The Problem Eliminators!
By Steve Nelson
With special technical assistance from Shirley Ann Nelson
SMASHWORDS EDITION
This story is a work of fiction. It is suitable for young adults and up. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Elements that are factual are listed as such in the Glossary section following the story.
The Problem Eliminators! Copyright © 2012 By Steve Nelson 042001.17 All Rights Reserved~ Thank you for downloading this eBook. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Published by Steve Nelson~ 464 E. 1750 N. ~North Ogden, Utah ~84414~ USA
The Problem Eliminators!
Chapter Index
Chapter 1 A Drug Lord’s Yacht
Chapter 2 Our Outfit and Ship
Chapter 3 Finishing the Nights Work
Chapter 4 My Delivery Service
Chapter 5 Where is the Dog Catcher When You Need Him?
Chapter 6 A New Target
Chapter 7 Recon Before Action
Chapter 8 Finishing the El Matador Job on Land
Chapter 9 Finishing the El Matador Job by Sea
Chapter 10 Secret Info
Chapter 11 Delivery Service and Surveillance of the Admiral
Chapter 12 An Admiral Krimnal Bankruptcy
Chapter 13 Night Attack!
Chapter 14 The Captains Plan & Delivery Service Once Again
Chapter 15 Pirate Hunting
Chapter 16 Heading for Home
Chapter 17 Night Jungle Action
Chapter 18 Our Fleet Moves North
Chapter 19 More Island Exploring
Chapter 20 News from Home
Chapter 21 Our Biggest Assignment Yet!
Chapter 22 Rescuing Captives
Chapter 23 The Captains Decision
Chapter 24 Attack of Our Unwanted Enemy
Chapter 25 I Bid Farewell to The Captain and Crew of The Barracuda
Glossary of Fun & Interesting, Fact & Fiction, found in- The Problem
Eliminators!
Chapter 1 A Drug Lord’s Yacht
I had just finished measuring the depth of water in relationship to this yachts’ keel. I noted my measurements on my waterproof note pad and I climbed aboard. I stowed my underwater gear in a handy alcove that I spotted near my entry point there on the starboard deck and I covered it up with a loose section of tarp.
Next I made my way stealthily inside this fancy millionaire’s yacht. I was silent. I had been trained as a navy seal and stealthy type of work was our business. But I’ll let you know more about that later.
I made my way about the interior corridors of this floating mansion and checked out compartments as I went. It wasn’t long before I found the main cabin and I could hear sounds of laughter coming from beyond the doorway.
Carefully I loaded my mini cam with a fresh cartridge and held it in my palm. I pointed the flexible lens into the half open doorway to the cabin. I moved the camera about slowly so as to get a complete record of all its occupants for my Captain. I made sure to survey the entire cabin from side to side and top to bottom. Then I pulled back and ducked around into an empty cabin nearby.
I activated the instant replay of the cam and observed the contents so as to know for sure if I needed to go on further in my investigation, or if this was another false lead.
Sure enough, the image of one of the most despicable drug lords appeared on my mini screen. My captain was right again, there he was, the hated drug lord Jose Garza El Jalapeno, alias the (Little Pepper). Also present and stoned out of their minds were 3 women.
They had just snorted a few more lines of cocaine, there on the table between them. Jose was also stoned and he enjoyed the sight of his women getting their minds blown away in a haze of a drug influenced high. While my mini cam had been on them, he was seen stripping off the clothing of one of the women closest to him. They were just getting going! This would go on for a while!
I retreated down another corridor, and went below to other decks, and explored more cabins and storage rooms of this floating mansion of the drug lord. At all times I stayed clear of the bridge area, as there were a number of drug goons there. I have a heat sensing device that I can wave by doors and easily check for the presence of human habitation. I used it often on this mission, as I went throughout the yacht. I have used it on many other missions as well.
So after examining quite a number of cabins with no results except lockers of food stuffs and other consumables along with cleaning products and linens, I discovered a locked cabin. I stealthily and efficiently picked the lock, in about 5 seconds. Inside I found a stash! Yes, ‘The Stash’ of this drug lord’s main business product. Wrapped in plastic sealed bags were hundreds of pounds of cocaine and some of the green stuff as well. I ran my razor sharp blade about the packets of dope puncturing most all of them thoroughly.
Hastily I stowed several packets of cash with large denominations into special storage pouches on my wetsuit. “Well that’ll be enough to compensate us for this trip I guess,” I whispered to myself. I photographed the lot with my mini cam and made a quick exit and headed for other sections of this big ship.
I came upon what was the communications center of the yacht, and I set up an overload to burn out the communications console in the next few minutes. Then I went about exploring further.
It wasn’t long that I came across the radio man returning to his post with a cup in one hand and a sandwich in the other. I had to dispatch him without a sound, so I waited till he passed and gave him a quick karate blow to the back of the neck and head. He was out instantly, and I drug him into a storage locker, where he was out of sight. I also gave him a knock out injection to keep him out for as long as I needed.
Continuing aft I came to the engine room. I set some small charges about the instrumentation panels there, and timed them to go off just shortly after my return to my ship. Then I headed up a shaft that I knew would take me to the helipad, where this fancy yacht had a chopper secured. My purpose, disable that chopper!
Upon arrival at the helipad, I found a goon on duty. Was he the pilot or just another drug goon in the employ of the Little Pepper? Whichever he was, it was really unimportant, as he needed to go! I snuck right up and gave him a right cross that dazed him, and I gave him a heave, and over the side he went! He bubbled a bit and then was gone. “Can’t swim, shouldn’t be on a boat,” I mumbled quietly.
I climbed into the pilots’ seat, and cut some important control wires under the instrument panel. “Now this chopper won’t lift a feather!” I whispered to myself.
I headed down through the yacht one more time. I was, on my way to my stashed underwater gear, at my entry point on the starboard bow. I wanted to check again, because I thought that I had heard something off the main corridor.
Arriving at the suspect door, I paused a few moments, and listened carefully. Sure enough, I heard a whimpering cry of some sort. I carefully opened the door, to find there on a bed, in the semi darkness a very pretty young girl. She was bound and gagged!
I couldn’t risk a lot of sound, so I removed another hypodermic from my emergency medical kit. I fitted the needle with my knock out drug cartridge, called K14, and gave the girl an injection. Instantly she went out like a light. I took a few minutes to check her breathing and heart rate. They were just fine.
I checked the corridor and hauled her out of there, heading for my date with my equipment. I was almost there, when I ran across another goon just examining my stashed equipment. I put down the girl and slammed into the drug goon! I gave him two rapid fire punches to the head, and a jab at the throat! He began to wheeze unable to get air, as I had smashed or severely damaged his larynx. Then I gave him too, the heave ho, and over the side he went!
Then I strapped on my underwater gear, cutaway the gag from the girls’ face, and fastened a small breather unit, capable of 15 minutes of air over her face. I fastened us a line and carefully I went over the side holding the girl securely. She was light weight for me to handle, because I’m used to rather heavy weights in my usual daily workout. Upon reaching the water, she became limp and even lighter. I checked that her breather was in place and then took her under for my next date with my waiting underwater sub scooter!
I found my sub scooter right where it was supposed to be, trailing just aft of the slow moving yacht. I strapped the girl onto the sub scooter, and then I saddled up myself in the drivers harness. I cut the tow line and dove the sub scooter. I set my course and jammed down on the accelerator, heading in quick time for my next most important of dates, my ship.
The sub scooter with us aboard rocketed away at top speed. My sub scooter was like an underwater Motor Cycle, it was fast! We’d reach my ship in a matter of minutes. This was good as the girls’ air only had about 11 minutes left in its supply.
I didn’t know who she was, but I was glad to have rescued her and yes, she was young and quite lovely to see, with her hair flowing in the water as we sped toward my waiting ship. My Captain would be dealing with Jose shortly, as soon as I made my report. He would also be happy with my efforts this evening. Yes, very happy!
Chapter 2 Our Outfit and Ship
I guess you probably want to know just about now, who we are and or generally all about us and especially our ship? Well let me start with my Captain.
His name is Captain Norman Mitchell. He was an Admiral with the U.S. Navy some time ago. He had a similar incident in his past as we all have had. As an Admiral, he was in charge of nuclear submarines. He was also the Captain of one, some years before, the SSN41. There was a hard tragedy in his life that brought him and all of us to this life we now pursue.
While he was at sea, his son & daughter were brutally murdered in a drive by shooting between rival drug gangs in Houston Texas and his wife left. He took a leave of absence for over 1 year, while he sorted this out in his mind. Then he returned to the service. Now promoted to Admiral, he put into operation his well thought out plan.
Yes as I said, we all have had a similar tragedy befall us in our lives. For me it was my wife and daughter. Literally snatched off the street one night, and found dead some months later in a ditch. Their bodies had been pumped full of heroin and used by numerous men and then their throats had been cut. They were then dumped where a boy scout later found them. Instead of sitting at home, I had been out for days on end, assisting search teams combing the countryside when they were found.
I could go on and on about the tragedy that has befallen each one of us in this command. But that would belabor the point. The point is we are all here for 1 mission. We are dedicated! We are one in our cause!
We are here to rid the world of the awful scourge of drugs, and all those who deal in them. Even whenever possible, the government officials who have for much of the time, been the ‘Best Customers’ of these drug barons that have hold of our planet.
And who am I? I am Dave ‘The Dude’ Wilson. I was a Navy Seal. I participated in numerous actions, while I was on active duty and then my tragedy struck. I almost lost it! Then one day Admiral Mitchell found me. I was a total wreck! Kindly he talked with me and when I was able, he presented me with his plan.
One by one he recruited each of us. All of us that make up the crew of this vessel, as with the Admiral at the time, were on the edge of self destruction. Our common cause saved us.With our vessel we are on the job of ridding the world of every drug baron we can find!
And what vessel is that you may ask? As an Admiral, Mitchell was in charge of mothballing all old navy vessels, and when SSN41 came up for his attention. The admiral saw to it personally and officially the SSN41 disappeared off navy records as having been disposed of.
The Admiral had already recruited me and a number of others, and so we sailed the SSN41 to an uncharted, unnamed island off the Florida coast. The Admiral resigned his commission and joined us later. While we waited for the Admiral, we went to work on the SSN41.
Admiral Mitchell was also a brain when it came to engineering and nuclear physics. He laid out a plan for us and the ship, and we just followed it to the letter. When we left to supposedly sink the SSN41, we took with us tons of materials that we would need to set up a base at the unnamed island and transform the SSN41. We were stacked to the rafters with material. There wasn’t much room to even move around, we were loaded with so much stuff.
Upon our arrival at the island, we unloaded and set about following the Admirals plan. First we armored the ship with an extra housing of armor, well beyond the already nicely maintained pressure hull of the SSN41. Then we completely remodeled the sail giving it a low profile and added streamlined forward diving planes. Overarching all the ship, we added a special, hardened steel saw tooth and diamond coated, retractable ridge. Designed by the Admiral, much like the fictional Nautilus envisioned by Jules Verne.
Day and night the welding torches blazed. The sounds of metal being worked never stopped. When the Admiral came, we added under his direction a particle beam weapon and a special water jet engine along the bottom of our new hull, extending half the length of the ship. This would increase the SSN41’s speed to well over 40 knots submerged and maybe as high as over 50 on the surface!
The power source for the SSN41 was originally nuclear. But the Admiral had something much more powerful and safe to use in mind. Water! The Admiral devised from some old plans, a hydrogen generator. These plans, Navy Intelligence had stolen from the Army. The US Government originally stole the plans from an inventor in the 1998, which they promptly had killed. The Admiral honored the inventor, a Mr. Meyers, by installing his system onboard our ship and improving it tremendously! The ‘Meyers Hydro Generator’ now powered our ship. Thus the SSN41 now had virtually unlimited power safely!
Each crewman of the ship came bringing his own expertise in whatever he had specialized in while with the navy, or whatever service or walk of life that he came from. Admiral Mitchell gathered the best available, wherever he went and did his recruiting. The Admiral himself maintained a special contact at the navy department that provided timely intelligence to us about probable targets. But we have never made a move without checking things out for ourselves first! Government people, as could anyone, could always become compromised.
The SSN41 was stuffed with the latest in detection, sensory and communication equipment. Our ship would be a computer hackers dream! Admiral, now Captain Mitchell thought of everything! Plus along with our particle beam weapon, we had a few old fashioned torpedoes too. And don’t forget, the best friend of any army in the field. We had a supply of recently misplaced shoulder launched surface to air missiles.
Gathering us all together before our first voyage, (several years ago), the Admiral said; “Now don’t call me Admiral anymore, as I have resigned my commission. Just call me Captain as that’s all I want to be from now on.” With murmuring discussion we all agreed.
“The next Item gentleman is we need a name for our new vessel,” said the Captain. “I’ll entertain any and all suggestions.”
The discussion went round and round and lots of names were suggested; Shark, Tiger Shark, Swordfish, Sea Wolf, Stingray, Sea Shark, Harpoon, Vengeance, Apollo, Hydra, even Nautilus. This kind of a decision was a bit of a tough nut.
After some lengthy discussion, the Captain finally said, “All your suggestions are really great, but I believe I have the perfect name for our boat. It is a name that will strike fear into the hearts of all those who deal in the death of the drug trade, when they eventually learn of us. It is a name of probably the deadliest fish ever known, and I think it fits us for our purpose to a tee. I propose that we name our ship, The Barracuda.”
We all thought a moment and I spouted off almost simultaneously with several others, “Yes Sir, that sounds Great!”
So our black invisible to radar ship was christened, The Barracuda.
The name really stuck and gave the crew, who worked so hard in building her, a special bond with the boat. We have worked hard as a team, in making our ship live up to its name too.
With our water jet engine off, intake vents closed, and the overhead blade retracted, The Barracuda could glide underwater like a bird in the upper atmosphere for a long, long while. This was due to its extremely streamlined shape and when speed was needed!
To my knowledge, way back then and even now, the drug lords still don’t know about us. All they know is that several yachts with drug kingpins aboard, have met with mysterious ends. They haven’t put 2 and 2 together yet, and we aim to keep it that way for as long as possible. We strike without warning! Like the Barracuda; hard, fast and deadly!
Chapter 3 Finishing the Nights Work
So I made my date with The Barracuda in the next few minutes as she wasn’t more than one half mile off the stern of the Drug Lords’ yacht. I brought my sub scooter into the midsection docking bay slick as can be. The Captain was waiting for my report.
Sea water bubbled and sloshed about as my sub scooter surfaced in the docking bay, and I reached out and caught a securing line thrown over by a crewman. I helped secure the scooter tightly to its cradle. With the scooter secured in its docking cradle, I removed the breathing mask from my lovely passenger and checked that she was indeed breathing normally. Then I carefully unstrapped her and carried her in my arms, off the sub scooter and aboard our ship.
“Well what do we have here?” asked the Captain.
“I found her bound and gagged in one of the cabins on the yacht Sir. I think she was on Jose’s menu.”
I reported further, “In addition to this lovely creature here, I found Jose busily engaged with 3 female users and I documented it on video. About the yacht, I found 8 other drug goons and also Jose’s stash of drugs and cash. I prepared the drugs for easy disposal and picked up a substantial wad of cash. I prepared demo charges in the engine room and shorted the communications. I also disabled the chopper on the after deck, and I have already dispatched several of the drug goons as needed. Here are the hull measurements and structure analysis of the yacht.” I handed the Captain my note pad with the figures.
The Captain smiled and responded happily, “You’ve done another fine job Dave! Now take the girl to the dispensary and tell the Doc to keep her sedated. Get your gear stowed, drop off the cash to my clerk and report back to me on the bridge. We’ll finish off Jose then surface and look for survivors; it’s a fine quiet night for our work.”
“Very good Sir!” I responded and I took my charge off to the medical dispensary. It didn’t take me long in getting my gear and the cash stowed, then I threw on a clean dry set of coveralls. I was back on the bridge for the main event in moments.
The Captain went around the board and all crewmembers checked in. The ship was secure and ready for action. The Captain handed my depth measurements to the diving officer and gave the order for forward motion.
“Half ahead! 3 degrees down!” Was the Captains’ order. The diving officer checked with the helm and reported, “Helm has the target Sir!”
“Very well, ahead full!” said the Captain, and the ship vibrated with increased speed.
“Diving officer set our depth!” called the Captain.
In minutes, The Barracuda was at top speed and barring on the target. Our depth and target were set. We would hit the mid section of the Drug Lords fine yacht and rip him wide open!
The rushing of water against the hull of our ship was loud as we sped toward the yacht with the engine at full speed. The Captain called out, “Sound collision!”
An alarm resounded throughout the ship and all aboard knew that we would make contact with tonight’s target in just moments!
I sat by the Captain secured in my harness. He was secured in his as well. It was just a safety precaution. We are very big, when it comes to safety. Everyone was prepared to meet the Drug Lords’ yacht amidships!
The video monitor showed the yacht as it grew in size! Closer. . . Closer! . . . CLOSER! Now it filled the screen! The computer tracking the position and speed of our attack flashed in red on the screen one word, “CONTACT!”
The Barracuda shuddered only very slightly as her razor sharp, saw toothed cutting blade overhead, sliced cleanly through the hull of the yacht, like a fresh cut tomato!
“Viewing monitor aft!” called the Captain.
We saw the underwater view from our aft monitor as the yacht split in half and fire erupted from somewhere on board. The engine room charges I had set earlier had gone off only a moment before, so the yacht had been a sitting duck for our attack.
We surfaced on the far side and watched as the Jose’s yacht went down fairly quickly. “Nicely done Sir!” I complemented the Captain. Others of the bridge crew agreed and sounded off in the affirmative!
We cruised about the area for a short duration looking for any survivors. Drug goons or the Drug Lord himself, we would shoot. Anyone else we would pick up and keep them sedated. Patch them up if necessary and drop them off at the nearest port ASAP. That was our Standard Operating Procedure. But not on this night, as there were no other survivors seen.
Now with one less Drug Lord and his cargo of poison, the world would breathe a little easier. The Captain congratulated the crew on a job well done and set the night watch. The navigator plotted a course for the nearest port so I could do my next job, drop off our new passenger.
Chapter 4 My Delivery Service
I have run my delivery service several times before, but for you the reader, I thought I would relay this experience, so that you can fully understand our standard procedure, when it comes to guests aboard our vessel. If I didn’t say it before, I’ll say it again, I am writing down all my adventures aboard The Barracuda, as it might make a swell book someday.
As I have already said, when it comes to Drug Lords, or their goons, we shoot them out of hand. But when we run across captives of the Drug Lords, we keep them sedated, patch them up and return them to the nearest friendly port. We cannot reveal our presence or identity to the world. So for those whom we have operated this delivery service, they only have a bad dream or memory to remember. We do our best to see to their safety and quick return, but mistakes have happened and will again I am sure. This business is not always neat and tidy.
So for this drop off, the navigator recommended our nearest port of call, as a large American city off the South East coast of Florida. Our ship made for this port at regular cruising speed. We would only have our passenger aboard for a day. The following evening, I would run my delivery service.
Taking a look at a map of the city, I charted the location of the nearest hospital in relation to the point off shore, which our ship would arrive at and wait for me. I would be going about 5 miles inland from the beach we would be stopping at.
As part of my planning, I checked on our passenger and the Doc said that she was fine. I told him my approximate time of departure, and he said that he would have her ready as well. I used our days travel for planning and checking my equipment inside and out. I also stopped by the control room and checked our course with the navigator.
The Captain said he ‘Was pleased’ with my care and attention to detail, for this and any operation. I enjoy the confidence my Captain has in me. He has confidence in us all, and he shows us this in words and deeds quite often.
At the appointed hour, we arrived as near in as possible off the beach, opposite the city. The Barracuda surfaced only to periscope depth in the early evening, for only a brief time. The Captain invited me to the control room for a look at the beach.
I scanned the beach looking for the best possible place to make contact, and for a place to hide my rubber Zodiac. I spotted the spot where I wanted to land right away, and also several possible places to stow my equipment. I took photos of these and returned to my cabin to complete my planning. Then I submitted my plans to the Captain.
Captain Mitchell looked over my planned contact point and place to stow the inflatable boat and my route to and from the hospital center.
“It looks good Dave. We’ll wait for you for an additional 24 hours if necessary, beyond your estimated return time, and then we’ll come looking, OK?”
“Good enough Sir.” I said. And I returned to my cabin to collect my gear and make my final preparations for departure.
The Captain surfaced the ship just after dark. Long enough for me and my charge to embark on a Zodiac for the beach, and then The Barracuda submerged to periscope depth to await my return signal.
The trip to the beach took only minutes, and I held tight to the girl in my care and the steering motor as we made our way in. The waves weren’t very high and we glided in with ease.
When we made contact with the beach, I hopped overboard and drug us in off the beach.
Over near a bluff I had spotted several boat house shacks on my earlier recon with the ships periscope, and I had zoomed in for my photos. Behind one or two of them, I had spotted what looked like piles of beach chairs and other assorted furniture. Somewhere near there, was where I planned to stash the Zodiac.
Leaving the Zodiac near some bushes, I made my way to one of these and examined the spot closely wearing my night vision goggles. Yes! This was the best one for sure. These chairs looked broken and unused. Great!
I dragged the Zodiac closer to the spot and deflated it. I unpacked my mini motorized scooter and strapped the girl on board, after I had covered the Zodiac with several of those broken chairs and an old tarp and other nearby debris. Then I pushed the bike loaded with my charge up over the hill, to the roadway beyond, and started the muffled engine. We zoomed off into the dark night in moments!
I followed my route as planned. 3 miles straight ahead and then a right at a 4 way stop. Then a left the first light, then straight ahead for another 2 miles. The Emergency entrance of a county hospital appeared on the right hand side of the street.
I drove into the circle drive and thru the entry way, and beyond to a little area of dark green bushes. I stowed the bike out of sight, but nearby for my quick exit. Then I took the girl into my arms and walked back into the lighted entry way and through the automatic opening doors to the Emergency section of the hospital.
I urgently said to the waiting nurse on duty at the desk, “Can you help?” Then I added, “I found her collapsed on the sidewalk just a few blocks away!”
The nurse took one look and called for an orderly and a wheeled hospital bed! In moments, the nurse and two orderlies surrounded the girl that I had just placed on the bed, and the nurse told me to step back! I did as I was told. I stepped back and back and back, till I was out of the open door, and then I disappeared into the night! My bike was right there in the dark of the bush. I was on it and off in a flash!
Chapter 5 Where is the Dog Catcher When You Need Him?
Straight ahead now just 3 miles, and I would come across the beach. The dark has always been my ally. I had just made my last turn and this stretch of road was straight with no structures in the near vicinity. I could smell the sea air as I got closer to the beach. With no street lights along this long dark stretch, it was pitch dark except for my tiny scooter light.
Then from out of the dark a shape leaped in front of me! WHAM!
I made contact with some kind of large dog! It had attached itself to my upper right left arm, and was holding on with a vise grip! It snarled as I took the fall and we both rolled several yards down the roadway! The bike skidded and sparks flew until it came to a halt some yards away. I and my unwanted attacker, who snarled and howled at the same time, came to a stop and I tried to get up and throw him off!
I whirled this way and that, and the beast remained clamped with its teeth into my arm! I got the fingers of my other hand underneath the gums of the beast, and yanked hard! With a whelp and a whine the beast came loose and flopped to the ground. I could barely see as the motor bike light was still on, and pointing down the roadway.
The shape that had hit the ground leapt up at me again! I was ready for it though. I had drawn my survival knife and I gave the beast a swipe, at just the right moment like a ball player! I must have hit something vital as the beast balled in pain and hobbled off into the night with a steadily diminishing howl!!! Yipe!!! Yipe!! Yipe!
Now I needed to check out my bike a few yards off. I found that the engine wouldn’t run and the light was solely on the battery. So I put it in neutral and started pushing. 3 miles had suddenly turned into a long, long way to go. With just a few hours of darkness left to me, I needed to hustle!
I worked up myself and my bike to a slow jog, and thought of this Counties Dog Catcher. Where was he when an honest civilian needed him? At home, comfy in his bed most likely! Ah well, I laughed, and also winced with a bit of pain in my arm, as I jogged along with my bike toward my beach rendezvous.
About an hour before first light, my bike actually caught and started to putter to life! I thanked my lucky fortune, and hopped aboard. Sluggishly I nursed the bike onward toward the beach area.
I arrived with just a half hour or so to go before dawn. I made my signal to the waiting Barracuda, and uncovered my Zodiac and started the inflator going. In minutes we were ready to hit the surf, and I piled my damaged bike aboard and shoved off!
The signal light flashed again in my general direction, to give me a heading and I made for the ship right away. Yowzer! Yowzer!! The pain in my arm was increasing, as I sat in my boat, steering for the ship. I’ll have the Doc take a look at it. I hope I haven’t got a case of rabies now?
Soon though, the welcome shape of the Barracuda appeared a little off to my port. I made for that familiar island in the sea that had just surfaced. Strong, welcome hands helped me aboard. My equipment was stowed pronto. I reported to the Captain, my night’s adventure and he ordered me to see the Doc right away. I made no protest about it, and was off to see him in a flash!
I must have been oozing a lot of blood, because I didn’t make it to the Doc on my own. I fainted somewhere along in the companionway, and I woke up some hours later in a bed in the sickbay.
The Doc had pumped some extra plasma into me, to get me by and cleaned up the wound to my arm and bandaged it neatly. He was standing by when I awakened, and told me he saw no sign of rabies, but he gave me some extra anti bois just in case. Then he gave me another sedative and I was out again.
*****
In my narrative here, this may as well be a good place to tell you about our good Doctor. We all just call him Doc. He was recruited for this crew just as we all were. Via a tragedy of his own, and the good intercession of Captain Mitchell, we received one of the very best in the field of medicine to aid our crew in ridding the world of as much scum as possible.
The Doctors name is an ordinary one. He is a man you might not upon first sight, see as a hero. But to us and all the people he tried to help in his former medical practice, he is every inch a Hero! Yes, Jim Tucker Robinson, M.D. is our resident Hero!
*****
Jim was born in rural Pennsylvania. He was orphaned early in life when his parents were killed by a drunken driver. He lived in foster homes till he was of age, and then joined the Navy. He reached the rank of Lt. Commander, plus the title of M.D., he then left the service. He started a private practice in New York City. He learned the uses of a Vitamin called, B17; commonly known as Laetrile. He cured a number of Cancer cases. He was then run out of business by N.Y. State Health officials, as part of the coordinated effort by the Cancer Industry, to stamp out any possible cure for cancer but their own, Chemical Poisons & Radiation. Here’s a hint for you, Vitamin B17 is commonly found in its natural state, inside Apricot pits and similar seeds. It is then refined into Laetrile. It is available today in many countries outside the United States.
Chapter 6 A New Target
While I was out the Captain received a new communication from his secret source in the Pentagram. Not one of us knew who the secret source of the Captain was. He never talked about his source and we never asked. We all believed in our Captain and just left it at that. We knew our Captain was good, honest and smart. He would never take on a mission without verifying every item of the job to the smallest detail. Some of us did speculate however, that the Captains secret source might just be none other than Admiral Spiner. His wife of 35 years had been killed in a drive by shooting only a few years ago.
We never pulled the trigger on even the scummiest drug dealer, unless our Captain knew, and we knew, that that individual needed eliminating. If the drug dealers henchmen got in the way, that was just tough. We always try our very best to minimize the danger to anyone innocently caught in the crossfire.
When I awakened some 8 hours later, I found we were on course for a new assignment. The
Barracuda was proceeding on a southerly course that would take us near Cuba, but ultimately onward toward the coast of South America, the Yucatan Peninsula to be exact.
When I awoke the good Doctor notified the Captain, and in short order I got a call to come to the ward room. Arriving in the ward room, I found all key department heads already there.
“Glad you could join us Mr. Wilson,” said the Captain.
“Happy to be here Sir and among the living,” I responded.
“Splendid, splendid, take a seat then won’t you,” he replied.
The Captain had been making small talk and waiting for my arrival to begin his briefing. As I took my seat, he pointed at a map pinned to the wall.
“The place where we are going gentlemen is a little known country on the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula called El Matador. This country is so well unknown in today’s world that even animal rights’ groups don’t even know about it. So they actually have bull fights. But we’re not going there for the bull fights. We’re going there for one American Ambassador by the name of, Arnold Icky.”
*****
By the way, to all my readers let me say that I personally favor a Ruger22 with silencer for most of the jobs I have been on. That’s also the same weapon the CIA goons use. If you know how to handle it, one weapon and one bullet is all you need to take down any two or four legged animal. Now back to my story.
