Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Mike storms up the bridge stairs, his mind already working at a mile at minute. 'Captain has the ship. RO, what have we got?'

RO turns to his boss with his headphones on. 'All I've got is the Mayday call by a female voice, part of a name – Fury – and some coordinates. Nothing since.'

'Keep trying to raise them on the blower,' orders Mike before he turns to his navigator. 'Nav?'

'Radar's showing a boat in the approximate position that RO told me,' responds Nav.

'Any other boats in the area?' questions Mike as he makes his way over.

'Yes, there's another boat heading away from our boat,' said Nav turning to Mike who was standing behind her chair. Looking back at the screen she amends her statement. 'Hang on, sorry, the other boat is heading toward our Mayday.'

'How far away?'

'Approximately twenty minutes sir.'

'Take us there.' Mike nods his head before turning. 'X, get onto Port Authority and find out all you can about a boat called Fury or the like. RO, keep trying to raise them and Nav, let me know when they're on the EOD.' He then grabs the radio and makes an announcement over the PA. 'Hands to boarding stations, hands to boarding stations: Buffer, Swain, Bomber, Charge, 2 Dads and Santa to standby on port RHIB for a Mayday response.'

Swain leaves his spot at the helm as Spider takes his position, following Nav's instructions for directions. Mike momentarily halts Santa's departure from the bridge with a low voice. 'Buffer's lead.' Santa nods his understanding as he departs.

As the sailors prepare themselves, the Hammersley steams toward the approximate position of the Mayday call. As Nav identifies a stationary boat on the EOD, Kate hangs up her call and approaches them. Looking at the paper in her hand she reveals what she has discovered. 'Port Authority said that a boat called Hell hath no fury was scheduled to arrive in Cairns five hours ago. He said they were coming in from the northwest, but he wasn't sure where from. The passenger manifest lists a Dr Chandler Spalding as the captain, and he is accompanied by his wife Macy and two their two daughters Carter and Mackenzie.'

'Damnit,' mutters Mike under his voice. He hated the ones with children. Nav then speaks up. 'Sir, I've got the Hell hath no fury on the EOD. The other boat is closing in on them.'

'X, get on the blower and bring that boat to attention. They are not to board the boat. I'm going to see the boarding party. XO has the ship,' he calls as he leaves the bridge.

'XO has the ship,' repeats Kate before she reached for the radio near RO. 'Vessel on my starboard bow, this is Australian warship Hammersley. Do not board. I repeat, do not board. Back away from the ship.'

The radio crackles as Kate awaits a response. Hearing none, she steps outside the bridge. Reaching for the PA, she relays her message again as the RHIB tears by her on the way to the Hell hath no fury. There was still no response on the radio, but as she continues to watch the boat changes direction and heads away from the Hell hath no fury and toward the Hammersley.

As the boat drew closer, Kate identifies the boat as the Clementine. Almost within speaking range, Mike yells up to Kate from his position on the lower deck. 'I've got this, you get on the blower and monitor the Mayday situation.'

'Sir,' agreed Kate as she heads back inside for her binoculars and crosses the bridge to stand on the deck. 'Buffer, talk to me.'

'Approaching the boat now ma'am,' was the response. 'I can see no one standing on the deck, but the boat appears to be at anchor and stable.'

'Proceed with caution,' instructs Kate as she watched the RHIB reach the Hell hath no fury.

'Roger that X,' confirms Buffer.

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Meanwhile, Mike was holding a conversation with the skipper of the Clementine. 'I'm Captain Mike Flynn of the HMAS Hammersley.'

'Captain Belis Blescowe of the Clementine,' was the shout in response.

'You got a radio?' asks Mike loudly, but he receives a response in the negative as Mr Blescowe shook his head. 'Broken.'

'What you are doing out here?' questions Mike.

'Just on holidays,' was the merry response. 'Having a bit of a mid-life crisis, and so this was a good a plan as any.' Mike grins at the explanation. 'Saw your boat coming on my radar and so I thought I'd check out where you were heading. You got a problem? Any particular reason I was called back from the other boat?'

'We received a Mayday call,' said Mike in response.

'Need any help?' was the responding offer.

'Nothing we can't handle,' said Mike as he raised his hand in thanks.

'Well in that case, I'll be off,' said the skipper.

'Happy sailing,' said Mike as he waved him off and returns to the bridge.

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Stepping onto the Hell hath no fury, Buffer orders Santa and Swain to sweep the deck, 2 Dads and Bomber to head down below and Charge to follow him to the bridge. Keeping his gun raised, Buffer allows Charge to enter first. When the usually mild mannered sailor let loose a string of expletives, Buffer knew that something is wrong. Looking into the bridge he saw a sight that filled him with horror: a woman lay reclined against the bulkhead, her head lolled to the side, one hand resting on her stomach and the other gripping a radio. There was blood everywhere.

Charge drops to his knees to feel for a pulse as Buffer calls for Swain. 'Swain get to the bridge now.'

Swain left Santa on the deck as he bolts. As Swain dashes by him, Buffer prepares to buzz the Hammersley but before he can do so, 2 Dads comes over the line. 'Buffer, we've got a situation down here,' he said in a flat tone. 'What's wrong 2 Dads?'

'It really is something that you should see for yourself,' said 2 Dads in response.

'Buffer – she's alive, barely,' said Swain from the floor. Torn between the two places, Buffer grips his radio and does the only thing he can. 'Santa, get below deck and check it out.'

'Roger that,' was the response as Buffer turns his attention back to the scene in front of him. Swain is working frantically to stem the blood flow on the woman. When the woman weakly raises her hand and places it on Swain's arm, she whispers something softly. Unable to hear anything, Buffer got down on his knees next to Swain to try and listen to what she was saying. 'Chan... an...'

And then Macy Spalding breathed no more.

All men are silent for a moment, before Swain brushes his hand over his forehead in defeat and rises from his kneeling position, exchanging a glance with Charge who is leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Taking one last look at the body, Buffer steps out of the bridge as Santa made his way toward him. 'Buffer, we've found the girls.' Any spark of hope is quickly blown out at Santa's next words. 'They were suffocated to death. We found them under their pillows. Bomber tried to resuscitate them, but no luck.' Buffer breathed heavily. He hated this part of the job. 'Any sign of Chandler Spalding?'

'Decks are clear and there's nothing below,' said Santa. Nodding his head, Buffer reaches for his radio. 'X Ray 82 this is Bravo 82 come in.'

'Come in Buffer.'

'X, put the captain on.'

****************

As Buffer said these words, Kate turns Mike who had arrived just minutes ago after speaking with the Clementine skipper. Handing Mike the radio, Kate listens in. 'Captain speaking. What is it Buffer?'

'We have casualties,' said Buffer over the line, keeping it short and to the point. 'The two daughters Carter and Mackenzie Spalding were found suffocated in their beds below deck and Macy Spalding was alive with stab wounds when we arrived but we couldn't stop the blood flow.'

Reeling at this sudden information, Mike asks about Chandler Spalding. 'No sign of him boss. Mrs Spalding uttered what sounded like 'Chan' before she died, but apart from that, there is no sign of him. What do you want us to do?'

'Don't touch anything,' orders Mike. 'I'll get onto NAVCOM and see what our orders are.' Rubbing his hand over his face, Mike turns to Kate who has gone pale. 'Go and sit down.'

'But the call...' protested Kate.

'I will be making the call,' said Mike in a hard tone. Entering the bridge, Kate sat on the chair and ignores Nav's probing look. No explanation was necessary as all present heard Mike's conversation with NAVCOM moments later when he explained the situation. Nav's hand flew up to cover her mouth as she hears what has happened and Spider looks on in disbelief.

Phone call complete, Mike avoids eye contact with everyone as he reaches for the radio. 'Bravo 82 this is Hammersley. Come in.'

'Come in Hammersley. Sir?' responds Buffer in a tense voice.

'AFP will be here in three hours,' said Mike. 'Leave two people on the boat and send the rest back on the RHIB. We will await their arrival.'

'Sir,' confirms Buffer.

****************

Finishing the conversation, Buffer turns to the crew standing around him. '2 Dads,' he declared. 'You and I will be remaining on the Hell hath no fury until AFP gets here. Everyone else, back to the Hammersley.'

As everyone made a move to the returning RHIB, Swain approaches Buffer. 'You sure about this? I can stay here,' the coxswain offers.

'I'll do it,' said Buffer in a hard tone. 'You'll need to fill in the boss on the details anyway.'

As the RHIB departed, Buffer heaves a heavy sigh as he sat on the rail. As 2 Dads approaches, Buffer halts any word that may come from the electrician's mouth with a raised finger. 'I don't want to hear it,' he said. 'Sit down.'

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Next Chapter: What happened to Chandler Spalding?