“A pattern is definitely developing,” he insisted.
They were all so immersed in their search that they did not notice the two boats approaching at high speed. In fact they were less than a hundred metres away before Dick looked up and warned the others.
“Oh Christ it’s those bastards who had a go at us last week.”
Annie had also seen them and ducked below to find the shotguns. The boats slowed and took up station on either side of Dick’s boat. Several armed men stood menacingly, holding their weapons at the ready.
“Stop your engines,” a voice commanded.
Annie appeared with the two ten-gauge semi-auto shotguns.
“I’ve loaded them,” she whispered. “Five shots in each. SG then solid alternatively — it’s the best combination,” she confirmed casually.
Dick ignored the instruction to stop.
“Better pull your gadget in, we are going to have to make a quick getaway!”
He looked at Annie.
“Leave those on the floor. Then I want you two girls and the child down in the forward cabin. Greg, you and Oscar get down there as well — we’re going to need all the weight forward if we are to get onto the plane quickly and outrun these buggers. I hope our Aussie friends can shoot!” Greg and Oscar obeyed without question.
The magnetometer was recovered and the two divers moved to stand by Dick with the loaded guns ready out of sight at their feet.
“I don’t think they’ll shoot until we show our true intentions so I’m going to try to make a run for it now, OK boys?”
They nodded a little apprehensively. Rod looked astern and noticed a large seagoing tug had appeared out of the heat haze; it was probably about a mile away but heading in their direction.
“Look mate!” Rod tugged Dick sleeve. “We’ve got more company!”
Dick didn’t wait — he slammed the throttles to full. The boat lurched forward but one engine seemed to falter for a moment; the other struggled to lift the loaded boat. The minute’s delay seemed like eternity, then gradually as the missing engine cleared itself and fed more power to the propeller, the boat responded and finally accelerated away but not before their tormentors had time to give chase, having correctly anticipated that Dick would try to escape. The men on one of the boats were able to fire a few shots but the acceleration of their own vessel made it difficult to aim with any accuracy. It wasn’t long however before they recovered and began to fire shots with uncomfortable precision.
Rod and Slim picked up the shotguns and positioned themselves kneeling on the deck at the transom. They returned the fire but didn’t appear to achieve any visible hits on the pursuing boats.
Erratically weaving and turning at maximum speed as they tried to out-manoeuvre each other, all the boats were inexorably getting closer to the approaching tug. The mini battle had raged for about five minutes when a voice on the radio called, “This is the Ocean Tug Deep Blue to vessels engaged in firing. Stop at once or we will fire on all of you!” The call was repeated twice but ignored.
A loud explosion followed as some kind of missile detonated fifty metres ahead of Dick’s boat. He looked across to the tug only three hundred metres away and could clearly see a man standing on the protruding prow, holding a rocket launcher. Those on the boats astern had also seen the deadly weapon and pulled away heading at full power in the other direction. Dick pulled the throttles back and allowed his boat to come to rest. The man on the tug did not fire again. Greg and Oscar emerged from below. The tug slowed and stopped; armed men lined the rail. Slim and Rod discreetly pushed their weapons out of sight
“What’s the hell's going on then?” Big J shouted angrily from the wheelhouse Tannoy. “A bunch of bloody pirates I expect,” he said out of the side of his mouth to Alex, who was standing at his side.
“Looks more like a refugee boat to me. My God there’s even a child on board.” Alex was examining the boat with the binoculars. “I know that man!” he exclaimed suddenly. “And that one!” He fiddled with the focus. “I wonder what they’re up to out here?”
Alex dashed from the bridge to the deck as Dick’s boat drifted alongside the Tug. He called across to the boat,
“Greg, Greg Sing! It’s Alex, Alex Scott.” He waved. Greg looked up in alarm when he heard his name called out.
“My God Alex, where the hell have you come from? You’re supposed to be dead!”
“Not yet old friend, and you Oscar, what brings you out here?” Alex confirmed his recognition. “You’d better get your lot aboard here. I suspect we have some catching up to do!”
Dick reluctantly agreed to let his boat be towed behind the tug but he spent most of his time standing near the stern keeping a fatherly eye on her.
Alex, Greg and Oscar sat in the canteen sipping cool beer from the bottles while Greg explained their new treasure hunt venture, culminating with their current dire circumstances.
Alex listened patiently until Greg had completed his amazing story.
“Absolutely fascinating and such an incredible coincidence,” Alex responded. “I think you should meet my friend John Lawrence. He is a diver with all the equipment you need and more importantly he has the same crazy sense of adventure as you guys!”
Alex briefly explained his own mission and his chance meeting with John and Big J’s dive tug.
“I suspect that if you were to involve these chaps you would have a fighting chance of finding your pot of gold!” Alex looked at them. “Do you want to think about it?”
Greg looked at Oscar “My gut feeling, especially after today’s little episode, is that we are unlikely to make much progress without some big brother assistance. What do you think?”
Oscar smiled.
“Simple, I think to miss the opportunity of using all these professional facilities would be quite stupid.” Then he looked back at Alex. “I can’t tell you just how pleased I am to see you survived that air disaster.” He looked away and bowed his head. “This wretched gold — it’s claimed so many lives; what a terrible price and how much more is there to pay!”
Greg was never quite so emotional.
“Come on, I know that lives have been sacrificed but is not necessarily our fault, so I don’t think we should let that influence our decision to continue the search for the submarine.” He turned to Alex. “Do you?”
“I think it’s time for you guys to meet Big J and John. Perhaps that will help you with your consciences.” Alex stood up, taking out his mobile telephone. “I’ll have to call John on the satellite phone. He’s out there on the cargo boat.” He gestured vaguely towards the horizon.
At first the Captain was reluctant to agree to John’s terms. The idea of letting some stranger take over seventy-five percent of his ship seemed preposterous. However, after considering all the suggested possible alternatives, including being to be sent to the bottom with his ship or just being thrown overboard, as he now realised must have happened to Greg’s former partners, or perhaps even worse being returned to the arms of his not so understanding Syndicate partners. The alternative of retaining twenty-five percent of the vessel and working with John and Big J. made much better sense.
John of course saw it as a golden opportunity to obtain a ship and kick-start his own diving business.
“Would you be upset if I set up on my own Big J?” John asked anxiously.
Big J looked serious and did not answer for a moment.
“There must be enough work in the area to support two businesses,” John suggested in an attempt to soften his proposal.
“There certainly is but it would be better if there was just one, much larger, more efficient company working the contracts.” Big J looked at John. “It would be much smarter if we were to go into business together. So I propose a fifty-fifty partnership, what do you say?” Big J proposed, setting his jaw.