Jackson knew he was being followed. He'd caught glimpses of two men jumping behind trees and hiding whenever he looked back. He also realized that it must be Crane's men, because Germane's men would have had orders to kill him on sight. He stood behind some dead, rotting trees and waited for the men to go past him. He didn't have long to wait as he heard, rather than saw Kowalski and Riley stop in front of his hiding place.
"I was sure he came this way," Jackson heard one of the men whisper.
"He did." The other answered just as quietly.
Jackson waited to make sure the men weren't being followed before he stepped out with his gun drawn. "I thought I told you two to stay in the cave!" he stated.
"We decided we weren't leaving without Captain Crane." Kowalski told him.
"You fool. You realize that if you are recaptured by Germane, your Captain would give his life for yours." Jackson said wearily shaking his head.
"It was a chance we had to take. Something we learned from the Skipper. Never leave a man if there is a chance to help him." Riley told Jackson.
"Some chance. You two don't know what your up against. Crane at least has his ONI training. He knows a lot of tricks to stay alive. Germane will eventually find you two and then use you to get to Crane. He'll kill the three of you then."
"As Riley said it's a chance we have to take. Why are you on the run?" Kowalski asked his curiosity piqued.
"Germane found out I was the one who helped you escape. He doesn't like traitors, and he now considers me a traitor, so I'm now one of the hunted." Jackson said a grin plastered on his face. "He'll find out I'm not so easy to kill. I know almost as many tricks as your Captain. You two can tag along with me if you like. I plan to find Crane and enlist his help in defeating Germane and his little army of hunters."
Kowalski turned to Riley. "What do you think?"
"He's helped us so far, and he knows more about this area than we do." Riley answered.
Kowalski nodded and spoke to Jackson, "Ok, we'll go with you. Where do we go from here?"
"I want to find Crane. You know him better than I, what would he do?"
"The Skipper would do everything in his power to come back and get us." Riley said, pride for his captain evident in his voice and stance.
"Yes, Captain Crane would come after us. He would do something Germane wouldn't expect." Kowalski said with just as much pride.
"Does your Captain really deserve that kind of praise, or are you overestimating your value to him." Jackson asked both men.
"Captain Crane values life, any kind of life, whether it's animal or human. He'll find his way back to the compound." Kowalski told Jackson confidently.
"How can you be sure he won't just leave you on this island?"
"Captain Crane would come for us." Riley reiterated.
"If you say so. All right. I know many ways back to the compound. We'll take one of the less traveled paths. It's important we stay away from Germane and his followers." Jackson said, leading the way into a clump of brush and trees.
Crane had no idea how long he'd been moving but he knew his mind couldn't keep winning the battle with his body. He knew he couldn't keep up the torrid pace he'd set for himself and would soon have to rest. His chest was on fire from the injured ribs and he sat for a moment. He tried to breathe deeply but found it brought on a severe coughing spurt.
He closed his eyes and was unsure if he had fallen asleep. He opened his eyes to the sound of a voice coming from his right.
"Peter. It looks like someone came this way. Had to be just after the storm. Look at the footprints." Mercer told his boss.
"You're right. Take Drake and follow the tracks. We'll take a break and wait here until you report back," Germane said holding up his canteen.
"You heard him Drake, let's go."
Germane signalled to the other two men to sit and rest while they waited. They'd been following what he hoped was Crane's trail for nearly two hours. He could hear the water rushing past on the other side of the trees.
Crane listened to the conversation and knew they were to close. Quickly and quietly he made his way back to the rivers edge and gently lowered himself into the turbulent water. There were more reeds along this riverbank and he used them for cover. He waited for any sign of Germane.
Germane was impatiently waiting for his men to return when he heard loud screaming from the direction they had gone in. Jumping to his feet he turned to Burton and Weller. "Go see what the hell happened!" he told them.
Burton and Weller headed towards the screaming, but stopped at the sound of gunfire. Germane rushed past them and soon caught site of Drake leaning over Mercer's leg.
"What happened?" Germane asked angrily.
"Someone set a trap." Drake stated.
"What kind of trap?" Germane asked kneeling beside Drake.
Drake wiped his knife in his pant leg. Slowly and carefully he made an incision in Mercer's leg. "Snake bite!" he said as he lowered his head and began to methodically suck the venom from the open wound. Mercer moaned and rested his head back on the ground.
"Stupidity. That's what this was. Mercer should have listened for snakes. He's lived here long enough to know they are everywhere. He should have been more careful." Germane said ignoring Mercer's cries of pain.
Drake glared at Germane, "You're wrong Boss. This was a trap. Someone tied this snake to that bush and removed the rattle. There was no warning. The snake bit Mercer before we even knew it was here. Look for yourself. I shot and killed it."
Germane stood and walked over to the snake. Its head had been blown off cleanly and he could see the vine still securing the tail end to the bush. 'Crane,' he thought, open admiration apparent on his face. 'This is going to be even better than I could have imagined.' He turned away from the snake and went back to Mercer and Drake.
"I'm taking Mercer back to the compound." Drake told him.
"Yes." Germane agreed, "You do that. When you give him the anti venom, I want you to grab the dogs and bring them back here."
"I have to stay with Mercer." Drake's voice was laced with anger.
Germane looked down at Mercer, "Think about this. If you don't return with the dogs, you don't get paid. Mercer will be all right till we return. Right."
Mercer nodded his head painfully. "Peter's right, and I want revenge. Get the dogs." He said staring calmly at Drake.
"Whatever you say Mercer." Drake said, gently putting his arm around his friend and helping him to his feet. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He told Germane as he turned and headed back the way they had come.
'Gotcha,' Crane thought when he heard the scream followed seconds later by a gunshot. Smiling he waited to see what would happen next. Suddenly his body began to shiver uncontrollably in the cold water. 'Must be colder than it looks' he thought.
"Weller, Burton, let's check down by the river. Remember Crane is mine." Germane said heading back towards the sound of rushing water.
Crane heard the men coming towards his hiding place and quickly put one of the reeds he'd cut off into his mouth. He sank below the surface until just the tip of the reed protruded from the water. Breathing slowly he settled himself to wait until the intruders left.
"Weller, check the opposite bank. If you find any evidence that Crane went in that direction fire one shot. Otherwise report back here in one hour. Understood!" Weller nodded and waded into the water. Carefully he made his way across the river.
"Ok Burton, you and I take this side." Germane was about to walk along the riverbank when he spotted some overturned rocks on the edge of the river, just south of the spot they'd been standing in. He walked over and carefully examined the area. Thick Reeds stood to the left and right. Violent rapids controlled the centre of the river and he knew Crane could not have crossed in this section. 'Where are you Crane?' He thought ' Come out, come out wherever you are,' a sly grin consumed his face. "I'll find you Crane and when I do you'll regret that little trap of yours!" he shouted.
Crane knew Germane was shouting but it sounded muffled and unintelligible to his ears. He could see Germane through the clear water and knew if Germane studied this area of the reeds he would spot him easily. 'Cold, so cold' he thought. 'Look somewhere else Germane. I need to get out of here.' He followed him with his eyes as Germane slowly walked away from the rivers edge.
Nelson relaxed as he felt the flying sub dock with Seaview. Releasing his safety belt he followed Morton up the ladder. Once onboard Seaview, Morton and Nelson checked the charts and plotted the best course for Barbados. Both men were exhausted, not having slept in the last twenty-four hours.
"Chip, leave O'Brien the con and get some rest. We'll have a lot to do when we get to Barbados." Nelson ordered.
"Only if you follow your own advice and rest sir." Morton replied.
"I'm going to my cabin right now. See that you do the same. Mr. Morton." Nelson smiled as he left the control room. 'We're coming Lee.' He thought.
"How much further?" Kowalski asked Jackson as they pushed their way through trees and heavy bush. They'd been travelling a steady upgrade for almost an hour and were beginning to feel the effects and it was beginning to get dark again.
"Just over that rise. We should be able to see the compound from the top. You can rest there while I check the grounds. If we're lucky I'll be able to call for help before anyone sees me."
"And if they spot you?" Riley asked.
"I'll deal with that when the time comes. For now just do as I ask and stay where I tell you." Jackson told them.
"Look Jackson, we're not stupid. We know how to defend ourselves. We'll go with you." Kowalski stated.
Jackson stopped and peered back at Kowalski, "I know what you're capable of Kowalski. I also know that you and Riley are exhausted. You need to rest if you want to help Crane when the time comes."
Kowalski knew Jackson was right. Neither he nor Riley had any ONI training. Under normal circumstances they could hold their own, but in the last few days they had been drugged, kidnapped and had eaten very little. Their bodies were starting to protest the treatment it was receiving. "All right Jackson. We do it your way for now."
Jackson smiled and turned his attention to the darkening trail ahead. "We should make it before dark. I hope." He said aloud.
Seething with rage, Germane paced back and forth on the riverbank. Drake had returned with the dogs but they had proved useless. Crane must have used the river as a way to hide his movements. The dogs had tracked him into the water but had been unable to find an exit point either to the north or south of their vantage point. "How could he have just disappeared?" he asked no one in particular.
Drake walked towards him holding the two dogs on a leash, "Maybe he got caught in the rapids and drowned." He stated.
Shaking his head Germane laughed, "NO! Not Captain Lee Crane. I have read everything I could find on him. He is a hero in everything he does. The man is unbelievable. I could have been like him," the last was said with a hint of remorse.
"That would have been boring Peter." Drake said. "Crane is nothing like you. He would never have the guts to kill a man or woman for money. You would have been bored in his life. Think about it. All the money you made. Do you think Crane has the money to buy his own private island retreat in the south?"
Germane smiled at Drake, "Thanks for the reminder of why I turned bounty hunter. You're right I would have been bored with Crane's lifestyle. Working for the government. What a waste of time and resources." He was quiet for a moment and Drake thought he was depressed again. "Just imagine if Crane worked for me. We'd make an unbeatable team, don't you think?"
"I think you're unbeatable alone Peter or I would have taken over this group long ago." Drake said and burst into laughter.
"I think you would have died trying!" Germane stated pulling his handgun and pointing it at Drake's laughing face.
Drake's laughter was cut off instantly. "Kidding, Peter. Just kidding. Honest, I was kidding. Can't you take a joke?" he asked, trying unsuccessfully to hide the fear he felt at the sight of the gun.
"Oh I can take a joke as well as anybody else. I just didn't find yours very funny." Germane said as he took the gun from the trembling mans head and placed it back in its specially made holster. "Make sure it never happens again." He said softly as he walked away.
Drake breathed a sigh of relief as he realized just how close Germane had come to pulling the trigger and killing him. He sat down and watched as darkness came quickly over the island. The dogs sat quietly beside him as he lit a fire.
'Cold, so cold.' Crane shivered as he waited for full darkness to come. When he finally felt safe he began to move away from the reeds, keeping his body submerged until he was well clear of Germane and his dogs. It was rough going until he was away from the drag of the rapids. Once in a while Crane lifted his head above the water and glanced back the way he'd come. A fire had been lit and he waited until he couldn't see it anymore before pulling himself to the safety of the shore. The night was quickly erasing the days heat and dampness was beginning to be a factor. 'Have to find a place to get warm and rest. Find Ski and Riley and get out of this hellhole. That should be a piece of cake.' He laughed quietly.
He made his way across the riverbank and into the undergrowth. 'Look for a cave or anything else you can use Lee.' He thought, trying to keep his cold, wet body moving away from the river.
He had no idea how long he'd been trudging through the woods, but the moon was up and he could see things pretty well. He had been steadily climbing a small hill and when he reached the top he could see the moon shining on the ocean. Even though he was extremely weary he took the time to enjoy mother natures beautiful work. He began to make his way down to the beach to look for some kind of shelter. Spotting what seemed to be a cave hidden behind a rocky incline he made his way through the rocks. Careful to avoid the sand which would leave telltale footprints easily spotted from above. It was a natural cave, barely big enough for Crane to pull himself into. Once inside he curled into a ball and fell asleep. His body and mind were tuned for any movement or sound from outside. He dreamed of Seaview and the warmth of his own bed.
Nelson smiled as he and Chip left the library in Barbados. They'd been given anything they wanted including access to government sales and private sales of islands in and around Barbados. There were two possibilities. One was on the northern end of Barbados and Seaview was already underway to investigate it.
The other was to the south. Chip Morton would accompany him in the Flying Sub and together they would check the other island. If Seaview didn't find anything she would meet them at their destination as soon as possible.
They were underway in FS1 within the hour and Nelson turned to Chip worriedly. "I keep thinking we better find them soon. According to Jarha, Germane was desperate to hunt Lee and that was almost four days ago."
"I agree Admiral. Hopefully the storm they had here delayed the start of the hunt and we'll get there in time."
"And that Seaview is at the right island or we are. To many things seem to be left to chance."
"We'll just have to take it one step at a time Sir. We'll probably find him, Ski and Riley lying on a beach getting a tan." Morton said with a laugh. Nelson glanced at his exec and laughed as well.
"You do have a way of releasing tension Chip. I needed that." Nelson said and turned his attention back to the flying sub controls.
Jackson slipped through the gate and made his way by cover of darkness to the main building of the compound. He'd left Kowalski and Riley on the summit of the hill, telling them to stay there. He knew it wouldn't be long before the two men got tired of waiting and followed him into the compound.
The door to the main building was unlocked, as usual, and he quickly moved inside and closed the door. He'd worked here for so long that he knew his way around in the dark and he used this to his advantage. He made his way to the office and tried the phone. There was no power and he knew Germane had removed the power pack. 'Smart move Peter. Better get out of here before I'm discovered.'
Jackson moved quickly out the door and headed for the gate. Too late, he realized when he felt a gun pressed into his back. "The Boss said you'd come back here Jackson. Now drop your gun and turn around slowly."
Jackson recognized the voice as that of a new man, "What do you think you're doing Williams. Peter sent me back for more ammo."
"You think I'm stupid Jackson. Drake told me all about you betraying Germane when he brought Mercer in. I'll just lock you up until the boss gets back." Jackson moved quickly but not quickly enough. Williams hit him on the side of the face with his gun and Jackson lost consciousness.
Williams picked the man up under the arms and slowly pulled him down into the cell previously occupied by Kowalski and Riley. He shoved Jackson inside and locked the door. "That should keep you till Peter gets back."
Slowly and painfully awareness returned to Crane's body and mind. He was stiff and he ached all over. 'Where are you when I need you Jamie?' he thought. Dawn was breaking on a new day as Crane staggered to his feet and made his way to the entrance of the cave and gazed out at the ocean.
The beach and surrounding area were deserted. The sand was flat with no trace of footprints. Moving carefully out of the cave he checked the hills and pathways for any sign of movement. The only sounds came from the birds circling overhead.
He moved quickly away from the cave and up the nearest path into the trees. Once in the safety of the trees he glanced around until he figured out the fastest way to get back to the compound. He moved in a northerly direction, relying on instinct alone. 'Well it's gotten me through rough situations before. Hopefully it'll work for me again. He thought.
Morton banked the flying sub and made the decent smoothly into the ocean. After securing FS1 they dressed in scuba gear and made the short swim to the island. Ten minutes later Nelson and Morton were removing the gear and had hidden it in a cave. It was the same cave Lee Crane had spent the night in and had vacated only an hour before.
"It shouldn't take more than an hour to reach the compound you spotted." Morton told Nelson.
"I agree. Unless the terrain is even more difficult than it looked. The faster we get going the sooner we find Crane, Kowalski and Riley. I just hope they're okay." Nelson replied.
"Well I'm ready whenever you are Admiral."
"Then lets get moving." Nelson checked to make sure his gun was secure before beginning the long trek to the compound. "I hope we won't need them but I feel safer having them."
"Aye Sir. I have a feeling we'll be needing them." Morton said as both men lapsed into silence and began to move north along the rough path.
Kowalski and Riley had taken turns sleeping and standing watch through the night. Both men had known it was useless to try and follow Jackson through the trees. Without a light and only one gun with a limited amount of ammo there was no choice but to wait for daylight. "Let's get down there. Something must have happened to Jackson." Kowalski said anxiously.
"I think he ran into more than he could handle. We should have insisted on going with him." Riley said. He stood and followed Kowalski down the little used trail that would eventually take them to the compound.
"Nothing! I can't believe the dogs are unable to find Crane." Germane ranted at no one in particular. His long strides had made a narrow path in the sand where he been pacing for nearly twenty minutes. "Stupid mutts need their noses fixed. Let's go back to the compound. I want to see if Jackson returned."
"Do you really think Jackson would go back there?" Drake asked trying to stifle a yawn.
"Think man think. Where else could Jackson get to a phone?" Germane asked condescendingly.
Drake's face brightened as he realized Germane was right, "You think he'll be looking for a way out of here?"
"Wouldn't you be?" Germane asked. "Tell the others to get ready. I want to move out in fifteen minutes." Drake did as he was told.
'I can't believe how badly this hunt is turning out. Jackson, how could you betray me? Crane where are you? You'll all pay. I will find you.' His thoughts were interrupted by Drakes return.
"All set Boss." Drake told him.
"Then let's get back home."
Crane slipped to the ground, his back leaning up against a tree. His injured ribs cried out with every movement. 'I'll just rest for a few moments. Hang on guys. I'm coming for you. Tired oh so tired.' He closed his eyes and drifted into a fitful sleep.
Kowalski and Riley had been watching the compound from a hillock. They were surrounded by trees and heavy undergrowth, which helped hide them from view. There was no sign of Jackson, and Kowalski began to suspect he'd been caught.
"Ski, how long do we stay here?" Riley asked in a low voice.
"I think we should wait till dark and try to sneak in. Hopefully we'll be able to get to the phones and contact the mainland."
"Sounds good. Maybe we'll be lucky enough to contact Seaview."
"I think that's stretching it a bit Riley." Ski laughed.
"Why? Don't you think Admiral Nelson and Mr. Morton are looking for us by now?" Riley asked soberly.
Kowalski knew Riley was right and that a search was underway but he also knew it was unlikely anyone would find them this quickly. "Look Riley. I agree the Admiral and Mr. Morton are looking for us but I don't think they'll find us anytime soon. We don't even know where we are, except that it's an island. Probably somewhere in the south." The look of disappointment on Riley's face made Kowalski regret his words. " They'll find us Riley but until they do we have to assume we're on our own and find a way to escape Germane and his henchmen."
"I think you're underestimating the Admiral and Mr. Morton." Riley stated, a smile on his face.
"I hope you're right Riley. But for now we have to help ourselves and the Skipper."
"You think he's still alive?" Riley asked worriedly.
"Riley, do you even have to ask. The Skipper is out there somewhere. He'll find his way back here and we'll all get off the island together."
Unknown to either man, Captain Lee Crane was resting only half a mile south of their location.
Chip Morton signalled for Nelson to stop. "Someone's coming Sir," he whispered anxiously.
Nelson indicated that they should find a place to conceal themselves before they were discovered and both men rushed into the undergrowth. They barely made it before they heard angry voices coming up the path they'd just deserted.
"I want Jackson found!" Germane said angrily.
"Don't worry Boss, we'll get him." Suddenly the dogs began barking and pulling Drake towards the spot where Nelson and Morton were hiding. "Someone's in there." Drake yelled over the loudly barking dogs.
"Whoever you are come out or we'll turn the dogs loose. Be warned they haven't been fed and are very hungry attack dogs!" Germane said smiling, hoping he'd found the elusive Captain Crane. "You have one minute to make up your minds. 1,2,3." He began counting down the seconds on his watch.
Nelson and Morton could hear the angry dogs and knew they were to close for them to make an escape. Nelson looked at Morton and saw his thoughts mirrored there. He stood up and shouted over the dogs. "Ok, we're coming out. Just keep the dogs leashed." He said and slowly made his way out to certain capture.
A tall angry looking man glared at Nelson and Morton. "Well, well. Admiral Harriman Nelson and Commander Chip Morton. How did you get here?" He snared.
"How do you know who we are?" Nelson asked astonished at being recognized.
"That's a long story and I don't have time to get into it right now. Just answer my question. How did you get here?"
"We swam," was Nelson's quiet retort. He received a stinging backhand from Germane in retaliation.
"How did you get here?" he repeated.
Nelson and Morton remained silent and Germane realized he wouldn't get an answer from either of them. He turned to his men and began giving orders. "Burton, you and Weller take charge of the prisoners and make sure they don't try anything."
"Yes Sir." Weller said as he quickly bound Morton's hands tightly behind his back. Burton did the same to Nelson and they began to push their captives forward.
"Where's Lee Crane?" Nelson asked and received a blow to his kidneys for his words. He fell to the ground and found himself yanked roughly to his feet. Breathing was a little difficult but he tried to reassure Chip that he was all right.
"Drake, take the dogs down to the beach and see what you can find." Drake left to carry out his orders and Germane turned his attention back to the Seaview men. "Be warned Admiral. I'm in charge here. Therefore I'll ask the questions and you supply the answers. How did you find this island?" Germane asked curiously.
"It wasn't so hard. We just had to know what to look for." Nelson answered.
"So, I take it Mr. Jarha couldn't keep his mouth shut."
"It was a simple matter of trapping him. Then we just asked the right questions." Nelson told him.
"Well. I'm glad you came along. You'll help me with Crane."
"Where's Lee?" Morton asked and Weller shoved him making him stumble. He barely kept his balance.
"The boss wasn't talking to you. So shut up!" Weller laughed.
"Thank You Weller. Now Admiral, as I was saying you'll help me find Crane won't you?" Germane laughed.
"Find him yourself. I won't help you Germane." was Nelson's quiet retort.
"So you do know who I am Admiral. Oh well. I don't need you're help anyway. As soon as Crane finds out you're here he'll come rushing to the rescue. I was going to continue my hunt for him this morning but since you've arrived," he cocked his head and grinned maliciously. "I'll just use you as bait to convince him to come out of hiding. Oh yes Admiral, this is so perfect. I couldn't have planned it better myself." He laughed as he walked beside the silent man.
Riley was lying on the ground, eyes closed, waiting for his watch, when Kowalski's sharp intake of breath brought him to his knees. "What is it Ski?" He asked anxiously.
Kowalski signalled for Riley to join him at his vantage point. "Am I seeing things?"
"What are you talking about Ski?" Riley asked turning his head in the direction Kowalski indicated. "Oh my God that's.....That's Admiral Nelson and Mr. Morton. They got them Ski. What are we going to do?"
Kowalski watched as Nelson and Morton were marched into the compound and he lay back on the ground. The sun shone brightly overhead and he knew today would be a scorcher, making it impossible to rest comfortably. "I think the only thing we can do is stick to our original plan. If we charge in there we'll be captured ourselves and what good is that."
Riley knew Kowalski was right and they should wait but the inactivity made him anxious. "All right Ski, we do it your way."
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