by Jake Bible
“I don’t want to fight!” Kinsey shouted. “I want to know why you’re being such a dickhead!”
Thorne watched her for a moment then lowered his hands. “You really don’t know?”
“No!”
“It’s too soon, Kins,” Thorne replied. “Too soon for you to be out.”
“Too soon?” Kinsey asked, puzzled. “Too soon how?”
“Your recovery,” Thorne said. “You aren’t ready for the field yet.”
“How do you know what I’m ready for?” Kinsey asked, her hands on her hips, jaw stuck out defiantly.
“Because I’m Team leader of Grendel and it’s my job to know,” Thorne said.
“Daddy, I’m not a delicate fucking tea cup,” Kinsey said. “I won’t break. Not this time.”
Thorne rubbed his face and his whole body seemed to deflate.
“You have no idea how many people in recovery say that,” Thorne said. “You never trust a junkie to diagnose their own readiness.”
“So whendo you trust a junkie?” Kinsey asked.
“Never,” Thorne replied. “But you learn to deal with that.”
“Bullshit!” Kinsey shouted. “I’m not some horny sailor that got strung out on smack by a Thai whore! I’m not a fucking SEAL that came home to find his wife banging the neighbor and decided to dive into a bottle! I’m-”
“Different?” Thorne interrupted. “Every junkie thinks they’re different, Kins. Every single one. That’s what makes them exactly the same. You know why I’ve been cold and haven’t talked with you for a while? Because I could have written this conversation down word for word. It’s never different. Ever. At one point, I thought it would be, I thought giving you a job would get your head straight. But it’s been time away from the life that’s gotten your head straight. I don’t want to mess that up.”
“But it is messed up,” Kinsey said, getting her father’s face. “I act like it’s all good, but it’s not. Know what could help make it good? If instead of distancing yourself, you actually got involved. I could have used my father these past few months. I could have used your support, your friendship, your love. Instead, I got the ‘busy with work, we’ll talk soon’ emails and texts. You were too chicken shit to be there. You decided to just lump me together with all the other junkies and write me off.”
“I never wrote you off,” Thorne growled. “Not ever. You of all people should know that.”
“Oh, because you resigned when my blood work came back positive for amphetamines?” Kinsey asked, her head cocked, defiant. “This again? You resigned to save your own reputation, not to save mine.”
“You think that’s it?” Thorne asked. “It’s all of this! I brought you into Team Grendel to get you clean, to get you thinking straight. Then it all went to shit. We all nearly died. I couldn’t protect you.”
“I didn’t need you to. Risk of death is part of the job,” Kinsey said. “You shouldn’t have brought me in if you didn’t want me to be at risk.”
“It’s not that,” Thorne said. “It’s when we got home. When I dropped you off at Gunnar’s that last time…”
Kinsey watched her father for a minute then took his hand. He flinched at first, but relaxed into Kinsey’s grip.
“What is it, Daddy?”
“I dropped you off, drove two blocks, and watched a drug deal happen right there in the open,” Thorne snorted. “On a street corner in La Jolla. Thegood part of town.”
“It’s SoCal, Daddy,” Kinsey laughed. “There is no good part.”
“Yeah, I realized that,” Thorne said. “It just all hit me so hard. I’d lived in the insulated world of the Navy for my entire adult life. Drugs happened, people fell apart, but it was the Navy. There was structure; rules and regulations in place to handle everything. But there is none of that in the real world.”
“Okay, you aren’t wrong there,” Kinsey said. “I wish you would have just told me, instead of bailing. But it is what it is. However, that doesn’t explain the sudden assholeitis you came down with today.”
“We’re back in the routine,” Thorne replied. “Back with Team Grendel. And even though it is crazy, it still should have some of that structure. But it doesn’t. Even out here, even chasing monster sharks, there’re still drugs. I can’t shield you from them in real life or in our work life.”
“Oh, Daddy,” Kinsey laughed, hugging him tight. “You don’t have to worry about me. You want a deterrent from doing coke? Watch some of those videos down there. Ballantine should have the company sell that shit to the networks. Have kids watch that and they’ll stay off drugs forever.”
“So, I’m just being a stupid old man, is that it?” Thorne grumbled.
“No,” Kinsey said, pushing back so she could look him in the eye. “You’re just being a father worried for his daughter. Probably the most natural thing in the world.” She stuck a finger under his nose. “So don’t go AWOL on me again, got it? No more of that bullshit, frogman.”
“No more of that bullshit,” Thorne nodded then sighed. “I should probably apologize to Gunnar, huh?”
“Probably,” Kinsey said. “But later. Gun does some of his best work when he thinks people are mad at him.”
“He does?”
“That’s what Darren has always said,” Kinsey smiled.
They hugged again and then Thorne turned and hustled to the lower deck, ready to join Ballantine and Darren.
***
Max and Shane passed the joint back and forth as they sat in the crow’s nest, their sniper rifles resting across their laps.
“Gets ya right there,” Max said, pounding his chest, his eyes on Kinsey below.
“No shit, bro,” Shane replied after a long drag. “Those two, man. Too much love, too much pride.”
“That’s why we never argue,” Max said. “I hate you and have zero pride in myself.”
“Me too,” Shane said. “You are the bane of my existence.” He held up the joint. “And I try to cover my own self-loathing in a haze of the pot.”
“You two are idiots,” Lucy said as she climbed the ladder to them. She handed her .50 caliber rifle to Shane then punched him in the leg. “A father and daughter have a touching moment and you make fun of them? Jerks, both of you.”
“Oh, please, shooter,” Max said. “Those two have been practicing that dance our whole lives.”
“Longer,” Shane said, taking another drag. “If you consider the possibility of reincarnation.”
“I don’t,” Max said. “I’m a firm believer of one and done.”
Lucy sighed and smacked Max on the leg. “Shut up and move over.”
The brothers made space for her in the crow’s nest. Shane offered her the joint after he gave her rifle back, but she waved it off.
“I’m not as experienced as you two,” she said. “One toke and I’d be asleep. Or talking about reincarnation. Low tolerance.”
“You actually have a higher tolerance when you start out,” Max said.
“True fucking story,” Shane nodded, handing the joint to his brother. “Pot doesn’t act like other drugs. You can train your mind to use it, not abuse it.”
Lucy nodded down at Kinsey who stood by the railing and stared out at the transport vessel. “Try telling her that.”
“Sis? No, no, she was deep into the heavy shit. Heroin, meth, pills,” Shane said. “We don’t touch that. Barely drink.”
“Except for a good beer or glass of wine,” Max said. “Organic preferably.”
“And we keep this away from her,” Shane said, taking the joint back from Max. “Only smoke if we’re up here in the crow’s nest.”
“Yeah, we could totally hotbox the whole ship if we lit up below deck,” Max said.
“Which would be an interesting thing to try,” Shane added.
“Are you two hippies or SEALs?” Lucy laughed.
“We are complex men with complex tastes,” Max smiled as he licked his thumb and forefinger and put out the joint then tucked it in
to his pocket.
“Speaking of complex,” Shane said. “Looks like things are about to get going.”’
***
The ships steamed to a stop and all dropped anchors. Darren watched as Ballantine and Espanoza faced off across the waters.
“He doesn’t look happy,” Darren said.
“He never looks happy,” Ballantine replied. “But he’s tolerable.”
“Wait? You know him?” Darren asked. “Who is this guy?”
“He’s corrupt, ruthless, and lacks compassion for anyone or anything,” Ballantine said. “He’ll slice your belly open in front of a crowd of people without batting an eyelash. And no one will question him for it.”
“Jesus,” Darren said. “That’s just great.”
“What’s great?” Thorne asked, walking up next to them.
“Ballantine was just informing me that the commander over there is basically a Mexican wolverine,” Darren said.
“Will he piss on everything he has just to make sure no one else will take it?” Thorne asked.
“Without hesitation,” Ballantine replied.
“Good,” Thorne said. “Those are the easy ones to deal with.”
Ballantine kept his eyes on Espanoza while Darren turned to look at Thorne.
“What was all that shit up there?” Darren asked. “You and Kinsey okay?”
“We are,” Thorne said.
“Not going to implode while we need you two to bring your A games, are you?”
“Have you ever seen me without my A game, Darren?” Thorne asked.
“No, I haven’t,” Darren said. “But there’s a first for everything.” He looked at the observation deck. “She going to be alright with all that coke down below deck? That’s quite a temptation.”
“I think she’ll be just fine,” Thorne replied.
“I never wanted her on this Team, remember?” Darren said. “You insisted.”
“I know,” Thorne said in a voice that stated the conversation was done.
“Well, this has been fun, but how about we get down to business?” Ballantine said, cupping his hands to his mouth. “Hello! Shall I come over there or would you prefer to meet on my ship?”
“My ship,” Darren said.
“Shut up,” Ballantine replied. “Captain.”
“We shall meet aboard your ship, Mr. Ballantine,” Espanoza shouted back. “I am looking forward to a brief tour.”
“As am I, senor,” Ballantine smiled then turned to Darren. “Lock the decks down. He only sees the briefing room.”
“He going to be okay with that?” Darren asked. “He did say he wanted a tour.”
“Then he’ll have to be disappointed,” Ballantine said.
***
Espanoza watched the videos of the shark attacks off the coast of Playas Rosarito. He nodded and sighed then turned to Ballantine who was seated at the conference table.
“I have seen all of these,” Espanoza said. “Why waste my time?”
“Because we believe the sharks may be on a cocaine binge,” Ballantine said. “Crazy, I know, but then I work for a company that specializes in crazy.”
“Cocaine?” Espanoza frowned. “You must be joking?”
“I enjoy a good ribbing as much as the next man, but not today,” Ballantine said. “People are dying. That is not funny to me.”
“How in the name of God could sharks be high on cocaine?” Espanoza laughed. “Areyou high on cocaine?”
“If I was, I wouldn’t tell you,” Ballantine said. “But I’m not.” He pointed at the monitors. “Those things are. You wouldn’t happen to know how that could be possible, would you?”
“The cartels have smugglers running up and down Baja,” Espanoza shrugged. “Perhaps the sharks found a sunken narco sub? Perhaps they each ate a tourist that had coca inserted in their rectums? There are many possibilities. None of them matter because the idea that sharks are high on cocaine is absurd, Ballantine. You are wasting more of my time with this fantasy.”
“Do you have a better explanation?” Ballantine asked.
“If I did then I wouldn’t be here, would I?” Espanoza glared.
“Neither would I,” Ballantine said. He gestured towards Thorne and Darren who were seated at the conference table. “Please tell us what has already been done to get the situation under control. And how we can help before we get down to what we do best.”
“We have evacuated the beaches and the waters along the coast,” Espanoza said. “No more people will die today. So there really is no need for your assistance.”
“Except that’s not up to either of us, is it, Ricardo?” Ballantine said.
“Commander,” Espanoza replied. “That is my rank.”
“I can see that by your pretty epaulets,” Ballantine grinned as he stood up. “Congratulations on your promotion. Never thought that would happen.”
“Ballantine…,” Espanoza warned, looking at his officers that stood by the wall of the briefing room. “Please show respect.”
“Look, Ricardo,” Ballantine said as he took Espanzoa by the shoulder. “The company has told me to cooperate with you. Your government has told you to cooperate with me. We both know what a farce this is, right? Let’s not pretend anymore. We do our jobs and go our separate ways when it’s all over, okay?”
“Yes, of course,” Espanoza said. “That is what I would like. Our separate ways.”
“Good,” Ballantine said as he let go of Espanoza and clapped his hands together. “Tell me more about this cocaine that could be up some tourists’ butts.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Espanoza replied. “I am here to deal with sharks. Sharks that a client of yours created.” He smiled at the brief look of surprise on Ballantine’s face. “It’s a small world, Ballantine. News travels fast in the naval circles. A private group takes out pirates and blows up a monster shark and you expect it to stay quiet? Not when that same group is then called in to be a thorn in my side.”
“A man can hope,” Ballantine said. “And I don’t think Commander Thorne here appreciated your use of that analogy.”
“Leave me out of this,” Thorne said, his arms crossed.
“I wish I could, Commander,” Espanoza responded, turning back to the videos on the monitors. “But while one man wishes, other men act.”
“So we can proceed to Playas Rosarito?” Ballantine asked. “Unmolested and unimpeded?”
“Why, of course,” Espanoza said. “Today we are allies.”
“Aren’t we always allies?” Darren whispered to Thorne.
“Great,” Ballantine said, looking over at Darren. “Captain? Please inform Chief Officer Lake to steam us down the coast.”
“We will accompany you the entire way,” Espanoza said. “As support.”
“We invite all the support we can get,” Ballantine said. “Isn’t that right, Commander?’
“Yeah,” Thorne said. “We invite it.”
“Anything you’d like to add?” Ballantine said, looking from Thorne to Darren. “Before we get going?”
“I’m good,” Darren said.
“I wouldn’t mind that tour now,” Espanoza said. “I have heard of the many special modifications made to your ship. It would be a privilege to see them first hand.”
“You have?” Ballantine laughed. “I’ll have to speak to my superiors about possible leaks. Unfortunately, I’ll have to offer a rain check on the tour until after our mission is completed. Wouldn’t want to waste more of your time, Ricardo.”
“No, of course not,” Espanoza said, offering no resistance. “I’ll return to my ship so we may lead you to the site.”
“And you believe they are still there?” Ballantine asked. “The sharks?”
“I know they are still there,” Espanoza replied. “I have made sure of it.”
“You have?” Ballantine asked. “How have you managed that?”
“We are feeding them,” Espanoza said. “They are fond of cattle.”
<
br /> “You’re feeding them?” Thorne exclaimed. “Are you insane?”
Espanoza bristled at the insult, but took a breath and let it slide.
“We are launching a carcass into the water every thirty minutes to see if the sharks have left the area. They have not. In fact, they seem to be staying put for now. Both of them.”
“Well, yeah, sharks will do that if you feed them,” Darren said.
“Just two?” Ballantine asked.
“Just two,” Espanoza replied. Ballantine frowned.
“Then why not blow them out of the water yourself?” Thorne asked.
“I have been instructed not to,” Espanoza said, glaring at Ballantine.
“We all have our orders,” Ballantine said.
“In some ways,” Espanoza said then nodded and left.
The Mexican officers followed Espanoza from the briefing room as Ballantine returned to the table and took a seat. He watched them go then turned his attention to Darren and Thorne.
“That was a little enigmatic. I wonder what that could mean,” Ballantine said. “In some ways…”
“Don’t know,” Darren said as he stood up. “I’ll let you two worry about that. I’ll be on the bridge with Lake.”
Darren left and Thorne looked at Ballantine then at the video monitors.
“We better be going to kill these fuckers, Ballantine,” Thorne said. “Not capture them. You hear me? Darren told me of your less than assuring chat. We blow these fuckers out of the water. I’m not putting my Team through Hell again.”
“Life is Hell, Commander,” Ballantine replied. “Sometime we get to choose which part we live in and sometimes we don’t.”
“Cut the fatalistic poetry,” Thorne snapped. “The techs have our gear ready?”
“They do,” Ballantine said. “I made sure of that before picking you up. Right now, though, I have them focusing on our little secret below.”
***
“Not that one!” Carlos yelled.
Short, squat, with a thin, black Mohawk, Carlos slammed his hand against the hull of the whale sub as he peered inside the cockpit. He wore a ratty t-shirt that once had the X-Men logo on it, but was so faded it was hard to make out. A roll of fat folded over the waist of his jeans and he absentmindedly tugged at the hem of his t-shirt to cover it.