed the display. Twenty minutes later they were joined by a male, a suiter, Annaka said. They stayed with the three whales for over an hour, observing them in near silence, each person taking in this amazing sight.

  On their way back to the harbor, they came across another mother humpback and her calf. Swimming with them was a dolphin and her calf. Watching the two species near each other was amazing. Nature really was remarkable. These were the ocean sights that the men never had the time to take in. Lambchop treasured this opportunity to appreciate the incredible sea life in this setting.

  “It is common for dolphins and whales to swim together and play. They are both social animals,” Annaka said.

  They slowed to a crawl and watched the four mammals for another half hour. They took in the grace of the creatures as they glided through the water, executed jumps, rolls, and dives. No one seemed in a hurry to leave the four of them. The whales and dolphins were the ones who ended the encounter by swimming back out to sea.

  The Wikiwa arrived back in the marina just as the sun began to dip into the ocean. The eight of them remained there at the lookout point at the water’s edge, watching the sun as it inched its way into the sea, setting the water ablaze with orange reflections.

  Lambchop held Michaela in front of himself, his arms snaked around her. She leaned into him as they watched the sun’s final plunge beneath the waves. “God is that beautiful,” she whispered.

  He leaned down, his lips to her ear. “God paints a beautiful sunset.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “There is nothing better I can think of than taking in this incredible view with you in my arms for our last night here.”

  She turned and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I’m glad we saw this last sunset together like this after that incredible excursion to be so near the whales.”