The pilot didn’t seem to care what Jason had just told him.
It was then that Danny stepped up front taking hold of the helicopter’s flight stick and forcing it forward. The chopper dived suddenly, ocean waves coming up fast.
Danny was now face to face with the pilot.
He said, “if he said he saw something, then he saw something, okay! Now take this bird down as low as you can!”
That was all Jason needed, the next instant he was gone, diving into the dark ocean, swimming towards the light he had seen.
The pilot couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed.
“Is he crazy? Who the hell jumps out of a moving helicopter, and in the dark?”
Danny sat back in his seat patting the pilot on his back saying, “Jason Mallock does! And yes! He may be crazy!”
The helicopter was out of sight, and Jason was alone in the warm Bahama waters. He swam with all his strength towards the dim light with his weapon tucked in his jeans, and an army knife strapped to his lower leg was all he had facing the danger ahead.
The glittering surface of the sea shone bright as his arms cut the water like knives. Now and then he would hear splashes only yards away from him. He knew the risk he took knowing sharks prowled these oceans in search of an easy meal, but they were the least of his worries.
Inside the cave, Sally began to shiver from the cold and dampness. There was nothing inside the cave to keep her warm. She had her lighter but had nothing to set alight.
All she could do was wait, so she looked around the cave to find a place where she could lay down and rest.
The ground was dry and surprisingly warmer further against the cave walls. She made sure she was facing the entrance just in case Travis or one of the others entered.
Soon exhaustion got the best of her, and she dozed off into a deep sleep. Her dreams were happy dreams when she was still about eight years old. Her mother was playing with her in the garden, pushing her on a swing that her father had made for her. She kept telling her mother, “higher, push me higher so I can touch the sky.”
Anne pushed her higher just enough for her daughter to think the sky was getting closer. Sally then had enough of the swing and embraced her mother saying, “I love you mummy, love you forever.”
Tears rolled down Anne’s face as she also said, “I love you too Sally. I will always be there for you no matter what. Even when you can’t see me, I will be standing right next to you for all of time.”
Sally’s dream became a reality as she lay curled up on the cave floor. She was awakened by someone whispering her name. Sitting up, she could see her mother in a white dress just like the one in her dream.
“Sally dear, wake up. It’s me, your mother. Wake up, follow me, I will lead you out of here.”
Anne turned around beckoning Sally to follow her towards the pool of water in the center of the cave. She saw her mother enter the dark water up to her knees.
“Mother wait! I’m afraid! It’s too dark under the water.”
Sally stood up, and walked over to her mother who was now standing in the center of the pool as if she were floating on air with her arms open wide.
As she approached closer to the waters edge, a bright light shone from under the water, lighting up the entire pool and the whole cave. Sally stepped closer and closer entering the warm water.
It was then when Sally suddenly woke up sitting against the cave wall looking at the center of the cave. Her dream had ended.
Sally began to weep. She was cold and scared, but something deep down inside of her gave her courage. She remembered her dream. Her mother, Anne was with her, showing her the way out of the cave, a way out to safety.
Getting up, she ventured to the waters edge. The water was dark, not like in her dream. She waited a few minutes trying to make up her mind whether to enter the water or go back the way she had come.
The later got the better of her. She backed away from the water and ran back to the cave entrance. Sally took a few steps into the narrow passage, when she felt water slopping over her feet.
The strong gravitational pull of the moon had an enormous effect on the tide. The entire passageway was now flooded, and the sea was creeping in at a fast rate. The whole cave would be full of water within an hour.
She had no choice but to go the way her mother had shown her in her dream.
After half an hour of swimming, Jason saw something floating towards him. He stopped where he was, treading water, trying to make out what it was. Not taking any chances, he unsheathed his army knife, ready for an attack.
The object got closer, but nothing happened. He calculated the length, roughly six feet long and just over two feet in width. He recognized what it was and swam towards the piece of driftwood, holding onto it, exhausted from his continuous swimming.
Jason took the time to get his bearings. He figured he had at least another forty-five minutes before reaching the island. He prayed Sally was still alive. His life meant nothing without her. She was the one thing that kept him going in life.
He took a gamble when jumping from the helicopter. Jason was not even certain that the light he saw was where she was, but he was desperate, he could not turn back after coming this far.
The helicopter landed back at the FBI airstrip. Danny took all coordinates and carefully plotted a return trip to catch up with his partner Jason.
Danny had discharged himself from hospital as soon as he heard the news that Sally had been abducted and was in danger. Chief Berks updated Danny with all the information and gave him the go ahead with the helicopter search.
He contacted Kate as soon as he landed assuring her Jason was alright.
Now Danny’s main priority was getting back to Jason. He needed a boat, a very fast boat, and he knew the very person from whom he can borrow one.
He called his old fishing buddy Thomas O'Neil.
“Hey O'Neil! It’s Danny. Sorry to disturb you at this hour, but I need a favor, no questions asked.”
“Fire away Danny! It’s all yours.”
“I need to borrow your boat!” said Danny, in a desperate voice.
Thomas O'Neil has been a friend of Danny since high school and trusted him with anything.
“She’s all yours, loaded and ready to go. You know where to find the key. Danny, you take care old friend.”
“Thanks, O'Neil! I owe you one,” said Danny on his way to the pontoons.
Ten minutes was all it took for Danny to arrive near the boat. He arranged his blood stained bandages around his chest, tightening them as he walked towards the boat.
Berthed in pontoon sixteen, the boat was one of the fastest around here. A fishing vessel built for speed and designed to out run any storm during one of its deep sea fishing trips. It had four, three hundred horsepower outboard motors, allowing it to glide over the water with ease.
Danny found the key where O'Neil kept hidden in a compartment on the boat itself.
He then punched in the coordinates on the dashboard GPS. Then turned on the ignition, and the four monster engines roared to life. Danny untied the mooring lines and was about to leave when he heard somebody calling out to him.
He looked up to see Kate running towards him.
“Danny wait!”
“What’s wrong Kate?” asked Danny.
“I’m coming with you. You’re in no shape to travel alone,” she said, pointing at the blood seeping through his bandages.
“Okay, hurry get in,” said Danny, tossing the mooring lines.
Sally stood where she was staring into the dark pool, knowing she had no choice but to jump into the water.
She looked behind her watching the water as it rapidly poured into the cave. This was it. She had to jump in before it’s too late.