The
“Son of a…” hissed Sean Thayer. “” Jonathan,
give me the snips.”
Jonathan Gresham quickly pulled a pair of
wire cutters from his back pocket and tossed them; Sean caught them and
continued to work.
“Just don’t blow us to kingdom come,” said
Jonathan.
Sean grunted and held his breath as he snipped
a wire. . He let his
breath out slowly as he looked up.
“Well that’s it…and with two minutes to
spare.”
Jonathan smiled and said, “Never had a
doubt.” He grimaced as Sean threw a detonator into the water and put the
explosives pack into a satchel. . Sean
looked at him.
“You have too much faith at times.”
Jonathan laughed and said, “Having someone
who is quite insane for a friend can be advantageous.”
Sean and Jonathan began climbing down the
railings toward the white-capping waves of the . . Jonathan
leaned down toward the water, and pulled the
inflatable dinghy snug against the platform supports, and climbed in. . He held the
craft steady as Sean rolled on board.
“Hold the hell on!”
They looked down at the head that had just
appeared in the water; Walt Jenkins swam up to the dinghy and threw his scuba
gear on board. . Sean
and Jonathan leaned back in the inflatable as Walt threw one arm over the side
and flung himself in.
“Anything?” asked Jonathan.
Walt shrugged and said, “Just your
standard C-4 with a timer.”
“You
disarmed it?” asked Sean with an alarmed expression.
“Are you out of your blasted mind?” said
Walt. . “Detached it
and took it about…”
Suddenly they heard a hollow boom; the
water boiled slightly just north of the oil platform.
“…a
hundred yards out.”
Jonathan slowly shook his head as Walt
said, “You know how I feel about booby traps.” ” He leered at
Jonathan.
“What does your wife think of you
meandering around the world…especially since you have a little boy to think
about,” asked Walt as Sean cranked the outboard. . “You don’t let
on…do you?”
“Angela is a wonderful woman,” said
Jonathan as he helped Walt out of the wetsuit. . “And no, I
don’t take the job home, and she doesn’t ask. . As for Danny -
that one is special. . Nine
years old and he can kick a football through the goal posts like a pro.”
“Nine?” said Walt. . “Damn I’m
getting old.”
“It’s a shame we can’t meet your family,”
said Sean.
Jonathan nodded and said, “Too right it is. . But Ops One
Command has a point - too risky.”
Sean pointed the craft toward shore; he
looked back at the oil platform and shook his head.
“That was close.”
“Just when are we gonna solve this
problem?” asked Walt.
“Good question,” said Sean. . “Whoever set
those charges damn well knew what they were doing.”
Jonathan opened a canteen of water and
took a drink. . He
passed the canteen to Sean and said, “The only thing we know is that it’s a low-level
terrorist organization, don’t even know where they are based, damn it all. . They call
themselves El-Tan.”
Walt snorted and said, “Well, I’m for ” ” He
looked at Jonathan. . ““What
about you?”
“Home to . . “There is a
very inquisitive boy there; it seems he’s ready for a fishing trip.”
Sean laughed as he ran the inflatable up
on the beach. Walt rolled out of the craft onto the sand as Sean and Jonathan
started tossing their gear out of the dinghy. . Sean paused
and said, “This is gonna get a lot worse before it’s over.”
Jonathan threw the last of the equipment
out of the dinghy and nodded.
“We had bloody well better find out more
about El-Tan,” he said as Sean threw a lifejacket at Walt, causing him to
mutter and get to his feet. . “The
Home Office has been engaged in a few secret discussions with your government.”
“Sounds disturbing,” said Walt. . “For us I
mean.”
Jonathan grunted and said, “Quite. . I think it’s
safe to say that this bit of unpleasantness has just begun.” ” He looked at
Sean. . ““ How
is that lovely wife of yours?”
Sean smiled and said, “Kimberly is great.”
“That photo was amazing,” said Jonathan. . “Angela hates
to have her picture taken.” ” Jonathan
paused momentarily and added, “I take it she thinks you’re doing something for
your police department.”
Sean shrugged as Walt started clearing the
camouflage off ofoff a battered
jeep and said, “We all work under the same restrictions. . Besides, she
would go nuclear if she had even a glimmer of the truth.”
They tossed their equipment into the jeep;
Walt started the engine as Sean and Jonathan climbed in. . Jonathan
looked back at the oil platform that had come so close to becoming one gigantic
fireball. . He
turned to Sean and said, “So much to lose; I wonder…”
“What?” asked Walt.
“What if we lose control? ? I shudder to
think, really.”
“I have faith in you my friend,” said
Sean.
“So do I,” said
Walt as he threw the jeep in gear. . “Now,
let’s get the hell out of here. . I’m
starving.”