Chapter 16 Losing Time
It had been another boring day on watch as the sun slowly descended below the horizon Bomber was coming off watch and heading down to fix dinner for the crew, Unaware Hammersley had been boarded Bomber was hit over the head leaving her unconscious.
Spider walked down to the galley finding Bomber bleeding, he carried her down to Swain, hoping she would be alright she was like a big sister to him, 20 minutes later Bomber came to.
"Its him he's back, I-I saw him" yelled Bomber.
"Spider go get the boss if he's on board were in trouble" replied Swain.
Spider ran to Mike not knowing who they were taking about relaying the message, Mike's reaction told the whole story.
"Bomber are you sure its him?" asked Mike.
"Sir I'm positive" replied Bomber.
"Sir who are you talking about?" asked Spider.
"Spider he goes by the name of Joel Parkinson last year, he and three others bordered HMAS Childers and attempted to blow the ship up, they stopped the attack but not before Parkinson killed three sailors, Parkinson and his men have been on the run since and I looks like its our turn to stop him" explained Mike, "The only thing I cant understand is why they didn't kill Bomber" added Mike.
Mike and Kate held a briefing letting the crew know of there current situation, posting personnel on guard out side the armoury.
"Kate I want all the Kevlar vest's out everyone is two wear one under there shirts, Parkinson will be armed and I'm not taking any chances" Mike ordered Kate.
They were on high alert Hammersley had turned into fort Knox, Kate wasn't going to take any chances taking Alexia were she went, these men were dangerous.
12 hours after Bomber had been attacked there was still no sign of Parkinson and with regular patrols he should have been spotted by now. Mike ordered a party to search the boat for explosives, leaving the bridge to check on Kate.
Kate stood on deck outside the bridge with Alexia, it was freezing outside as the wind blew against the ship, rocking it from side to side, he wrapped his arms around Kate reassuring her that everything was going to be ok.
Kate stood on the bridge listening to the sit-reps come in, before Mike made a brew run, just as he stepped off the bridge taking Alexia with him he heard footsteps coming from outside the bridge, no one was posted there, it was Jackson.
"Kate!" Mike yelled alerting her but it was to late as he heard gun shots echoing down the stairs.
He put Alexia down " sweetie run get uncle Pete" he whispered to Alexia, watching her run down the corridor, drawing his 9mm he could faintly here Kate moaning.
"Jackson give yourself up!" Mike yelled as he tried to get a look at Kate, all he could was hear blood stained pants, Buffer finally reached the bridge.
"Buffer I need you to get up onto the bridge, take the port side, 2Dads take starboard side got it ?" he ordered both nodding leaving Spider to watch his back.
It had been 5 minutes since Mike had heard anything, when suddenly he heard Buffer and 2Dads yelling.
"Australian Navy put the weapon, put the down!" the both yelled in unison, until he heard further gunshots.
Mike raced up onto the bridge seeing Kate and 2Dads on the ground bleeding. "Swain to the bridge at the rush" Mike yelled, by now everyone was aware of there current situation.
Jackson was handcuffed, the bullet had grazed the skin, but Mike would do more harm to him if he lost Kate.
"Kate! Kate! Can you hear me, wake up please!" Mike yelled tears streaming down his face, " WERE THE HELL IS SWAIN!" Mike yelled holding Kate in his arms her blood everywhere "so much for bullet-proof vest's" Mike thought to himself.
Swain finally made it to the bridge, checking Kate's pulse, it was a faint pulse but it was a pulse, Mike carried Kate to the wardroom .
"We have to do something she's lost a lot of blood" Mike blurted out in worry when Bomber walked into the room as Mike jumped up.
"Bomber Kate needs your help you are the same blood type as her can you give her blood?" Mike asked knowing she would say yes.
"Of course I will" Bomber replied.
Just as Bomber removed her shirt Kate flat lined, a deadly silence swept the room, Mike yelled at Kate.
"Don't you dare give up on me, you hear me!" he wasn't going to give up on her.
3 rounds of CPR had failed so far as Swain injected Kate with 7mg of adrenaline, it was now or never, the sound of a beating heart filled the room Mike and Swain sighing in relief. Bomber took her shirt off there was no time to bag Bombers blood, as Swain attached a tube leading from bombers arm into Kate's. Kate looked pale and weak, she was still holding on should wouldn't go down with a fight.
Mike walked in to see 2Dads sitting with Alexia keeping her occupied.
"You've just been shot and your entertaining my daughter, go get some rest" Mike said.
"Sir I'm fine its just a scratch, you should be in with the X" 2Dads replied. Mike left Alexia with 2Dads she was happy and he didn't want to upset her, and that's one thing Mike hated if anyone hurt his girls they would have hell to pay, and Jackson had just won front row seats.
Mike walked up onto the bridge, Kate's blood was unavoidable, he sat down in his chair when he heard a crunch below, standing up he looked down at his chair, there was a note in Kate's handwriting it had blood all over it….
"Mike I had a feeling something would happen and well you know me I never miss a beat"
Mike slightly amused even in the face of death Kate had a good sense of humour.
"I heard Jackson at the last second and well I didn't have time to move, don't cry if I don't make, even in death there is beauty, I love you, forever, I always have and always will, Kate" a single tear ran down his face as head read, he didn't want to believe what Kate had written, Kate was going to make it at all cost's.
Mike followed the laughter into the juniors mess, Spider and Buffer were putting up a plasma TV courtesy of a Indian man from there last port, Charge and the other sailors all laughing as they watched Buffer and Spider installing the TV, wires everywhere and none of them in the write ports. When 2Dads walked in with Alexia.
"No way you didn't" 2Dads said as Buffer quickly replied.
"We did, anyway the footy is on and the X loves the footy, think of it as a celebration". As Spider looked at him puzzled as he had to explain it to him.
"The X was going to watch the footy tonight and well she has missed the game to save our asses, so this game is for the X, are you following yet" Buffer replied.
Spider stood there thinking " oh yeah I get it now" Spider replied as they raised there coffee's and soft drink " the X!" the all yelled.
Mike held Alexia as he walked down to his cabin, it was bed time.
"Daddy is Mummy alright?" she asked in the small voice she had.
"Yes Mummy is going to be fine" Mike replied continuing as he read Alexia her bed time story, she laid her head down, and drifted off to sleep.
Nav stepped into Mike's cabin checking on Alexia "how is she?" asked Nav.
"Yeah she fine, listen can you sit with her I don't want her to be alone" Mike replied.
"Yeah sure sir, go check on Kate I'll be here if you need anything" replied Nav.
Mike walked down to the ward room, Kate hadn't improved since he last checked on her, she looked even weaker, he sat down beside her taking her hand in his, he rested his head beside hers, he wasn't going to leave her alone not now when she needed him the most. He fell asleep by her side, dreaming, nightmares flooding his mind as he woke up in a sweat and yelling Kate's name.