Ch 109
"Sir?" Kate said when she reached the bridge to see Campbell next to Mike.
"X, where were you?" Mike frowned.
"I'll talk to you later, what going on?"
"Boarding. That's a suspicious boat," Kate turned to see the boat.
"Campbell Fulton wants to be there."
"Alright," she agreed before she called the boarding party. When she finished, she turned to see Campbell leaving the bridge. "Sir, Nav is not well."
"Is she ok, do I need to?"
"I'll tell you later," Kate said interrupting what Mike was going to say
"Alright."
"RO," Kate said giving him her phone. "There's a video recording on here, can you make copies of it, please?"
"X, it's not mine."
"RO, it's evidence. Make sure that the Captain gets a copy, and send one to Commander Marshal."
"X?" he was confused.
"Later," she said turning around and walking off the bridge.
Campbell, Kate, ET, Swain, Buffer, and Charge reached the boat and found the three men on board sick. Swain stood behind to check them while the other went below. There, they found another man along with death chicken.
"This is exactly what I was afraid it was," Campbell muttered
"You know what it is?"
"Bird flu. We've been contaminated."
"Let's head top side," Kate said. "Sir, we got four persons on board." She communicated Mike once the radio exchange was done. "One is almost dead; the others are sick. There are cages of chickens that are either dying or dead, sir."
"What are you saying, X?"
"This appears as a case of Bird flu, sir. Mr. Fulton believes we might be contaminated."
"How much time until we know?"
"Two hours for the first symptoms," Campbell answered.
"Alright, sit tight and let me know if anything changes."
"We will see sir, X ray eight two out."
With not much to do except wait, RO went down to the com room to download the video from Kate's phone. To check if the video was copied correctly, he pressed play, and once he started watching it, he couldn't stop. Then he saw the second recording and checked it out before he downloaded it too.
"Sir, can you come down to the com's room?" He said to the internal phone.
"There's something you should see."
"I'm on my way."
"RO? What is it?" Mike said entering the room a couple of minutes later.
"This, sir. X asked me to make copies of it, and send them too you and to NAVCOM," they watched the video silently, and RO saw Mike clenching his jaw tightly.
"Damn it! Kate should've told me!"
"There's more, sir," RO told him, Mike clenched his jaw again.
"Play it," he said between his teeth. RO brought up the second file and played it; it was the talk between Kate, Nav, and ET. "Have you send the copy to NAVCOM?"
"Not yet, sir."
"Don't do it until Nav and X have presented their reports."
"Yes, sir. Here's the copy, sir." He said presenting Mike with a USB drive.
"Thanks, RO."
After his chat with RO, Mike went in search of Nav. A long talk later, he returned to the bridge and spoke with Steve about the issue at hand. Once the two hours of waiting came up, Mike radioed Kate.
"Two men died, there was nothing Swain could do for them, sir. None of us have any symptoms." Kate told him, and he left out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Very well then, X. Fulton and Buffer will remain on the boat, the rest of you return to the Hammersley. Although, we are placing you in a six hours quarantine for the time being."
"Copy that, sir. Any chance of food and drinks package set on the back deck to be brought here for Buffer and Mr. Fulton?"
"Already waiting for you, X."
From the bridge, Mike kept an eye as the HRIB returned to the Hammersley and back to the boat. Before they finally got back. Once on board, the boarding team sat and relaxed with food and drinks until their quarantine was over.
"X," Kate radio crackled.
"Sir?"
"Can we talk in private?" Kate stood up and walked to a spot further away from the rest and got her headset on.
"It safe now."
"RO showed me the video recordings. You should've told me straight away."
"I couldn't, sir. Not with him on the bridge. Can you ask Bomber to check on Nav?"
"I spoke with Nav earlier, and Bomber is with her now. I also had a chat with Steve. So, the moment you get a chance to write your report, do so. Deliver it to RO, and he has instructions to send it and the recordings straight to Steve. Nav's already writing hers."
"All taken care of, I hear," she grinned.
"Sometimes I can beat you to it," He chuckled. "But seriously, how are you feeling?" Kate smiled hearing the concern in his voice.
"I'm good. Have you contacted Buffer?"
"Yes, he said three hours before we can see the boat."
"Ok, keep us up to date."
"Will do," Kate took the headset off and returned to her spot.
"X, is everything ok?" Swain asked
"Now, yes," she grinned seating next to him.
"That means something was wrong?" Kate chuckled.
"Campbell Fulton assaulted one of the crew members," she said quietly. "No, I won't say who it was. And yes, Mike does know about it; and has already spoken to the person and informed NAVCOM."
"I hope whoever it did make a complaint."
"It's up to the person," she shrugged.
Two hours later, the radio was off again as the team got orders to return to the boat since Buffer had missed his check-in.
Ten minutes earler. "Did you know that ET and Nav are sleeping together?" Campbell said to Buffer roughly ten minutes earlier.
"Shut up, Fulton. I'm not interested," Buffer groaned.
"Oh, I hit a nerve! You are in love with her, aren't you? Wait until I tell your Captain." Fulton continued grinning.
"I've said shut up! You don't know what you are talking about. As for Nav, I hope she does present her complaint against you."
After that exchange, Buffer went to the back of the boat to relieve himself and soon, he noticed the ship was turning away. Swearing he ran to the bridge to see Campbell turning it around.
"What are you doing?" he pushed Campbell out of the way before he corrected their position. Campbell used his distraction to pick something a hit him on the head.
"Yeah, but no one will know if you are both dead, right mate?"
Campbell turned the boat again before he dragged Buffer to the front and pushed him down a hole.
Buffer landed on a heavy metal container that was strung up by chains. But with the turn, he fell on the floor, and with a loud crack, the crate landed heavily over his legs.
Happy with his solution to his current problem, Campbell grinned and then, he heard a bang. The boat rocked, and he swore. He looked down to find that the ship had crashed against a rock and there was water pouring on it.
He huffed and started to think what he was going to say to the crew when they return. He could hear Nav trying to call buffer over the radio. He look at his watch then relies that Buffer miss his report in to the captain and Nav trying to contact Buffer. Then he heard a noise and look down the hole where buffer iss, seeing him coming to.
Inside the boat, Buffer groaned. His head pounded like it did when he had five guava mojos' too many. He heard water pouring and looked around to find a hole not far from where he was. He heard his radio crackling and Nav's voice somewhere near him.
"Nav, I need help," He managed to say.
"Buffer! What's wrong? We've been trying to contact you forever now!" Nav said concerned.
"Campbell Fulton. He knocked me out. I'm trapped below deck; water is entering the boat."
"What do you mean by trapped, Buffer?" Mike said
"A container trapped my legs. I guess he turned the boat again and we hit something," He groaned.
"Again?"
"Yes, he was returning the boat to the shore. I think he wants to destroy the evidence," he managed to inform them before he passed out.
"Buffer? Buffer, can you hear me?" Mike asked knowing that everyone was concerned now.
"X, we just heard from Buffer. He's trapped below deck; the boat hit a rock and is taking on water. Beware Campbell Fulton knocked Buffer out."
"Copy that, sir. ETA less than a minute" Kate said
They arrived at the boat, and everyone jumped in quickly searching for the passengers.
"Where's Buffer?" Kate asked Campbell when he spotted him.
"He's down below. We hit something, and he went to check it out. I heard something banging; I found him trapped but couldn't move him. I think he might be dead."
"X! I found Buffer!" ET called as he went down the hole.
"X," she turned to Swain and followed ET.
"He's lying," Swain whispered.
"I know, water is high, and Fulton pant is dry," Kate whispered back.
"He's alive," Swain grinned when he check on Buffer.
Kate called Mike and explained everything while the other tried to free Buffer's legs. Over the next two hours, they were still working, and by then, they were running out of time. Kate was keeping Buffer's head above water when Mike showed up.
"How is he?"
"Still unconscious."
"How are you holding up?"
"I'm good. I'm trying to figure out a way to get this container from him," Mike held onto Kate's hand.
"Swain said he might have to."
"Don't say it, Mike. We both know that Buffer would rather die."
"I know," the boat shook, and more water entered just as Swain came down.
"Sir, we are out of time."
"I know," Swain placed a mask over Buffer's face and opened the oxygen and gave one to Kate.
"That's it!" She shouted.
"What?" Mike asked
"Get all the life vests, if we can put them under the container, and pull the cords at once."
"They will blow," Swain said
"Yes, but that will be enough to get Buffer out. Sir?"
"It's worth to try," Swain agreed.
A few minutes later, Buffer's head was under water. Kate moved to place the life vests in different places around Buffer's legs and then she came up. Giving the thumbs up, everyone pulled the tags, and the jackets inflated slowly. The container moved a little.
"Now!"
Swain and Mike pulled Buffer and soon he was free and safe. After picking the vest and deflating them, Kate grabbed them all and rushed up. With all the people free and things pulled back to the HRIB, they jumped back to the HRIBs and returned to the Hammersley.
"How is he?" Kate asked Mike who was leaving the wardroom.
"I'm not sure, both legs are broken, and he might have a skull fracture."
"Have you spoken to Commander Marshal?"
"Yes. He's waiting for your report about the situation between Nav and Campbell Fulton. He will be contacting Fulton superiors."
"Then I'll better hurry up and finish it."
"How are you coping?" he said stopping her from leaving.
"I'm ok. I'm apprehensive about Buffer."
"We both know he is tough," Kate smiled
"That he is," she grinned before she walked away.