CH 79

The skipper of the boat that had called the pan-pan showed up at the pub and saw Kate sitting at the bar. He walked over to her and sat down. He told them about a man who had paid him a lot of money to use his sonar to look for something he had lost overboard. Mike, Kate, and MacGyver were alarmed by what he was telling them. Kate had questions.

"I'll take him back to his boat," Mike said.

"Sir, take this with you… just in case," MacGyver said, handing him one of her beacons.

"I'll just be five minutes," Mike responded.

"Anything can happen in that time, especially while in a foreign port, Sir," MacGyver said.

"She's right," Kate said.

"Alright," he took the beacon and put it in his pocket.

Helping the skipper to stand, Mike, walked him to the docks.

Kate and MacGyver stayed at the bar and talked. Then Kate got a call from Mike and MacGyver saw Kate's face as she hung up.

"Mike's in trouble!" They ran down to the skipper's boat and see several men on board.

"That's Cavenagh," Kate said, recognizing one of the men.

"They're getting ready to cast off. Let's head back to Hammersley," MacGyver said.

"Good idea," Kate agreed.

MacGyver called Hammersley, "RO, it's MacGyver, we need a RHIB pick up and to cancel all shore leave… The Captain's in trouble. Who's on duty watch?… okay, tell him to keep a watch out for one or two boats leaving port; one of them has the Captain on it… kidnapped. X and I are headed to the dock now," then she passes the phone to Kate.

"RO needs your authorization to cancel shore leave."

"RO, get everyone back to the ship at the rush… okay, thanks," she hung up and passed the phone back to MacGyver.

Hurrying to the dock to where Hammersley is, they wait for the RHIB to show up. Then, getting in, they headed back to Hammersley. Once onboard, Kate and MacGyver headed to the bridge, and the RHIB returned to the docks to pick up the crew returning from shore leave.

Kate contacted NAVCOM. MacGyver went and got her laptop. First, they saw the drunken skipper's boat leaving port, then they saw Cavenagh's boat leave ten minutes later.

Kate waited for over an hour for NAVCOM to call her back. When they hadn't called, she called them again. "Lieutenant, I need Commander White's approval to be acting Captain… What? You can't get hold of her?… Call Fleet Command and then tell them Lieutenant Commander Flynn has been kidnapped and is on a boat that left port over an hour ago… Yes, I did…." MacGyver stepped forward.

"Let me," MacGyver said, and Kate passed the phone to her. "Lieutenant, it's MacGyver… hey mate, since you can't get hold of Knocker, get hold of the Fleet Commander as XO asked you to… Lieutenant, I was with the XO when we both saw the Captain…." The laptop buzzed, and Kate checked it.

"MacGyver…"

"Hang on, Lieutenant… what is it, X?"

"The beacon has been activated," Kate said.

"Lieutenant, get Lieutenant Kate Flynn's approval now. Commander Flynn has activated the emergency beacon I gave him… twelve hours, time ticking…. We might be able to catch the mongrels with the sub. They will have drugs on it… yes, now please… thank you, we'll be waiting for your call," then she hung up.

"He is going to try and call Knocker once more. If no reply, then he will call Fleet Command."

Twenty minutes later, the phone rings. "Hammersley Petty officer Roth… yes, Sir… hour and a half ago, Sir… NAVCOM's been trying to contact Commander White for approval, Sir… yes, Sir, she's here." MacGyver passes the phone to Kate.

"Lieutenant Flynn? Fleet Command."

"Lieutenant Flynn… yes, Sir… yes, Sir… thank you, Sir… we will, Sir" then she hung up.

"RO, contact the harbormaster let him know we are leaving port," Kate ordered.

Then she got on the PA system for cable close up. Ten minutes later, they were on their way, chasing down the boat that has Mike. Later that morning, they came upon Cavenagh's boat. Boarding it, they found the wife tied up, and they found the beacon but no Mike.

Once they got the woman back on, Hammersley, MacGyver spoke to her. She told them about the drugs and that Mike and the drunk skipper were put in the sub along with the two dead men. MacGyver relayed what she learned to Kate and the others while over at the map.

"Here, if they're going to sink the sub, it would be here, in the trench. It's deep, and there's little chance of any sonar penetrating that far down," MacGyver said. "Let's go after it."

"RO contact NAVCOM and ask them to contact coast watch to do a sweep of this area here," Kate said as she pointed out where MacGyver reconds where the boat and sub might be.

Then they headed to the area while two crew members took Cavenaugh's boat back to Cairns.

Half an hour later, they heard from the coast watch and got the boat's location and that it was towing something but not sure what it is. Getting the coordinates from coast watch, they headed toward the boat at the top of the green. Arriving, Kate sent a boarding party.

The crew watched as the RHIB got close, then suddenly, both the boat and sub blew up in front of them. They were shocked as they watched in horror the scene in front of them.

"X-ray eight two! Are you okay?"

"Charlie eight two, we're a bit wet but fine. How's the X," MacGyver asked.

"Shocked."

"Keep an eye on her, Charge."

"Will do, MacGyver."

"Have RO inform NAVCOM about what happened."

"Will do," then replacing the mic.

"Come on, X, your acting captain now." She just nodded.

"RO," Kate said, "contact NAVCOM, and I'll take it in the CO's cabin."

"Yes, X."

"Charge, you have the ship." Kate walked down the steps and into Mike's cabin just as the phone rings.

Sitting down, she picked up the phone to talk to Maxine about what happened. As she sat at Mike's desk, she saw the list of candidate names for the new CO of Hammersley. She saw her name at the top of the list while she was talking to Commander White. When the call with Maxine was finished, she picked up their wedding photo and started to cry.

A few minutes later, Bird knocked on the door, opened it, and stepped into the cabin. "X, the boarding team radioed, they found… human remains in the water."

"Thanks, Bird," Kate said sadly, and she put the photo back, stood up, and followed Bird back to the bridge.

Two hours later, another navy ship arrived to collect the debris from the explosions while Hammersley steamed back to homeport.

MacGyver walked onto the bridge. She stepped forward next to Kate, who is sitting in the Captain's chair. Kate looked lost, and she put her hand into Kate's and gave it a squeeze.

"We will find the bastard who did this, Kate."

Tears started falling down her face. "I can't believe he's gone," Kate said, trying to keep it together.

"I know." MacGyver wrapped her arm around Kate's shoulders as she cried. Then MacGyver looked around to see everyone else set up.

An hour later, there was a ping on the radar. Checking the radar, Dutchy saw that it was a large pleasure craft. He typed in the details. "MacGyver…"

"What is it?" MacGyver asked, walking over to the radar. Kate had left the bridge to rest in her cabin.

"It's Gorshe's pleasure boat."

"Let's get after it" Picking up the intercom, she called Kate's cabin.

"X, we've got Gorshe's boat on radar."

Kate arrived on the bridge. "Captain has the ship," MacGyver called out.

"Where is it?" Kate asked.

"Thirty miles ahead doing one eight zero-zero," Dutchy answered.

"Right, Swain! Top of the green." Swain repeated the command, and Kate took her place in the captain's chair.

MacGyver steps next to her. "X…" Kate looked at her.

"I know you normally do the boardings, but now your acting Captain."

"I'm going," Kate said emphatically.

"I know you want to. But you need to be here. Leave it to us, and we will take Gorshe down and bring him over for you. After all, this is your ship now, and Mike trusts you with it."

"I need to be there."

"I know you do, but leave it to us. If you get injured, who'd going to bring Hammersley home?"

"You and Swain can."

"Yeah, I know that, and you know the protocols and don't tell me to stuff them, or I'll give you a toothbrush."

"Well, it's true."

"Well, would you rather it be Knocker or me giving you the toothbrush."

"Your right."

When it was time, the boarding team left Hammersley for Gorshe's boat. Just when they were getting ready to return to Hammersley, MacGyver noticed movement on one side of the boat. She went down the side and through a door that led downstairs.

As she entered the bedroom, she was attacked from behind. Managing to roll over, she sees that it is the father that Mike had rescued the day before that was attacking her. Gorshe Immediately recognized her and was shocked to find her there, allowing MacGyver to get him off her, pick up her gun, and pointed at him.

"It's over, Mr Gorshe. Now get up" MacGyver picked him up by his arm and pushed him out of the room just as Swain and Two Dads walk down the steps.

"Swain, get him up top."

"Sure. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," then she got on her radio. "Charlie eight two, X we've got Mr Gorshe under arrest."

"Copy that. I want to meet him in person; have Swain bring him over."

"Will do X." She looks at Goshe, "the woman you just heard is Lieutenant Flynn Commander Flynn's wife. When she gets home, she will have calls to make, letting their family know that Mike Flynn is dead. Mike and I saved you and your son, and you paid him back by killing him. This is the thanks for what he did for you. You broke your word about owing your life to him. Get him out of here!" MacGyver said angrilly. Swain and Two Dads took him up the stairs. MacGyver took a deep calming breath.

"We got the bastard Mike; we did it for you and Kate," she said out loud

She walked to the steps and started climbing when she heard a nose. Turning, she went back down, pulling out her gun and holding out her weapon; she entered the room where she thought that she had heard the noise. She was stunned by what she saw in front of her. Holstering her gun, she grabbed her knife, cut the bindings around his wrists, and removes the gag from his mouth

"Bloody hell, mate!" she exclaims. "You're like a cat with nine lives!" She then cut the ties that were around his legs and helped him to sit up.

"Are you hurt anywhere else besides your face?"

"Chest…"

She undid the buttons on his shirt and saw a purple boot mark on his chest. As she palpated it, she could see the pain on his face. Then she redid the buttons.

"You might have cracked ribs or could just be bruising. When we return home, you'll need to go to the hospital to have x rays taken to make sure."

"Okay. How's Kate?"

" A mess. We all saw the sub and boat blow up. We were sure that you were on it. Okay, let's go home," MacGyver stood and helped Mike to stand. "She's going to be so happy to see that you're alive."

"Same here"

"You must have one hell of a story to tell the crew."

"Yeah, could say that."

"Come on," They walk out and up to the boat deck.

"Hold the RHIB! Got one more to take back," MacGyver yelled out.

The boarding party turned to see MacGyver and Mike.

"Sir! You're alive!" Swain exclaimed, shocked.

"It appears so, thanks, Swain" Mike stopped when he saw Gorshe on the RHIB. MacGyver got onto the RHIB and then helped Mike. Putting a life vest on him, "Not a word to the X," MacGyver said to the RHIB crew.

"We won't."

The RHIB took off for Hammersley. Once back onboard,Two Dads helped Gorshe up the steps from the RHIB and to the back of the boat just as Kate walked out and saw Gorshe there.

"Lieutenant Kate Flynn, Meet Mr Gorshe," Two Dads said. Kate just looked at him, not saying a thing.

"Hey, X, look what I found," MacGyver yells out. Kate turned to see a grinning MacGyver and Mike standing there.

"Mike!" she said, shocked, and ran over to him. Soon as he steps on the boat deck and turns around, he and Kate hug as she cried.

"Easy, X. He's got chest injuries," MacGyver said when they pulled apart, she was crying.

"I thought you were dead!"

"Goshe recognized me when as I was being put in the sub. He saved my life, returning a debt after I saved his and his son's life."

"Who was the other man?"

"Mr Mason, he was killed before he was put into the sub."

"Mike, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I was thinking the same thing, Kate," they hug and kiss once more.

"The Federal Police will be here soon," Kate said as she put her hand up to his messy face.

"You two can make out later after I clean up your wounds, Sir," MacGyver said, grinning soon as she was on the boat deck.

"After I have a shower first… and we are not going to make out, MacGyver," Mike said, and he noticed the crew grinning.

"Okay, go and have your shower, Sir. By the time I'm finished cleaning you up, the police will be here for your statement," MacGyver said

"Okay, good," kissing Kate once more before walking towards the hatch.

"Mighty Mike Flynn, aye X," MacGyver said.

Kate smiled. "That he is."

"I told him that he will need to go to the hospital for x rays of his chest cause of all the bruising."

"Thanks for telling me. Who found him?"

"I did after I took Gorshe down."

"You did good, MacGyver."

"We all did X." When they turned towards the back of the boat, they saw the Gorshe was watching them.

An hour later, the police showed up with a couple of navy personnel. They would be taking Gorshe's boat back to Cairns with Federal Police on board as well because of the drugs that were onboard. Gorshe and the others would be returning back to Cairns on the police boat.

Hammersley left to deal with a mayday call as the boats left. Then they returned to Cairns.

Mike called Maxine after he had his shower to let her know that he is alive. When Hammersley docked, Mike and MacGyver left for the hospital while Kate had to finish the paperwork.