Terrors of the High Seas

After a brief instant of utter, complete shock, Dar reacted. The muzzle of the rifle had just pointed it’s evil hollow at her when she moved, grabbing Kerry out of pure instinct and throwing her down to safety. 

The sound of the shot deafened her. She felt a hot scorching feeling across her cheek, then she was diving for the deck herself as she scrambled for something, anything to put between her and the gun.

Her hands hit the legs of a chair and she rolled over, pulling the chair up and over her head. Another explosion nearly ripped it out of her hands, and splinters of wood flew everywhere. She felt a sting along her neck and she turned, then arced her body up and whipped the remainder of the chair in the direction of the gunfire.

She heard the sound of it hit, then another shot blew through the roof of the cabin. Dar took the chance and got up, focusing her vision on the rest of the room. She spotted the guard pulling the chair parts off his arms, and searching for her, and knew she only had seconds to take advantage of it.

The table was between them. Dar leaped forward and jumped onto the table, launching herself off it as the guard yanked his gun around in her direction.  She let out a yell as his finger curled around the trigger, and he jumped slightly, just enough to give her time to crash full into him.

**

Kerry hit the carpet and rolled, the breath knocked out of her. She heard the gun go off and her guts clenched, until she caught a flash of motion coming from where she’d last seen Dar.  She’d fallen close to the side door and her eyes suddenly captured an image of DeSalliers face as he watched in puerile fascination, one hand on the door and the other readying his escape.

He screamed something at her, and kicked hard, but Kerry had her arm wrapped around his leg and she reached up with her other hand and grabbed his belt. She braced her legs and yanked, using her thigh muscles to push with.

With a curse, he stumbled over her and crashed back into the cabin. Kerry rolled over and pounced on him, her temper getting the better of her as she went wild, hitting at whatever bit of flesh she could get a hand on.   All the anger that had been building up the last few days came out, and she ignored his attempts at grabbing her as she struck at him again and again with both fists.

**

The guard was a big man. Dar had her arms around his throat, and she hooked a leg around the arm he was holding  the gun with. Arching her back, she pulled the gun around and released one hand to grab it, twisting sideways as he screamed and cursed at her.

They were too close, and it was too chaotic to even consider using the weapon for it’s original purpose.  Dar staggered back and caught her balance, then saw him coming at her and pure instinct gave her the means to keep him away. She lashed out in a roundhouse kick and boxed him right on the side of the head. The jolt traveled all the way down her leg, but her momentum let her drive through the kick. He rocked and staggered back, and then he shoved off the wall and came back at her. Already balanced, Dar drew her knee up then slammed her leg out straight, and got him in the nose with all her weight behind the kick.

Blood went everywhere.  The guard went down, his hands clutching his face.  Dar whirled and her eyes scanned the cabin frantically, her ears already picking up more guards headed their way. She heard a commotion near the door and bolted for it, rounding the edge of the couch to find DeSalliers being beaten to within an inch of his life by an enraged Kerry sitting on his chest.

Kerry’s shirt was half ripped off, exposing most of her chest. She was pinning DeSalliers down with her weight, her knees resting on his biceps as she slugged at him with both fists.

“Kerry!” Dar yelled at the top of her lungs after a second of pure shock.

“Bastard!” Kerry smacked the man across the chops with her conjoined hands. “You’re an asshole!”  

Dar got behind Kerry and slipped her hands under her lover’s arms, physically lifting her up off DeSalliers. “C’mon! Let’s get the hell out of here!!”

Kerry was breathing hard, her green eyes almost gray with anger.  DeSalliers rolled frantically away from her and started crawling towards the center of the room, and Kerry’s entire body twitched as though she wanted to go after him.  A growl erupted from her throat, surprising both of them.

“C’mon.” Dar urged. “I hope to hell Dad’s gotten to Bud. We can’t stay here – hear them coming?”  She dragged Kerry towards the small door DeSalliers had been attempting to use. A gunshot echoed through the boat again, and she could hear screaming.  Her jaw tensed, knowing at a gut level it wasn’t her father doing the screaming, but who might be causing it.

“Ker?” She murmured in a gentle tone. “C’mon, sweetheart. Come back to me here.” She urged the still angry woman, whose hands were still clenched in balled fists. “It’s over.”  Kerry’s furious eyes tracked to her, and their gazes locked.

“Oh.” Kerry drew in a shaky breath  and found herself abruptly, her entire body shaking in reaction. She clutched Dar’s arms and shivered, her heart beating so fast in her chest she couldn’t count the flutters. “D…” She had to stop and pant. “Shit.”

Dar half led, half carried her to the door and shouldered it open. The boat pitched wildly, and she paused as she figured out what to do next.  She felt Kerry slump against her, and she rubbed her lover’s back. “You okay?”

Kerry sucked in a deep breath, and expelled it. “Yeah.” She whispered. “He just really pissed me off, I guess.” She took a moment to collect herself, then peered anxiously past Dar. Where’s Dad?”

“There.” Dar edged out the door and held onto the railing as the rain pelted them. She spotted her father on the bow, with Bud slung across his shoulders. “Dad!” She yelled, hoping he’d hear her above the storm.

His head turned her way, and she saw the relief in his eyes. “Go!” She hollered at him. “Get the hell out of here!”

Two guards were headed towards the bow, struggling against the rain just as they were. Andrew took a step towards them, then shook his head and ran for the edge of the bow, gathering himself up and leaping over the railing to plunge feet first into the water.

He disappeared immediately into the surging waves.

Dar spotted the men dashing for them. “Can you swim?” She yelled at Kerry. “Kerry!”

Kerry hesitated, judging the shakiness of her muscles. Her body seemed to have recovered in the brief rest and she took a cautious breath. “Yes!” She answered, knowing she had little choice at any rate. She grabbed the railing and held on as the boat rolled, judging the distance to the water. “I’m okay!”

Dar held onto her. “Go on! I’ll jump after you when you’re clear!” She grabbed the back of Kerry’s shirt to keep her steady as the boat dipped towards the water, then gently shoved her just as she leaped, pushing her well clear of the boat.

Anxiously, she watched the waves, her heart in her throat until she saw a faint, pale blur break the surface.

A hand grabbed her roughly from behind just as she readied herself to follow. Dar whirled, and found a pistol barrel in her face.  Her reflexes saved her life as she twisted and her hand snapped up, smacking the gun to the side just as it went off.  The space was too close for fighting, but Dar managed to draw her arm back and punch the guard in the face, somehow evading his grabbing hands. It didn’t really stun him, but he blinked and paused long enough for Dar to push free and slam the door behind her.

She grabbed a fending pole clamped next to the door and jammed it sideways, blocking the door shut as the guard inside threw his body against it trying to get out.  Shaken, Dar glanced at the water, the ocean’s savage waves looking more and more friendly to her every single second.

Faintly, she heard the sound of Andrew’s watercraft engine roar to life, a sweet sound over the thunder and slap of the waves. She grabbed the railing and prepared to leap overboard, when a motion caught her eye on the bow.

Two guards were there, shining a blazing, handheld spotlight into the water. The light pinned Andy’s small boat, and the other guard raised his rifle and aimed.

Dar heard the Dixie’s horn sound a warning.  She released the rail and bolted forward instead, heading straight for the two guards.  With a growl, she dove headlong at the first, hitting him at the knees and taking him down. They crashed into the second, and he stumbled backwards, falling down and rolling across the pitch of the deck. He slid under the railing and hung there, his light falling down into the water with an unheard splash.

Dar found the rifle clattering by her and she kicked it, sending it spinning over the side. The guard who had held it jumped on top of her, though, pinning her to the deck and slapping her hard across the side of the head.

“You’re dead, bitch.”

Dar felt the truth of that. She gathered her flagging strength and fought him, ripping one hand loose of his grip. Her fingers brushed against something hard, and she clutched at it, pulling hard when she recognized the outline of a diver’s knife strapped to his thigh.

He lifted a fist and aimed for her head.

Dar pulled the knife free and drew her arm out sideways, swinging it in a hair’s breadth before his fist arced for her face. She buried the blade in his side, feeling the harsh, ethereal sensation as the knife penetrated his clothing and entered flesh.

He screamed.

Dar arched her body, rolling to one side with all the effort she could muster. She managed to throw him off, and as he rolled one way, she rolled the other. She slid under the railing and kicked off against the bow as the boat bucked in the waves, sailing through space for a brief period until she hit the shockingly cold surface of the water.

For a moment, she just let herself sink below the waves, finding a curious peace there.  Then she kicked her sneakers off and swam for the surface, stripping off the short sleeved shirt now hampering her as well.

Her head broke above the waves, and she shook it to clear the hair out of her eyes, her view filling with the sight of cold, dark rubber a scant arms length in front of her. She reached up and her arm was caught as she tried to pull herself forward, then a hand gripped her by the seat of the pants and yanked her unceremoniously up and over the pontoon and into the boat.

A wave crested over the bow, and they were drenched by it. Dar felt the cool air, and the strong smell of salt fill her lungs. Then she felt a warmth envelop her legs, and she turned over, to find Kerry crawling over her to drape herself over Dar’s chest with a tiny, weary grunt.

Dar exhaled. Nothing else mattered. They were both here, and safe. Her world was complete.

“Dar, you all right?”

Dar looked up into her father’s eyes and nodded. “Just fine.” She rasped. “You?”

Andrew gazed at her with a gentle, unfathomable expression. “Yeap.”  He was steering the boat as he spoke, aiming it for the stern of the Dixie now pitching in front of them.  “I do believe we need to get the hell out of here, howsomeever.”

“You got my vote.” Dar let her head rest against the hard plastic bottom.

“Me too.” Kerry mumbled. “They comin after us?”

Andrew looked up, past the Dixie’s stern. DeSallier’s boat seemed to be at the mercy of the sea, it’s angle pitching wildly. Men were now running back and forth, not searching for them but instead worried about their own fates. “Nope.” He said, as he slid the craft sideways and reached up for the line Charlie was frantically tossing to him. “I do believe this here chase is done and over.”

“Good.” Dar closed her eyes. “Very, very damn good.”

**

Dar was content to stay in the bottom of the boat, regardless of it’s pitching, until Andy had gotten Bud’s still unconscious form up onto the Dixie’s deck. She was so tired, it was an effort just to breathe and even the rain pelting her furiously didn’t much bother her.

“Um.”  Kerry uttered a soft response.

“How are you doing?”

“Sucky.”

Dar sighed.

“I have a migraine, and I’m seasick on top of it.” Kerry elaborated. “I have to wonder how much worse death could possibly feel.”

Dar leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “How about we stay on land for a few days.”

“How about we stay in bed for a few days?” Kerry made a wan attempt at humor.

“Sure.” Dar pulled her a little closer, shielding her from the worst of the rain until she felt her father’s weight rock the boat behind her. She turned her head. “We clear?”

“Let’s go.” Andrew stepped over her and knelt next to Kerry, taking hold of her shoulder gently. “Kumquat, you need a hand up there?”

Kerry pried one eye open and gazed at him. She quickly closed it. “There are three of you.” She groaned.

“C’mere.” Andrew gathered her up in his arms and got his balance, then stood as Dar struggled to her feet. “You want to stay there, let me give you a ride too, Dardar?”

“No, thanks.” Dar held the boat as steady as she could while Andrew carefully transferred himself and Kerry onto the Dixie. She followed them, very glad to feel the deck under her feet as she turned and closed the hatch and dogged it.

For the first time, now – she looked over at DeSalliers boat. It was still dead in the water, listing to one side slightly  and drifting away from them. Two men were on the stern arguing.  A third was on the bow, climbing up to an open hatch.   Lightning flashed, and she spotted DeSalliers’ distinctive form near the cabin, apparently screaming at someone.

The Dixie’s engines came out of idle and moved them away from the other craft. Dar watched until the storm made them indistinguishable, then turned as she felt her father’s hand on her shoulder.

They regarded each other. “Ahm gonna go run this here boat, let Charlie get a look at his mate.” Andrew told her. “He got smacked around, but he’s gonna be okay.”

Dar nodded. “Thanks.” She searched his face. “I’m glad you found him so fast.”

Andrew snorted. “Ain’t hardly no places you can hide a body on one of them things, Dar.”

“Mm. Yeah, I guess.” Dar felt a wave of exhaustion come over her, making her knees shake a little. “Just glad it’s over.”

“You get cut?” Andrew looked down at her body.

Dar stared at the bloodstains. “No.” She replied. “It was that last guy. I had to…um… “ She stopped speaking and just looked at her father, the memory of the knife going in vividly in her mind’s eye.  

“Had to do what you had to do.” Andy said. “And you done that, Dar.”

The rain pelted her in a steady rhythm as she absorbed the knowledge. “Yes, I did.” Dar murmured.

 He watched her for a few heartbeats, then fished in his pocket for something and pulled it out. Without speaking, he pinned something to her swimsuit strap, then pulled her head closer and gave her a kiss on the top of it. “That’s my girl.”  He patted her cheek, then turned and walked to the ladder, climbing up it without a further backward glance.

Startled, Dar looked down at her shoulder. Pinned to her strap, immediately recognizable to her, was her father’s SEAL insignia.  Dar blinked, and reached a shaking hand up to touch it, tracing it’s shape with a sense of stunned disbelief.

For half her life, she’d dreamed of wearing it.

Thunder rumbled over head. Lightning cracked, and Dar forced herself to move, going to the door to the cabin and slipping inside. 

It felt very good to be out of the rain. Dar collected herself and ran the fingers of one hand through her hair, sniffling a little and wiping the drops out of her eyes with an impatient swipe of her arm.  Bob was sitting on the couch, watching her with wide, scared eyes.

Dar caught sight of her reflection, and hardly recognized the drenched, weather battered and bloodstained figure looking back at her. She started to walk past Bob.  

“Listen, I’m really sorry.” He blurted. “This shit was way over my head and I dragged you all into it and almost got you killed.”

Dar looked at him.

“I hope… I hope everyone’s all right.” Bob finished, in a small voice. “I’m sorry I was such a jerk.”

“Whatever.” Dar simply didn’t have the time or energy to deal with him. She had something more important to do. She trudged past the living area and headed for the bedroom, wanting nothing more than to be quiet, dry, and with Kerry.

She pushed the door open, finding Kerry leaning against the counter, just putting down a cup of water after taking a mouthful.  She was in a T-shirt, and looked like she’d been run over by a bus. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Kerry seemed pathetically glad to see her, and oblivious to what she looked like. She turned and braced herself against the dresser, giving Dar a woebegone look. “Who’s driving?”

“Dad.” Dar walked over to her and gently cupped her cheek, tipping her head up a little. “Did you take something for your headache?”  Kerry’s face was pale and drawn, but a distinct warmth entered her eyes at Dar’s touch, and the muscles in her cheek moved, producing a slight smile.

Kerry nodded. “And my stomach. The key is… will it stay down long enough to do something or not.”  Her eyes dropped to Dar’s chest, and she lifted a hand to touch the insignia. “Wow.”  Now the smile really emerged, and though tired, it lit Kerry’s face up.

Dar looked down. “Yeah.” She unbuckled her shorts and slipped out of them, draping them over the dresser. “I’m not really sure why he did that.” Her voice was exhausted in her own ears.

Kerry pushed off from her spot and carefully unpinned the insignia, holding it cupped in her hand while Dar eased out of her suit. “I know why.”  She looked up, wincing as Dar turned and she saw the bruises on her lover’s body. “You saved his life.”

Dar stopped in the middle of pulling on a dry T-shirt. Her eyes stared at Kerry from the over the edge of the fabric. “W.. what?”  She blurted. “When?”

Kerry set the pin down on the dresser and reached up, pulling the shirt over Dar’s head and settling it around her body. “C’mere.” She sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to her.  Below decks, with the engines running full out, the sea’s rocking was much less evident and she welcomed the comfort of the bed, and Dar’s warm body nestling against hers.

“Talk to me.” Dar put her arms around Kerry and leaned back against the headboard. “What did I miss in all this?”

“When you were on the boat. After I jumped off.” Kerry told her. “Dad was in the rubber boat, holding Bud. I was hanging on the side, trying to get in. The light hit us.”

“Mm.”  Her partner nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

“The guys on the boat were going to shoot Dad. He was what was in the light.”

“Oh.” Dar blinked. “I guess I knew that, somehow.”  

Kerry looked at her. “Do you remember what you did then?” She asked curiously. “Do you remember going after those men, Dar?”

Go after them? Dar’s brow creased. “Well, I remember wanting to knock them down, sure.” She answered slowly. “I ran over there, I guess.”

Dar’s profile was dim in the lamplight, the look of thoughtful puzzlement very evident.   “Yes, you did.” Kerry said, softly. She eased off the bed and retrieved the insignia, admiring it for a moment before she snuggled back up to Dar and pinned it onto her T-shirt.  “A lot happened to us today.”  She flexed her hand slightly, thinking about the reason for it’s soreness.

“Yeah.” Dar answered, with a sigh. “A lot.”

“Want to wait till we’ve had some rest to talk about it?”

“Yeah.”

Dar was silent for several breaths. “Me too.” She stared thoughtfully at her hands, resting palm upward on her thighs.  “I’m really tired.” Her eyes turned to Kerry, who was leaning against her. “How are you doing?”

Kerry spent some time thinking about that question. “I could use a snuggle.” She admitted.

Me, too.” Dar gently pulled Kerry over, settling her between her legs and wrapping both arms around her stomach.  Kerry leaned back against her and she gave her a hug, long and solid, feeling the tension in Kerry’s body relax as her head dropped back against Dar’s collarbone. 

After a moment, Kerry squirmed around and slid her arms around Dar, resting her cheek against her partner’s shoulder and gazing up into her eyes.

Dar’s eyelashes fluttered. “I saved his life?” She whispered, watching Kerry’s face intently.

Kerry smiled. “Yes, you did.”

“Huh.” The dark haired woman grunted. “I think you saved ours.”

“Me?”

Dar nodded faintly. “You kept the jackass from calling for help.” She said. “Any more guards and...” She stroked Kerry’s drying hair. “We got so lucky in there.”

It scared her.  Kerry exhaled in silence. But it was over,  and they’d both survived. That really was the important part of everything. Her family and friends were okay. She was okay.  Dar was okay. 

Her eyes closed. They had been lucky.  Very lucky. She whispered a prayer of thanks as she felt the sea cradle them in its rocking hands.  

**

The marina at St. Thomas was in total chaos. Boats from all over were coming in to shelter there from the storm, and the tossing whitecaps made the danger of collision very real.

“Yeap.” Andrew agreed. “Told them dockmasters we had a body needing to go up to the hospital on board. They’re getting us a path in.”  He informed her. “How’s Kerry doing?”

“She’s all right.” Dar said.

Andrew studied her. “You doing all right?”

Dar nodded. “I feel like I was hit by a bus, but other than that, Mr. Lincoln, I enjoyed the play.”

Her father chuckled.

“Thanks for coming out here after us.” Dar leaned her elbows on the console. “I was pretty out of my depth here.”

“Seems like you done all right to me.” Andy replied. “I figured you two had things covered till Kerry done sent that last note, about Bud and all.” He shook his head. “Took me one of them there seaplanes over.” A pause. “Ah do not like them things.”

Dar had to smile. “Me either.”  She watched through the rain as the lights seemed to diminish ahead of them. The radio crackled.

“Dixieland Yankee, dockmaster. Come on in.”

Dar picked up the mic. “Dockmaster, this is Dixieland. We copy.”  She set the device down and straightened. “Want me to take her in?”

Andrew eyed her. “You speculating on mah driving, young lady?” He asked. “Ah am not the one who…”