Chapter 6

Lee and Jason got back to the hotel. Lee was not happy to see Janet wasn't there. She had been gone about six hours and was worried she hadn't returned. He took a shower, shaved and got dressed. As Jason was showering, his phone rang; it was Craig.

"Craig, everything okay?"

"Yes, just dropped off the load and I'm on my way back. I'll see you later."

Jason came out of the shower and heard Lee on the phone and hoped it was Janet.

"Was that Janet? Is she okay?"

"No, it was Craig. He's on his way back. I'm going to notify Johnson and let him know the goods have been delivered and I have the LRAD. I'm really worried about Janet she should have been back by now," Lee said as he ran his hand through his hair.

Lee called Johnson and he answered right away.

"Admiral, the goods have been delivered to San Remo. I've got the weapon. Everything is going smoothly so far."

"Good, what do you mean so far," he questioned.

Lee explained to Johnson how Janet distracted Shelby by going out on his yacht but she hasn't returned yet.

"She'll be back. Seaview should be at the Strait of Gibraltar later today. I told them you would be leaving tomorrow. Call them and let them know when you want to be picked up. Keep me informed."

"Thanks for the information." Lee hung up on him.

Lee told Jason what Johnson said about Seaview waiting for them. Neither one cared at this point; they both were worried about Janet.

((()))

Shelby went back to the main deck where Janet was tied up and rummaged through her bag and found her phone. He found the number he wanted and pushed the button.

"Elly," Lee answered on the first ring.

"No not Elly but she is here with me," Shelby said nastily. "You took my containers and LRAD."

"Let her go and I will make sure you get your containers back," Lee said frantically.

"I don't give a damn about those containers. But I want your assurance that I have a clear getaway to Nigeria. If I see anyone tracking me, I will have no problem shooting her," he said cruelly.

"David, don't do it," Janet yelled which got her a slap across the face. Lee heard her cry out and cringed.

"Howard you better do as I say or the next time it will be worse than just a slap," he threatened and hung up. He put her phone back in her bag and left her alone.

"Damn," Lee said as he threw his phone across the room. "Shelby has her and wants a clear passage to Nigeria. I can only assume he must be on his yacht. She told me the name, The Restless Pirate. Come on let's go to the dock and see if it's there."

They ran to Port Hercule and asked the dock manager where The Restless Pirate was moored.

"It's the last slip on the right. But they left about fifteen minutes ago. She came back in port and left again in a big hurry," he told them.

((()))

Lee and Jason didn't waste anytime looking for the yacht. Lee was on the phone to Seaview.

"Crane to Seaview. Come in Seaview."

"Seaview aye," Sparks answered immediately.

"Sparks get me the admiral," Lee asked worriedly.

"Admiral, I have Captain Crane on the phone. He sounds very upset."

The admiral and Chip both moved quickly to the radio shack.

"Yes, Lee what's wrong," he replied anxiously.

"Shelby has Janet. He's threatening to shoot her. How soon can you get FS-1 here?"

"Damn. We'll be ready to launch in ten minutes," he said nodding to Chip as he issued the order to preflight the little sub. "We should be at Port of Fontvieille in less than half hour."

"Jason and I will meet you there. Please hurry." Lee hung up the phone. "Let's go back and pack up our suitcases. By the time we finish FS-l will be at the Port."

They ran back to the hotel and Craig spotted them running in.

"David is there a problem?" he asked with concern.

"Yes, Shelby has Janet. We need your help. Can you get away now?"

"Yes, I'm just going off duty. What do you need? Who's Janet?"

"A car. We need to get to the Port of Fontvieille in twenty minutes."

"No problem, my car is here. I will wait for you outside."

Jason and Lee went up their rooms and packed up all their belongings. Janet as usual had most of her things packed. They were back downstairs in ten minutes. Lee had the backpack with the LRAD. Craig had the car in front and was waiting for them. They jumped in the car and he drove to the Port. As they were driving Lee explained to Craig who they were.

"I'm Lee Crane and this is Jason Weldon. Janet is my wife. I'm captain of the submarine Seaview. They are going to help us find her. She is on The Restless Pirate a yacht owned by Devin Shelby. He has her and is threatening to kill her. Do you know anything about that yacht?" Lee explained.

"Yes, I've see that yacht. It was huge and mostly white with black stripes on the side. Unfortunately almost all the large yachts around here are white."

"Can you help us find it?"

"No problem. I've only seen it once but I should be able to recognize it," he answered as they pulled up to the secluded area.

By the time Lee and Jason arrived they spotted FS-1 at the end of the dock awaiting their arrival. Lee walked quickly down the gantry and climbed aboard along with Jason and Craig. Craig was amazed at the small flying sub. On board were the Admiral and Kowalski. It was a little crowded on the small sub but they needed all the help they could get. Lee stowed their gear in the lockers and put the backpack with the LRAD in the locked compartment under the bunk.

"Craig this is Admiral Nelson and Seaman Kowalski," Lee introduced them. "Admiral we are looking for a huge white yacht heading for the Strait of Gibraltar and then Nigeria. They have about a two hour head start."

"Seaview is sitting about a hundred miles outside of the Strait. If they are heading for Nigeria we should be able to find it. Janet hasn't activated her tracking device?" Nelson said as FS-1 took off.

"No Shelby had her phone. I don't know if she has access to it. But if she does she will find a way. He threatened to kill her if he was tracked."

"FS-l to Seaview," Nelson called using the throat mike.

"Seaview aye," Chip answered quickly.

"Any tracking signal from Janet's phone?"

Chip looked over the Sparks who shook his head no hearing the Admiral's question.

"Nothing yet, Admiral. If we do get a signal, I will call you."

"FS-1 out."

"Damn," Lee said as he ran his hand through his hair.

The admiral steered FS-1 west.

((()))

Janet's face was still stinging from Devin's slap. He came back to the main deck and told the man guarding Janet to leave.

"Well so far so good. Radar isn't showing anyone following us in the air or on the water," he said as he ran his hand over her cheek. "You better hope they don't find us or they will find you dead."

He called the guard back in, "Take her down below and lock her in a cabin. Keep her tied up." He walked out of salon.

She saw he left her bag sitting on the chair next to her.

"Could I please have my bag," she asked softly. "I need a tissue."

"What the hell do you need a tissue for," he demanded.

"Please I've got something in my eye," she pleaded. "You don't even have to untie my hands. I can get it if you hold my bag, please."

"Okay," he gave her the bag and as he held it for her, she found her phone and pushed the number two button. It was the number programmed to track her phone. She got the tissue and wiped her eye.

"Thank you."

He untied her ankles and shoved her towards the stairs. She tried to walk down the stairs but her ankle gave out and she fell all the way down. She bumped her head and shoulder on the stairs as she hit the floor. She was unconscious.

"Crap," the guard said as he tried to pick her up.

A steward was walking by and saw the guard trying to pick up her and offered to help him. When he saw her he recognized her from the picture he was given by ONI. He helped the guard take her to a cabin. The guard thanked him and told him to go. He laid her on the bed and retied her ankles. If Shelby saw she was unconscious he would be pissed.

((()))

Dale Wade was on a break when he helped take Elly Hayward to the cabin. He got this job because Shelby asked him when he brought his lunch to him one afternoon. He needed some extra help on his yacht when he and Elly took the yacht out earlier. His job was to keep an eye on him so he took the job.

Craig's phone rang while FS-1 was scouting the area for Shelby's yacht. There were quite a few white yachts sailing on the Mediterranean. It would be dark very soon so there was no way they would be able to find it in the dark.

"Somers," Craig answered recognizing Dale's number.

"Craig, Elly Hayward is on Shelby's boat. She's unconscious and tied up."

"We know she's on the boat. What do you mean she's unconscious, how'd that happen?"

When Lee heard Janet was unconscious, he grabbed the phone out of Craig's hand.

"Dale, this is Lee Crane and Elly is Janet Crane. I will explain later who we are. Why is she unconscious? Did Shelby hit her again?" he said nervously.

"No he didn't hit her this time. She fell down the stairs and hit her head. I helped the guard take her to a cabin and recognized her picture."

"Do you know where you are? We are searching for the yacht but it's getting too dark to see anything."

"I'm not familiar with the area. Sorry I can't help you," he replied unhappily.

"Please keep an eye on her if you can," Lee implored.

"No problem, I will try."

Lee hung up and gave the phone back to Craig.

((()))

Janet woke up and had a terrible headache and was dizzy. Her shoulder also hurt. She couldn't see anything in the dark but could tell she was still tied up. She hoped she pushed the right button but it was hard to do with her hands tied. She knew it would be harder for them to find her now that it was dark if they didn't get her signal.

Shelby came in the cabin and turned on the light and pulled her up by her hands. "I heard you fell down the stairs, how about I make you feel better," he said as he ran his hand over her cheek and rubbed her back.

"Leave me alone," she said as she picked her hands up and hit him in the face grimacing in pain as she lifted her shoulder.

"You will be sorry you did that," he slapped her across the face her head hitting the wall and walked out rubbing his cheek. "No woman will ever get the best of me."

She picked herself up and could barely sit up. The room was spinning and she passed out.