CH 85
Ms. Cruise, along with a couple agents who had shown up, left with the man and the jacket with the bomb a couple minutes after the search of the ship began. When the all-clear was given, everyone went back on board. Jim went to look for MacGyver. He found her in her cabin lying down with the lights off.
"June…"
"Yeah," as he walked in, she turned on a small light.
He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Mike said that you were here. Are you ok?"
"Headache. I've been trying to think… why was the guy was aiming for my head and not trying to remove his hand from mine. The tactics aren't right; it makes no sense."
"Perhaps he was trying to knock you out?"
"Or he knew about the concussion that I received from last night's blast. Hitting my head again could not only cause a brain injury but could also make someone lose focus."
"How would he know? None of my men would."
"No, they didn't know. There is one person who did know and was making and receiving calls and text messages. Madeline Cruise."
"No way it's her."
"Jim," she put her hand into his, "how long have you been working on this terrorist thing?"
"Seven months."
"Six months ago, when you returned, you couldn't tell me about what you were doing, but you said it was high, a ten, on your scale. That's what you were telling me, terrorist plot happening."
"I don't know, I'm not sure," He said.
"After what happened last night and today, it appears that Australian civilians or even the Navy might be a target."
"I hope not."
"Same here" she slowly closed her eyes. After watching her for a few minutes, he leaned over and kissed her lips before turning the light off. Then he stood up and walked to the door where he felt around for the door handle in the dark, opened the door, and walked out, closing the door behind him.
Bird and another crew member took care of the meals while MacGyver was recovering.
Back in Cairns, immigrations checked the passports of Hammersley's civilian passengers. Then they disembarked first, followed by Jim and his team.
An ambulance showed up to take MacGyver to hospital to have a CT scan. She was kept overnight for observation.
Mike went to NAVCOM to give his report to Maxine about what had happened before going home for the night.
Two days later, Hammersley left port to finish their patrol. MacGyver was back on board with light duties for a week. Jim had picked her up from the hospital the day before and they only had one night together.
On Hammersley's return from patrol, they were given a few days shore leave.
MacGyver went home, and after following her usual after patrol routine, she started writing notes and doing research on Madeline cruise, which included hacking into the ASCOI computer to find out what she could about the woman, as well as what cases she had been on.
When she got what she needed, she got out of the computer before her time was up. MacGyver goes over everything she learned about her, including the terrorist group she's been after. After reading everything, she was alarmed by what she found. She called Dutchy.
"Dylan Mullholland, hello."
"Dutchy, it's MacGyver."
"Hey! Enjoying your shore leave?"
"Funny. A couple of questions,… one is, who was driving to the house that Ms. Cruise was interested in?"
"Ms. Cruise, why?"
"Did she have a map with her to help her get to the house in question?"
Dutchy thought about it a moment, "No, she didn't."
"So she knew exactly how to get to the house."
"It seemed so; yes, why?"
"Don't you think it's odd for someone who, the first time there, knows where to go and what time to be at the house while the bomber showed up on Hammersley? It's a bit of a coincidence, don't you think?"
"Yeah, your right. Does Jim know?"
"No, he's away on a mission."
"Ok, feel like going out to dinner?"
"Not tonight. See you in a few days."
"Sure," then they hung up.
MacGyver spoke with Dutchy, Mike, and Kate in the ship's office the day Hammersley left port for a short patrol.
"MacGyver, you wanted to see us?" Mike asked.
"Yes, during shore leave, I did some research and, well, some other illegal stuff, and what I found was alarming."
"You've been hacking?" Mike asked with a raised brow.
"Yes, and with good reason."
"Ok, go on."
"There is something about the terrorist that Ms. Cruise is after; something's not adding up right."
"Meaning?" Kate asked.
"Sir, you got the ok from NAVCOM to dock at port four days before we came in."
"That's right."
"Well, what I found out is that Ms. Cruise had asked Fleet Command's permission to use one of the patrol boats to do a pickup."
"Jim and his team," Kate said.
"Yes. She asked on the same day Mike made that call, just two hours after you got the ok, Sir."
"What are you getting at?" Mike asked, starting to look worried.
"Sir, when Ms. Cruise asked for permission, she asked for Hammersley to take her to the pickup zone." Mike, Kate, and Dutchy were alarmed.
"Are you sure?" Dutchy asked. MacGyver picks up a sheet of paper and shows Mike.
"I called Fleet Command, and Captain Thomas told me himself. So I asked for a copy of the request. He asked why and I told him that I had a gut feeling. He understood but still wanted to know why. I told him that it was too much of a coincidence that Ms. Cruise asked for Hammersley not even two hours after you got the ok to dock at port and how it was interesting that at that same time, Ms. Cruise is after a suspect who might be connected to terrorism. And that showed up on the island three days before we docked and that she knew about the terrorism threat. Plus, another question is, why did the bomber choose that one night club out of ten nightclubs and three hotels in which one of them was four blocks away?"
"That fancy hotel?" Dutchy asked.
"Yes, and why was Hammersley the target. Also, remember the day you and the SAS plus Ms. Cruise left? She was delaying the departure by an hour. I asked you, Dutchy, on the phone the other day who was driving."
"Yeah, Ms. Cruise"
"And did she have a map?"
"No, she knew where exactly where to go," Dutchy said.
"What are you saying, MacGyver. Are you saying that Ms. Cruise is behind the bombing of the nightclub?"
"Or she's part of the terrorist cell. With her working out of NAVCOM, she could get any information she wanted, from boat schedules to patrol areas. She would even have access to background information on anyone, and she could sell it or pass it on. Why that one night club and why that particular night when most of the crew was there? And the look she gave me when I showed up with the third bomber and the bomb. She wasn't impressed… like her plan failed. Plus, I noticed she texted someone with the bomber next to her, reading what she was texting; he could have easily escaped since she wasn't holding him in place. Sir, Fleet Command knows this, and he agreed that I should tell you three."
"What about Jim?"
"Captain Thomas' going to talk to him about this personally. I sent a copy of everything to him to go over and to tell Jim. He should ask him any questions he might have since he's on this terrorist thing."
"If Madeline Cruise is behind it," Dutchy said.
"Then we will get all the evidence and proof we need to send her to prison for life," MacGyver said.
When Jim returned from his mission four days later, he received a message to contact Captain Thomas from Fleet Command, which he thought was odd. He called him from NAVCOM then flew to Canberra the next morning to meet with him in person. Arriving, a lieutenant showed him into the meeting room. He was shocked to see General West, Captain Thomas, and Admiral of the Fleet at the table. He saluted then walked in to join the meeting.
"Captain, please sit down," the General said.
"Captain Thomas, you said you wanted to see me about my wife. Has something happen to her?" Jim asked.
"No, she's fine, Captain. It's about her reports and her findings… her theories."
"What findings, Sir?"
The Captain slid a folder to Jim. "Read it, Captain."
Jim opened the file and read what it said about Madeline Cruise, the three bombers, the timing of everything. When he finished, he looked at the emails, the times, dates of the requests, everything. He looked up at them
"My God… Sirs, the men she had me and my men track down, are they terrorists?"
"Can you give us names, Captain?"
"Why not just get them from ACSIO headquarters?"
"Cause we don't want to raise the alarm. If Ms. Cruise finds out that we have been asking for her case files, we don't know what she will do."
"Everything was on my work laptop; it all should be there."
"Can you send us your reports from when you were working with Madeline Cruise?"
"I should be able to, Sir."
"Your recent mission, care to tell us about it?" The General asked.
Jim told them everything, including the names of those he and his men were to find and capture for integration, thinking they had links to the terrorist cell. Jim talked to the three men for over an hour. When the meeting broke up, Jim stood, saluted, and was about to leave the room when the General called out.
"Captain, we read the reports about the nightclub bombing on Samaru Island. Because your wife risked her life saving over two hundred lives, she is going to be awarded the highest medal, The Victoria Cross." Jim was stunned.
"I know she will be honored. Sirs, the way she's going, she's going to run out of room on her uniform," making them all smile.
"The way she's going, Captain, she going to receive every high award we have. I know she's received four metals more than once."
"Yes, Sir."
"Is there anything you want to add, Captain?"
"June's Navy contract expires next month. We haven't had a chance to talk about if she wants to renew it or not."
"We know that also, Captain. It would be a waste if she chose to leave the Navy."
"I agree, Sir, but we want to start a family. That's why she requested a shore posting which lasted only three weeks because it is hard to find a replacement for her with her skills."
"It's true; she is one of a kind."
"That she is, Sir." Jim's phone rings. "Excuse me, Sir, it's June."
"Hey, miss you," he said, smiling as he looked at the video call.
"Miss you too."
"How's your patrol?"
"Busy with FFV and a mother ship which both Childers and Kingston are going to be pissed off about. They couldn't board, but we did."
Jim grinned. "You had a plan, then."
"And the Captain. Between the two of us, we got on board."
"I'm proud of you, June."
"Thanks, hon. Jim, where are you? I can see behind you, and you're not at home, an army base, or NAVCOM."
Jim looked over at the officers that were still seated around the table. They gave a nod, and he looked back at her.
"I'm in Canberra."
"I hope you haven't been getting into trouble, Jim."
He chuckled, "no, June, I'm at Fleet Command."
"Oh, can you tell me or not."
The Admiral of the Fleet gave the nod.
"June, it's about what you had sent Captain Thomas about the bombing."
June thought for a moment. "Oh, so why did he ask for you besides that you were doing Ms. Cruise's dirty work for her?"
"Yeah, that's what we were talking about. June, I was shocked after I read everything you sent to him."
"So, do you agree with my theories about what happened?"
"June, I do. I trust you, and you were right."
"You know we need evidence."
"Of course. I told them that I would send a copy of everything that my men and I have done to Captain Thomas."
"Ok, if you need any help, I'm just a phone call away."
"They," Jim said.
"You're not alone? Who else is there in the room with you?" Jim looked up for permission to tell her, and the Admiral again gave him a nod.
"Admiral Johnson, Captain Thomas, and General West."
"Sirs," she said.
"MacGyver."
"I gather you heard everything, Sirs."
"We did."
"Well, as I said to Jim, if you need any help, I'm a phone call away."
"Thank you, MacGyver. Captain Roth told us about his last mission."
"Alright. Is there anything you want to ask me?"
"Yes, your contract is coming due," the captain said.
"Yes, about that… Jim…" he turned the phone around so that they could see her and her them.
"June…"
"I've been doing a lot of thinking, Jim. How would you feel if I stayed on for another three years?"
"What about a family?" Jims asked.
"I've been thinking about that and other things. Suppose I do stay on for another three years. In that case, I could help you, your men and the Navy get evidence against Ms. Cruise and stop any terrorist attacks on Australian soil before it happens. I want to be on it after what happened at the nightclub. You know me, once I start something…."
"You want to finish it."
"Yes, and when we do, and the case is closed, I'll be asking for a shore posting so we can start a family. But knowing Knocker, she would find a way to keep me on Hammersley like she did with Mike. He has been trying for weeks to get his shore posting back."
"That is true, June; you really want this?"
"How do you feel about it, Jim?"
"Three years…"
"Yeah, and the shore leaves and other things like being the Navy taxi for you and your men," she said smiling, making him smile. "Plus, I'll still have my security clearance, so if your ass needs saving on an island, the chances might be that I'll be there to save it."
"That's true. Ok, June, for three years."
"I love you so much."
"I love you too."
"When we return and your home, remember valentines surprise" she flicks her eyebrows at him, which makes him grin.
"I remember, and I'll be looking for to it."
Then in the background, they could hear, "MacGyver to the bridge, MacGyver to the bridge."
"Sorry, honey, Navy's got no sense of timing as usual. The boat's turning, so we've got either an FFV or another mother ship. Love you."
"Love you too. Be careful."
"Always." Then she hung up, and Jim put his phone back in his pocket.
"Well, Sir. You got your contract answer. June will be staying another three years."
