The oriental man left the bridge and joined his colleagues in the saloon.
“They’ve found it,” he announced triumphantly in Japanese. “So now we give them a couple of days or so to bring it all to the surface, then we move in. We might just as well let them do the hard work eh!”
His normally severe expression cracked into a rare smile.
Dick ferried Alex and Mo back to the tug, promising to return the following day with the shopping list of supplies.
“While you’re at it Dick, if you can find a couple more men as tough as Mo here, it would be very helpful,” Alex asked as the passengers stepped aboard the tug.
Dick smiled knowingly.
“It’s easy to find men who will sign on to chase Yamashta gold but not so easy to find one who will fight for it!” He cast off. “Leave it to me — I think I know someone.”
They gathered in the hold where the pressure room was also housed. Alex had called a council of war, as he described it to the assembled crew from both ships.
“I asked you here so I can talk to the saturated divers at the same time.” He waved at the face in a tiny round window. “Can you hear me John?”
“That’s affirmative,” John replied over the intercom. A hand also appeared at the window signalling yes.
“Good. First of all, congratulations on your efforts down there earlier.” He saluted the faces peering out through the other tiny pressurised windows. They also gave the divers’ OK signal in return. “Finding this gold has been a near miracle in itself but we still have to get it to the surface and keep it safe until we finish up out here. Then gentlemen, we still have to get it to Singapore and sell it. Any questions so far?”
He looked around at the silent eager faces. “OK, now I’m sure you all know by now that there other parties in these parts who would also like to get their hands on our treasure. Dick and I have already found strong evidence that certain people know exactly where we are but hopefully do not yet know that we have actually found the submarine and the gold.”
Still his audience remained silent.
“I’m setting up a security system and hopefully bringing some more men aboard to act as guards. Mo here is our first volunteer.” He gestured in Mo’s direction. “I hope I’m worrying unnecessarily but I’m not going to take any chances, so everyone stays onboard and no mobile calls please. We must stay completely contained and secure for as long as possible.”
He looked around again.
“Well I guess that’s about it for the moment any questions?”
“How much gold is there down there?” the little cook croaked.
His question was the one thing everyone else on board really wanted to know. For the moment they were not the least bit interested in any potential danger.
“We don’t know yet Cookie,” Big J soothed him. “But we think there’s enough to go round.”
They all cheered.
Big J raised his hand to calm them down.
“OK, OK boys. Now it’s time for those not on shift to get some shut-eye. We’re going to have a busy day tomorrow.”
“Don’t get excited too soon,” Oscar warned, though few of the elated crew paid attention as they drifted away. “I know this man Alex, he knows what he’s talking about and if he says ‘look out’ then he means it!”
Oscar looked at Marion, squeezed her hand and led her to their cabin. They lay in their bunk but sleep eluded them so they chatted about the divers and their difficulties, then speculated about the others interested in the gold and what they would be able do to take it away from them. Eventually Marion rolled onto her side and placed her hand gently on the side of Oscar’s face.
“In some ways I wish we had never heard of this gold; the only good to come out of it so far has been bringing us together.” She snuggled into his shoulder.
“Yes — I wonder just how many more lives it is going to claim.” He half turned and kissed her. “But right now I think we should be taking advantage of the good it has done for us.”
She returned the kiss by gently nibbling his ear; her free hand ran across his chest then gradually further down, teasing his growing manhood.
“The only gold I want to think about now are the five gold stars you could award me for making this big fellow happy.” She held onto the fully-grown organ.
“I see, so let the test begin.” He lay on his back and placed his hands behind his head on the pillow. “How do you want to score points, out of ten?”
She rolled on top of him.
“Make it what you like — if you have time to count, I will have failed.”
He wrapped his arms around her soft warm body and pulled her down so she rested on top of him.
“I love you,” was all he said.
Alex was up early. Hans had called twice in the night — the first time to report another mobile call from one of the ships, he couldn’t be sure which one now that they were moored together but the call was to the same number in Manila, which he now knew was the home of a prominent lawyer. The second call from Hans was to relay a message from the Boss. Apparently MI6 had a file on the lawyer. It had not come to light until someone looked into some old file on ex-President Marcos. It seemed that the lawyer in question had assisted the former Philippine Dictator by channelling some assets to Switzerland after the tyrant took his leave of the country.
“Seems this lawyer is a pretty smart cookie; apparently there was insufficient evidence against him personally so no charges could be made. The Boss thinks he probably has Syndicate connections.”
“Well thanks Hans. Any more good news?”
“I certainly have and you’re going to love this. I managed to intercept two satellite calls from the other dive ship with your Japanese friends aboard. They are definitely after you — they reported to someone in Tokyo in the first call and then accepted a call from this same lawyer’s number. He supplied them with the details of your location. Then the Jap gave him instructions to stand by until you have all the gold on board. Seems they are planning some kind of takeover. The good news is that they seem to be confident that you will recover it all for them!” Hans paused. “Strange, I’ve never seen this generous side of you!” he added in a lighter tone.
“Yeah well, it just goes to show that you don’t recognise generosity when you see it! Anyway thanks and stay in touch,” Alex finished more seriously.
Dick returned early that morning and once Alex had secured the mooring lines he climbed on board.
“I’ve brought the cavalry!” he announced cheerfully.
Alex could see that there were three additional people on board. One he recognised as Sing the diver who had been hospitalised in Manila, the other was Philip, Dick’s friend, who had miraculously organised the secret clinic. The third man was shorter with a slightly darker complexion. His slightly bandy legs carried a rather bulky body. The man seemed to sport a permanent grin.
Alex greeted the two familiar faces.
“Shouldn’t you be in hospital?” He shook Sing’s hand firmly.
“Just a scratch! I’m fine now thank you.” He bowed politely.
Dick introduced the next man.
“This is Philip — you remember him?”
“I certainly do — the Jeepnee man eh?” Alex shook the outstretched hand.
Philip grinned happily.
“Seems as though you need my services again?”
“We certainly do,” he replied enthusiastically and turned to the new face. “And who have we here?”
“This is Pedro, Pedro the fisherman — a fisherman without a boat at the moment.” Dick tried to look saddened.
“Yes that’s me. He doesn’t want to say it but I put my boat on the rocks, so she’s kaput and here I am,” he smiled happily.