They dragged him back into the room where they had held him before, the storage chamber for firefighting equipment that had now been removed. Since some of the men escaped using the gear stored there, Ali had decided not to take any more chances. Now he only had one to worry about. They hog-tied Fakur and hung him from a meat hook from the ceiling. With all his might he tried not to cry out — he did not want to give them the pleasure of seeing him weak. The thick rope dug deep into his skin as his entire bodyweight was pulling him down.
His heavy breathing was a testament to his anguish. Other than that, he did not allow them to hear his pain while his heart was broken by the death of his younger brother and lifelong crew mate. As if Ali Shabat could read his mind, he called for the pirates to bring in Aziz’s body.
“There you go, Fakur,” Ali said calmly. “Now you have him with you, safe and sound. Down here under deck, you don't have to worry that my men will bother you or Aziz. I promise they will leave you alone."
Fakur closed his eyes as the steel door slammed shut and the chamber was locked. The skipper knew what iniquitous acts and merciless evil the Somali pirates were capable of. He thought of his wife and two daughters back in Egypt, who were still under the impression that he was traveling south on a salvage mission. It would be over two weeks before they even realized that he was not coming back and by then, both he and his brother Aziz would be carrion fodder.
In all this he was grateful that his wife and daughters were not on the boat with him. The atrocities these pirates committed towards women would make Aziz’s tormented look like the daily routine of brushing teeth. In the dark cabin, void of any hope, Fakur felt his wrists and ankles strain under the force of gravity dislodging his joints. He sobbed in his solitude with his brother’s drowned corpse as company, sitting in the corner just below him.
Delirious from the pain, the skipper drifted in and out of consciousness, suffering terrifying dreams of ocean demons and bubbling water. Ali Shabat’s face appeared and disappeared in his mind, the emaciated cheekbones and the bloodshot leer. But when he laughed, Fakur would play witness to his jagged fangs with chunks of khat caught between. Repulsive as he was in reality, he was more so in Fakur’s dreams. He could smell the pirate’s breath, hear his brother’s prayers as he sank into the watery hell… he heard his brother drowning — even more clearly than before. The words turned into incomprehensible, bubbling pleas as Aziz aspirated water. The bubbling turned into coughing and then there was only the sound of the waves left.
Fakur was ripped to consciousness by the sound of a very loud burping sound beneath him. The cadaver that shared his tomb with was expelling trapped air and water still caught in the lungs and cavities of its flesh, a grotesque and disturbing noise that, for the first time, compelled Fakur to utter a god awful scream.
Chapter 18 — Strange Tides
After Sam had lied his way through the inspection, the coast guard officer looked around the yacht.
“May I?” he asked.
"By all means, officer," Purdue smiled, as the man went below deck to check for contraband or any other suspicious items international tourists may harbor. All he found apart from the sophisticated technology he had seen on deck was light luggage and some food and beer. While he was inspecting the vessel, the expedition members made an effort not to act suspiciously as the other officers on the boat alongside their yacht were still watching them.
“Alright. Everything seems to be in order here,” the officer said eventually and returned their papers to Sam, whom he thought was in charge of the so-called scouting session. “Enjoy our lovely country and be careful of currents down there, okay?”
They all nodded and thanked him while Nina checked her watch. Due to the unexpected inspection by the coast guard they were behind schedule, which meant they had less time to gather information, identify the wreck and decide how to tow the ship out of territorial waters without being noticed.
“I hate to rush this little party of yours," Nina told Purdue softly, "but we have a salvage tug on the way, and as yet still don't know what for or how it will be put to use."
“I agree,” Purdue smiled. “Let’s get ready, people! We have only so many hours left.”
With the coast guard safely moving in the opposite direction, Purdue opened the throttle and, at last, they made their way to the coordinates of the wreck. Within a few minutes, they had reached the location, according to Purdue's tablet and the instruments on the board. Crystal and Sam pulled on their diving suits while Purdue was still calibrating his tablet for deep sea data gathering.
“Hurry, Purdue,” Sam sniffed as the damp sea air filled his nostrils. “I don’t want to be down there too long.”
Purdue stood up and cocked his head at Sam’s remark. “Why? You’ve had longer dives before.”
"Aye, I have," Sam said, keeping the volume of his voice low. He leaned in toward Purdue. "I just don't want to leave Nina up here with these strangers too long, you know."
Purdue looked past Sam at Nina, sitting on her own, deep in thought.
“I know. She has been a tad more vulnerable of late, hasn’t she?’
“That is not what I am referring to,” Sam replied.
“But you know Dr. Malgas. Are you telling me we cannot trust him and his people?” Purdue asked, looking a bit alarmed at the sudden change in demeanor he picked up from Sam.
“No, you can trust him. Absolutely. I just have a bad feeling about those security guys,” Sam admitted.
“Why? Is there anything I should know, Sam?” Purdue persisted. “I’m not going under the water if Nina will be in trouble up here.”
“No, no, it’s nothing like that. I just don’t like leaving one of our own alone with people we have not worked with before,” Sam shrugged.
“You are trying to downplay something that is bothering you a lot,” Purdue told Sam, pointing his long thin finger at Sam’s chest so that no-one would notice that they were discussing something serious.
“Look, I just don’t trust those guys completely, alright? I’m sure that Dr. Malgas and his assistants have no hidden agenda. But I just don't want to be away from Nina too long, and she refuses to dive. I asked her," Sam clarified, but his tone concerned Purdue greatly.
“I’ll stay up here,” Purdue announced.
“What?” Sam gasped. “No, we need you down there!”
“No, you don’t. I am sure a bright young lad such as yourself can handle a camera and carry a tablet at the same time. Crystal will guide you to the best and safest places around the wreck. You just gather information. Film as much detail on the size and shape as you can, and record the dimensions on my tablet,” Purdue reassured him. “Crystal is a professional. She knows what she is looking for, so you don’t have to babysit her. Just do your thing, alright?”
Sam put his arms akimbo and sighed. His eyes dropped to the floor as he thought it through. He could not deny that leaving Purdue with Nina took a great weight off his chest, knowing she was not fair game to God knows what those men were discussing. As a matter of fact, he would feel a whole lot better with Purdue maintaining the status quo on the yacht. Sam trusted Billy Malgas completely, but the man was very naïve, sometimes even a bit timid. Despite this being his find, he lacked the natural authority and strength of character to command beyond the lecture halls. Purdue, on the other hand, was the epitome of power and authority, even with his mischievous grin and playboy appeal.
"Alright. I appreciate it, Purdue," Sam sighed in relief. Purdue gave him a jovial slap on the arm and smiled. He said nothing, but Sam knew that the unsaid accord held fast between them. They both cared greatly for Nina, regardless of their constant secret competition over her. When they turned to face her way Nina was staring right at them. The three of them had been through so much together that there was some subliminal connection between them. They knew that she had caught wind of their intent just by watching their body language.