The Turn of a Friendly Card

by Caribou Kid

Asked to take on an ONI mission to rescue an undercover agent in the People's Republic, Captain Crane recalls an eariler mission gone wrong and his journey to get himself and his unexpected companion to safety.

The Turn of a Friendly Card

Note: This is a companion piece to Hope is a Good Thing. Each story can stand on its' own, but I recommend reading Hope is a Good Thing first.

Commander Lee Crane, Captain of the submarine SSRN Seaview, stood quietly leaning over the chart table updating a recent course change on his chart. Smiling to himself, he still almost felt the need to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming that he had been given command of the greatest submarine in the world. Although he'd been at her helm for over a year now he still had a tough time believing his incredible luck; to have the fortune of commanding this vessel while working with his best friend and brother in all but blood, Chip Morton, and his esteemed friend and mentor Admiral Harriman Nelson, it all seemed too good to be true. He constantly thanked the Fates that they so favored him with his fondest desires.

He was pulled from his musings as Sparks, Seaview's radioman approached him. "Skipper, this just came in for you sir," he said as he handed Lee a slip of paper containing the coded message he had just received.

"Thanks, Sparks," he replied as he rose up from the chart table and took the paper from his hand. Chip looked inquisitively at Lee wondering what it could be. Lee glanced at the message and instantly recognized that it was in his private ONI code.

"Chip you have the conn," Lee said as he stepped away from the chart table and moved towards the spiral staircase that led up to his quarters. "I'll be in my cabin if you need anything."

"Aye, aye Skipper, I have the conn," Chip said acknowledging the shift in command as he glared disapprovingly at Lee. He also recognized the message had to be from ONI, no doubt requesting his captain and best friend once again enter the dangerous world of international espionage.

Lee gave Chip a small smile and shrug, and headed quickly up the stairs. ONI assignments were always a sore subject with Chip and he mentally started bracing himself for the impending explosion and lecture from his overprotective XO and self-appointed big brother. In all honesty Lee greatly appreciated Chip's concern for his well-being having never really experienced that growing up.

Entering his cabin, Lee walked to his safe opened it and extracted the small computer notebook inside loaded with his encryption/decryption program. He fired up the device, entered his passwords and then transferred the message into the program and hit 'enter'. The computer quickly ran through all its programmed algorithms and spit out the decoded message.

From: Admiral D. Thompson, Director ONI

To: Commander L. Crane, USNR

Subject: Retrieval of undercover agent in People's Republic

ONI has received a message from agent code name Copperhead requesting extraction from People's Republic ASAP. Copperhead has been in deep cover in PR village Solad for the past 10 years and fears that his cover has been compromised and has requested termination of his assignment. Copperhead specifically requests that agent Habu assist him in exiting the country.

Respond ASAP regarding acceptance of this assignment.

Lee read the message over a number of times finally sighing heavily. He would have to think this one over, his last interaction with Copperhead left him beaten and in the custody of the PR authorities. Although he couldn't prove it he had a distinct feeling that he had been betrayed by the agent nearly 8 years ago. Lee sat back in his chair, closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair; a sure sign that he was upset and greatly disturbed by the memories flooding back to him.

ooOOoo

'How could it have gone so wrong, so fast,' wondered Lt. Lee Crane, ONI operative, as he bounced around in the back of a step van trussed up like a Christmas turkey, beaten and bloodied and in the custody of the People's Republic Secret Police. His assignment was simple; contact agent Copperhead and retrieve information he had regarding a rumored secret weapons factory located near the small town of Solad. There was no directive to access the facility, appropriate plans or even destroy it, just determine if it was real and operational. Somehow whether by pure dumb luck or some slip that he had made he was arrested and interrogated resulting in his current condition and predicament. Not buying the story that he had come to town to try and find a job, they were now taking him to one of the PR secret facilities to delve deeper into why he was in Solad and who he REALLY was. He knew his outlook for continued existence was not good.

They had been driving for about 30 minutes as best Lee could guess but he had no idea what direction they were heading. The van bounced and wove across a washboard road rattling Lee like a BB in a boxcar as he pinged and caromed across the container as the vehicle moved along. Each jolt and dip made his ribs and head hurt even more as he made contact with some part of the van. Just as he was hoping the next shudder would knock him out, the van slowed and pulled to a stop. Within minutes the back door was opened for a new passenger. As he peered out from his place on the floor, he could see that it was now dark outside and they had stopped in the compound of some depressing institutional facility. It was cold out and with the doors open the chill invaded the container box even more making Lee shiver violently as all he had on was his t-shirt and jeans.

Shortly a young man was escorted out of the building and into the van. He looked to be in his early 20's, about 6 feet tall with curly black hair; he was thin and wiry with dark brown eyes. He climbed quickly into the van and smiled shyly at Lee as he sat down on the bench seat on the side of the van. The door was slammed shut and the truck pulled back onto the rutted road.

"Hello" the young man said in the local language. "My name is Peter Broje, what's your name?" he inquired innocently.

Lee stared at the man for a moment trying to figure out whether he was another prisoner, a guard or someone else. "Leonid," Lee responded cautiously.

"How come you're all tied up?" Peter asked.

Lee continued to stare at him as best he could with the truck pitching him back and forth across the floor with each bump and rut they hit. 'Was this guy for real?' Lee thought to himself. "I'm an escape artist and practicing my escapes but they tied the knots too tight." Lee replied somewhat sarcastically.

"Oh," Peter responded and then sat back against the van wall quietly for a while. "Are you going to the camp to start a new job too? I finally finished my training and I'm going to be a janitor. It's a really good job cuz there's lots to do and they give me a place to stay and food to eat."

"Yes, I'm going there to work as well." Lee answered. The more Lee listened to the young man the more it became apparent that he was mentally challenged and genuinely naïve about what was going on.

Peter continued to watch Lee struggle to get free on the floor. "Would you like me to help loosen the ropes so you can escape? I won't tell nobody I helped you so they think you did it all by yourself," he offered.

Lee smiled. "Yes, if you could help me just a bit I would really appreciate it. I would really like to surprise them when they come to open the box. You know, so I don't look so dumb."

Peter smiled broadly and nodded his head. "Yep that will show them you can do the job." He got down on the floor and loosened the ropes on Lee's wrists and ankles. Lee quickly divested himself of his bonds and sat up rubbing his wrists.

"Thanks, you're a real friend."

Peter smiled even wider. "You're welcome. I like to help people."

Apparently no one was monitoring what was going on in the back of the van or just didn't care because nothing was done to re-tie Lee now that he was free. The truck continued on its way down the heavily rutted road jarring the occupants in the back as it hit each pothole.

"So, you know where we're going," Lee inquired.

"Not really," Peter replied. "I'm going to be a janitor at a camp way out in the country is all I was told. They said I would have to live out there and couldn't come back to the school again. I'm kind of sad about that cuz all my friends are at the school and they said I would never see them again. But we're friends now, right?"

Lee smiled slightly. "Yes, we're friends now. I really appreciated your help. So what kind of school were you at?"

"It is a special school for people that have trouble learning. We go there to learn to do jobs so we can give something back to the People's Republic for taking such good care of us." Peter replied apparently reciting whatever mantra they instilled into the students.

"Oh, well that's good. Everybody wants to be useful," Lee replied.

"Yes. I was lucky to get into the school. I used to go to regular school and then I had a accident that hurt my head and I have a hard time remembering stuff now."

"I'm sorry you were hurt, but I'm glad you got into the school so you could be here to help me," Lee said with a smile.

Peter's face lit up with a smile. "Me too." Peter went on to tell Lee all about his injury, how he and his father had worked on the fishing boat Sawfish, and about his mother, brothers and sisters, his pet dog, his home town Cordessa, who his best friends were at the school, his favorite and least favorite teachers and just about any other fact about his life that he could remember. Lee listened attentively not necessarily because he was interested but it kept his mind off of his sore ribs, pounding headache and how cold it was getting inside the van.

The truck continued to lurch and roll down the road, Lee guessed they had been driving for over 3 hours now so the facility really was remote. Suddenly there was a loud pop and everything went topsy turvy. It became immediately apparent that the driver had lost control of the vehicle as it veered violently back and forth across the road slamming the men in the back against the container walls. The next thing Lee and Peter knew they were in mid-air as the van started going over sideways and began rolling down the side of a steep hill.

They both pitched and rolled inside the box bouncing off the sides, roof and floor of the box and each other during the precipitous descent. It seemed as though there would be no end to the dizzying tumble and painful contact with the van surfaces. Then just as it had begun, the motion suddenly stopped as the truck slammed into some large rocks at the bottom of the hill. Lee and Peter likewise slammed into the sidewall of the van and slid limply to the floor.

Lee laid there stunned and in agony unable to bite back the groan of pain when he tried to move. As he slowly gathered his wits he looked over to see where Peter was. From the position of his head and neck it was quite obvious that Peter had not survived the accident. Lee felt a pang of regret for his new friend but at least it was over quickly and he didn't suffer.

The force of the accident popped open the rear doors giving Lee an avenue of escape. As he tried to move towards the door his body screamed in pain, letting him know he had broken ribs and had added bruises upon bruises to his previous injuries from his interrogation. He was bleeding from cuts to his head and arms and the waves of nausea and vertigo when he moved told him he had also added a concussion to his growing list of woes. Steeling himself against the pain he hauled himself up to his knees and crawled slowly towards the open door. The cold fresh air gave him a much needed jolt of clarity as he pulled himself into the open.

Dragging himself out away from the van he got a look at the entire vehicle for the first time. The cab had been completely flattened in the roll down the hill and both the driver and the passenger had apparently been killed as well. The hillside was steep, covered in long grass, scraggly shrubs and rocks making it a very difficult climb especially in his current condition. On the downhill side was a large stream with a very treacherous stretch of rapids flowing past the now demolished van. There was no path for escape there.

Lee lay back on the ground and rested for a moment catching his breath following his agonizing exit from the van. It was still dark and he looked up into the clear black sky taking in the stars. If he weren't hurt and cold it would have been a beautiful sight. After a few moments he sat up, the wave of nausea hit him hard and he threw up what little was still in his stomach. His ribs screamed each time he heaved leaving him drenched in sweat and shivering even more in the cold night air. When the last bout of nausea had subsided he got back on his knees and cautiously pushed himself up to his feet. Bracing himself against the van he moved forward towards the cab to check on the occupants and see if there was anything he could salvage to help keep him warm.

Reaching the cab, it became immediately obvious that he wouldn't be able to get anything out. The doors were jammed shut and the top of the cab had been completely compressed onto the occupants inside. Lee turned and slowly worked his way back to the container. Looking back inside his gaze fell on Peter's body. He had on a heavy black wool coat and a pair of sturdy work boots; those two articles of clothing were going to be the only things available to ward off the cold. Lee crawled back into the box and gently removed the jacket and boots from Peter's body. "Thanks again, friend," Lee said quietly to Peter placing his hand softly on the top of his head. He then gingerly pulled on the jacket and boots. Lee sat back against the wall of the container box exhausted from all the exertion; he pulled his knees up towards his chest, and crossed his arms on top of his knees. He lowered his head against them then passed out.

ooOOoo

The first thing that registered in his mind as he slowly moved to consciousness was that it was warm. Next thing he became aware of was the soft mattress beneath him and the antiseptic smell common to hospitals. Lee shifted slightly on the bed and was greeted by a sudden rush of pain as his battered body announced it was not happy with the treatment it had been subject to recently. Lee gasped aloud surprised by the jolt of pain and unable to bite back his reaction.

"Peter. Can you open your eyes for me Peter," a voice called to him.

Lee's mind worked furiously to recall who and where he was. 'Why are they calling me Peter,' he wondered. Lee slowly forced open his eyes finding himself in a small infirmary. There was an older man standing next to his bed, no doubt the individual that thought he was Peter.

"Very good, Peter. Focus on me now okay."

Lee stared intently at the blurry figure in front of him as he fought to focus his gaze. He blinked slowly a couple of times when finally everything became clear. He was on an ONI assignment under the name Leonid Ustinov. He had been arrested by PR Secret Police in Solad and was being transported to some secret interrogation facility to extract whatever information they thought he might have. Along the way they had picked up a young man named Peter who had completed training at some state-run Vo-Tech facility for mentally challenged individuals and was going to be working as a janitor at the same facility. 'But why were they calling him Peter,' he wondered.

Lee's head hurt and he was having a tough time concentrating on anything. He pondered the question at hand for a moment then it dawned on him, he had taken Peter's coat to stay warm and it must have had his identification papers in one of the pockets. They were similar in height and build and had the same curly black hair so with the guards dead and no one left to identify him it would be a natural assumption that he was Peter. It was far better to be Peter than Leonid at this moment in time.

"Peter," the doctor said more sternly. "Focus on me! I need to ask you some questions."

"Okay," Lee replied meekly.

"Good. Now can you tell me your name and what you were doing?"

"My name is Peter Broje and I was riding in a truck to go to my new job when all of a sudden it started rolling over and over and over down a hill. Once it stopped I hurt all over. I hit my head and my sides on the inside of the truck. I met a new friend named Leonid in the back of the truck. After everything stopped moving I couldn't get my new friend Leonid to wake up. Is Leonid okay?" Lee plastered his most innocent, wide-eyed expression on his face as he gave his response.

"I'm sorry Peter, Leonid was hurt very badly in the accident; he was killed," the doctor replied as he looked into Lee's eyes and gaged his responses.

"Killed? My friend Jorge was killed at the school, I never got to see him no more. Are you a doctor?" Lee inquired.

"Yes Peter. I am Dr. Petrov. Now can you tell me how you feel?"

"I hurt all over. I hurt when I breathe and when I move. My head really hurts bad." Lee replied quietly trying to mimic the same speech patterns Peter had used. "Kind of like when I had my accident."

The doctor turned to the metal tray behind him and picked up a syringe and small vial. He inserted the needle into the vial and drew off a measured dose. Turning back to Lee he injected the medication into his IV. "I'm giving you something for the pain and it will help you sleep. I want you to just relax, okay."

Lee eyed the doctor warily as he injected the drug into his IV. "Kay." He could feel the narcotic almost immediately as the pain knifing through his body dulled significantly. He yawned and felt himself slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

Dr. Petrov moved away from Lee and over to a man dressed in a military uniform at the other end of the room. "Well he's got a concussion, a couple of broken ribs and a lot of bruising. He's mentally aware of who he is and what happened, so he should be fine. He should be able to do light work in a week or so if you want to wait or we can send him back and call for another student from the school."

"I think we can wait. It was hard enough getting him through the training and he was the best of the group."

"Very well, Colonel Kasperov; I'll let your aide know when he is available for work."

ooOOoo

Lee spent the next week confined to the bed. There was one nurse who insured he ate his meals and took his medication and Dr. Petrov stopped by each day to check his progress. By the end of the week the doctor felt that he could get up and do limited chores like pushing a broom or mopping the floors in the infirmary as long as he didn't lift anything heavy.

After two weeks, he was medically cleared and was taken around the facility and shown his duties. The complex was large with several subterranean levels. The facility was in fact a secret interrogation prison maintained to extract information from enemies of the state. There were numerous cells some of which were occupied by foreign agents or other people of interest from different countries, as well as citizens of the PR that were considered dissidents and threats to the state. The screams and cries for mercy Lee heard emanating from behind the closed doors chilled his blood as he was led through the facility.

As a lowly janitor with not much going on upstairs, Lee had virtually unchecked access to every section of the prison. His responsibilities included cleaning up the cells and helping remove the bodies of those who were terminated when no longer of value or died during the course of interrogation. He also was required to clean the offices and labs of the officers, doctors and agents working at the facility.

The facility staff were inherently amoral practicing their trade with no concern for the men and women they tortured and destroyed in their quest for information. No one he encountered seemed to have the least shred of conscience or care for the human beings being abused whether they were directly involved in the torture or not. Lee was sure that they were much like the Nazi's during World War II working to eliminate the Third Reich's undesirables. The people working here made Dr. Mengele look like a rank amateur.

Had Peter actually made it to this place he would have been the only true innocent. Lee thanked Peter endlessly for his sacrifice and the Fates for the turn of a friendly card in his game of life otherwise he would be occupying one of those cells, subjected to the horrors doled out by these demons. He was also eternally thankful that Peter had been spared the exposure to all this pain and evil.

So began Lee's life as a custodial engineer, cleaning up after the vilest individuals on the planet. Until he could figure out where he was and how he could get away from the facility he was safest playing dumb and pushing a broom.

ooOOoo

The first month at the facility was nerve wracking as Lee expected at any moment to be discovered as an imposter and stuffed unceremoniously into one of the waiting cells. He counted his lucky stars that he had listened to Peter as he recounted his life to Lee as he was quizzed from time to time by the doctor and Colonel Kasperov about his experience at the school, the people he encountered there and to a lesser extent his family. As time passed and the staff grew more accustomed to his presence, Lee became more and more invisible. The staff became dismissive of his presence and even began discussing their work openly in front of him revealing many of the secrets Lee had initially been sent in to discover.

As the janitor Lee gained access to the security center as he mopped floors and emptied waste baskets he learned where the cameras and other security monitoring systems were located. He was able to get copies of the timetables for the changing of security shifts and was able to determine when he would have the greatest chance of moving around the facility undetected. He became intimately familiar with the motor pool facility and where vehicles and keys were stored. When his opportunity to escape presented itself he would be gone before anyone ever noticed he was missing.

Time passed excruciatingly slowly as everything settled into a monotonous routine. What disturbed him the most was how these people all went about their tasks so routinely, especially those who tortured the poor unfortunate souls locked up at the facility. He wondered how anyone could become so desensitized to the pain and suffering they caused or witnessed.

He was now into his third month at the facility and each day there sickened him more as the death toll rose. Given his nearly unchallenged access to any area in the facility Lee set about plotting its destruction and freely moved from section to section evaluating how best he could erase this place from the face of the earth. As part of the janitorial staff he had ready access to chemicals and other agents that in the proper proportion and with the correct initiating agent would result in a cataclysmic blast and fire that would reduce the facility to cinders and eradicate the evil inside. He began surreptitiously assembling his bombs in out of the way corners of the facility so he would be ready when the time came.

This was the loneliest assignment he had ever had especially as he sat in his room at night after all his chores were done. He had no friends or anyone to really interact with, no one spoke to him other than to issue an order or request more paper towels in the lavatory. No one cared what he did after his shift or sought him out to do anything like watch a movie or just hang out; not that he really wanted anything to do with people working here. He had missed his extraction date by more than two and half months and everyone he knew back home must now consider him dead, not that there were many to do so.

Lee had no real family having been orphaned when he was 3 and growing up as a ward of the state. He thought fondly about his best friend and surrogate brother Chip Morton, his roommate for four years at the Academy. Chip and his family had "adopted" Lee almost from day one including him happily in their clan and giving him his first taste of what a nurturing family life was like. Lee figured at least Chip would care that he hadn't come home and probably miss him as much as he missed Chip. It was a small consolation but he clung to it tenaciously.

He used to reminisce over his time at the Academy and then his time aboard the Nautilus with Captain Nelson. Lee enjoyed those times as some of the best in his life but soon stopped dwelling on them as it left him feeling more depressed and even lonelier.

To keep his mind occupied and to better pass the time Lee also set about collecting the information extracted from the 'guests' incarcerated at the facility. Using the ventilation duct system he managed to move unseen throughout the facility and gain access to the offices and labs at night when everyone had left. He downloaded their data onto purloined thumb drives which could easily be taken with him when it came time to leave. Should he actually succeed in getting out of this situation his intelligence would prove very valuable to ONI and other agencies.

For the most part each day seemed much like the last until suddenly there was a great deal of excitement about the impending arrival of a new prisoner for interrogation. Apparently the PR had managed somehow to capture a US military officer who had extensive information about weapon systems and weapons research being conducted by the military. The interrogators spoke excitedly about what types of information they could expect to extract and discussed almost casually what would be the best methods to pull it out of their reticent captive. Knowing he could not allow the PR to get this information, Lee began making preparations to carry out his plans and make his escape.

ooOOoo

The facility was abuzz with excitement awaiting the arrival of their new prisoner. The degree of anticipation and delight sickened Lee and he had to fight hard to keep the disgust he felt for them from showing on his face. When he learned the date and time of the mystery guest's arrival Lee would make sure he was near the entrance when the van arrived and the prisoner was escorted to his cell so he could see who the new guest was.

As the appointed arrival time neared Lee heard the commotion outside his room and knew the new prisoner had arrived. He quickly exited his room and moved near the main entrance to get a glimpse of the new arrival. Lee found a place in one of the doorways along the main corridor and stood back casually watching the procession of people rush to the front door. As he watched, the van backed up to the main entrance, the doors were thrown open and Rear Admiral Harriman Nelson was dragged unceremoniously from the van and down the corridor to one of the empty cells. He was in much the same condition Lee had been in when he was first stuffed into the van in Solad. Nelson had quite obviously been beaten as was evidenced by the bruises on his body and the dazed unfocused look in his eyes.

Lee stood there gaping as the Admiral went by; frozen in disbelief and shock as he watched his Academy instructor and former commanding officer dumped into one of the cells. So stunned by this revelation he was totally unaware that he was being addressed by Colonel Kasperov.

"Peter! Are you listening to me," Kasperov said loudly finally breaking into Lee's temporary catatonia.

Lee stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment or two before his mind finally engaged. "Uh, yes Colonel, sir."

"What are you doing here this time of night, this is not your shift if I recall correctly."

"Um, no Colonel I just couldn't get to sleep so I decided to go for a walk and then maybe I would get tired," Lee replied.

"Go back to your quarters now. You know you're not supposed to be roaming about the facility unless you're on duty, do you understand?"

Lee lowered his eyes as though he were ashamed to be caught doing something he shouldn't. Trying his best to look and act like a whipped puppy Lee cowered under the unrelenting gaze. Looking up shyly through his eyelashes he responded, "Yes Colonel I'll go back to my room right away. I'm sorry, I won't do it again." He turned and walked quickly back down the hall towards his room feeling the Colonel's eyes boring through his back as he left.

Returning to his room, Lee lay down on his bunk and stared up at the ceiling. There was no way he was going to let those bastards get their hands on the Admiral if he had anything to say about it. He could no longer wait for an opportunity to present itself to escape, he had to take the initiative and create the diversion necessary to make his break. The challenge of carrying out his escape was now complicated by the need to liberate Admiral Nelson and get him out as well. In his mind Lee began working through all the schedules and routines at the facility to pick the best time to make his break.

If they held to past practices they would leave the Admiral alone for the rest of the night before they began their interrogation in earnest. They usually started with physical torture and if that proved to be ineffective they moved on to drugs. He had to get him out before they could destroy his mind with their poisons so he had to move within the next 48 hours. Unfortunately he would have to let them have a go at him before he would be able to carry out his plan.

ooOOoo

As morning dawned Lee began assembling everything he needed to make good his escape. He first moved to the motor pool and while emptying their trash managed to grab the keys to one of the passenger vans and a gate pass-key that would let them out of the compound. From there he moved to the Administration office and collected maps and a satellite phone that he could use to contact ONI once they were away from the facility.

Lee next went to the laundry and purloined a PR officer's uniform and some blankets to keep the Admiral warm and comfortable once they were on the road. He then visited the galley and got extra food and water for the trip along with a couple of knives to use as weapons and moved on to the infirmary to gather first aid supplies he'd need to take care of the Admiral's injuries. As he acquired each item, he placed them in the bottom of his trash cart under the growing load of garbage. He stopped quickly at his room and pulled out the uniform and weapons and hid them in the ventilation shaft. He then pushed his cart down the main hallway and exited outdoors making his way to the large dumpster via the motor pool where the vans were parked. He quickly unlocked his chosen van and hid his stash of supplies in the back then continued on his way to the dumpster to empty his trash.

Lee quickly finished up the rest of his chores for the day and retired to his room. He opened up the grate on the vent shaft and hoisted himself inside. He moved stealthily to the interrogation room where Nelson was being questioned. As he neared the room he slowly moved forward until he could just see inside hopefully without being seen.

The Admiral was standing in the center of the room his arms secured firmly above his head to a metal bar suspended by a chain from the ceiling. His wrists were torn and bleeding from struggling against the shackles, his face was severely bruised and he was sporting a split lip. His back bore welts and tears from the whips, his chest and arms had numerous cuts inflicted by thin sharp blades and his torso was now starting to show deep dark bruises from the blows he received. The interrogators had brought out all their 'toys' in their attempt to pry information out of their prisoner. It was plainly obvious the man was in agony yet he refused to give into the pain and reveal what he knew.

Lee could barely stand to look on the man he admired so much and wondered how he could remain silent given the abuse he had absorbed. His eyes had taken on a dull animal-like quality as he obviously was employing pain management techniques to endure the punishment heaped upon him. During an apparent lull in the activities, the Admiral raised his head scanned the cell and briefly seemed to lock eyes with Lee behind the vent grate. Startled by the move, Lee quickly slid back a bit in the shaft to avoid further detection.

In a last ditch effort to break the Admiral, his tormentors threw a bucket of water over his him. Nelson could no longer bite back the cry of agony as the water invaded the wounds and ratcheted up the pain level exponentially. Lee guessed that the water was probably salted and he had to bite back a cry of outrage as every fiber in his body demanded he burst into the cell and eviscerate the interrogators where they stood.

"Call for the janitor and get this room cleaned up," said the lead inquisitor.

Lee's head shot up at that. He had to get out of the shaft and back to his room as quickly as he could before it was discovered he was missing. Silently he backed his way out of the shaft and started the trek back to his quarters. Just as he dropped to his bed and shut the grate he heard footsteps echoing down the hall. Lee crawled quickly into bed and feigned a tormented sleep to cover the flush from his recent rush of activity. Lee thrashed about as though caught up in a horrific dream calling out to his friend Leonid to wake up. When the light in his room was flipped on Lee sat up suddenly with a start, perspiration streaming down his face, eyes wide in fright as he struggled to wake up from his 'dream'.

"Get up," demanded the guard. "There's a cell that needs to be cleaned up immediately."

Lee rubbed his eyes, rolled out of bed and moved quickly to put on his shoes. He didn't say a word but just stared at the man blankly and put all his effort into keeping from killing him where he stood.

"Get your mop and bucket and meet me in the interrogation wing," he snapped at Lee.

"Kay, I'll be there right away sir," Lee responded meekly as he moved to exit the room and go to the cleaning supply closet.

The guard eyed Lee suspiciously as he passed by. "Why were you sleeping in your clothes?"

"Huh? Oh I was real tired after I finished my work and just wanted to lie down for a moment before dinner. I musta falled asleep," Lee responded quietly.

"Well you missed dinner, it's after 2000," the guard responded snidely taking a measure of pleasure in Lee's discomfort.

Lee blushed and looked down quickly to hide the look of desire on his face to take this man out. "Oh and I was real hungry too. Well I'll go get my stuff and meet you in the interrogation wing. Kay?"

"Be quick about it. I don't want to wait all night."

"Kay sir. I'll be right there," Lee responded as he almost ran down the hall towards the supply closet.

Lee quickly filled his mop bucket with sudsy water, grabbed his mop and rags and hurried back down the hall to the interrogation wing. The guard who had rousted him out of bed was standing in front of the cell he wanted cleaned. Lee scurried up to him and entered the room.

He was immediately taken aback as he found Admiral Nelson still strung up in the cell. His legs had given out on him and he was now suspended by his wrists. He was breathing raggedly as he fought to pull oxygen into his lungs. Usually the victims were removed from the cell before Lee was told to clean up unless they had died. Lee stood there gaping at him for a moment until he was brought out of his reverie when the guard spoke to him.

"Get this all cleaned up. Call out when you're finished." With that he slammed the door shut leaving Lee alone with Admiral Nelson.

Certain he was under observation Lee moved cautiously over to the Admiral. He reached out and lifted his chin to get a better look at his face. Grabbing the cleanest rag that he had Lee gently wiped the blood and spittle from the Admiral's face. He found a pitcher of water and dipped his cloth in it and dampened the Admiral's lips then set to carefully cleaning off the blood from his torso and arms. The Admiral was unconscious after the vicious treatment he had received and reacted to none of his ministrations. Lee couldn't hide his anguish over the condition of his mentor and felt tears of rage running down his cheeks.

So as not to draw too much scrutiny Lee next moved quickly to his task of cleaning up the cell. He mopped up the floor and wiped down the walls, table and chairs. All the while he spoke quietly to the unconscious Admiral hopefully letting him know he meant no harm and that he wasn't alone. Just as he completed mopping the floor the Admiral stirred briefly and his eyes opened for a short moment focusing on Lee. Lee quickly finished up his tasks and called out to the guard to let him out of the cell.

The interrogator was waiting for him in the hall as he exited the cell. He stared at Lee through narrowed eyes and scrutinized him closely from head to toe. "Why are you crying," he demanded.

"That man in there is hurt real bad. It makes me sad when people hurt," Lee replied averting his eyes.

"Who told you to touch the prisoner?"

"I just wanted to make him feel better, he was hurt all over. I tried to talk with him and wake him up but he wouldn't. He is still breathing so he's not like my friend Jorge or Leonid or the other people in the cells sometimes. I just wanted to make him feel better. I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Please don't be mad."

"Don't ever touch a prisoner again unless you are told to, got it!" the interrogator snarled at Lee. "Go put your stuff away and get back in your quarters, now!"

"Yes sir, right away. I'm sorry." Lee turned and quickly moved down the hall. He stashed his equipment and returned to his room. The fury and rage that was building in him over the treatment of Admiral Nelson was only contained by the slimmest of margins. He had to get control over his emotions or he would blow their chance to get out of there. Lee sat down on the edge of the bed and practiced several deep breathing exercises to rein in his desire to pummel the interrogator to death.

Lee lay back down on the bed and waited, he had a feeling that someone would be checking to see if he had returned to his room. Sure enough about an hour later he heard the door open slightly as someone perused his quarters to make sure he was where he should be.

Given the Admiral's condition Lee needed to move up his timetable before they decided to move to the drugs. He hoped the Admiral would remain unconscious for a while buying them both time. As long as he was out there was no value in pumping him with their noxious compounds because nothing could be garnered from an unconscious man.

ooOOoo

Lee was up early the following morning and moved rapidly to start in on his daily duties hopefully for the last time. He moved to the lower floors and began setting the timers to set off his bombs. His first devices would cut off power to the lights and other key systems, outside communications, and deactivate the electronic locks on the cells and hopefully draw security and managers into the bowels of the facility to investigate what was going on. By the time they figured out what was happening, the first in a chain of explosions would go off sealing them all to their doom.

He finished his assigned tasks early and returned to his room to finish preparations for their escape. Lee lay down on his bed and mentally replayed each step of his plan to ensure he had left nothing to chance when things started hitting the fan. Once he felt confident he'd accounted for every contingency he closed his eyes and tried to sleep, knowing he wouldn't be getting much rest in the next few days.

Lee's string of diversions was set to begin at 0200 about an hour before the shift change for the security staff. The current shift would be at their least attentive state and hopefully not catch on to what was happening too soon. Right on cue the lights flickered and dimmed in the facility then finally went out leaving only emergency lighting to illuminate the corridors. Once the lights faded a series of smoke bombs detonated in the power room on the lowest level of the facility drawing security and facility maintenance personnel down there to try and remedy the situation.

While they all focused on the problem with the lights, the electronic lock system on the cells winked off and as planned the security guards were focused elsewhere and totally missed it. Lee listened intently as he heard running footsteps and excited voices rush past his door and down the stairs into the depths of the facility. Once the corridor was quiet he donned the uniform he had purloined from the laundry then exited his room to the hall and strode purposefully towards the interrogation wing.

He approached the Admiral's cell and as expected found the door unlocked. He pulled it open and stepped inside to collect Nelson and make his exit from the building. Lee carefully pulled the Admiral into a seated position then as gently as possible eased him up and over his shoulder in a fireman's carry to get him out of the cell.

As Lee exited the cell with his precious cargo he was stopped by the strident voice of the interrogator. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" he nearly screamed at Lee's back.

Lee froze and slowly reached forward extracting the knife he had taken from the kitchen from his belt. He spun quickly and as he came to face the interrogator he let loose the blade embedding it deeply into the base of his throat. The look of total shock and surprise was almost gratifying to Lee as the son of bitch finally got a taste of what he had been subjecting his victims to for years. He stumbled backwards and fell to the ground gasping, his hands grasping at his throat but unable to extract the blade. Lee moved towards the downed man, turned on his flashlight and pointed the beam towards his face finding his eyes wide with panic as he slowly suffocated. Lee shone the light on his own face and saw the hint of recognition on the interrogator's face as he realized who has just taken him down.

As the interrogator's eyes finally closed the first of Lee's bombs detonated on one of the lower floors. He turned quickly and headed towards the door with his burden. He moved quietly down the hall and was able to exit the facility without encountering anyone else. He hurried across the compound to the van and opened the back doors. Lee carefully laid the Admiral down on the floor covering him with blankets and securing him as best he could for the rough ride to come. He then shut the door and moved up to the driver's door, opened it and climbed in.

Lee started the van and as he put it into drive and started moving forward, the next of his bombs went off, quickly followed by another. He drove rapidly to the main gate and used his stolen pass key to open it. The gate readily slid open and as he drove through his last two bombs detonated and the facility was completely consumed in flames. The concussive shock wave from the last explosion violently shook the van but he kept it under control and sped off down the road away from the raging inferno that was the facility.

ooOOoo

He drove as fast as possible down the rutted and damaged road putting as much distance between them and the now demolished facility. After about 2 hours he found a stand of trees on the side of the road where he could temporarily hide the van while he went back to check on Admiral Nelson's injuries. As he pulled to a stop and shut off the engine he sat motionless for a brief moment letting out a huge sigh of relief; step one complete. Lee took no pleasure in killing and deeply regretted the fact that the few inmates currently incarcerated at the facility had been killed but he felt no regret for those who willingly worked there. He once again silently thanked Peter for giving him the opportunity to be there to save the Admiral and eliminate that prison of horrors.

Shaking off his reverie Lee climbed out of the van and moved to the back to see to the Admiral. He did a quick check of his vitals; his pulse was strong and his respiration was regular but raspy. It didn't appear as if he had any head injury but probably had internal bruising if not bleeding judging by the dark discoloration on his chest and back. Lee broke out the first aid supplies and cleaned and wrapped the Admiral's shredded wrists, and likewise cleaned the knife and lash wounds on his torso and arms and applied clean dressings. He then dressed the Admiral in a large flannel shirt to hide the bandages and a pair of sweat pants to help keep him warm.

Lee next pulled out his pack with the maps and satellite phone. He opened the map and did a quick scan of the area to try and get his bearings. By his best estimation they were about 200 miles from the closest coastal town where they could get access to a boat and hopefully arrange pickup from a passing US submarine. Lee flipped on the phone and placed his call.

When Lee heard someone pickup on the other end he spoke. "Rattler this is Habu. Need extraction immediately."

After exchanging a series of signs and countersigns he soon found himself speaking with Admiral Masterson, head of ONI. "Habu, where the hell have you been?" came the response from the other end.

Lee was shocked to be speaking directly with agency director; he didn't think he rated that high in the food chain. "Sir I don't have a lot of time to go into specifics. Suffice it to say that my cover was blown and I was arrested and sent to a secret interrogation facility. I've affected my escape and was also able to liberate Admiral Harriman Nelson, who is in desperate need of medical treatment. We need a ride home now, sir." Lee replied.

"Okay, where are you?"

"I'm approximately 200 hundred miles west of Cordessa."

"Can you hold for a minute?" Masterson inquired.

"Yes sir, I think we're safe for the moment. If my diversion was successful they won't be looking for any survivors." Lee replied. The line went quiet for a moment as the Admiral checked on what pickup options were available.

"Habu, you still there?"

"Yes sir, still here."

"Make your way to Cordessa area as rapidly as you can, we should be able to get someone there to meet you in 24 hours. Check back in 12 hours to get final instructions."

"Yes sir. I will contact you at 1600 local time. Habu out." Lee shut off the phone and stowed it in his backpack. He spread out the map and more closely scrutinized the way to Cordessa. There was only one road heading to Cordessa which passed through two other towns on the way. He figured he needed to ditch the passenger van they were in as it would be too recognizable as a government transport. Of the two towns they had to pass through, the first, Kefka, looked to be the largest and probably the easiest place to find alternative transportation. Deciding on his course of action he folded up the map and placed it back in his pack. He then pulled out a pair of his jeans and a sweatshirt and changed out of the uniform he now wore.

Lee moved back to the rear of the van to check on the Admiral. He was starting to get concerned because the Admiral had been unconscious for nearly 24 hours now. "Admiral Nelson, can you hear me? Skipper, can you wake up for me?"

Nelson moaned quietly and moved his head slightly from side to side but didn't seem to have the energy to complete waking up. Lee grabbed another blanket and folded it into a pillow and gently placed beneath the Admiral's head.

"Sir, if you can hear me I got you out of that prison. I've been in contact with ONI and we're now making our way to the coast so they can come pick us up. We're on our way home now Skipper. Just hold on sir and we'll be home in no time."

After making sure the Admiral was as comfortable as possible Lee climbed back into the driver's seat, started up the van and pulled back on the road. He hoped to make it to Kefka before he encountered any vehicles heading out to the facility to find out why they were no longer in contact. He drove as fast as conditions allowed to get them out of sight and into another car as soon as possible.

ooOOoo

It was another bone-jarring hour of travel before they reached the edge of Kefka. Lee was actually quite glad that Admiral Nelson was still unconscious so that he was hopefully spared from feeling all the jolts and bumps they encountered during the trip. It was coming up on 0530 and the town had yet to really start waking up for the day. Hoping his entrance would go pretty much unseen he diverted from the main road to one of the side streets. As he made his turn Lee noticed what looked like two military trucks heading rapidly in the direction he had just come. He breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the Fates again for another friendly card keeping him from being spotted.

Lee drove slowly down the street looking for potential vehicles he could use to get them the rest of the way to Cordessa. He finally spotted what he wanted. It appeared to be an auto mechanic's shop and there were a number of cars and trucks sitting in the lot. He parked in front of the gate and quickly picked the lock. He opened the gate then pulled in and parked next to an older van that would be perfect for their trip. He crossed his fingers and prayed that the vehicle would run long enough to get them there.

He jimmied the lock and quickly ducked under the dash and started hot wiring the van. Much to his relief it turned over the first time he touched the wires. The van had a full tank of gas and seemed to be running fine; his luck was holding so far. He unlocked the back doors and then went to move the Admiral to the van. As he lifted Nelson out of the facility van he moaned loudly from the pain of his injuries. Lee lowered him into the new vehicle as carefully as he could and stretched him out across the back making him as comfortable as possible. He then gathered up all of his gear and stowed it in the new van. Next he covered the Admiral with blankets then crawled into the driver's seat and drove out the gate. He quickly re-locked the gate and they were on their way. Since it was Sunday Lee hoped that no one would notice the switch until Monday and by then they would be long gone.

Lee drove slowly through the rest of the town so as not to draw any undue attention. Once outside the city limits he picked up the pace and headed on to Plavik and ultimately Cordessa. They continued heading east towards the coast as the sun slowly started its rise above the horizon. There was no one on the road; Lee didn't know if that was a good thing or not. Thus far the Admiral had yet to regain consciousness which increased his concern for his passenger's well-being.

After travelling about 90 miles Lee found a copse of trees and pulled the van over and parked under the leafy canopy. He turned the van off and moved to the rear to check on his all too quiet passenger. "Skipper, can you hear me? Sir, I really need you to wake up or give me any sign you're with me."

Lee gently placed his hand on the Admiral's forehead finding him feverish. He grabbed a bottle of water and poured some on a clean towel, then carefully wiped Nelson's face and neck to try and bring down the fever. As he did that the Admiral moaned softly and rolled his head slightly from side to side. "Thank you sir, for letting me know you're still with me."

He next dove into his bag of supplies and found a bottle of aspirin and extracted a couple of pills. He poured some of the water into a plastic cup and dissolved the aspirin. "Skipper I need you to try and drink this water. It's got some aspirin in it and will help bring down your fever and hopefully ease some of your pain. If I help you sit up do you think you can drink this, sir," Lee said quietly.

Gently working his arm under the Admiral's head and shoulders Lee eased him up slightly and held the cup against his lips. Although he never opened his eyes Nelson sipped at the water and then passed out again. 'Well it's a start,' thought Lee as he lowered him back down. He wiped the Admiral's face and neck once more then bundled him back up in the blankets.

Lee opened the side door and stepped out into the chilly morning. He walked quickly around the van stretching his legs and answering nature's call. Once he felt sufficiently awake and ready to get on with his journey to the coast he climbed back in and started the engine. He cautiously backed the van back onto the road and continued his trek.

ooOOoo

An hour later he came to the outskirts Plavik. It was coming up on 1100 as he entered the small town. Most of the shops were closed aside from a small restaurant located midway along the main street. Not willing to chance being stopped and questioned Lee kept going hoping no one really noticed his passage.

As he exited the town and started picking up speed he spotted a vehicle pull out behind him and began to follow. He went another couple of miles when suddenly the vehicle's driver flipped on his lights and siren and closed the distance between them very quickly. Lee immediately pulled over and waited for the vehicle to either pass or stop. "Please let him pass," Lee repeated to himself numerous times.

The dark sedan pulled up behind him and stopped. The officer got out of his car and strode up to the van. Lee rolled down the window then placed his hands on top of the steering wheel so the officer could see them.

"What is the problem officer," Lee asked innocently. He knew hadn't exceeded the speed limit through town so either he had a tail light out or the officer was bored.

"Papers," responded the officer curtly.

"I'm sorry sir I don't have them with me. I lost them when I rescued my father after he fell in the river near Solad. He was badly injured and I'm taking him home to Cordessa so my mother can take care of him. I didn't have time to get my papers replaced, sorry." As if on cue Nelson moaned loudly.

The officer craned his neck to look behind Lee's head into the rear of the van and spotted the Admiral. He took in the bruised and cut face. "What is your name?" the officer finally said.

"I am Peter Broje, sir and that is my father Yuri."

"What do you do in Cordessa?"

"We work as crewmen on the fishing boat Sawfish. We had taken a load of fish to Solad to the market there." Lee replied.

The officer stood there staring at Lee obviously trying to decide whether he wanted to go to the trouble of arresting the men or just let them go with a warning to replace the missing documents as soon as they got to Cordessa. Lee sat there as calmly as he could, trying hard to look both innocent and worried about the man in the back of the van, the latter one not having to fake.

"Okay, on your way but get your documents replaced immediately when the office opens on Monday."

Lee gave the officer a small smile. "Yes sir, thank you sir. I will be first in line tomorrow morning. Have a good day, sir."

The officer grunted and turned to return to his car. As the officer walked back to his car, Lee let loose a huge sigh of relief as he watched him get in his car, turn it around and head back to Plavik. That had been all too close for comfort. Once again he thanked the Fates for the turn of another friendly card. Lee put the van into gear and pulled back onto the road and headed for Cordessa.

ooOOoo

An hour later Lee spotted the city limits of Cordessa. It was larger than the other two towns they had been through so going unnoticed should be easier to do. It was a little past noon as they entered the city proper. Lee wended his way through the narrow streets working his way toward the harbor. Finally finding the docks he drove down the frontage road until he spotted an old deserted warehouse at the far end. Lee parked the van out of sight and then checked the doors to see if he could find a way in. After trying nearly every door on the building he found one of the large bay doors unlocked and he was able to slide it open wide enough to move the van inside.

He ran quickly back to the van and drove into the warehouse and pulled the door shut. His timing couldn't have been better as it was nearly 1600 and time to contact ONI to get their exit instructions. Lee grabbed his pack and pulled out the satellite phone. He sat back in the driver's seat and waited quietly until the designated time.

At precisely 1600 Lee placed his call to ONI headquarters. His call was answered after the second ring.

"Habu calling Rattler," Lee said.

"Rattler here, Habu. What is your situation?"

"We've arrived at our destination and are currently hiding out in an old warehouse along the waterfront. Awaiting instructions for extraction." Lee responded.

"Can you get your hands on a boat, Habu?"

Lee sat there quietly thinking over all he had seen along the dock front as he had driven by. There were a number of boats of varying size parked at the marina. He tried to remember what security he had observed and how busy things had been when he drove by.

"I probably can Rattler. How far out do we need to travel to meet our ride?"

"We can work a boat in about 20 miles out. Would you be able to dive to get access?"

"Negative Rattler, my passenger in not conscious and is too badly injured to make it on board that way. We will need surface retrieval."

"Copy that Habu. Pickup time will be 0230 at the following coordinates…" Rattler rattled off the rendezvous coordinates while Lee quickly wrote them down. Lee repeated the coordinates back to Rattler and verified the pickup time.

"Good luck Habu."

"Thank you Rattler, Habu out." With that Lee ended the call and stowed the phone back in his pack. He looked down at his watch; they had nearly 12 hours before the scheduled meet.

Lee pushed himself out of the driver's seat and moved to the rear of the van to check on his passenger. He was still hot with fever. Lee grabbed another bottle of water and poured it over the towel and wiped the Admiral's face and neck again. "Admiral Nelson, can you hear me sir," Lee said softly. He was rewarded with a soft moan. Lee smiled slightly. "Sir we're one step closer to getting out of here. I've stashed us in an old warehouse until it's time to leave. I need to go out and see about getting us a boat that can take us out to our ride home. I need you to stay here Skipper and stay quiet until I come back to get you. Do you understand me sir?" Nelson moaned again.

Lee poured some more water into the cup and added a couple more aspirins. "Sir, can you drink this for me? It's just water with dissolved aspirins in it." He gently raised Nelson's head and shoulders and placed the cup against his lips. The Admiral once more drank the liquid. This time he was able to barely open his eyes. Lee flashed him a broad grin. "Great sir, I think you're going to be okay once we get you out of here."

It was dark in the warehouse and inside the van so Nelson was unable to make out the features of the man assisting him other than the brief glimpse of white when he smiled. All he was really aware of was that he was speaking American English and somehow seemed to know him. Exhausted from the beating at the facility and the journey to Cordessa, he closed his eyes and fell quickly asleep.

Lee covered the Admiral back up and made sure he was comfortable. Once that was done he exited the van and made his way out of the warehouse making certain no one saw him leave. He walked casually down the waterfront taking time to stop and look over the railing to scope out the various boats located at the docks. He picked out a couple of boats located near the warehouse that would meet their needs.

He checked out the dock closely identifying what security was on-site and how often they made their rounds. He would have to wait until dark to get the Admiral down to the dock and out to his vessel of choice. It was nearly 1900 and activity at the dock was coming to a halt as people started going home for their evening meal. Lee turned and walked back down the wharf and then veered off and made his way cautiously back to the warehouse.

He eased himself back in and moved to the van to check on the Admiral. Nelson was still asleep but not resting comfortably; he tossed and turned as the fever built in his body. Lee grabbed another bottle of water, wetted the towel again and bathed the Admiral's face and neck which seemed to quiet the man.

Digging through his pack Lee pulled out some salami, hard cheese and a couple of rolls. He hadn't eaten in nearly two days and he was starving. He cut off some slices of cheese and meat and sat there quietly nibbling on his snack as he mentally planned how he would get the Admiral down to the boat and make their way out to the rendezvous coordinates.

Lee had chosen a small fishing boat located near the end of a row of boats at the dock nearest the warehouse. There were good-sized wheeled carts stowed at the top of the gantry way leading from the pier down to the slips. He would need to back his van up next to them and manage to transfer the Admiral from the van to the cart without drawing the attention of either security or any passersby.

He had no idea how fast the boat he planned to 'borrow' could travel so selecting a conservative rate of speed he estimated he needed to push off from the dock no later than midnight to ensure they reached their appointed location in time to be picked up and ferried home.

As he sat there he was hit by a huge yawn as he realized how tired he was after everything that had gone on. He couldn't really remember when he had last had some sleep. The thought of just grabbing a quick nap made him giddy, but without an alarm he couldn't take a chance and miss their opportunity by over sleeping. To keep himself awake he started singing quietly going through his favorite songs by various groups. The tune that finally stuck in his mind was 'The Turn of a Friendly Card' by Alan Parson's Project. The one line "No the game never ends when you're whole world depends on the turn of a friendly card," resonated with him. Despite his capture, he had been extremely lucky so far but all it would take would be one wrong card and this would all come crashing down.

'Well that's a cheery thought Crane,' Lee chided himself. 'Let's try and keep things a little more upbeat shall we'. He looked at it his watch and it was nearly 2300. It was time to get moving. He checked on the Admiral one more time; he seemed to be resting easier and wasn't as warm so hopefully his fever had broken. He started up the van and then opened the warehouse door. Once he was sure that no one was around he slowly exited the warehouse and drove down to the dock and backed the van into one of the parking places.

ooOOoo

The whole dock was dark and nobody seemed to be around. He quickly got out of the van and grabbed one of the carts and brought it over to the back of his vehicle. He scanned the area to make sure no one was watching him then he covered Nelson in blankets and pulled him out of the van and placed him in the bottom of the cart. Next he grabbed his pack and extra blankets and towels and tossed them in on top to hide his true cargo. He quietly shut the back doors and then started pushing the cart over to the ramp leading down to the docks.

The ramp was steep and had wooden slats nailed down to the ramp at regular intervals to help keep the carts from running unchecked down into the water. Each time the cart went over one of the slats it jostled the cart causing the Admiral to moan in pain. Lee tried to get the cart down with the least amount of noise but each time the wheels cleared a slat the entire cart creaked. Upon reaching the bottom Lee looked around anxiously to see if he had alerted anyone to their presence. So far so good, no one seemed to have noticed so he pushed his cart quickly down the dock until he reached the boat he had chosen to use. Not having seen the vessel's name before he got there, Lee had to smile at the irony of selecting the Sawfish. "Thank you again, Peter," Lee said softly to himself.

Lee positioned the cart so it was partially blocked from sight by one of the larger boats. He climbed aboard the vessel and quickly moved throughout it to determine if anyone was aboard. His luck was holding as the boat was empty. He moved to the wheelhouse and flipped on the power and checked the fuel gauges, the tanks were over half full and would be sufficient to get them where they needed to go.

Lee moved quickly on deck and climbed back onto the dock and maneuvered his cart as close as possible to the stern. He tossed his pack and other items on the boat then wrestled Admiral Nelson out of the cart and onboard. He covered the Admiral with the blankets and towels to keep him warm. Lee quietly untied the boat from the dock and headed back to the wheelhouse. Just as he fired up the engines he heard the call of excited voices and caught sight of men running across the pier and down the ramp to the dock.

Lee hit the throttle and began moving the boat out of its slip when suddenly he heard a gun discharge and the glass in the wheelhouse window exploded in his face and a bullet tore into his left shoulder. He gasped in pain, at the same time slammed the throttle forward and the boat surged away from the dock sending a huge wake through the area causing the other moored vessels to bump and strain at their moorings lines some of which broke free and started to drift about.

The boat was much faster than he expected and flew out of the harbor. There was only a new moon so it would be extremely difficult for anyone to track him. He initially headed in the opposite direction of his assigned rendezvous point to hopefully confuse anyone pursuing him. After about 20 minutes he changed course and headed at full speed to his designated coordinates.

His shoulder felt as though someone had shoved a red-hot poker into his arm. His face also felt on fire from the bits of glass that had become embedded in his face and eye. He could barely see out of his right eye and the left was swollen shut but it was enough to let him set and maintain a course. Once he was sure that there was no one after him he lashed the wheel in place to keep his course and moved aft to retrieve his first aid kit and check on the Admiral.

Lee pulled out a pressure bandage and applied it as best he could to his injured shoulder, then carefully daubed at the blood encrusting his face. He could feel the bits of glass as he wiped away the blood and removed any he felt he could without doing further damage to himself. He placed a patch over his left eye and lightly taped it in place. Once finished taking care of himself, he knelt down next to Nelson to check his condition. As Lee touched him he moaned and slowly opened his eyes.

"Admiral Nelson, can you hear me sir," Lee asked.

"Yes, I can hear you." He responded quietly. His voice was rough and scratchy. Lee quickly moved to help the Admiral sit up a bit, then fished a bottle of water out of his pack. He uncapped the bottle and helped the Admiral take a few sips of water.

"Thanks," Nelson said. He looked slowly all around him taking in the vessel and night sky as well as his rescuer's condition. "Where are we?"

"We're on our way to our rendezvous point and our ride home sir." Lee responded.

"How long have I been out?"

"About two days since the interrogators had their go at you at the facility. I'm sorry sir I couldn't get you out before they got their hands on you."

Nelson coughed and grimaced at the pain that caused. Lee fished around in his pack again and pulled out his aspirin bottle. He poured out a bunch of pills and handed three to the Admiral along with the water. Nelson placed the pills in his mouth and swallowed them. Lee took the remaining pills and swallowed them as well.

"Are you okay?" Nelson asked as he noticed Lee's bandages starting to turn red.

"Yes sir, I'm fine," Lee responded. "Sir please stay here and rest. I need to go back to the wheelhouse and check on our course and position." That said Lee pushed himself to his feet and staggered back to the helm. They were nearly at their designated coordinates so Lee backed off the throttle slowing the boat and evening out the ride. He rummaged through the cabin and came up with two heavy woolen coats. He pulled on one then went back out to the stern to give one to Admiral Nelson.

When he got back to the Admiral he had passed out again, but seemed to be resting comfortably. Lee laid the coat on top of him then returned to the wheelhouse to track their progress. They were where they needed to be; Lee killed the engines and let the vessel drift. He grabbed a flashlight from the cabin and moved back to where the Admiral was lying. According to his watch they had little less than half an hour to wait. Lee slowly lowered himself to the deck near Nelson and then he too passed out.

The next thing he was aware of was someone gently shaking him and asking him if he was okay. Lee slowly pried open his good eye and saw a man dressed in black with a blackened face. "Do you understand me? Are you okay?" the man repeated.

The meaning of the words finally registered on Lee. "Yes I understand you. I'm not sure how okay I am though," he replied with a smile. "You wouldn't by any chance be a Water Moccasin."

The man in black smiled and nodded, "Might you be a Habu?"

Lee smiled even wider despite the discomfort it caused. "Yes I'm Habu. I am so glad to see you. The man with me is Admiral Harriman Nelson and he is in need of immediate medical attention."

"By the looks of it you both could use a little time in sick bay. Hang on and we'll get you over to the Stingray and on your way back to the States," Water Moccasin replied.

Lee smiled tiredly then finally lost his battle to remain conscious as the pain and exhaustion claimed him. The rescue party quickly transferred them from the boat to the sub then slipped silently under the waves disappearing from sight.

Lee remembered very little of his trip back to the US. He had been kept heavily sedated to let him catch up on his sleep, and to quiet his nightmares allowing his injuries to heal. The damage from the shattered glass left him with both eyes and the majority of his face shrouded in bandages so he was totally unrecognizable. Admiral Nelson was kept in a similar sedated condition much of the trip as he recovered from the remnants of his treatment at the hands of the PR.

When they reached port Admiral Nelson was whisked off to the base hospital at Keyport, Washington and Lee was shipped back east so that he could be debriefed as he recovered from his wounds. Lee had managed to get all the intelligence he collected at the facility out with him providing ONI with a windfall of valuable information on the PR and other nation's espionage activities.

'Well at least it ended well,' Lee thought ruefully as he sat there recalling the lives lost and pondering ONI's latest request for his services. He questioned the timing of the request as well. Last month there had been a big article in Time magazine on the Nelson Institute for Marine Research, the Seaview and her command crew. This was the first time that the Seaview had been so publicly shown off along with identifying who was at her helm. The article included numerous pictures of him, the Admiral and other members of the staff. If Copperhead was a double agent and had seen the article, Lee's picture would no doubt shock the man. He probably thought Habu was long since dead at the hands of the PR security police. The PR would also now know exactly who to blame for stealing back their prize catch, Harriman Nelson, and for destroying their secret facility. Habu would be a marked man the minute he entered the country and his treatment would be far worse than the first time he came into their clutches.

Lee was pulled from his reverie by a knock on the door. "Come," he called out expecting Chip to enter and begin his tirade against those 'thankless bastards' at ONI. He was instead surprised to see the Admiral walk in. He immediately started to rise to his feet as Nelson motioned for him to stay put.

"Admiral, is there something I can do for you sir?" Lee asked.

"Chip said you received a message from ONI today, is that true?" Nelson replied.

"Yes sir, it's right here," Lee replied and slid his computer over to the Admiral. He watched as Nelson quickly scanned the decoded message. As he finished reading Nelson's head shot up and he stared at Lee in wide-eyed disbelief. He paled noticeably and slowly lowered himself into the guest chair in front of Lee's desk visibly shaken by information contained in the message.

Lee sprang to his feet and moved rapidly to the Admiral's side, concerned by the sudden and unexpected reaction. "Sir are you all right, you look as though you've seen a ghost."

"You're Habu?" he asked barely above a whisper, still pale from the sudden revelation.

"Yes sir. I thought you knew." Lee replied.

Nelson shook his head slowly. "No, I never knew the name of the man who rescued me from that PR hell hole. You never told me your name, the only name I ever recalled hearing was Peter Broje and I knew that was a cover. I remember you talking to someone at ONI called Rattler and you identified yourself as Habu. I never really saw your face because it was usually dark when I came to and I was so out of it the rest of the time anyway. By the time I was coherent you were bandaged up like an extra from The Mummy so there was no chance of recognizing you."

"They never knew your name on the Stingray; they just kept referring to you as Habu. You were pretty well drugged into oblivion during the trip back to quiet your nightmares and to let your eyes and your shoulder heal, so there was no chance to speak with you and thank you for all you had done for me."

"Well that explains why you never spoke of that experience," Lee said with small smile. "I thought that you just found it all too painful and didn't want to dredge up that unsavory bit of history. I'll be honest I've done my best to try and forget the whole thing; I had nightmares for months about what I had seen and heard. It was tough putting that whole thing behind me. What they did at that facility was monstrous and it needed to be wiped from the face of the earth."

"Oh my god Lee you saved my life. I don't know how to go about thanking you for that. I was truly afraid they were going to break me and everything I knew would come spilling out causing incalculable harm."

"There was no way I would have let that happen Admiral. I had been planning my escape since I first arrived and your presence actually moved me to action sooner rather than later. Once I saw you dragged through the front doors I knew I needed to carry out my plans to destroy the facility as quickly as possible and hopefully get us both away or at the very least make sure we were both dead and of no value to them," Lee responded solemnly.

"I can't begin to thank you enough Lee. It has been one of my greatest regrets that I was unable to express my deepest gratitude to the man that hauled me out of Hell in one piece and made sure I didn't betray my country. There aren't sufficient words to express how much I appreciate all you went through to ensure my worst fears didn't happen. 'Thank you' seems so inadequate, but thank you none the less son, for rescuing me." Nelson stood up slowly and pulled Lee into a strong embrace.

Lee stood motionless for a brief moment startled by the Admiral's hug. The depth and sincerity of the Admiral's words embarrassed him yet warmed him deeply. He was glad the Admiral was unable to see him blush. There was no need for thanks; he was just doing his job, what was expected. He would have gone through anything to rescue the man he had admired for so long and who had become almost a surrogate father to him since joining NIMR. He was tempted to tell him no thanks was needed but that would have somehow cheapened the feelings the Admiral expressed. Instead he returned the embrace. "You're welcome sir," he said quietly. Breaking the hug, the men returned to their seats each wiping their eyes of unshed tears.

"There is one other man you should include in your thanks sir. If it hadn't been for Peter Broje and the fact he had been killed in the accident on our way to the facility both you and I would have died there. Whenever I think back on that mission I thank the Fates for bringing Peter into my life. I only knew him for a few hours but that chance meeting has rippled throughout my life."

Nelson nodded somberly. "You'll have to tell me all about him one of these days."

"Yes sir, I would like to do that very much," Lee responded. They sat there quietly for a moment digesting all that had been revealed.

"Well," Nelson said clearing his throat of the flood of emotions. "Have you decided whether you are going to accept the mission or not?"

Lee stared at the Admiral for a moment before he answered. "I think not, sir. I always felt that Copperhead had betrayed me although there was no way to prove it. When I got back I checked to see if he had followed up on my status and there wasn't a single inquiry received by ONI which is unusual. Also I find this request for me to personally come in after him a little too coincidental given the recent article in Time. If he has seen the article I think both he and the PR are now painfully aware of who took out their facility and are after a little retribution. If Copperhead truly remains loyal to the US any operative would be able to get him out and it would be far better to have someone with a lower profile and less history with the PR extracting him."

Nelson sat there listening to Lee's response his smile growing wider with each word. "I wholly concur, lad. Let Thompson know your decision and I'll back you up all the way."

"Thank you sir, I appreciate that very much. Although I don't think it will be a hard sell once I let him know my reasons for turning it down."

"Good. I'm glad that's settled," Nelson replied emphatically.

Just then Lee's door flew open and an irate XO stepped in. "You are NOT, I repeat NOT going on another ONI mission Lee! The last one you took had you recovering in the hospital for nearly a month. We only now just got you back."

Both Lee and the Admiral each quirked an eyebrow and stared in amusement at Morton. "Uh… why don't you come on in and tell us what's on your mind Chip," Lee said flatly in response to Chip's outburst.

Finally registering the Admiral's presence in Lee's cabin, Chip flushed about a dozen shades of red and looked as though he wished he could melt into the floor. It was rare to catch the ever controlled XO flat-footed and both Lee and Nelson enjoyed watching him squirm.

"Well… is there something you want to share with us Mr. Morton," Nelson asked in as serious a tone as he could muster.

"Uh…nnno, no sir," Chip stammered as he tried to figure a way out of his little blunder.

Lee and the Admiral were no longer able to hold back the laughter and let go until tears streamed down their cheeks. Chip stood there glowering at them not finding the least bit of humor in the situation. As they continued to laugh Chip finally gave in and joined them.

"I'm sorry Lee, I know I was out of line but you know how I feel about ONI yanking you off the boat and throwing you to the wolves." Chip finally got out after the laughter subsided.

"Chip I've always appreciated your concern, even if it does come with a dramatic entrance and an emotional rant," Lee said with a smile. "To set your mind at ease, I have decided to decline the mission. The Admiral and I have discussed it and feel that is the appropriate response to this request. Does that meet with your approval, Mr. Morton?"

Chip blushed again but let a wide smile spread across his face. "Yes sir, Captain Crane, sir. I find that to be a wise and appropriate response."

"Well now that that is settled and it's nearly 1300 what say we adjourn to the wardroom for some lunch gentlemen," Nelson interjected.

"Works for me, sir," Lee replied as he stood up, shut off his computer and motioned to the door. Chip opened the door and exited as Lee and the Admiral followed behind. As Lee reached the door he felt the Admiral's hand upon his shoulder. He turned and met the Admiral's eyes.

"Thanks again son, for everything." With that Nelson gave his shoulder a quick squeeze and moved past him into the hall.

Lee smiled fondly pulling the door shut behind him and followed the Admiral down the corridor. He once again said his quiet thanks to Peter and the Fates as they turned over yet another friendly card.

The End.