TAKING TO TASK

CHAPTER NINETEEN

"Giving Chase"

Frank, Nancy and Joe all exchanged looks and Frank glanced over at the F.B.I. contingent. It would make the most sense to tell them where the crates were; they should have the ability to stop the bad guys before they got away. Frank waved to Ned who shot him a brief nod before turning back to the gangplank leading onto the Dolly Mae. Frank saw Ned speaking to his partner but couldn't make out the words. A few moments later, though, Ned walked casually to the dockside where the Hardys and Nancy waited.

"There," Frank murmured, motioning to the other side of the Dolly Mae. "Speedboat. Better stop them before they leave."

Ned smiled and held his hand up to his face. Pressing a button he spoke into his hand. "This is agent Nickerson," Ned said. "Team D, E and G start up now. Team H on standby. Do not intercept until the package is delivered. Repeat, do not intercept until the package is delivered."

Ned waved toward another dock further down the riverfront, near the moored Burger King riverboat and Frank made out another boat there. Fast looking, with smooth, powerful lines, it reminded Frank of the craft he piloted as a youth, the Sleuth.

"Come on," Ned murmured. "Go slowly, don't do anything to draw attention to yourselves."

They walked casually down the dockside to the connecting dock that took them to the smaller craft. They climbed on board and Ned took the wheel, firing up the ship.

Across the river three speedboats were running the course, dodging around larger ships in the mighty Mississippi. Frank tied off a life jacket Ned threw to him and helped Joe with his own.

"You should have stayed behind," Frank chided his brother again. "You're going to hurt those ribs more."

"Shoulda, coulda, woulda," Joe muttered. "I'm here and you might need my help. Not going anywhere, got it?"

Frank sighed and nodded. Trust his brother to maintain that inflexible attitude of his. Never mind the dangers to himself, as long as he could move, he'd be fighting.

Frank smiled, unable to help himself. He expected no differently from Joe.

The craft carrying the packages from the Dolly Mae and Ras-Alman's men sped down the Mississippi, nearly a mile away from the St. Louis Arch area. Frank and Joe exchanged confused looks, wondering why they would deliver those so far away if the Arch were the target. Frank shrugged again as Ned slowed his boat down and they bobbed in the waves while the other powerboat docked.

"This is Agent Nickerson," Ned said into his hand again. "Teams D, E & G move in now." He rattled off directions like the professional he was and carefully moored the boat near the shore so that they could all get off.

"I want you guys to stay down and stay back," Ned ordered the Hardys and Nancy. "I know you can handle yourselves in a fight but this is a federal operation. I'm breaking more rules than I want to think about by bringing you this far but I want you to be able to give me a positive ID on Ras-Alman when we locate him."

Frank nodded. "That goes double for you, Joe," he warned his brother in a low voice. "Don't get hurt again."

Joe looked irate but said nothing. Frank glared at his younger brother until Joe nodded reluctantly. "All right, fine, okay, I'll be careful."

Frank wasn't so sure but, for now, there wasn't much he could do about it. Joe was Joe; he really didn't want to change his brother, not for anything. There was no better partner in the world that was for sure.

"There," Ned whispered as he pointed to a small, one story, former storefront located along the waterfront. "That's where they're going."

There were three men carrying each of the crates, indicating that they were of some size and weight. Ned kept his eyes peeled through a small set of binoculars he carried and he handed them off to Frank. "See Ras-Alman anywhere?"

Frank took the binoculars and peered through them. Up close he could make out all of the men's faces, including a couple of men he had known for nearly two years. He spanned the area with the glasses until he stopped on one face.

"He's here," Frank hissed at Ned. "There."

Frank pointed in the direction of Ras-Alman and handed the binoculars back to Ned. Ned peered through them and nodded. He watched for several more minutes without saying a word then he turned to the others again.

"You guys remember to stay back," Ned warned the other three again. They rolled their eyes simultaneously but didn't argue. "I mean it. If you get shot I'll have to fill out way too much paperwork. So don't do it. Okay?"

Frank and Nancy smiled at each other and nodded. "No plans to get shot here, Ned," Nancy whispered. "Go on."

Ned spoke into his hand again.

"The package has been delivered," he exclaimed. "Everyone move in!"

With incredible looking efficiency, Ned Nickerson pulled a gun from a shoulder holster, clipped his F.B.I. badge to his lapel and yelled out. "F.B.I. Everyone down on the ground right now! Move!"

Instead of obeying orders, however, the bad guys drew guns and began firing like crazy. Ned dove to one side, rolling behind an abutment and he shot back out, firing off several shots.

Frank and Nancy exchanged stunned expressions as they watched and Joe crept forward a little, not wanting to be left out of the action. Frank grabbed his brother's arm and held on but Joe struggled enough, despite the obvious pain he was in, that Frank let him go.

"You better not get dead," Frank warned his brother. He nodded to Nancy and all of them crept forward together. Ras-Alman was not staying put like he should. He was racing out of the back of the building, obviously trying to get to his car for a get away.

"Let's get him!" Joe yelled unnecessarily. "Come on!"

They raced around the building, dodging out of the way of bullets and bad guys, coming around the back – near the street – to find that Ras-Alman was running toward a dark blue Mercedes.

"Not so fast, Marcius," Frank shouted. "You're not getting away this time!"

Ras-Alman turned and glared at his former son-in-law. "Oh? And who's going to stop me, boy? You?"

"No," Nancy said in a clear voice. "US."

Joe threw something then and a small round stone hit Ras-Alman squarely on the forehead.

Ras-Alman and Joe fell to the ground together, one of them unconscious and the other clearly in a lot of pain.

"Got him," Frank smiled with satisfaction at his girlfriend.