A Tricky Little Device That Goes Boom!
Sage hunched over the workbench in the tight space of the engine room. He was skillful and crafty with tools. He worked fast and with precision.
After an hour and a half, he crafted a strange-looking device. It looked like a miniature toy wooden horse with no neck or head, but a body with four legs. An empty beer can given to him by Makani became the body. The top and bottom of the can were cut out. The four legs were about a foot long and made from bar stock.
Sage brought the device to the pilothouse.
“I hope you have something,” Trace said. “That boat is heading toward us.”
Sage set the device on the chart desk.
“You want to tell me how it works?” Trace said.
Sage pointed at the legs. “Notice the legs are metal and sharp at the end. If the boat is wood, the legs can be forced into the wooden bottom. It only has to stay put for a couple of minutes at most. If it’s metal,” Sage placed a magnet on the chart desk, the size of a pack of cigarettes, “place the magnet on the hull of the boat, turn the feet away from the boat, and the magnet will keep the device attached to the boat. The grenade is placed inside the can with the pin pulled. The arm is restrained by the sides of the can. It won’t blow up. A wire is attached to the grenade. When the wire is pulled, the grenade comes out, and the arm is released, setting off the fuse. The fuse is set for four or five seconds. Another wire is attached to the grenade to keep it from falling too far. It will explode about two feet from the haul. Do you understand how it works?”
“I got it,” Trace said. “I’m the only one who knows how to scuba, so it will be up to me to plant the device, right?”
“You are so clever,” Sage joked. “Being so clever, you will have to figure out the logistics.”
“If it is one of Franks’ people, we will know that,” Trace said and continued. “They will be heading toward us. I’ll slip into the scuba gear. You will be at the wheel. Keep them about fifty yards away. There’s going to be some negotiations using a bullhorn or their system. Negotiate with them. I’ll swim underwater to their boat. Go beneath them and attach the device. I don’t know how long of a wire you’ll give me…”
Sage interrupted, “Fifty feet.”
Trace continued, “Can you make it a hundred?”
“Sure,” Sage said.
“Okay. When I get a hundred feet, I pull the wire. Have Makani or Tom toss me a line and reel me in. But as soon as I grab the line, go full speed ahead.”
“We leave them there?” Sage asked.
“Presumably they’ve been properly instructed in all phases of dangers at sea and will be able to successfully handle the situation effectively,” Trace said sarcastically.
“What do you think the chances are of pulling this off?” Sage asked.
“What do you think?” Trace flipped Sage on the arm and grinned.
“Those guys don’t stand a chance,” Sage said. “We have the element of surprise and a foolproof tactic.”
“It’s so dark right now. I don’t think they’ll ever find us.”
Trace checked the heading. He glanced at a faint flash of light off the port side. He opened the window and peered into the dark sea. He turned his head to listen.
“What is it?” Sage asked.
“I saw a flash,” Trace said. “Did you see it?”
“I thought I saw something, but I thought it came from below.”
Tom hurried alongside the pilothouse and came in the back door.
“A light flashed over us,” Tom said excitedly. “Then I heard something. It sounded like a slow motor.”
“Geez,” Sage said, “We’re looking in the wrong direction. They’re behind us.”
Trace turned. The trawler crept aft. A spotlight from the side of its pilothouse flashed on, nearly blinding Trace, Sage, and Tom.”
The trawler sped along the port side.
A muffled voice from the trawler's speakers called out. “Drop you sails. Drop your sails immediately.”
No comments:
Post a Comment