Chapter 21.
Dutchy was about to follow Charge back to Hammersley, when he thought he heard a tapping coming from the hull. He stopped. There it was again, tap, tap.
Drawing his weapon, he slowly advanced, feeling his way in the darkness. Tap, tap. He found the ladder to the hull, and descended.
Pointing his weapon, he said, "Who are you?" The only reply he received was a muffled groan. Dutchy inched forward, and almost stumbled on a pair of feet.
"Shit." Putting his gun away, he crouched down. In the weak light penetrating the hull from Hammersley, Dutchy could make out a figure half-lying, half-sitting. Obviously tied and gagged, whoever it was could offer no harm. Nonetheless, Dutchy checked the figure for a weapon. When he reached the head, he felt a gag. He removed it and heard noises as the man drew breath, and rolled his tongue around his mouth. Again, Dutchy asked, "Who are you?"
A voice whispered, "Dutchy? Dutchy? It's me."
"Two Dads? What the hell? You hurt?"
"No…get me outa here."
XO Jamie Patterson pushed his way through the relieved crew, to the ward room. He looked at his Medic, then at his CO lying on the stretcher in the ward room.
"How is she?"
"She has a concussion, sir, and will need a scan once we get her home. Stab wound in the ribs, no internal injuries, and a lot of bruising. But she'll be fine, sir."
"Very good. Right, let's get underway." He looked around at his crew." Why are you standing around? You have work to do, don't you? LS Green, how are the engines?"
"Chief Thorpe has finished the repair. We were coming to report to you when we saw what was happening. The starboard engine will function –"
"At low power, sir." Charge finished for her. He turned away and made for the bridge where the engine control console was located. The remaining engine coughed into life and gently started to rev. Jamie went forward to the bridge.
To his coxswain he said, "Plot course for home. You have the conn."
"Aye, sir."
"RO, get me NAVCOM."
Jamie then walked over to where Charge was sitting, monitoring the sole engine that would get them home. He said quietly, "Thank you."
"Yes sir," Charge answered.
Mike had gone home with Jessica. He called his mother and father on their way home to thank them for their help. He bathed his daughter, and put her pyjamas on, then prepared some food for her. The child had picked up on his mood, and was quiet, eating her food in her high chair. Mike realised how exhausted he was; waiting for any news took it out of him more than it would have, had he been on a ship in the thick of things. Steve had stayed on at NAVCOM, promising to relay news to him. Mike knew that Bendigo and Kingston were almost in port, having neutralised the terrorist operations against the shipping lanes. He felt proud that once again, Navy had picked up the slack and cleaned up the bungled operation. He had spoken to the CO of the SAS unit, and knew that the team would be going back to their unit to face disciplinary action. As for ASIO, there would certainly be investigations there; however, that was Canberra's problem, not his.
A little voice broke into his thoughts. "Daddy, when's Mummy coming home?"
He picked her up and felt her little arms go around his neck. He kissed her and said, "Soon, sweetheart. Soon. Now, how about a story?"
"Yes please, Daddy."
Mike read her a story, then put on her favourite bedtime music. He tucked her in to bed, then kissed her. He walked into his bedroom, changed his clothes and went out to the lounge room, hoping that Jessica would still have her mother. He could not bear the thought of his daughter being motherless, and him alone. He went to get a beer out of the fridge, when his mobile rang.
"Mike Flynn".
"Sir, I have news. Kate's been found, she's alive but has been hurt. She's unconscious and has a stab wound. She's on her way home now, onboard Hammersley. They'll be in port about 2200 hours. Childers is escorting them, in case the engine fails, then they will tow her."
Mike could not speak.
"Sir?" Steve Marshall said.
"I'm here, Steve. Thank you for the sitrep. That's good news. Now go home and get some sleep. Goodnight."
Steve hung up. There was more news to tell, but it could wait. He sighed. Kate's alive. Thank goodness. Taking off his headset, Steve went back to his office, picked up his briefcase and walked slowly out to his car. He was tired, tired beyond measure, and he wanted to get home to a good meal and a shower.
Mike put the phone down, put his face in his hands, and felt the wetness of his tears of relief. He then picked up his phone, and called his mother.
"Mum?"
"Son, how are you? Any news?"
"They found Kate, Mum, she's alive. She's hurt, but she's alive –" Mike broke off.
Amelia heard the tears in her son's voice. "Mike, that's wonderful. We're so relieved. We were so worried."
"I know Mum, I was so scared I'd lost her. Mum, I'm going down to the docks to wait for her. I want to be the first there to see her."
"Of course, son. We'll be there to sit with Jessica."
"Thanks Mum, she's asleep See you in a bit. Bye.
"Bye, Son."
On board Childers, having been showered, fed and watered and pronounced healthy by the ship's medic, Two Dads sat in the Senior Sailors'
mess between Buffer and Dutchy.
"So, mate, however did you get from Singapore to Bright Island?" Dutchy asked.
Two Dads sipped his coffee. "I got a job in Singapore, working on a casino boat. You know, cruising around the harbour, picking up and dropping off gamblers. Easy money. Big money. Anyway, one of these gamblers said he could offer me more money working for him."
"And you fell for it," said Dutchy.
"Yeah. Hook, line and bloody sinker. I thought it was another casino boat, the way he was talking, but it was a cover. They were gun running, between Singapore and Indonesia. They were some sort of terrorist group, setting up a camp on Bright Island. They had all sorts of stolen weapons, high-powered rifles, bombs, sea mines, you name it. I tried to get off at Indonesia and run, but they caught up with me. Said I had to work for them or I was a dead man. They'd taken my passport and any ID I had so I couldn't escape back to Australia."
He sipped some more coffee.
"In Indonesia, the head honcho talked about what they planned to do. Set up on Bright Island, transfer their cache there, set up a camp and attack the shipping lanes and gas platforms. I sneaked onboard one of their boats, and hid in the hull. When I tried to come ashore at Bright Island, they caught me. Next thing I know, I'm trussed up in the hull of this boat, with Lt. Kate McGregor."
Buffer clipped him up the side of the head. "You're out of date mate. She's Lt-Commander now, Lt-Commander Kate McGregor-Flynn, CO of Hammersley."
"She married Mike Flynn? Well now, and here I was thinking she'd fall for you, Buff." This remark cost him another clip over the head from Buffer.
"Come on Two Dads, get on with your story," said Dutchy impatiently. Two Dads smiled for the first time since they pulled him out of the boat. He continued, "I asked her what happened, and how she got there. She said they'd somehow stolen a boat from Cairns, got alongside Hammersley in the night, sneaked onboard, set explosives in the engine room, grabbed X, er, the Boss, and took her with them. She fought the bastard, then he pulled a knife on her, hit her over the head and dropped her in the cabin with me. Then they threw me in the hold. They were going to kill me, and you guys turned up. I thought I heard Charge, but I didn't see anyone until you came for me."
He sat back and drained his coffee. Buffer said, "You did hear Charge. He jumped from Hammersley when Dutchy cut the engine. He found Kate."
Dutchy said, "When we get home, the Federal Police will want your statement. I expect the Navy will want to deal with you too."
"No, you don't. I'm not talking to cops; I've spent a lifetime running from them." Two Dads made to get up, and Buffer pulled him down.
"Don't be bloody stupid, mate. They just want your statement. Besides, you were kidnapped too. They're not after you. Now take it easy, will you Two Dads? We're nearly home anyway."
Two Dads looked at Buffer. Then he turned to Dutchy. "I never said why I went AWOL. I couldn't stop seeing that explosion that killed Swain. I couldn't forget it. I kept seeing it, day after day. So I ran. I won't go back to the Navy, Dutchy, no way, not after that."
Two Dads looked at his hands. Dutchy put an arm around his shoulder. "It's OK, mate. No one's going to make you go back. You'll be right."
It was near midnight by the time Hammersley limped into port, towing the stolen boat, followed closely by Childers. Mike stood up and moved over to the dock. He noted the AFP van and ambulance standing by. The first to disembark was Kate, being carried off Hammersley by Charge and the ship's Medic. Charge had not left Kate's side since he brought her onboard. When he wasn't monitoring the engines, he was sitting in the ward room with her. They headed for the waiting ambulance, where they were intercepted by Mike. He gently stroked his wife's face, then looked up at Charge.
"Charge. I'm glad to see you."
Charge nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Again, in his mind, he heard the only word Kate had spoken since her rescue from the terrorist's clutches –
Swain.
Gently, they loaded Kate into the ambulance, and Mike climbed in beside her. As the door closed, Kate opened her eyes again. "Mike," she said. He squeezed her hand. "I'm here, darling. I'm here."
"Mike. Swain found me."
Briefly he turned away to conceal the tears, then said, "No honey, Charge found you."
"Swain found me." She closed her eyes and said no more on the journey to the hospital.
One by one the crews disembarked. Charge walked toward where Childers was disembarking her crew, and found Buffer. Together, they walked back along the dock, to home and bed. As they went past Hammersley, XO Patterson stepped forward. He put out his hand. "Thanks. For everything. Thanks."
Charge looked at the extended hand and grabbed it with his own huge paw.
"You're welcome. Buy you a drink sometime?"
"I'd like that," said Charge's son as he turned away.
Buffer said to Charge, "I'm staying with Nikki. She's home. I'm sure she won't mind having you sleep on the couch for a night."
"Thanks mate, I'll take you up on that."