Liger had had enough. He strode forward until his brawny chest was just centimeters away from the other man. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. That submarine could have been lost for all sorts of reasons, so stop jumping to conclusions.”
“But it happened so close to us. Aren’t you even concerned, Clive?”
“Not one bit, mate,” Liger said. “Dr. Yamamoto knows all about this creature we’re after, so I’m confident we can recapture it.”
Fitzroy backed away and dejectedly sat down on the bed. “You’re just thinking about the money. Well, I’m out no matter what. You can keep my share of the pot. I didn’t take this last job to become fish food like Liam and Aiden.”
Liger snarled as he moved closer and grabbed the other man by his shirt collar. “We’re going to finish this job, and you will obey orders. If you don’t then I’m going to throw you off this boat.”
Fitzroy’s lips trembled. “P-please don’t do this, Clive. My… my nerves are shot, mate.”
Poole stood in silence just beyond the cabin entrance. He could tell that Fitzroy was already a broken man.
Liger could sense it too. “You will not be a liability to this team, Danny. Pull yourself together, or you could very well end up like our other two mates.”
Fitzroy let out an anguished cry as he tried to push away from the other man, but Liger used his superior strength to drive him deeper into the alcove housing the bunk. Both of Fitzroy’s hands closed into fists and he swung them, one after the other. Liger was able to duck away from the first punch, but the second one landed on his left ear.
The glancing blow only made Liger angrier and he thrust his right elbow upwards, into Fitzroy’s chin. Stunned by the blow, the taller man cried out and reached down for the diving knife that had been sheathed along the side of his belt.
Liger sensed the danger, and his own hand clamped over Fitzroy’s, just as the latter managed to draw the titanium blade. The two men tussled on the bunk, Fitzroy using his free hand to push Liger’s face upwards, the top of the dive leader’s head smashing into the low ceiling of the berth.
Poole tensed as he remained standing outside. “Hey, hey, stop it, you two!”
Liger’s fighting instincts quickly took over. With both of his hands keeping Fitzroy’s knife flattened sideways on top of his opponent’s chest, Liger twisted his head and bit hard into the fingers that were pushing against his chin.
Fitzroy screamed as his opponent drew blood. He tried to pull his hand away from Liger’s grinding bite as the dive leader tore through skin and injured his ligaments. The blood dripped into his eyes, blinding him.
Liger sensed weakness as his opponent’s hand was pulled away from his face. The thick metallic taste of Fitzroy’s blood remained on Liger’s tongue as both his hands twisted the knife that Fitzroy was holding onto until it began to pierce through his subordinate’s shirt.
“No!” Fitzroy cried as the knife point punctured skin and dug in just beneath his ribcage. He tried to use his free hand to pry away Liger’s attack, but the injured appendage was too weak to have an effect.
Liger was now kneeling on top of the other man as he kept driving the knife deeper into Fitzroy’s body. “You want out, then here it is!”
Fitzroy’s limbs became weak and he stopped thrashing about. Tilting his head up, he began to gurgle out streams of crimson.
Liger felt that the other man’s resistance was at an end. He pried the knife away and held it in his right hand before slashing the other man’s throat open.
Within a few minutes it was over. Fitzroy twitched several times before his fully opened eyes glazed over, a look of mild surprise over his dying features. Liger stood back, using the bed’s blanket to wipe the blood from his hands.
Poole could hardly believe what he’d seen. “Is… is he dead?”
Liger turned and gave him a menacing look. He had been in many fights before, but this was the first time he had ever killed a man. As the adrenaline surge seeped away, he was surprised not to have any feelings at all. “Clean this up and put his body in the hold, right alongside Liam and Aiden.”
23
EVEN THOUGH THE Wanderer had just docked at Malahayati Port in Aceh, several members of her crew quickly leapt off the gangplank and ran onto the pier, waving frantically at several local attendants and asking them where they could buy more fuel.
Chloe stood at the upper deck, just behind the bridge, and rested her elbows on the port gunwale, nervously staring at a small number of container ships docked nearby. Ever since their talk with Alan Percy in Australia, her anxiety over her brother’s wellbeing had intensified, and she had insisted that Ethan call up his contacts to inquire more about the lost US Navy submarine. Her business partner was sympathetic, and he ordered the Wanderer to head northwest, closer to the Arabian Sea instead of returning to port in Los Angeles.
Ethan walked out of the bridge and stood right next to her. “Let’s give the crew a few hours to refuel and resupply the ship, okay?”
Chloe turned and stared into his eyes. The mounting concern had made her restless. “No word from your friends yet?”
Ethan gave a gentle smile and placed a reassuring hand on her elbow. “I’ve sent them several emails and left phone messages to tell them we’re close by and ready to help in the search. That’s all I can do for now.”
Chloe let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry for badgering you like this, Ethan. You can take the fuel bill off of my share. Same with all the crew expenses too.”
Ethan started chuckling. “It’s alright. We’re equal partners remember? In all the years we’ve worked together you’ve never asked me for a favor, so this is okay. Gordy is family, so if he’s in any sort of trouble, then we’re gonna help him. It’s as simple as that.”
Chloe’s chin trembled. A part of her wanted to cry, but her tougher side won out, and she quickly swallowed the rising bile back down her throat. “I know you think this is just a hunch, but with all the things we’ve learned about the company he works for and with that missing submarine, I can’t help but believe there’s something sinister going on.”
“I feel the same way,” Ethan said softly. “With all the bits of information we’ve gotten, I think you’re totally right.”
Chloe nodded. “Thanks for putting up with me, Ethan.”
Ethan pointed towards the dense city skyline to the south. “Hey, I’ve never been to Indonesia before, so it’s definitely an adventure. All I gotta do now is take some pictures so I have a legit excuse for my wife and kids.”
Chloe raised her eyebrows. “Oh, I totally forgot. It’s going to be your daughter’s birthday next week, right?”
“Yeah, Sally is going to be nine. But if this takes a little longer, I’m sure I can get back into her good graces by just giving her a totally expensive gift,” Ethan said confidently. “She’s easy to bribe.”
“And your wife?”
He winked at her. “Oh, I’ll treat her to a romantic dinner at the Redondo Pier and all will be well again. She understands we’ve got business to do over here anyway.”
“Well, if she gets pissed off, you can blame it all on me.”
Ethan laughed again. “Ah, don’t worry about that.”
“Thanks,” Chloe said before looking away again. A part of her was hoping they’d get the call from the Navy so they would have an excuse to head out to the Arabian Sea, but so far all their calls had been met with stony silence.
Ethan gripped the top of the gunwale and stared across the marina. The late afternoon sun had not yet begun to set. “I know what you’re thinking. If we don’t get the call we’ll go anyway.”