Here we are at episode two. This is a pretty open-and-shut adaptation, only Theodore doesn't get punished like Ten Cents did. Also, the pirates are now terrorists, to fit in with the post-9/11 world.
Enjoy!
I remember a time, we'd all had a long, hard day, but there was still one more job to do. And as Theodore was the first tug home, ha, he got it. Engineering parts were needed to go to Scuttlebutt Pete, the dredger, so they could start work first thing in the morning. Now before you ask, this isn't the same Scuttlebutt Pete as in Bigg City Port. No, this was a modern dredger made by the same shipyard who named him as tribute to his ancestor of long ago.
I knew Theodore wasn't happy, not because he was late, but because the Knudsen Fleet was on the same job. Theodore arrived at the warehouse with Bonnavista barge, who was loaded with the parts. Also there were Jip and Jug, who also had barges with engineering parts. They were not pleased to see Theodore, and made it known.
"Heads up, Jip" said Jug in a condescending tone, "Look what the wind's brought in. Goody two-screws!"
"Ahoy, Jug" Theodore said, trying to sound as friendly as possible, but really, he was suppressing a crushing insult, "Where do you want this barge from the engineers?"
"Too late for today, mate" replied Jug.
"Too late?" asked Theodore. He knew Jug was lying. "You don't need this till morning!"
"We might have" insisted Jip to Jug.
"No point now" said Jug, disregarding his colleague, "It'll be dark soon."
"Don't bug me" grumbled Theodore, "I've had a busy day. Now where'd you want it?"
"Wry like a beaver, Jip, isn't he?" Jug asked.
"Well" said Jip, "got a reputation to live up to, Jug. One of the best tugs in the harbor!"
"Yawn yawn" taunted Jug "All work and no play makes Theodore a dull tug!"
Theodore didn't take kindly to being made fun of in this fashion. When he had arrived in 1993 from down the coast, Halifax Harbor was in disarray, especially during the Summer Rush of 1992, mainly because the Morrison Fleet only had four tugboats (Hank, Emily, George, and Foduck). Theodore had practically gotten the harbor back on track, and never even bragged about it. And now, these two insults to switchers everywhere were trying to insinuate the Morrison Tugs were snooty socialites.
"Look" said Theodore, still trying to stifle an insult but clearly losing patience, "Do you want this or do I take it back?"
Jug thought for a moment. While he would love for the Morrison Fleet to lose revenue, he knew Captain Zero would yell at him because this was a joint contract, and any revenue losses incurred on the Morrison Fleet would also be incurred on the Knudsen Fleet. And besides, Captain Zero was still fuming over the loss of the Carnival and Cunard contracts.
"Moor it by the old quay" he said, himself trying to stifle an insult, but it came out anyway, "IF you're not too worn out!"
Both he and Jip laughed, as Theodore shot a glare their way. Emily was nearby with Bayswater barge, taking barrels to the oil refinery to be loaded with oil, and she had heard the entire exchange. Jip and Jug stopped laughing when Emily turned towards them. They knew how protective Emily could be of Theodore (and vice versa), and they knew it was no laughing matter!
Theodore arrived at the quay to set the barge off for the local tug (unaffiliated with either fleet) to take into the warehouse.
"Alright, you old tub of guts" he said, "You can settle here for the night." Theodore knew the barge wouldn't be insulted…because it wasn't sentient like other barges he knew!
He was about to unlash from the barge when he heard a creaking sound.
"Hello? Who's there" he asked. There was no answer. This spooked Theodore a bit. Because he couldn't see anyone, he thought he knew who it was.
"Hey, is that you, Hank? George?" he asked. Again, no answer. Little did he know he was being watched.
"Well someone say something, whoever you are!"
There was still no answer.
"I'm hearing things!"
Then he heard a horn and turned his head to the right (yes, they can do that, they always could, but Andrew Cochran was cheap when he made the series).
"Hold up, Theodore!" said the newcomer. It was just Emily.
"Emily, it was you!" exclaimed Theodore, "Now, why didn't you answer?"
"Wait, what?" asked Emily.
"Well, I called out, and got no answer. Thought it was Hank or George."
Impossible" said Emily, "Hank is with Bonnavista right now taking provisions to a departing cargo ship, and George is with Foduck taking Chester out."
"Well, then, that does it" yawned Theodore, "I must be so tired I'm hearing things. Come on, let's go get some sleep."
A black shape passed by. It was a submarine headed home.
"Good night, Theodore" he said, "Good night, Emily."
"Good night, Northumberland" they replied in unison. Northumberland the submarine had been a friend to the Morrison Fleet for years. An ex-US Navy submarine, Northumberland used to be in the Strategic Pool, ready to launch nuclear missiles in a second-strike against the Soviet Union. Now, he was used for exploration purposes. The fact he was bought from the US was kept a secret, and he was passed off as a research sub who was just built that way.
Theodore and Emily headed home, passing by Oliver, who was bringing a barge of sand upriver for the preschool to refresh their sandbox.
"You working late tonight, Oliver?" asked Theodore as he and Emily passed by.
"I wish I wasn't" replied Oliver, "but those yacht owners just don't appreciate the work we do! They kept cutting me off and made me late! And the worst part? THEY LAUGHED AT ME!"
Theodore and Emily decided to distance themselves from Oliver. An angry Oliver meant he would be liable to bump something (or worse yet, someone) in a blind fit of rage.
Hank had finished bringing the provisions to the cargo ship, and had taken Bonnavista back to her dock. Meanwhile, George and Foduck had finished with Chester, and were also headed home. Oliver would certainly be last back to the Morrison Dock, as Jip and Jug were harassing him, but they ran when he roared and nearly bumped them.
That night, a shadowy vessel slid into the harbor.
"Aha!" he said in a voice the likes of which a stereotypical pirate would use, "this looks like what I'm after! Engineering parts!"
Unseen, unheard, the dark stranger hitched on Theodore's barge, and slipped silently into the mists. Jip and Jug were in for a surprise the very next morning.
They arrived to find the barge had disappeared without a trace. They were very confused.
"Hey!" exclaimed Jug, "Where is it?! I told Theodore to leave that barge HERE, Jip!"
"Round by the old quay, Jug" replied Jip, "Your very words!"
Jug gasped, as realization supposedly dawned on him. "Always said Morrison Tugs couldn't be relied on!"
"Oh, he'll catch it from Captain Bob!" giggled Jip.
"He will when I tell him" replied Jug, "Land him right in it!"
Theodore was headed to the Morrison Dock, when Jip and Jug sidled up and got confrontational.
"Hey! You!" yelled Jug.
"What do you want?" asked Theodore, defensively.
"A word!" sneered Jug back.
"Captain Bob wants to see me" replied Theodore.
"We want to see him as well" said Jug, "You didn't deliver our barge!"
Theodore was taken aback. This was an accusation he didn't take lightly. "Of course I did!"
"Well, it's not where it should be, is it?" asked Jip.
"And we'll get the blame" added Jug.
"But I delivered it!" insisted Theodore, "Yeah, I delivered it by the old quay! You saw me!"
"Not there now" Jug said slyly.
Theodore was getting exasperated. "You moved it to rile me up!" he accused.
"You have double-crossed us!" accused Jip back.
"I have not! You take that back!"
Jip began to stutter, trying to take it back.
"What's going on out there?" boomed a voice. It was me.
"Ooh, Captain Bob, sir" said Jug, "Uh, Theodore didn't deliver our barge last night, and uh-"
"I did!" Theodore exclaimed, cutting the Knudsen off, "You know I did!"
"He did not!" said Jug, "It's not there! It-it's not there! It-"
"Alright, that's enough!" I shouted, "I've already had a complaint from the clients. On your way!"
"Right, sir!" called Jip.
"Have a nice day, Theodore!" said Jug, chuckling to himself.
"I don't expect slip-ups like this from you, Theodore" I said, "The owners claim their barge is missing, never delivered."
"That's not true, sir" Theodore said, "It was my last load of the day. It was!"
"Theodore, I am aware of this. I'm just as confused as you. Now, the clients demand swift retribution, but Port Authority is not inclined to believe you did anything wrong. I'll be speaking with Constance the Coast Guard later. Just know that I'm not angry with you. In the meantime, I'm putting you on dredger duty with Scuttlebutt Pete while I sort this out."
"Oh, but sir, what about my other jobs for the day?"
"I'm chartering a switcher from Sydney to do your work for the day, so Hank isn't swamped. Now, get going. Dredgers can't move themselves."
Theodore sighed and complied. I, too, sighed. Theodore probably felt he was being punished for a crime he didn't commit. The dejected way he motored out saddened me further. I was also growing suspicious. The security cameras I had set up to look out for Captain Zero's men showed Theodore never left the dock at all last night. Hank also passed the old quay yesterday evening and reported the barge was where it was supposed to be. There were only two possible reasons as to why the barge disappeared: either the Knudsens had hidden it away to frame poor Theodore and get him thrown in the compound (basically a dry dock acting as a sort of boat jail) for barge theft, or it was an act of piracy.
Theodore arrived at where Scuttlebutt Pete was dredging. He was making the dock deeper so larger ships could dock here, especially with the new factory just outside town poised to open.
"Hey, Scuttlebutt" said Theodore, sadly.
"Ya look gloomy this morning, Theodore" said Scuttlebutt right away, "What's up?"
"Ah, nothing" replied Theodore.
"I hear ya lost a barge" said Scuttlebutt.
"Oh, you would be the first to know, wouldn't you?"
"Well, it's no secret. Talk of the harbor."
"Well, it's bad enough you know."
Theodore heard a bubbling noise, and Northumberland rose to the surface.
"I've heard the rumor" he said.
"Northumberland, what do you know about it?" asked Theodore.
"That you've lost a barge" he replied.
"You don't waste time, do you, Scuttlebutt?"
Scuttlebutt grunted in agreement. Then, Emily came up.
"Yeah, rumors are his specialty" she said.
"Was only trying to help" Scuttlebutt insisted at he turned to get another bucketful of sludge, "the more they know about it, the sooner you'll be in the clear." Theodore wasn't buying it.
"I AM in the clear!" Theodore exclaimed, "Get THAT clear!"
Then Jebediah and Jack motored by, taunting Theodore.
"Naughty naughty!" taunted Jebediah, "Temper temper!"
"He'd lose his stack if it wasn't screwed on!" added Jack.
"One of these days, Knudsens" shouted Theodore, "ONE OF THESE DAYS! POW! RIGHT IN THE KISSER!"
"Oh, forget them, Theodore" said Emily, "A work order's come in."
"What is it?" asked Theodore.
"I don't think you're gonna like it: more work with the Knudsens."
"What?!" spluttered Theodore, "Now I know I'm being punished!"
"No, no, this didn't come in from Captain Bob. It's that idiot Harbor Master. He spends more time telling grossly-embellished and sugar-coated stories about us to strangers rather than he does doing his job."
"Somebody fire him…" muttered Theodore.
Later, Theodore had an oil tanker barge to be taken to the refinery. It would then be taken for loading aboard Canso Colossus, who was bound for Richmond, California via the Panama Canal.
"Now you do know what to do with that lot, don't ya?" asked Jebediah.
"He takes it somewhere and then it disappears!" said Jack.
"You'd make a fortune selling barge loads on the side!" added Jebediah.
"You calling me a crook?!" asked Theodore.
"We weren't talking about you, were we Jeb?" asked Jack, defensively.
"Didn't mention his name, Jack" replied Jebediah.
"Strange how ordinary people can suddenly turn criminal, Jeb" asked Jack.
"It's the evil inside him, suddenly comes out, Jack."
"Yeah, you two would know all about that, wouldn't you, Jack?" Theodore said.
"Shots fired!" called Hank from across the way. He was taking more provisions with Bonnavista, this time to Katherine, who was getting set to go out again, on a transatlantic voyage to Rotterdam.
"And they can't take a joke, neither, you notice that, Jack?" Jebediah asked, cracking Jack up.
"IT'S NO JOKE!" Theodore yelled, "GET. THAT. STRAIGHT!" The two Knudsens were taken aback by Theodore's sudden outburst. As much as they enjoyed heckling him, they knew he had a breaking point, and when it was reached, it was time to stop and get away from him, lest they end up in dry dock.
I was worried. It wasn't like Theodore to be this waspish, let alone to lose a barge, but what else could it be?
But, thankfully for him, the famous Hard Rock Café band was giving Northumberland one of his restless nights. His schedule had changed so now he worked during the day and slept at night. So, he decided to mosey around the harbor. He was worrying about Theodore, too, and was hoping, he could him clear his name. He didn't realize how soon that was to be.
At this late hour, there was still a little bit going on. Hercules Atlas, a pushboat who worked upriver, was pushing a quartet of barges loaded with grain to the General Mills dock to be loaded aboard the grain ship that came to Halifax from Texas every two weeks. There were three that came on a weekly basis. Oliver was also working, this time on carfloats. Carl, a Canadian National GP9m, was moving boxcars onto one of the carfloats (they were named Cheech and Chong, and even sounded like their namesakes!). He had been a friend of the Morrison Fleet for years.
One last container ship was being taken out by George and Foduck, while Theodore, Emily, Hank, and Molly were asleep at the Morrison Dock. I myself was at home watching Heartland on CBC, but my thoughts kept drifting to Theodore's predicament.
Northumberland drifted into an area where older cargo ships were tied up for the night. A few men were still unloading one of them.
"Boy, it sure is creepy around here at night" said Northumberland to himself.
Then…
"There's something moving over there!"
Indeed, there was. He couldn't make out the shape, but it did look suspicious.
"Better check it out."
He moved in for a look, and saw what looked like a tugboat with an eyepatch.
"Avast you!" he shouted, "Get out of here!"
And he charged right at Northumberland! He had JUST enough time to dive below the water, and avoided being hit. Then he resurfaced and saw the tugboat go off into the distance.
"Phew!" he sighed in relief, "That was TOO close! Say, that looks like another one of Theodore's barges! Where's the thief taking it?!"
Northumberland lost the barge-snatcher in the mist, and spent the rest of the night worrying who it could be. And all that time, the thief was busy, and other barges were disappearing. Among the barges who were stolen were Barrington, Bobby, Brunswick, and Bonnavista. All were loaded with something.
Next morning, I told Captain Zero "Morrisons and Knudsens had to get together on this". As you'd expect, neither fleet was happy.
"What the hell is this all about?!" asked Oliver, "Morrison Fleet and Knudsen Fleet working together?! Whatever next?! Sigrid being converted into a tugboat? Battleships coming out of retirement? The QE2 getting stuck under Benjamin Bridge again?"
"We're wasting time!" said Jeremy, who shared Oliver's sentiment.
"Silence!" I bellowed.
"Theodore's barge is the only one gone!" Jeremy continued.
"Yeah!" added Jug, "Bet he knows what it's about!"
"Him stealing barges, that's what!" said Jip.
"Cut that out about Theodore!" growled George.
"Yeah, watch your tongue!" put in Hank.
"We didn't mean—" Jug was saying, but got cut off by George.
"Just careful what you say!"
"I SAID SILENCE!" I bellowed once more. By now, Captain Zero had his megaphone sticking out of a window as well. "Stephen and I have had a meeting. Missing barges is serious. We're going to get to the bottom of it, understand? Stephen?"
"I have a scheme to catch this pirate!" Captain Zero said.
"Huh!" huffed Oliver, "I expect he knows several!"
"Yeah, takes a crook to catch a crook" agreed George.
"What are you suggesting?!" cried Jeremy. It was no secret that Captain Zero was the leader of the Halifax Mafia, but the Knudsen Fleet constantly denied it.
"Quiet!" I said once more, "We've decided to set a trap."
"Certain barges are being rigged with flares that will go off if the barge is even touched! Never mind, STOLEN!" said Captain Zero.
"So," I continued, "this is the plan. Tonight, you'll all be out in pairs, maintaining silence. Keep your eyes open. Captain Zero and I…"
Unknown to us, Northumberland was searching where he'd lost the thief the night before.
"Could've sworn he was here…" he muttered to himself.
Then, he saw something that made perfect sense.
"What about this old warehouse? It's possible. Hasn't been used for years."
He descended below the surface to sneak into the warehouse.
Inside the warehouse…
"You've done well so far, Patchy" said a voice. It was a Middle Eastern accent, "But we figure you still owe us!"
"You're going back on your word!" spluttered "Patchy", "You said that was the last barge!"
Northumberland surfaced slightly, only until the waterline was just below his eyes.
"The thief!" he whispered.
"Changed our minds, infidel" said the voice, "It's one more barge! Get it tonight, or it's goodnight to him! Davey Jones' locker on the seabed!"
Now Northumberland could get a good view of the situation. The thief was sitting in front of a pair of tugboats, both wearing turbans and flying…the al-Qaeda flag. He then saw another tug with a mustache, out of the water.
"Who's he?" Northumberland whispered to himself. Then, something else caught his eye. "The missing barges!" Indeed it was the missing barges. They were all here, even Barrington, Bobby, Bayswater, and Bonnavista.
He had spoken a bit too loud, though. "What's that?" asked one of the terrorist tugs. Northumberland quickly submerged. It was a great defense mechanism to have.
"Here anything?"
"No" said the other terrorist.
"Right. Do what we say, or else!"
"It's getting too risky!" said the "thief".
"One more, I said!" bellowed the terrorist, "TONIGHT!"
"Don't do it!" wailed the old tugboat.
"I've got to, haven't I?" replied the "thief", "You promise tonight will be the last?"
"Deliver, or he sinks!" replied the terrorist tug, "We've got a schedule to keep, and that schedule involves selling this stuff to pirates in Somalia!"
And with that, the two terrorists turned off their spotlights. The "thief" turned to the old tug.
"You alright?"
"I'm okay, but don't do it! It's wrong!"
"I can't leave you here with them, Old Man! Tonight will be the end of it!"
Northumberland, who had peeked above the surface again, submerged to go tell someone what he had just heard.
"Oh dear" he said to himself, "This IS a sad state of affairs."
That night, the plan to catch the pirate was put into action.
"Damn good idea this is!" said Oliver, "Barge in place, flares set to go off. Now, I thought we were going to be in pairs." Then, he saw someone come towards him. "Oh no, not George!"
"Alright, Oliver!" he bellowed, "Now, I'm not taking any crap from you tonight! You hear me! This is serious!"
"Jeez, alright!" replied Oliver, "You don't have to be THAT forceful."
"You're the one who was bullying Theodore back in '94!"
"Oh, come off it, George!"
"No, I will not! You've never apologized to Theodore!"
"I'd say being his co-worker is apology enough."
"God, you ARE a dumbass!"
"Hey, who you calling dumbass?"
"You!"
"Oh, why I oughta-"
"Just stow it, and get into position."
"Oh, alright. You're lucky Cheech and Chong are scared stiff knowing they could be stolen next!"
Theodore and Emily were keeping watch elsewhere. Despite Theodore being cleared, he still felt bitter.
"Hey, cheer up, Theodore" Emily consoled, "You never had anything to do with the missing barges. Jip and Jug are just trying to make sense of it, is all."
"Thanks Emily" he replied, "But it makes me angry, you know. Not being able to prove it."
"You know Captain Bob believes you. And don't pay attention to the Knudsen Fleet. They're troublemakers, trying to rub you up the wrong way."
"Don't care about them, it's our game! But I can't be sure it's not me. I mean, what if I'm doing it in my sleep?"
"Well, because you can't go anywhere without a skipper. Besides, we'll catch the thief tonight for sure. With any luck."
"Yeah, we might. We might not. But if we do, I'll scuttle that asshole!"
As Theodore was making grim threats, Northumberland surfaced in front of them.
"Hey, what's that?" asked Emily.
"What's Northumberland doing here?" grumbled Theodore, "He'll give us away for sure!"
Northumberland motored up to them.
"Northumberland! Get out of here! You're in the way!"
"We're laying a trap for the thief!"
"That's why I've come to see you" replied Northumberland, "I've been trying to find you for ages!"
"What do you know?" asked Theodore, "Where the stolen barges are? Hank's worried sick about Bonnavista"
"I've been there, seen them."
"Well then, let's get the pirate!" said Theodore, "He'll be sorry he crossed me, I'll tell ya!"
"Just a minute, Theodore. It's a bit complicated."
"I want him now! To prove it's not me!"
"Will you listen a minute?! Your pirate is a tug called Sea Rogue!"
"A tug?" Theodore asked, incredulous.
Meanwhile, Jip and Jug were moving into their positions.
"Tied off my end" announced Jug, "Right, Jip, I'll stay back here, out of sight. You keep a lookout upfront."
But Jip was scared out of his wits, to say the least.
"Oh, why do I have to stay upfront?" he asked, quivering with fear, "It's scary. I feel vulnerable! You come here, I'll come there. Alright?"
"Oh, no" insisted Jug, "You'd be much worse off here. Better there, believe me."
Jip, being the idiot he was, believed him.
"Is it…REALLY bad over there" Jip asked.
"Honestly, Jip, would I lie to you? Now would I?"
Jip moved forward to see if Jug was telling the truth. "Psst!" he said.
"AH! NO! PLEASE, MR. PIRATE! I MEAN YOU NO HARM!" wailed Jug, literally shaking in fear.
"No, no, no Jug, it's me! Jip!"
Jug breathed a sigh of relief. He was still plenty shaken up, though. And very angry.
"Stupid!" he said, "Captain Zero said we're not supposed to move! You nearly scared me!"
"If that's only nearly, I'd hate to see you really scared!"
"GET TO YOUR POST!" bellowed Jug.
"I only wanted to see if it is better back there!"
"Well it ISN'T! Stay there and shut up!"
"…and Sea Rouge is being forced against his will!" Northumberland was saying to Theodore and Emily, "The real villains have the old tug and are threatening to scuttle him if Sea Rogue doesn't get barges for them!"
"How barbaric!" cried Emily, "What do we do?"
"Get to the pirate, Sea Rogue, before the others" replied Theodore, "No time to explain to them."
"You're right" said Northumberland gravely, "Follow me."
And Northumberland dove below the surface once more.
Meanwhile, Jip was getting bored. I mean REALLY bored.
"Jug" he whispered.
"Quiet!" Jug whispered back, hoarsely, "You'll give us away!"
"Theodore and Emily are leaving their post!"
"What?!"
"Look!"
Jip was right. The Morrison v-tugs were indeed leaving their post.
"You're right!" Jug said quietly. "That Theodore must be up to something! I KNEW he shouldn't be trusted! Come on!"
And Jip and Jug left their post, as well.
"Ugh, can't see them through the mist!" grumbled Jug, "Stay close or I'll leave you behind!"
"Thanks pal" said Jip, absent-mindedly, "Thanks very much indeed!" Now he sounded a bit sarcastic.
The terrorists were carefully laying plans for their escape. They were covering up lightships, putting out lights in lighthouses, and muffling bell buoys so they wouldn't be seen or heard when they sailed off with their loot.
"Evening, boys, I-WHA!" said Bedford Buoy as he was covered with a net.
What they'd do to the old tug was unknown.
Theodore, Emily, and Northumberland were hiding by the old warehouse. Theodore remembered it well. It was once the maintenance pen for the Alstom Fleet. After they had been sunk under suspicious circumstances, their property went into disrepair. Perfect hiding places for criminals and terrorists.
They had seen the villains re-enter, and were waiting to spring their trap on the pirate.
"Not much around tonight" Sea Rogue said to himself as he came out of the mists, "I've got to find what they want. Time is running out!"
"This is too spooky for my liking" said Theodore, observing his surroundings. Indeed, the entire area did seem spooky. He could still hear the sounds of the Alstom Fleet happily chatting away, as if their ghosts still lingered.
"Sure wish I was on an ocean job, right now" agreed Emily.
Theodore told Emily to be quiet. He heard something.
"I'm not gonna make it" worried Sea Rogue, "Nothing in sight! The tug fleets have rumbled me!"
He was fretting about his situation, when…
"HEAVE TO, SEA ROGUE!" It was Theodore. He had him right where he wanted him, and gave him a big BUMP!
"Wait!" cried Sea Rogue.
"You're cornered! You can't escape!"
"I'm not trying to-"
"Well done Theodore" called Emily, "He's the pirate alright!"
Sea Rogue turned his head to face them. He did indeed look like a pirate, what with his eyepatch, and he certainly sounded like a pirate, too (he actually sounded more like Mr. Krabs). But his face said otherwise.
"No, I'm not a real pirate!" he cried in despair.
"We know you're not" said Northumberland.
"Northumberland told us everything" added Emily.
"He saw you and those two terrorists" said Theodore.
Sea Rogue became a bit hopeful that he had found help at last. "Did you see the old man, too?" he asked.
"Everything" answered Theodore.
"We must save him" said Sea Rogue, "He's my uncle! They're holding him for ransom to make me steal barges! Even if I get one more, they still might sink him!" It was clear this had been going on for some time, as stress lines had creased his face.
"Well," said Theodore, "Help us and we'll help you. And we'll sink them! No terrorist comes into this harbor under the radar! Not no way, not no how! Everyone here in Halifax knows that terrorists can't enter the port at all. It's against Port Law!"
"Anything you say" said Sea Rogue. He was relieved now that he had found help. He would have gone to the Port Authority launch, Obama, or the Coast Guard, Constance, but he was scared that if he snitched, the Old Man would be scuttled and a cruise ship would be bombed.
They were about to come up with a game plan, when they heard engines.
"What's that?" Sea Rogue asked frantically.
Two shapes loomed in the distance. Sea Rogue thought for sure it was the terrorists.
"Quick, let's hide!" said Theodore, and they all headed into the mist, following Sea Rogue's lead.
"Theodore can't be far" said a voice, "He must be around here somewhere, Jip." It was just Jip and Jug, being pigeon-headed enough to think Theodore was the thief.
"So could that pirate, Jug!" quivered Jip, "Maybe we should go back!"
Jug just ignored him.
"I don't like this, Jug!"
"Quiet!" Jug snapped back.
Theodore heard them. He just smirked as thoughts of sweet revenge filled his head.
"Jip and Jug! They're stupid enough to go in the warehouse!"
"They'll get no quarter if they do" said Sea Rogue gravely.
"Bah, it'd serve 'em right!" sneered Emily, remembering the accusations that had thrown at Theodore.
"That gives me an idea!" said Theodore, "Northumberland, go to the warehouse entrance! If the terrorists leave the shed, save the old man!"
Theodore didn't even finish before Northumberland submerged to carry out this task.
"Now, let's see what's going on" he said, turning towards Jip and Jug.
Theodore and Emily peeked from behind the dock. Jip and Jug were headed right for the warehouse. The two Morrison v-tugs grinned. This would be hilarious.
"Just a quick look" Jug said.
"No, Jug!" said Jip. He was good and scared, and wanted to turn back. "Let's go back! Please! Wait, isn't this the old Alstom Fleet maintenance pen?"
"Come on! And stay close!" Whether or not he heard that last part about the warehouse's original purpose is still a mystery.
"Oh, don't worry! I will!"
"Ooh!" said Jug in amazement, "I didn't think it would be so dark inside!"
"Means there's no one there!" replied Jip, "I hope…"
He looked around, seeing what looked like abandoned hoists and tools. A few empty dry docks were also to be found, as was a barge labeled "ALSTOM FLEET". Jug was taken aback by this, but soldiered on.
"Hey!" Jug exclaimed, "The stolen barges! Great! We've cracked it! We're heroes!" Jug laughed in excitement.
"EAT YOUR HEART OUT, THEODORE!" shouted Jip in excitement.
"HEY!" shouted a voice, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, INFIDELS!"
"I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING FAMILIAR ABOU THIS WAREHOUSE!" cried Jug, "IT'S THE ALSTOM FLEET'S MAINTENANCE PEN! AND THAT'S THEIR GHOSTS!"
"Get them!" shouted one of the terrorists, "No witnesses!"
Jip and Jug backed out of the warehouse, screaming their heads off in fear and blasting their horns.
"Right" said Theodore as he and Emily backed away, "Now get ready to spring the trap on my signal."
"Gotcha" replied Emily. She loved it when she and Theodore came up with plans like this.
"I just hope Northumberland has a clear path" said Theodore.
The two terrorists came bursting out of the warehouse, shouting "ALLAHU AKBAR!" Now, no one can be too sure, but a passing inland ship loaded with coal reported hearing gunfire.
Meanwhile, Northumberland slipped into the warehouse unnoticed.
"Oh dear" said the Old Man, "Hope everything's okay."
He saw Northumberland surface in front of him, and needless to say, was rather surprised.
"What the-who's there?!"
"Easy, old man" soothed Northumberland, "I've come to set you free." The Old Man was absolutely delighted.
The terrorists were rumbling loudly up a canal, in pursuit of Jip and Jug, who were still in reverse and still screaming.
"Here they come" said Theodore, "Don't move yet."
"Right" said Sea Rogue in agreement.
Jip and Jug had just passed in front of them. The terrorists would be in range any second now.
"Alright, wait till I say…"
"They're getting close!" said Sea Rogue.
The terrorists were now shouting "ALALALALALALAALAAAAA!" It was a dreadful sound that woke old dock cranes and cargo ships.
Then, they were in their "crosshairs", and on Theodore's signal, they charged at top speed, hooping and hollering all the while.
"Allah, save me!" cried one of the terrorists, but no one could help them now.
Theodore, Emily, and Sea Rogue rammed RIGHT into the sides of the tug. They rammed them so hard, the two terrorists were holed, and sank.
"Gotcha!" said Theodore, triumphantly.
"The game's up!" shouted Sea Rogue, "There's no escape!" Not that they heard them, for they had already sunk. Their skippers had abandoned ship, and tried to climb aboard Theodore to hijack him. Fortunately, though, in the face of threats from the Halifax Mafia, all of the skippers I employed were armed with 9mm pistols. Theodore's skipper made short work of the two terrorist skippers, and placed the bodies below decks for the authorities to take away in body bags.
The commotion was rather loud, and George and Oliver had heard it.
"Hey, George" said Oliver, "Something's going on over there. I'll take a look."
George knew this couldn't end well. "Oliver…Oliver! OLIVER! WATCH THAT-"
Too late. Oliver bumped into the barge rigged with flares.
"Flare…"
The light show was amazing. "Bright spark, Oliver" George said with sarcasm.
"That's some flare!" said an astonished Oliver.
In the morning, Theodore claimed salvage on the two sunken terrorists. A rather lucrative contract, if I say so myself! Using Giant Jack the crane, the terrorists were brought to the surface, pumped out, patched up, and taken to the scrapyard by the scrap dealer tugs, Wink and Fibb. As for their skippers, Nautilus came by and picked up the bodies for burial at sea, as was Islamic tradition.
Theodore, Emily, and Northumberland were with Sea Rogue and the Old Man by Lucky's Yard. Thankfully, there was no damage to the Old Man.
"You headed upriver, Sea Rogue?" asked Theodore.
"Yeah" replied Sea Rogue, "Thanks, Theodore."
"Ah, that's alright. Least I could do."
"Right then. We'd better move. Pirates aren't welcome here."
"Nonsense" said Northumberland, "You're no pirate!"
Sea Rogue smiled at that. "Thank you all for your help."
"Yes" said the old man, "Thanks for everything!"
And with that, Sea Rogue and the Old Man departed for their home upriver. They worked for a tugboat fleet who worked in Lake Jordan. Of course, industry in Lake Jordan was heavy, with the timber, agriculture, and coal industries being the biggest. The intensity of the operations on Lake Jordan meant that neither the Morrison nor Knudsen Fleets could claim the lake as their territory. The Lake Jordan tugboat fleet, known as the Alco Fleet, didn't claim it as their territory, either, and the amount of work meant they needed help from other tugboat fleets from time to time. The Alstom Fleet usually had this responsibility, but with their suspicious sinking, they were alone, and had to charter tugboats from other points in the Maritime Provinces.
"I'm really sad to see them go" said Theodore as Sea Rogue helped the Old Man (whose real name was Buster Keaton) back to Lake Jordan.
A horn shook him from his thoughts.
"Oh, hi, Foduck" he said.
"Theodore" he replied, "Are those the two you rescued last night?"
"Yeah, they helped us find the stolen barges."
"Captain Bob says you've done a great job, Theodore."
"Well, I couldn't have done it without Emily and Northumberland."
"Well, good work, m'dears!"
"Thanks, Foduck."
"Thanks, Foduck" Northumberland said as well, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get some rest."
And Northumberland motored for home. "Thanks, Northumberland" said Theodore, gratefully.
Then he turned, and saw…
"Jip and Jug. I want a word with them!"
Theodore and Emily floated over to them. Both were stifling insults, as usual.
"Well" said Theodore, "I don't what we would have done without your help."
"Well, somebody had to flush them out" Jug said. To Theodore's surprise, Jug was actually smiling.
"We never really thought you stole the barges!" said Jip.
"Oh no" laughed Theodore, "Could've fooled me!"
"Weren't you just a little bit scared?" asked Emily.
"No! Nothing scares us, does it, Jip?"
Jip agreed, then saw Jug backing up into a barge. But it wasn't just any barge. It was one of the barges rigged with flares!
"Forward, Jug, FORWARD, THE BARGE!"
But it was too late. The flares went off, and Jip and Jug ran off screaming. Again.
"They move pretty fast when they're not scared, eh?" said Emily.
"They certainly do!" agreed Theodore, and the two laughed at the Knudsen switchers' predicament.
But the incident had showed a glaring hole in security in the port. After the two terrorist tugs were safely in the scrapyard being broken up, security was greatly increased. Now, all ships, not just the large container and cargo ships, had to wait in the staging area for customs to inspect them for any terrorists or other enemies of Canada hiding out. Cruise ships also came under search, and fishing trawlers were boarded by the dozen. Only Canadian naval ships, as well as the naval ships belonging to NATO members, weren't searched.
Needless to say, quite a few cruise companies stopped calling in Halifax, fortunately none who had contracts with us. Soon, it was decided to exempt cruise ships from searches and instead do the security checks in their home ports.
Well, there's chapter two!
You may have noticed the tugboat fleet names. I've decided to name them after companies who build locomotives and passenger cars. For example, the Morrison and Knudsen Fleet names come from Morrison-Knudsen (MK), Alstom was a passenger car builder, and Alco, I'm sure you all know.
Next episode: Trapped.