At ten o'clock the next morning the men pulled up to the Marina, parking next to Chin's truck. As they exited Steve's truck they spotted Chin moving towards them on the dock.
They were grabbing their gear from the back of the vehicle as he approached.
Steve spoke first, "Hey buddy, good morning! Are you sure you can't join us today?"
"Believe me, I'd love to be out with you but Kono committed us to help our cousin move"
Danny shook his head, "As much as I HATE the water, moving furniture in this heat is POSSIBLY worse"
Steve grinned broadly, "Come on Danno! This is going to be great!"
"Aren't you hung over? You had like a twelve pack last night"
"I feel great partner. Any day on the water is a great day. We're going to get you your first tuna baby!"
Danny smiled and turned to Chin saying softly, "Somehow I don't think we're coming back without one?"
Chin laughed as he handed the keys to Steve adding, "It's gassed up and ready to go. Have fun and I'll be here to meet you at six o'clock unless I hear differently"
Steve was still smiling as he squeezed his friend's shoulder, "Thank you. You're a great man, Chin Ho Kelly"
Chin watched as the two men, carrying their supplies walked towards the boat as he drove from the parking lot.
A short time later Steve and Danny were on board and as Steve drove the boat out to sea Danny sat smiling as the mist shot up at him dampening his face. He watched Steve and he knew he had made the right decision by agreeing to this. His partner was happy and relaxed. He hadn't seen Steve this relaxed in months. Today was going to be great….
They anchored about sixty miles from shore and by noon they were cracking their first beers and just enjoying each other's company.
At about one thirty Danny's pole bent and the line released as the fish on the other end was running!
"WWWHOOA DANNO! YOU GOT ONE BUDDY, YOU GOT ONE!"
As Steve leaned over Danny shoulder continuing to holler out advice on how to pull the fish in Danny responded loudly, "HEY, HEY…..NO BACK SEAT FISHING HERE OKAY! GET THE NET AND HOOK WILL YA!"
Steve stood at edge of the boat calling out to Danny, "COME ON DANNO, YOU GOT HIM! FIGHT HIM BUDDY, FIGHT HIM!"
Danny screamed and grunted as he continued to fight the struggling fish eventually winning the battle and with Steve's help he pulled in the large, plump TUNA!
"YOU GOT HIM DANNO, IT'S A TUNA PARTNER!"
Danny was breathing fast and sweating profusely as this had been quite a workout. "IT IS A TUNIE FISH, YOU SON OF A TUNIE FISH!"
As Danny proudly held up the catch so Steve could snap a few pictures, the SEAL asked him to smile.
Danny scowled back at his partner, "Smile? I'm not going to smile. That's not very manly"
Steve chuckled as he snapped the pictures and Danny couldn't help as an 'un-manly' smile crossed his face. Steve was unbelievably giddy and that made Danny happy….very happy.
"She's a beauty Danno! Isn't this exciting?"
"Well I've got to admit…..I'm having a really good time buddy"
"Let's get that baby into the chum box" After the tuna was put away the men grabbed beers and moved back to their fishing poles.
As they sat back down Steve said, "Danny what's that?"
Danny looked to where Steve was pointing and stated "Looks like…what a raft?"
Steve responded, "A raft, or a dinghy….come on, let's go"
And with that sighting, an enjoyable day on the open sea was about to turn tragic.
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After pulling up the anchor, Danny stood on the deck of the boat as Steve steered towards the stranded man.
Once they were a few feet away Steve shut off the engine and joined Danny as he threw a line towards the man. Together they pulled him aboard as Steve spoke first, "Hey buddy…what happened?"
"Thanks for stopping, my engine died and the radio was down. I thought my best chance to save myself would be by taking the dinghy but I ran out of gas"
Steve took a step back and brought his hand to his chin rubbing it inquisitively as Danny asked, "Looks like blood on your shirt there buddy?"
Before Steve and Danny could say anything else the man pulled a pistol from the back of his waistband and Steve instinctively lunged towards him. As quick as the SEAL was, he wasn't quick enough and as the gunshot rang through the still, quiet afternoon the bullet tore into his lower abdomen.
Danny watched in horror, screaming Steve's name as the force of the shot catapulted the SEAL over the edge of the boat and into the Ocean. As the shooter began to turn towards Danny the detective flung his body into him knocking them both over the edge as well. The gun was knocked from the shooter's hand onto the deck and moments later, back in the water Danny resurfaced to see the man already swimming back towards the boat. He spun around frantically in the water unable to see his partner anywhere.
He spotted ripples in the water near where Steve had gone overboard and he swam quickly towards the area.
When he was several feet away, Steve popped up gasping and coughing as he struggled to pull air into his lungs.
Danny called out, "STEVE, STEVE….HOLD ON BUDDY, I'M COMING!" He reached his partners side in moments, "Steve, I'm here, I've got you" He positioned himself behind the injured man wrapping an arm up under his armpits and across his chest. The SEAL was still coughing as his head rested back against his partners shoulder. "I got you Steven, hang on babe" As he held his injured partner above water tightly with one arm, he used his other to swim towards the dinghy. Thankfully the water was still and he kept talking softly as he moved through the water, "You're doing great….hold on…..hold on"
He was afraid. He was afraid because Steve was too still and too quiet. As they reached the dinghy it took every ounce of strength Danny had in his body to pull the unconscious man up and out of the water, sliding his body up into the small vessel. Danny was exhausted and breathing heavily as he then pulled himself up into the dinghy. After taking one last look at their boat moving further away he mumbled under his breath, "I hate the Ocean" before turning his attention back to Steve.
He dropped to his knees and as he turned Steve onto his back he gasped at the sight before him. Steve's sleeveless, white shirt was covered in bright red blood. "Oh shit…" Danny's eyes scoured the boat finding no supplies. He talked softly under his breath, "Okay…..okay…think, think, think…" He stripped off his own shirt and undershirt and took off his belt. Unfortunately he didn't have anything in his pockets he could use and checking Steve's all he found was a pocket knife. Tearing his partners' shirt open, he looked at the wound which was bleeding quite heavily. He had been shot at close range leaving a gaping hole.
He undid Steve's belt buckle and pants pulling them down over his hips so he could access the wound better. The bullet had entered slightly to the right and about halfway between the navel and pelvis. He slid his belt under Steve's body and then folding his t-shirt he placed it against the wound and pressed down tightly.
The pain jolted the SEAL back to consciousness, "NNOO SSTOP…..SSTTOP!"
Danny moved up grabbing his partner's shoulders, pushing him back down "Steve…..I've got you…..stop struggling"
"Ddanny? Ddanny wwhat happened?"
"You took a round to the gut buddy. I need you help me now okay?"
"Yeah…..wwhat do yyou need me to ddo?"
Danny smiled down at him, "You got the easy part babe. I need you just to lay still, can you do that for me?"
"Uhh huh…..yyeah I can hhandle tthat"
Danny patted Steve's cheek and then moved back to the wound, "Okay partner hold on" Danny pushed down firmly on the belly as Steve moaned loudly fighting to remain conscious. Danny called out encouragingly, "Good job Steve…hang on buddy, you're doing great…hang on" Danny kept the pressure applied for several minutes talking the entire time, "He took the boat Steve so once I get the bleeding stopped I gotta figure how to get us out of here"
"Did yyou try to sstart the motor yet?"
"No, not yet. I've been a little busy with you partner. How you doing?"
"Good…no problem…..How's iit llook?"
"The bleeding is slowing. I'm going to tighten my belt around you, hang on now"
As the belt tightened Steve cried out, "OOH SSHITT….."
"I'm sorry Steve…."
"'s okay Danno…..do it…..'s ookayy…"
Once the bandage was in place Danny ripped a sleeve from his shirt and the leaning over the edge of the dinghy he rinsed his hands and wet the shirt.
Back at Steve's side he wiped his friend's sweat drenched face, "Relax partner, I'm going to get you out of here"
Steve tried to push up as he said softly, "Help mmme uup DDanno"
"No, no…..stay down. I'm going to check the motor now, you stay still"
"Okkay….."
Danny looked at the motor and called out to Steve, "The tank's empty partner, not a drop of gas…damn it"
"DDump iit…"
"Huh? What?"
"It's nno good to uus. It wweighhs us ddown"
Doing as instructed, Danny unhooked the motor and let it drop into the Ocean.
"Steve, there are no supplies at all in here. There's a paddle, I'm going to start rowing. You just relax"
"I ccan help"
"HEY SUPERMAN, STOP!" Danny moved quickly towards Steve who was again trying to push himself upright. Just as he reached his friend's side the boat was hit by something, causing it to rock violently…..
**** Much more to follow ! I am overwhelmed by the initial responses to the story - please let me know what you think ! ****