Gold Sharks (40 page)

The bodies of the captain, the engineer and Franco Ebola still lay where they had fallen. Alex stepped up to the microphone attached to the decompression chamber.

“OK boys everything is under control now.” He briefly described the action and finished with the Japanese's astonishing escape.

“I don't know what range your ignition transmitter has but as a matter of interest I slapped number six mine on that submersible's belly!” John replied casually.

“That could be interesting - why don't we find out?” Alex beamed as he extracted the little transmitter and switched the selector to the number six and pressed the green button. The red indicator flashed twice and stopped.

There was a two-second pause before the sea about one hundred and fifty metres from the ship erupted in a giant waterspout.

Small pieces of debris appeared on the surface as the turbulence subsided but there was no sign of the submersible itself or its passengers.

“Shame - those beauties cost a fortune.” Big J stood looking at the boiling water with a disapproving expression on his face.

It took the crew a couple of hours to gather all the wounded and make them as comfortable as possible. The dead gunmen they weighted with chain and dropped over the side.

Big J stood at the side of the ship as the bodies vanished.

“I don't know who your God is but if you have one, I truly hope he welcomes you,” he whispered solemnly.

Then he read from the Bible as the bodies of the captain and engineer were also committed to the deep. When he'd finished, he closed his Bible and turned to the crew.

“Now gentlemen and lady,” he nodded towards Marion. “When I agreed to this hare-brained scheme, I harboured this reoccurring nightmare that it would end much as it has.” He waved his hand at the empty sea. “However, having got this far we...I believe that have to finish it. So we will haul the anchor. We won't try to pull up the last chunk of gold, because I want to get our wounded to hospital in Manila ASAP. Then we travel to Singapore, where I am assured by Oscar and Greg,” he gestured towards the two men, “that we will be able to sell the gold legitimately and then, folks, go straight home!” He looked challengingly at his audience. “Any arguments?”

There was an unfamiliar silence from his audience.

“Good,” Big J raised his voice a little, “then we sail immediately!”

The anchor chain clattered through the hawse pipes. The cable still lashed to the last lump of gold in the submarines hole was cut and fell to the seabed. The two vessels, with the dive boat in tow, gathered speed and headed to Manila. Dick had gone ahead with two of the more seriously wounded men.

The two ships had travelled about ten miles when Big J called everybody's attention. Speaking over the tug's Tannoy he announced, “Just thought you ought to know the navigation equipment on the Japs' dive boat was destroyed in the explosion. I removed the location of the wreck from the GPS and chart plotters on here and on La Vielle. So now only the sharks know where the gold is!” He paused. “And for my money they can keep the bloody stuff!”

Alex, standing next to Big J as he'd delivered his message commented, said,

“Very good words Big J - and this bunch have plenty of reason to share your view.” He settled into the navigator's chair. “But I'll warrant, that out there,” he waved his hand at the vast ocean panorama, “there'll be someone prepared to maim and kill for it!”

“I suppose,” Big J reasoned. “Anyway that's what keeps you in a job eh?” he smiled.

Alex nodded in mock agreement, despondent at having been unintentionally reminded that he was returning to London to be made redundant. He sat in silence for some time as he mulled over the situation in his mind. It was hard to come to terms with the inevitable fact that SONIC was to be merged with MI6, and he and the Boss were being put out to pasture. Well at least the Syndicate has finally been defeated, he told himself with some satisfaction. He remained deep in thought for a while - then suddenly he looked across at his new friend.

“You're right J - there's always going to be plenty of baddies out there to keep me in work!”

He settled back, closed his eyes and tussled with his thoughts. Yes, he said to himself having made up his mind, I'll go into the private security business with Hans. His eyes remained closed but his brain raced around his plan for the future. There were indeed plenty of baddies for them to duel with.

Greg was in command of La Vielle and listened to Big J's speech on the VHF. Casually he punched the Waypoint button on the navigator. The screen was empty; there were no stored positions in the memory.

“The cunning old fox,” he said aloud to Oscar standing next to him.

“It's for the best I suppose,” Oscar replied philosophically.

“I suppose,” Greg said glumly. “Here, you have control. I have to go below for a moment.”

Greg hurried down to his cabin, slipped his hand into the side pocket of his battered old holdall and withdrew his faithful Garmin 12. He anxiously pressed the ON button and waited while it slowly came to life and located the ship's position. He flicked through the memory to stored waypoints. His hand trembled slightly with excitement. The exact position of the wreck was still there. He switched the little instrument off and returned it to the holdall. He was smiling when he rejoined Greg on the bridge.

“So what makes you so pleased with yourself?” Oscar questioned.

“Oh nothing important.” He looked at his friend. “Well actually I was just wondering if you fancy another little adventure?”

Oscar turned to Marion.

“No thank you very much. The only little adventure I have in mind at this moment has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with gold!” he emphasised; reaching out he took Marion's hand, squeezing it gently as he led her from the bridge. “Just thought you might be interested!” Greg called after them good-humouredly.

“You are in command,” Oscar instructed. They didn't look back as they left the bridge.

Greg was still smiling as he resumed control of his ship, his mind already busy dreaming of how best to take advantage of his precious secret.

“I'll wait until the honeymoon is over my friend, then we'll see!” he muttered under his breath. He was still smiling as he casually scanned the radar.

“Well just look at that,” he said suddenly as the blip of a large vessel some six miles away appeared on the screen.

Alex, apparently dozing in the navigator's chair, opened his eyes.

“What am I supposed to be looking at?” he queried.

Greg pointed ahead excitedly to a large passenger liner as it emerged from the early evening heat haze. “Look over there,” I'll warrant that's the cruise ship The World.” He looked towards Alex, “and with all those arms at the bottom of the ocean at least those passengers are a bit more secure now eh?”

Alex stood up.

“So it is,” he confirmed softly before settling back into his chair, “and I just wonder how long it will be before some other maniac threatens all our lives again?”

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‘GOLD SHARKS' © 2004

The intellectual property of this publication is the sole property of West Lynn Holdings Limited.

The book and its content may not be copied or reproduced without the express agreement of West Lynn Holdings Limited.

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All the characters and events in this book are fictions; any

resemblance to actual characters or events is purely coincidental.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Albert Able lives and works his “improvise and adapt lifestyle” on the island of Jersey and on the surrounding seas. Founder of a boat building company when in his early twenties he still delivers and skippers boats to European and Mediterranean destinations. Following this with a breif period in the London Stock Exchange and consequently Hotel Development on His native jersey.

“Throughout my life I have experienced the thrill of the peaks of success and misery of the troughs of financial famine and disaster then back to prosperity and the benefits it can offer only to tumble back into famine again”

He counts Ian Fleming and Jack Higgins as his biggest influences .

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This book is dedicated as ever, to my long-suffering family

And especially to the handful of close friends, who regularly pitched in when needed and without whose support I would never have succeeded.

Thank you all.

See you in the pub?

Albert.

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Other books by the same author.

J. J. Ex. THE BOOK

(Judge Jury & Executioner)

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‘DIAMONDS' BEST FRIEND OR FOE?'

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‘THE DEAL TO DIE FOR ?'

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