Hey Everyone,
Sorry it's taken so long, it turns out a week long work conference in Queensland does not have as much down time as I expected. But I'll make it up with this longer chapter.
Thanks to everyone for all the feedback...
Warning: this chapter is dramatic, Kate has a lot of back and forth ' is he or isn't he' moments, you'll see what I mean. It's not perfect but if I don't publish it now I'll attempt to rewrite it 10 times and I'll never get the chapter out LOL. I also know that a lot of the events that unfold in this chapter the Navy wouldn't agree to, so I apologise for that!
I think little rose is right and I need my own category "complete fantasy". Hahaha
Disclaimer: I didn't create the characters nor do I own them.
Charlotte
Chapter 8
Navcom.
Mike and Maxine were sitting in her office trying to make sense of everything. Maxine shuffled though the piles of paperwork on her desk.
"Okay, so Harry, I don't really see how he is connected. I mean he seemed to be rogue in all of this. He didn't fit Madelaine's plan, well except for blowing up the Hammersley. She was smart, he was too spontaneous, too irrational for her crew."
Mike rubbed his face with his hands, his brain was scattered but he had to focus for Charlie's sake.
"Okay, so the other guys they brought in?"
Maxine shuffled through a few more pages.
"Yeah, Samuel Walters and his crew. They claim that they didn't know what they were transporting. He says he needed the cash and a woman matching Madelaine's description paid them to transport the weapons to Australia."
Mike raised an eyebrow, he was sceptical.
"And do we believe him?"
Maxine shrugged.
"It's not up to us, they're being held until we can get some more answers. I think at this point we can't trust anyone..."
Mike looked up at Maxine with a concerned look.
"Jim?"
Maxine hesitated.
"Mike, I don't think we should get into this again!"
He rolled his eyes.
"Yeah okay, okay..."
A few hours later the Bundaberg has docked.
Kate was frantically packing up her things when her phone beeped, it was Mike.
"Meet us at Navcom ASAP, bring Jim too..."
Kate frowned, something was definitely up. She went and knocked on Jim's door and poked her head in, he was packing his bag.
"Ah, Maxine wants a chat if that's ok?"
He didn't turn around but she saw him nod a little.
"Do you wanna catch a lift together?"
He shook his head.
"I've got my bike..."
Kate stood there waiting for an invitation to join him, it didn't come, she sighed.
"Okay, I'll see you there then..."
Maxine and Mike waited in her office for Jim and Kate to arrive, they were both tense, wondering how they were going to break the news. Kate rushed into Navcom, she rushed into Maxine's office not bothering to knock. Maxine and Mike stood up, Maxine looked around for Jim.
"Ah, where's Captain Roth?"
Kate paused, wondering how she was going to explain but at that moment Jim walked in.
"Sorry, had to change my bandage..."
Maxine looked at Jim's badly wrapped arm, he noticed her concerned look.
"It's fine, I can deal with it later."
Maxine and Mike sat down, there was an awkward silence. Kate looked to Mike then to Maxine, they both looked so grim.
'Mike, what's going on?"
She watched as Mike glanced over to Maxine, she started to get agitated, their hesitation was making her more anxious. Jim sat down next to Kate noticing their apprehension, he turned to her.
"Why does my gut tell me that this isn't a de brief of our patrol?"
Mike moved his chair closer to Kate's and rested his hand on her chair, slightly touching her arm. He looked up at her and cleared his throat.
"Kate..."
Kate's stomach dropped, she knew that tone in his voice, something was wrong, something bad. If that didn't give it away the look on his face said it all, she stood up, she was now beginning to freak out.
"Mike, just bloody tell me what's going on!?"
Maxine cleared her throat and glanced at Mike, she could tell he couldn't form the words tell her. Maxine walked over to her and placed her hand on Kate's shoulder.
"Kate, Charlie is missing..."
Kate stood their frozen, Mike reached out and tried to touch her hand, she snatched it away.
"What?"
Mike attempted to hold her hand again.
"She was taken from kindy..."
Kate was trying to process what she had been told. Jim stood up and guided her to her chair, she sat staring into space. Jim glanced at her and stood closer to Mike, he tried to stay calm but he had too many emotions built up, he yelled in his face.
"She was taken 3 hours ago and you didn't tell us?"
Mike didn't want to retaliate, he knew that Jim had every right to be angry and worried but he held his ground.
"Yes, we decided that it..."
Jim interrupted him.
"I don't think YOU should be making the decisions when there are more people involved..."
Mike and Jim stood there, eyes locked on each other. Maxine was puzzled as to why Jim was getting so upset, she tried to help Mike.
"Jim, we thought that it was better for Kate, she wouldn't have been able to do anything out at sea so we didn't see the point in worrying her..."
Kate reached out and pulled on Jim's arm.
"It's ok..."
He spun round.
"No, it's not Kate!"
Kate looked up at him, her eyes pleading with him not to make things worse.
"Jim, we need to keep calm..."
Jim let out a frustrated grunt and gave her a spiteful look.
"Sure, why should I worry, it's not like she's my daughter or anything..."
He walked out of Maxine's office and slammed the door, Maxine was now completely lost, she glanced at Mike and then at Kate. Kate burst into tears, Mike tried to comfort her, he pulled her in to his embrace, she sobbed in his arms. Jim was standing outside the office, he had stopped himself from leaving, he was confused about all of his feelings but he knew he was being irrational, he wanted to go back in and apologise. He peered thought Maxine's window and saw Mike comforting Kate. He swore this time he wasn't going to give up, but seeing them hug brought back all the old memories. He didn't know whether Kate and Mike would ever be truly over and he didn't know if he could go through this again. He took a deep breath in and walked out of Navcom.
Back inside Maxine's office Kate tried to compose herself, Maxine handed her a box of tissues.
"So, Mike had a feeling that someone involved in this weapons ring has taken her..."
Kate wiped the constant flow of tears from her face.
"How does that make sense?"
Mike tried to explain without implicating Jim.
"Well the first guy, Harry, he referenced Jim and Madelaine and we checked Kate, Madelaine's out."
Kate stood up shocked.
"What?! How?!"
Maxine handed Kate an internal security report, Kate skimmed it and frowned.
"They were keeping it on the DL, highest security clearance, it was a stuff up."
Mike scoffed, not believing it.
"Yeah, that's what they're saying..."
Kate chucked the report back on the desk.
"So you're saying Madelaine took her? But it doesn't make sense, why would she target me?"
Maxine paused for a moment, she didn't want to upset her more but she had to give Kate all the information.
"Maybe she thought targeting you and Charlie would hurt Jim? Did you find anything else on the island?"
Kate sat trying to think.
"Ah, they said they found a camp with weapons, I emailed the photos to Navcom to see if they could enhance them for the serial numbers, see if they match have you heard anything?"
Maxine shook her head.
"I'll give the department a call in the morning. We're waiting to a rego check and ID at the car rental place. She picked her up from kindy, she had a fake ID claiming to be me and one of the new staff let Charlie go with her, she didn't have any reason not to. The break in at my house all makes sense now, she must have been looking to copy my ID."
Kate's voice was shakey, the reality of the situation was starting to sink in.
"So what? Shouldn't there have been a ransom demand or something? Why aren't we out there looking for her?"
Maxine tried to calm her.
"The police are out looking, we were waiting for your intel to see if that was useful."
Kate put her head in her hands.
"So what? We just wait? We could go back and do a better search of the island?"
Maxine didn't really have a solution or a plan but she knew that she shouldn't be out there.
"Kate, I don't know if that's the best idea..."
"Maxine, I need to do something!"
Mike jumped up.
"I'm going too..."
Maxine stood up trying to control the conversation.
"Wait! No one has authorised anything and Mike you know I can't let you do that!"
He leant over her desk.
"Max, you can let me go out there or I'll go out there as a civilian..."
Maxine rolled her eyes, Kate interrupted.
"Maxine, WE will be going back out there whether it's with the Navy or without. Anyway I'm owed a favour from this whole thing, I'm calling it in."
Maxine knew they weren't going to back down, but she did sympathise with them. She tried to reason with them.
"Do you expect me to lie to Fleet Command? You can't possibly think they'll authorise..."
Mike stepped toward her.
"Max, please, you let me go after Ryan that time. I could handle it then and I can handle it now and so can Kate."
Maxine hated Mike for playing the Ryan card but she probably would have done the same thing. She inhaled sharply.
"Fine!"
He gave her a quick hug and left the office, Kate hung back and sat down.
"Kate?"
She glanced up at Maxine and hesitated.
"Ah, you should probably know..."
She stopped, Maxine was Mike's friend, she was afraid of what she would think of her has her Boss little own as her friend, she was worried that she would lose all respect for her.
"Know what Kate?"
Maxine had a concerned look on her face. Kate didn't know if she could say it.
"Ah, Charlie... "
Maxine nodded along, she smiled trying to encourage her to talk.
"Jim is her biological father..."
Maxine's jaw dropped.
"I don't know what to say...does Mike..."
Kate nodded.
"Yeah, we decided to..."
Kate held back her tears.
"It's ok Kate..."
Maxine had so many questions, none of them really appropriate for work. Kate could see she wanted to know more, she tried to change the direction of the conversation.
"But anyway, there's no way Madelaine would know that, so perhaps your theory is right. I mean with all the press, surely she would have seen we were together..."
Maxine sat back down.
"So why tell me now?"
Kate struggled to make eye contact.
"I guess it was more if anything happened to any of us, I felt like you had to know..."
Maxine sat there still in a bit of shock, Kate got up and headed for the door. Maxine snapped back into work mode as the phone rang.
"Maxine White...Ah yes, ok but..."
She put her hand over the speaker.
"Kate, hang on."
She hovered impatiently around the door, Maxine pointed to the chair in front of the desk, Kate sat anxious, she didn't really want to discuss it anymore. Maxine hung up the phone.
"Ma'am, I don't really want to go into all the details."
Maxine shook her head slightly and leant on her desk.
"Kate, that was the AFP..."
Kate looked confused.
"Yeah?!"
Maxine exhaled loudly, why did she always have to deliver the bad news?
"They're saying Walters has spilled his guts, he's naming everyone involved for a deal."
Kate tilted her head slightly and frowned a little, not understanding Maxine's negative tone.
"Well that's good isn't it?!"
Maxine walked round and sat next to her.
"He's named Captain Roth..."
Kate stood up.
"That's ridiculous..."
Maxine stood up and reached out and placed her hand on Kate's arm.
"Kate, I need you to keep this to yourself, I know that's hard but look I personally don't believe it but..."
Kate closed her eyes, she was beyond stressed, they had already been through all of this, she couldn't believe it, she wouldn't.
"Kate, I'm telling you this as Commander of this mission but if you can't..."
"No Ma'am, I can deal with this. Maybe I can talk to Jim, try and find out something, anything."
Maxine nodded.
"Look, I don't believe it but just in case I'm wrong just don't be too obvious but I need you to be discreet."
Kate nodded and left.
Kate was driving home, her phone beeped, she pulled over and read the message, it was from Mike.
"Do you think we should go see Jim? I feel kind of bad, I can't imagine how he would be feeling..."
Kate sighed, she couldn't say anything to him about the accusations but he was right. Jim's world had just been turned upside down and he had no one to help him through it. She replied.
"I'll meet you at his house in 5."
Kate and Mike stood at Jim's door, Mike turned to Kate.
"You ready?"
Kate nodded and knocked on the door. She closed her eyes for a minute, she needed to still think of Jim as the love of her life, to push all the bad thoughts out of her head but still be cautious. Like Maxine she didn't believe Walters accusations but her daughter was missing if he did know anything she had to find out. They heard Jim call out.
"Who is it?"
Kate didn't answer, she knew if she did he probably wouldn't open the door. She heard the footsteps get closer, the door flung open.
"I said who is..."
He stopped mid sentence when he saw it was Kate and Mike.
"What do you want?"
Kate tried to reach out to touch him.
"Jim, are you ok?"
Jim walked away from the door.
"Yeah I'm fine Kate, my daughter, who I didn't know existed has been kidnapped..."
His tone was sarcastic, Kate gave Mike a look to say "This isn't going to be easy..."
Mike tried to reason with him.
"Jim, hate us all you want but you know we all need to work together to figure this out..."
Jim sat out on the deck, Mike and Kate followed and sat down. Kate dared to meet Jim's eyes.
"So are we gonna talk about this?"
Jim put his hand up to stop her.
"Kate, don't, let's just concentrate on getting Charlie home safe..."
He got up and went to the kitchen. Mike leant over to Kate.
"Did you talk to him?"
"He didn't want to discuss it on the boat which is fair enough, but I don't know if he will forgive me..."
Mike put his hand on hers.
"He will Kate, he loves you both..."
Jim walked back in with a drink, he took a big swig.
"So, what is the Navy doing about this?"
Kate cleared her throat.
"Ah, we're going back to the island..."
Jim raised an eyebrow.
"Ok, so we get to the island, find the bad guys then what?"
Kate wasn't really sure.
"Ask them about Madelaine...I don't understand why they would take her if there were no demands, what if we're completely wrong and she was kidnapped by some random person?"
Mike shook his head.
"This took planning, fake IDs know names and times, this wasn't random, I think Maxine was right, that break in at her house wasn't a mistake, they may not have taken anything but they may have made copies..."
Jim sat down opposite them, he was still fuming about the whole situation but they needed to work together to find Charlie.
"Did they get anything out of the crew of that boat you found with the stash?"
Mike shook his head
"No, the captain, umm Samuel Walters said that he was paid to take them from the island to Australia. He said that he was just short of cash but the woman who paid his fits the description of Madelaine."
Jim sat there thinking. Kate's phone rang, she answered immediately and put it on speaker.
"Maxine, any news?"
"I'm sending you a video Kate, please keep calm..."
Kate hung up and waited, Jim and Mike gathered around her. Her phone vibrated, she pressed play, it was a video of Charlie. Kate put her hand over her mouth as tears streamed from her face.
"Daddy, help me please!"
Kate couldn't take it, she paused the video and passed the phone to Jim. She went into the lounge and sat down and hugged a pillow. Mike followed her while Jim stayed on the deck and continued to watch the video.
Mike sat next to her and put his arm around her.
"She'll be ok, we will find her and bring her home safe."
Kate looked up at Mike.
"We did this too her, she is there because of our job!"
Jim walked into the lounge.
"The Captain of the second boat, what was his name again?"
"Ah, Samuel Walters..."
Jim's face looked panicked.
"That's the surname of the new teacher at Charlie's kindy..."
Mike grabbed his phone and went though his wallet for the card of Snr Constable Watts. He dialled his number and walked out onto the deck.
Kate stood there and stared at Jim, she so desperately wanted to hug him, to feel safe in his embrace, for him to tell her that everything would be alright. When he said it she believe it but she couldn't help feeling a bit strange about it since he had been named by Samuel. Jim looked back at her noticing her strange gaze, they were startled as Mike ran back into the room.
"They're going to pick her up and question her, it could be just a coincidence..."
Jim shook his head.
"It's not, I can feel it..."
They 3 of them raced down to the police station, they burst through the door.
Snr Constable Watts greeted them at the counter.
"We're in the process of interviewing her. You were right, she is related to him, his sister."
Kate leant on the counter.
"Please I have to talk to her..."
Snr Constable Watts shook his head.
"I'm sorry I can't let you do that, just let us do our jobs. You probably shouldn't be here, I'll call you when I have any news."
Navcom.
Maxine stood in front of the 3 of them.
"They want a clear passage, they know we're on to them so they're looking for a way out."
Kate frowned.
"How do you know?"
Maxine sighed.
"We received another video..."
Maxine's mobile phone rang, she picked it up and walked out of the office.
Kate sat down on the verge of tears, she looked up at Mike.
"They're not going to give in to terrorist threats...what are we going to do?"
Mike didn't know what to say, nothing was going to comfort her.
Jim sat down and sighed.
"Maybe they'll allow a swap, me for her..."
They both look at him.
"Jim, what will that achieve?"
Jim shrugged.
"At least I know she will be safe, plus what have I got to lose?"
Jim went to look for Maxine, Kate attempted to stop him but he shrugged her off and kept walking. Kate looked at Mike.
"Can we let him do that?"
Mike shrugged.
"He is her father..."
Kate held Mike's hand.
"She has 2 fathers, Mike you will always be an important part of her life..."
The next morning, the crew were boarding the boat. They were surprised to see Mike and Jim. Nikki pulled Kate aside.
"Maxine approved this?!"
Kate looked a little guilty, it wasn't exactly approved but forced.
"They owed me one, anyway Mike would have gone out as a civilian..."
Nikki's glanced toward Mike and Jim who were heading down below.
"And everything is ok with them?"
Kate shook her head.
"We're concentrating on finding Charlie first, did Maxine send you the video?"
Nikki nodded and put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry Kate..."
Kate blinked a few times trying to stop the tears.
"I haven't watched it all, I can't..."
Kate's eyes overflowed, Nikki gave her a hug.
"I'll go update the team, maybe you go check they haven't killed each other. Oh and don't worry I'll leave out Jim's part..."
Kate squeezed Nikki's arm and went down below, she knocked on the cabin door.
"We all ok in here?"
She cautiously entered the cabin, you could cut the tension with a knife.
"Sorry, it was sharing or someone was in austere..."
Mike looked back and smiled at Kate then at Jim.
"It's ok, we'll be fine! Right Jim?"
Jim stayed silent, he looked up at both of them then continued to unpack his bag. Kate tried to give Mike a reassuring look.
"Okay, I'll let you unpack then..."
Kate left. Mike chucked a pillow at Jim.
"Are you going to punish her forever?!"
Jim chucked the pillow back on the rack and shot a look at Mike.
"Ah, you're not exactly innocent in all this either, I'm pissed at you too!"
Mike turned to face Jim.
"Jim we stuffed up, we thought we were doing what's best for Charlie at the time..."
Jim shook his head and chucked his bag on the floor.
"Mike, I don't think you can really understand what I'm feeling."
"I'm not pretending too, but on the other hand I lived everyday if my life scared that she would find out and not love me as much as she does..."
Mike sat on his rack, Jim sighed and sat next to him.
"That's not possible..."
"Jim you love them both, Kate thinks she's pushed you to the limit, she's about to give up if you don't make some kind of peace offering..."
"I'm not ready Mike, anyway to be honest what do you care, if I bugger off you get your family back."
Mike scrunched up his face offended by Jim's comment.
"C'mon Jim, is that how you think I want things to be? You waited 5 years remember!"
Jim kicked the bag under the rack and stood above him.
"Tell me what kind of man raises someone else's daughter as his own?"
Mike sighed thinking of how he was supposed to explain, this was never supposed to be a malicious act.
"Jim, I don't want to sound like an asshole or a broken record but you were dead! I think we panicked when she called me Dad, well 'Dada'. We didn't know what to do. Can you not understand that this was only supposed to be our problem in the future. I'm not having a go but do you really think we would have done this if we knew you were ok?"
Jim knew that this was a screwed up situation and more than anything it was probably the shock that was making him so angry but he couldn't hear this, not right now. He left the cabin frustrated, he had so many things going on in his head. Life used to be so simple, but how can someone you love hurt you so much?
Bird knocked on Kate's cabin door. She entered with a piece of chocolate cake and a brew, she put it down on her desk. She looked at Kate's computer, the background was a picture of Charlie, Kate and Mike laughing.
"I know this is unorthodox Ma'am but..."
She gave Kate a big hug.
"So Nikki has briefed the team?!"
She stepped back and nodded.
"We're ready to go!"
Kate's cabin phone rang.
"HMAS Bundaberg Kate McGregor..."
Bird quietly left her cabin, Mike was walking past and heard her talking on the phone, he stopped and hovered around the door, it was slightly ajar.
"Kate, Samuel Walters has a tonne of inside information, it's not looking good..."
"But Ma'am you said you didn't believe it, I just can't believe he's that good of an actor, he can't be!"
Kate dropped her head and put the phone down for a minute. Mike peered in the door more, it creaked opened and startled Kate. She sun round and saw Mike and immediately picked up the phone.
"I'll call you back Ma'am."
She stood up and wiped the tears from her face, Mike entered and closed the door.
"Kate?"
Kate avoided Mike's concerned glance, she cleared her throat.
"What did you hear?"
Mike frowned knowing that something was wrong.
"I was passing and the door was open, what's going on, who's acting?"
Kate looked up at Mike, she couldn't lie to him about this anymore, especially if there was a chance that it was true. She sat on her rack.
"The second guy we got, Samuel Walters, he made a deal, he said he'd name everyone involved."
Mike sat next to Kate.
"Ok and?"
She couldn't look at him and say it, not after everything.
"He's named Jim..."
Mike face turned dark, enraged. He jumped up and headed for their cabin, Kate followed trying to stop him, she leapt in front of him.
"Mike, please you'll make things worse!"
He shoved passed her and burst into the cabin making Jim jump up from his rack. Mike shoved him against the cabin wall, Jim pushed him back.
"What the hell Flynn?"
Mike stepped closer to him, Jim could feel his anger. Mike clenched is fists beside him.
"I trusted you, I defended you! You look me in the eye and tell me it's not true!"
Jim glanced at Kate, she was on the verge of tears and looked frightened, he looked back at Mike.
"What?!"
Mike pushed him again.
"That you're not involved in this?!"
Jim pushed him backwards, Mike grabbed the front of his shirt, Kate tried to intervene, she put a hand on each of them.
"Jim, Samuel Walters has named you as a player in all of this!"
Jim's face dropped, he couldn't believe this was happening again. Mike noticed his reaction and left go of his shirt. Jim side stepped them both.
"Seriously, we have already been through this..."
Kate sighed.
"I know but he's got inside intel..."
Jim met Kate's eyes hoping she would believe him.
"Kate it's not me! I don't know what else I can do to prove it to you? I would do anything to save Charlie, I'm willing to trade place with her for god sake!"
Mike mumble under his breath.
"Yeah and that could be seen as trying to escape with them..."
Jim rolled his eyes.
"Well either way you get Charlie back..."
Kate looked at Mike.
"Mike..."
There was a knock on the door, Kate opened the door slightly, it was Harrison.
"Ah, everything okay Ma'am? I heard yelling..."
Kate nodded, she glanced back at Jim and Mike and exited the cabin. She was about to shut the door when Jim opened it and stormed out. Harrison looked at Kate apprehensively.
"Don't ask!"
She was about to walk off, he grabbed her arm.
"Oh umm Maxine is on the phone..."
Kate headed for her cabin, she took a deep breath in and picked up the phone.
"Maxine?"
"Kate, we have another video, I'm sending it through now."
Kate hung up the phone, Mike knocked on the door. Kate was concentrating on the video, he walked up behind her. The video had Charlie was tied up with an explosive vest on. Jim walked passed and hovered at the door. Kate turned around with tears in her eyes.
"Mike, our baby?!"
Mike put a hand on her shoulder.
"We will get her back safe! I promise!"
Kate put her head on her shoulder leaning on Mike's hand. Jim cleared his throat, they spun round.
"I want to talk to Maxine..."
Kate looked at Jim and then Mike, he entered the cabin and shut the door.
Kate sighed.
"Jim, I don't think that's a good idea..."
"Kate, please just let me do this, she didn't listen before but I'm assuming she knows about the accusations so maybe she'll let me do it now."
Kate handed him the phone.
"Commander White, its Captain Roth...yes, she told me. I want to do a swap, I don't know how to convince anyone that I'm not a part of this. I just want her safe... please... thank you Ma'am. I promise you'll be convinced by the end of all this who's side I'm on."
Jim passed the phone back to Kate.
"She's wants to talk to you..."
Kate exhaled and put the phone up to her ear expecting to be met with a angry Maxine, there was silence.
"Ma'am?"
"Kate, I'm going to allow this, it will answer a lot of questions. At this point I don't see any other options...I'll talk to fleet command and call back with a plan."
Kate hung up and pressed play to watch the rest of the video. Mike and Jim stood behind her. Jim squinted at the video.
"She's on a boat..."
They turned back and looked at the video.
"Look at the background, that's a cabin... and watch, the camera it's moving..."
Kate ran out the cabin and up to the bridge.
"Nik, how many boats are on radar at the moment?"
They walked over to the radar.
"A few Ma'am, 10 but most are probably tourist boats, 5 are Australian flagged."
Mike and Jim walked up behind them, Kate turned to Mike.
"I don't know what we should target, they both seem just as likely... foreign vessels seem too obvious but they might not think we'd search Australian flagged vessels?"
"Well do them all...we have 2 RHIBS, Jim can lead one and I can lead the other."
Kate nodded.
"I'll let Maxine know what we're doing... Dutchy, Bird and 2Dads with Mike and Swain, Charge and Nikki with Jim..."
Out on deck the teams were getting geared up. Kate watched from a distance, she desperately wanted to let Jim know that she still cared, that she believed him. This whole situation was so complicated and the accusations didn't help. Jim was about to board the RHIB, Kate ran up to him and grabbed his arm. He stepped back down, she pulled him aside out of everyone's view. She slowly reached out and held his hand.
"Jim, please, be careful!"
He sighed and looked down at their intertwined hands, he gave hers a slight squeeze. Kate smiled, she took it as a sign of hope. He looked at her for a split second and went to board to RHIB, he still wasn't ready to forgive her. Kate left the deck. Jim walked up to Dutchy and whispered in his ear, he nodded and took off his helmet, he tapped one of the other crew on the shoulder and gave him his helmet.
Kate rang Maxine from her cabin.
"Ma'am, we're searching all boats in the area..."
"No worries Kate, at least it will look like business as usual for now. You should probably know that Celeste has confessed to letting Charlie go with Madelaine, she said that she would kill her bother is she didn't cooperate."
Kate took the phone away from her ear, she couldn't believe it, this was her plan from the beginning.
"Kate? Are you still there?"
"Oh, yes, sorry Ma'am."
"I know this is a lot Kate, you know I'm not thrilled that you're out there as it is so I need you to be honest with me, you have to tell me if you can't handle it."
"I can handle it Ma'am."
"Okay, so Celeste is saying she know nothing else about the plan, she insists her brother is just stupid and greedy, that's he's not a part of this, that's all we've got for the moment. Hopefully you find something else out there or you find them the island. I have spoken to fleet command, we will do the swap as a last resort after the search but we have to have a contingency plan to get Jim out, if he is innocent."
"Ma'am he is innocent..."
"Kate, you need to be objective about this..."
"Ma'am, I am!"
"Well either way we need him alive, I'll call you back soon."
Kate went and sat in her cabin, she needed a minute, she couldn't stand up there and watch them. There was a knock on the door, she got up and opened it slightly, it was Harrison.
"Oh, Harrison, what can I do for you?"
"Can I come in?"
Kate wasn't sure why he was still on the ship, she obliged and opened the cabin door. She sat at her desk, he shut the door and hovered for a moment.
"Harrison?"
He cleared his throat and sat down.
"You can call me Will Ma'am..."
She smiled slightly and tried to straighten herself out.
"Ah, shouldn't you be out with the rest of your team?"
He shook his head.
"Nah I'm the sub on this mission, still a bit banged up from the island..."
Kate was still perplexed as to why he was in her cabin.
"Right, well something I can help you with?"
"Ah, just checking you're okay?"
She made eye contact with him and paused for a moment, was it that obvious she wasn't coping? He could see she looked worried.
"Ma'am, I don't know you that well but Jim has told me a lot about you, I feel like I know you and... I know about Charlie."
Kate's eyes widened, her heart skipped a beat.
"Excuse me?"
He scooted his chair closer and leant in.
"I know she's Jim's..."
Kate swallowed hard, she was about to speak but he beat her too it.
"It's okay, I won't say anything but I just thought you should know I get it..."
Before she could say anything he gave her a smile and left the cabin.
Up on the Bridge RO heard a crackle coming over the radio, he called Kate in her cabin.
"Ma'am, we've got some chatter..."
Kate ran up to the bridge, she noticed Dutchy standing in the corner and looked at him funny, before she could ask what he was doing here RO handed her the radio.
"Ma'am, I think you should take this..."
"This is Commander McGregor on HMAS Bundaberg turn to VH channel 1-6, do you copy?"
A familiar voice came over the radio.
"Commander? Moving up in the world are we Kate?"
Kate immediately recognised the voice as Madelaine's.
"Madelaine, what do you want?"
"I thought I made it clear to your boss, we want free passage though Australian waters..."
"You know they won't agree to it..."
"I know the Navy won't, that's why I have the McGregor insurance policy... Say hello to Mummy..."
Charlies voice came over the radio.
"Mummy!?"
"Charlotte, are you ok?"
"She won't be if you don't let us go Kate, you know that I don't mess around! I know you have teams out searching for us..."
"What do you expect me to do?"
"Call them back in and you can escort us out of Australian waters, do not follow us and then I will drop her off on an island..."
"You expect me to trust you?"
"Do you have a choice?"
"We have an option B, we swap Jim for Charlie."
Kate cursed in her mind, she knew it was supposed to be a last resort but she was getting desperate and there was no point in doing a search if they were on to them. She needed to do something now.
"Why do you think we want Captain Roth?"
Kate paused, maybe she could get her to deny Jim was working with them and it would put everyone's minds to rest.
"Well, he was the one who helped bring you down, you want revenge right? You're the one who leaked his name, why would you do that unless you wanted him to suffer."
"You're a smart one McGregor, just like your ex! Thought you upgraded huh? Look where it got you, a child with a terrorist..."
Kate's stomach dropped, how did she know Charlie was Jim's? And she had just done the opposite of what she had hoped she would do, confirmed that Jim was a traitor. She dropped the radio, the crew stood there in silence completely astonished at what they had just heard. Dutchy looked at Kate's blank expression and ushered all non personnel off the bridge. He didn't know how she was going to react but he knew she didn't need an audience.
Madelaine's voice came over the radio, Dutchy handed it back to Kate.
"Commander?"
Kate's face turned from a blank expression to one of fury.
"So you want him back? He's yours! I have one more question...why did you blow up Hammersley?"
Madelaine laughed.
"That wasn't me unfortunately, as much as I would have loved to destroy that boat it wasn't in my plan, that was all Harry. He was stupid but he had guts, he wanted the glory, he didn't see the bigger picture! If it wasn't for him you probably would have never heard from me. You can thank your dear Navy for boarding that boat, oh and your boyfriend for disturbing our camp. You guys just can't help sticking your nose in! Now, call them back in and escort us out else you will lose more things that you love..."
Kate dropped her head and picked up the radio again.
"Papa 91 to Charlie 91 and Zulu 91, return to the ship at the rush."
The phone rang, she picked it up.
"Maxine, Hi, did you catch all of that? What do you want me to do?"
"Kate, they want you to return to port, they want to suspend Captain Roth until this is sorted."
"Ma'am, we can't, we're so close and this is the only option."
"Kate, we also have to remember the cache of weapons they're carrying and the safety of the public."
"Ma'am, I'm sorry I can't come back in, we can do the swap and the escort and try and take control from there...please just let us do this, if we don't we could lose Charlie and the weapons. Tell fleet command this is the only way..."
Kate hung up the phone and ran her hand through her hair, Dutchy walked up behind her.
"I'm with you Boss, whatever you need!"
Kate turned and smiled at him, her smiled then turned in to a frown.
"What are you doing here?"
Dutchy stepped closer.
"Captain Roth thought you might have needed umm..."
He knew if he said "someone to look after you." She would take it the wrong way.
'Ahh, support?"
Kate stood there thinking, she knew that it was supposed to be a kind gesture but she just didn't know what to believe anymore, he could have made him stay back as he was one of the strongest crew members. She didn't have time to process her thoughts as Mike and Jim rushed up to the stairs.
"Why'd you call us back? We had only searched 4 ships?"
She walked over to Mike and put a hand on his arm.
"Madelaine radioed."
Mike looked at Kate.
"And?"
"And I've spoken to Maxine, we are going ahead with the swap..."
Kate couldn't tell Mike that Madelaine had also confirmed Jim was involved, not after the way he reacted before.
"So what's the plan?"
Kate stood there with a blank look on her face, her brain was trying to process so much.
"Kate?"
Mike stood there dumbfounded at Kate's lack of response.
"Our daughter is out there with a terrorist, or are you forgetting that?"
Kate snapped back to reality and raised her voice.
"Of course I haven't, but I'm also trying to do my job Mike!"
The crew looked at one another, they didn't want to be witnesses to this.
Kate and Mike realised that their personal laundry was being aired in front of the crew, they left the bridge. Nikki took Jim aside.
"Umm, are you ok?"
Jim looked at her strangely, Nikki smiled trying to reassure him.
"Kate told me about Charlie and how you're..."
Jim stepped back.
"What?"
She put her hand on his arm.
"Jim, it's ok I won't say anything..."
Jim stormed off the bridge and down to Kate's cabin, he didn't bother knocking and barged in. Kate and Miked were already in a heated discussion, he interrupted them.
"So you waited nearly 2 weeks to tell me I was Charlie's father but you're happy just to tell you're XO within 5 minutes?"
Kate signalled a time out.
"Just wait a minute, I can only be yelled at by 1 person at a time..."
Jim shook his head and left the cabin. Mike continued to stare at Kate angrily, she sighed.
"What?"
"Charlotte... what's your plan?"
Kate shook her head.
"I don't know Mike, what's your plan?"
Mike sat down and put his head in his hands.
"We need to be able to swap Charlie but still somehow make sure Jim is safe..."
Kate stood there wondering if she should tell him Madelaine had also implicated him.
Nikki knocked on Kate's cabin.
"Boss, it's Madelaine..."
Kate and Mike rushed to the bridge.
"This is Commander McGregor."
'Commander, do we have a deal?"
"Yes..."
"Good, I will give you coordinates to meet us at. You are to stay at least 200m away at all times. I expect 1 RHIB to come along side, there will be eyes on the boat so if you try any funny business you know what happens."
"Let me speak to Charlie please..."
The radio went dead. Kate turned to address the team, she knew she should have excluded Jim but it was getting to hard, it would have been too obvious. If he was really on the other side it would give it away, she knew she was going to have to tell Mike.
"Right, we're gonna need all hands on deck for this, Harrison included."
Jim nodded and went to find him. Kate took the opportunity to pull Mike aside.
"Maxine wants an extraction plan for Jim, or better yet for us to get Charlie without having to let him go..."
Mike frowned.
"What?!"
"Either way Mike, we need him."
She sighed.
"If he's innocent we can't leave him there but if he's on their side..."
"Wait, I thought you trusted him, you said you thought he was innocent."
Kate looked at her feet, Mike looked at her disapprovingly. He stepped back from her as Jim and Harrison returned to the bridge. Kate cleared her throat.
"Ok, so I'm assuming they won't allow Charlie off first, Harrison I want you in a tender as a back-up. We can't use a RHIB as they will see 2 missing but I don't think they'll notice the tender, plus it's less likely to be seen on radar. We will off load the tender with Harrison before the meeting point. When the swap happens hopefully they'll be distracted enough with the swap that we can get Jim out. It'll be dark before we get to do the trade, Harrison I want you to wear civilian clothes, take some fishing gear, we're close enough to the island that we can pass you off as a fisherman if you're stopped."
The Bundaberg and Madelaine's vessel met at the coordinates. Kate grabbed the binoculars desperately trying to see if she could see Charlie but it was too dark.
Mike came over the radio.
"Charlie 91 to Papa 91, do you copy?"
Kate ran over to the radio.
"This is Papa 91 receiving..."
"We are approaching the cruiser, I can see Harrison in the background."
Kate held her breath, she couldn't see what was happening, she couldn't hear anything. A few minutes later Mike came over the radio.
"Papa 91 this is Charlie 91, we are stationary waiting for them to appear on deck."
The lights on the cruiser suddenly turned on. Madelaine came out on deck with Charlie and 2 of her crew. Charlie tried to struggle out of Madelaine's grip.
"Daddy!"
Madelaine pulled her back. Mike grabbed the radio.
"Papa 91, I have a visual of Charlie, repeat I have a visual."
Kate sighed a little, this wasn't over but her little girl was okay.
"Wait, she's wearing an explosive vest..."
Kate lifted the binoculars to her eyes and desperately tried to focus them. She took a sharp breath in as she saw her little girl on deck covered in explosives.
"We are initiating the transfer..."
The lights dimmed a little on the deck.
"Charlie 91 what happened to the lights?"
The crew waited patiently for any news, it was dead quiet. Seconds past, then minutes, nothing.
They heard a radio exchange.
"Charlie 91 to Zulu 91, assistance required immediately."
Everyone on the bridge froze as they heard gun shots, Kate picked up the radio.
"Papa 91 to Charlie 91, what is happening?"
"Charlie 91, we have her, were trying to disarm the vest..."
Kate held her breath for what felt like eternity. The radio crackled.
"Charlie 91 to Papa 91, it's ok, we're...Harrison what are you doing?! Jim! Watch out!"
The radio went dead. Kate's face when white, she frantically called over the radio,
"Papa 91 to Charlie 91, come in, over... Zulu 91, do you copy?
Static.
"Papa 91 to Charlie 91, come in over..."
She tried again.
"Papa 91 to Charlie 91 do you copy? Over."
Kate put the radio down and caught her breath. Bird walked over to her.
"Ma'am, I can continue if you like..."
She gave slight nod, Bird picked up the radio, she was about to call over the radio when Madelaine's boat exploded. It created a giant fire ball that lit up the sea and the sky, Kate stumbled backwards and began to shake uncontrollably. They scene replayed over and over in her mind, a dreaded feeling of déjà vu took over her. She knew that there wasn't a set up/plan behind this explosion, this was real life.
The entire crew were dazed, no one said anything. Kate sat back down in her chair, she picked up the radio but no words came out of her mouth. RO walked over to her and took it out of her hand.
"Papa 91 to Charlie 91..."
Static.
"Papa 91 to Zulu 91 do you copy?"
Static.
End of Chapter 9. Xx
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