Mega 3: When Giants Collide (Mega Series) (16 page)

Everyone turned and looked at the B3 and was surprised to see Ballantine waving at them.

“Well, that’s a sight for sore eyes,” Shane said.

“Eye, dude,” Max said as Kinsey helped him up and hobbled over to them. “You only have one eye, bro.”

“Don’t be mean,” Kinsey scolded.

“Hello, Grendel!” Ballantine said, his voice suddenly coming from the coms in their ears. “I see you improvised and adjusted the mission accordingly.”

“Big shark in water,” Max said. “We get out of water.”

“Yes, well that shark is what we need to talk about,” Ballantine said. “Commander? If you’d stop pointing your weapon at Captain Bokeem that would be appreciated.”

Thorne didn’t stop pointing his weapon at Bokeem, but instead asked, “You want to give me a reason?”

“I do, Commander,” Ballantine said, “but we don’t have enough time. Let’s just say that circumstances have changed our roles in today’s drama. Instead of bitter enemies, it will be considerably more advantageous to become allies.”

“We were set up!” Bokeem shouted down. “We’re just as dead as you if we don’t get out of here!”

“I think he’s telling the truth,” Darren said from the observation deck’s railing. His pistol was aimed down at Bokeem, but his eyes were looking out at the ocean behind them. “Have a look, Vinny.”

“Max? Shane?” Thorne asked.

“We’ve got the guy covered, Uncle Vinny,” Shane said.

Thorne lowered the channel gun then turned his head. Only his years of training kept him from gasping.

“Holy shit,” Thorne said.

They had all been so busy fighting for their lives that none of them had time to notice what had happened off the ship. Behind them was nothing but a swathe of destruction. Blood filled the water and coated the debris and remnants from the destroyers and the cutters. The only evidence of the ships’ crews was the parts and pieces that floated like flotsam and jetsam.

Far off, the last cutter steamed away as it made a break for it in one last ditch effort of escape. Then the water exploded around it as the monster shark launched itself into the air. The beast’s body rocketed over the upper deck of the ship, scooping men up in its mouth as it continued in an arc, and then fell back into the water on the other side.

Team Grendel stood with their mouths hanging open.

“The threat we need to worry about is not the men on the ship you have found yourselves on,” Ballantine said, “but the beast that has been sent to kill us all.”

“I’m going to have to agree with you for once, Ballantine,” Thorne said, “but you better have a plan in mind, because I have no idea how to handle something that can do that.”

“Oh, I have a plan, Commander,” Ballantine laughed, “and the first part is we get the fuck out of here as fast as we can.”

“I like that first part,” Shane said.

“So far it’s my favorite part,” Max agreed.

Chapter Six- Paradise Found

“I’d apologize for Shabby Paul, Wonkers and...what was the other guy’s name?” Ballantine asked.

“Bub,” Tank Top said as he watched his men walk the planks set up from the Monkey Balls to the B3. “He’d just joined us.”

“Yeah, him,” Ballantine nodded, his eyes never leaving the line of mercs that hurried to escape the Monkey Balls and join his ship for a last ditch effort at outrunning the giant shark. “Yeah, I’d apologize for them having to die, especially Shabby Paul since I always liked his jokes, but any fool that follows you is bound to die sooner or later.”

“I could say the same thing about you,” Tank Top said as the last man hopped onto the B3’s deck and raised his hands so Darby could search him. “Is that really necessary?”

“It is if you don’t want your men to spend the rest of the trip in restraints below decks,” Ballantine grinned then tapped the com in his ear. “Cougher? You ready?”

“I’m ready, Ballantine,” Cougher replied, “but I’m not sure about this modification. The propeller shaft may not hold up to the extra strain.”

“How long can it take the added power?” Ballantine asked.

“Six, maybe seven hours,” Cougher responded, “maybe.”

“We only need four,” Ballantine said. “Keep the engines working that long and we’re good.”

“That your engineer you’re talking to?” Tank Top asked, not privy to the other side of the conversation.

“It is,” Ballantine nodded.

“You think he can juice this ship’s engines so it will outrun that shark?” Tank Top asked.

They both looked out towards the horizon and the last cutter that was only a debris field of ship parts and dismembered bodies.

“We’ll outrun the shark,” Ballantine said confidently, “and once we reach where I’m taking us, then we won’t have to worry anymore.”

“That’s a lie and you know it,” Tank Top said. “You always have to worry.”

Ballantine just smiled and stepped away from the man as Thorne’s voice came on in his ear.

“Go ahead, Commander,” Ballantine said.

“Charges are placed,” Thorne said. “We’re on our way back.”

“Good,” Ballantine smiled, “you’ll want to hurry since I believe the shark is about to start looking for another target.”

He waited by the railing until he saw Thorne, Kinsey, and Darren appear from a hatch leading to the lower decks of the Monkey Balls. They sprinted to the plank, balanced their way across, and then jumped onto the B3. Darren turned and shoved the plank over the side. He stood there for a second then shielded his eyes and looked out across the water at the bloody carnage.

“Thinking of Popeye?” Ballantine asked as he moved to Darren’s side.

“Yeah,” Darren said, “I can’t believe the man is gone.”

“But we aren’t,” Ballantine said, “keep that in mind, Mr. Chambers.”

Darren nodded then looked over his shoulder at Tank Top.

“That the guy that killed him?” Darren asked.

“It is, but revenge isn’t part of the plan just yet,” Ballantine said. “Have patience and Popeye’s death will be honored properly.”

“He says one word to me and I rip his throat out. Got it?” Darren snarled.

“Fair enough,” Ballantine said. “Now, get below, grab some food and rest. We’re running now, there’s nothing you can do to make that happen any faster.”

“Not hungry,” Darren said, “not tired.”

“Bullshit,” Kinsey said, “you have that tired and hungry look all over your face. I know it better than anyone.”

“Except me,” Gunnar said as he came up on deck. He glanced at the crew of the Monkey Balls and made sure to take a wide path around them. “Come on, D. We all need to eat, and talk.”

“Oh?” Ballantine asked. “Anything I should sit in on?”

“No,” Gunnar said.

“How’s Max?” Kinsey asked.

“He’s fine,” Gunnar said. “I have him patched up and sleeping down in the infirmary.”

“I want to check on him before we hit the galley,” Kinsey said.

“Yeah, sure,” Gunnar nodded.

The ship lurched and everyone grabbed what they could, even if it was another person, to keep from falling.

“That’s new,” Kinsey said.

“I have had Cougher apply some of Moshi’s technology to our engines,” Ballantine said, as they all felt the ship begin to move swiftly through the water. After a few seconds, the force of the momentum evened out and everyone was able to steady themselves again. “Excellent. We didn’t explode.”

“Was that a possibility?” Kinsey asked.

“It’s always a possibility when you’re around me,” Ballantine smiled then turned and walked away. He nodded to Tank Top before he ascended the stairs up to the briefing room.

“That man is insane,” Darren said.

“That’s what we need to talk about,” Gunnar said. “I’ve been chatting with Dr. Morganton and we both think something isn’t adding up.”

“When does it ever add up with Ballantine?” Kinsey asked.

“Never, but this adds up less than usual,” Gunnar said. “That’s why I need your input.”

“Fine,” Kinsey shrugged, “let’s talk.”

Shane and Gunnar started to move away, but stopped when Darren didn’t follow.

“‘Ren?” Kinsey asked. “You coming?”

She saw where he was looking and took his arm.

“Not yet,” Kinsey said as she glared at Tank Top. “Let Ballantine do his voodoo then we’ll gut this fuck and throw him overboard.”

“I get to gut him,” Darren stated.

“No problem,” Kinsey replied, “But right now, Gunnar needs to talk with us.”

Darren shook his head and nodded. “Sure. I’ll be right down. I need to check in with Lake first.”

He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek then took off for the stairs to the bridge.

“He’s going to crack,” Gunnar said.

“No shit,” Kinsey nodded as she rubbed at the spot where he kissed her.

***

“How you holding up?” Darren asked Lake as he stepped onto the bridge.

“Oh, I’m great, man,” Lake smirked as he sat in front of the wheel, his left leg in a heavy brace and propped on a stool next to him. “Plan on doing some jogging later.”

“Marty, I’m sorry about your leg,” Darren said, “and everything else that’s happened since we lost the Hooyah and got mixed up with Ballantine.”

“Popeye was the best of us,” Lake said as he turned away from Darren and focused on the horizon. “That man was pure good inside.”

“Yeah, he was,” Darren said, “and when this is done we’ll take care of the man that killed him. Our way. Not Ballantine’s way, not Thorne’s way, but our way. This is between the old crew and that fuck. This isn’t Team Grendel business.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that,” Lake said, “because Team Grendel has enough business to deal with.”

He nodded to the refugee crew that stood on the deck below then looked Darren in the eye.

“You sure they aren’t going to be a problem?” he asked.

“I’m not sure of anything anymore,” Darren said, “but Shane and Lucy are up top with eyes on the crowd. Ballantine said there’s only a handful of mercs in there and the rest are just sailors hired to run their ship.”

“Won’t be a ship for long,” Lake said as he looked down at the instruments in front of him. “It’s going to be shrapnel in about five minutes.”

“Will we be clear of the blast?” Darren asked.

Lake laughed and shook his head. “If the engines don’t burn up, then we’ll be well clear of the blast. We just hit seventy knots and we haven’t leveled out yet.”

Darren moved close and studied the same readings.

“We’re going to burst into flames, aren’t we?” he asked.

“More than likely,” Lake nodded, “so go find me a beer and a sandwich so I don’t die thirsty and hungry.”

Darren laughed and patted his old friend on the shoulder. “Sure thing, Marty. I’m heading to the galley anyway.” He moved to the doorway. “Has Ballantine told you where we’re going?”

“Same coordinates as before,” Lake said, “but that’s as specific as he’s been.”

“Typical,” Darren nodded.

“Know what else is typical? You standing there instead of getting me my beer,” Lake grumbled.

“On it,” Darren grinned as he took off out of the bridge.

***

“How many can you take in say, four seconds?” Shane asked Lucy as they sat up in the crow’s nest, their sniper rifles trained on the men below. “I could probably hit six and kill five.”

“I’d kill six,” Lucy said. “That .338 doesn’t quite have the same power as my .50.”

“Like fuck it doesn’t,” Shane replied. “Okay, well, maybe not, but it’s fucking close.”

“Fucking close doesn’t win any cigars,” Lucy said.

“That reminds me,” Shane said as he pulled a joint from his pocket and sparked it. “Ahhhh, that’s the stuff.”

“Give me that,” Lucy said, plucking the joint from Shane’s fingers so she could take her own drag. He started to reach for it, but she slapped his hand away as she took another drag.

“You’ve been hanging out with me and Max too much,” Shane laughed when she finally gave it back.

“When in Rome,” she smiled after exhaling, “especially when Rome is right and that shit does actually make you a better shot once you get used to it.”

“Takes nerves right out of the equation,” Shane said.

“Unless you count paranoia,” Lucy said.

“Pshaw, paranoia is for sorority girls and high school kids,” Shane said, “not seasoned professionals like us.”

“Hey!” Lucy yelled down as two men moved closer together instead of keeping two feet between them as they’d been instructed to do by Darby. “Separate!”

“Do I need to handle it?” Darby asked over the com.

“Nope,” Lucy replied, “all good from here. You keep having your reunion and we’ll hold down the fort.”

Darby, who was standing just outside of arms reach from Bokeem, turned and looked up at the crow’s nest. Shane gave her a wave.

“Are you two stoned?” Darby asked.

“Are you a scary mother fucker that likes watching guts splash onto deck boards?” Shane replied.

Darby didn’t answer.

“Yes, we’re stoned,” Shane said.

“Good,” Darby replied, “you’re easier to deal with when you’re stoned. Just don’t fall asleep. It’s not the time for an adrenaline crash. Eyes open and alert.”

“You’re my brother’s girlfriend, not mine,” Shane smirked. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

“Want to test that?” Darby asked.

“No, ma’am,” Shane replied quickly.

“Good,” Darby said again then turned her attention back to Bokeem.

“Such a trusting, pleasant soul,” Shane said.

“Like Mother Theresa if Mother Theresa had healed the sick with knives and bullets,” Lucy added.

“Hallelujah,” Shane laughed.

***

“Your snipers are high?” Bokeem asked Darby.

“They are,” Darby said.

“The one with the patch is Shane Reynolds, right?” he asked.

“Yep,” Darby responded.

Bokeem nodded then whistled and held his hand up. The men that stood on the deck all quit talking and looking around and focused their attention only on him. He pointed up at the crow’s nest then shook his head. Darby waited as he made eye contact with each and every man.

“You still do that whistle thing, I see,” Darby said. “Good idea to tell them not to fuck around while my people are up there.”

“Who’s to say I didn’t give the signal to attack?” Bokeem smiled.

“Because if you wanted them to die then you would have left them on your ship,” Darby said.

“True,” Bokeem replied and the smile faded away. “Gonna miss that ship.”

“There’re always more ships,” Darby said, “trust me.”

“Yeah, but that was the first one where I was captain,” Bokeem said. “Not sure if Tank will agree to that again.”

“If you make it out of this alive,” Darby said.

“You mean, i
f
w
e
make it out of this alive,” Bokeem said.

Darby only nodded.

“Ballantine,” Bokeem laughed, “he has this all under control, doesn’t he?”

“I doubt that,” Darby said.

“Really?” Bokeem asked, surprised. “Are the boss and the guard dog not getting along?”

“I haven’t been the guard dog in a long time,” Darby said.

“Right,” Bokeem smirked.

Darby stared at him until the smirk faded away.

“Fine. Whatever you say, Darby,” Bokeem said, “but we both know you owe that man more than just one lifetime. If I believed in reincarnation, I’d say you’ll be paying your debt until you reach Nirvana.”