CHAPTER TEN : TAKEOVER

In the morning I dressed and headed out to eat, bouncing off the bulkhead a couple times on the way. The weather shouldn't be this rough, not yet anyway. The only thing in the galley was a large plate of rolls and some cheese. It had gone too far now. The duty roster had Hayes supposedly on kitchen duty, so not having him at his job was not much of a surprise. With a roll in hand I went up to the wheelhouse to find the same two still inexperienced watchstanders on duty I had told not to stand watch alone. The weather had worsened with winds sending spray around the decks, waves hitting us nearly broadside and rolling the ship every ten to fifteen seconds.

"I'll take the wheel," I said with a bit of a growl. "I want you to find Jenkins and send him up here ASAP. You can get breakfast after you find him. He should be in engineering this morning."

The man at the helm stepped aside and said, "I know what you said yesterday but Captain Doyle said I had to take the watch again. That's what Swenson told me. He said if I didn't take the watch he'd make sure I was sorry for not doing it."

"Not a problem," I said as neutrally as I could manage. "Just send Jenkins up here to help out. If you want to do something, go into the hold and make sure everything is well lashed down. Take someone with you for safety. We might be in for a bit of a storm."

Jenkins showed up just as I found a comfortable heading so the seas didn't bash us around, at least not as badly. "Morning, Jenkins," I said.

"A fine morning too, isn't it?" he inquired with his voice dripping irony, looking out the windows at the rough seas and spray whizzing over the port rail.

"Yes it is," I returned. "I think those plans we were discussing should happen today. I'm not going to let Hayes get away with this crap any longer. Find your men and send them up here so we can go over what we have to do. Keep it quiet. Then put the kids in their room and tell them to stay there. Tell them it's because of the weather. Tell the older kids to keep all of them in the kids' room with the doors locked. If you find Autumn and Tessie, they'll help with that."

"Will do sir. Need someone for the helm watch?"

"I'd appreciate it."

An hour later I looked over a group of ten men, half of them armed with automatic rifles under rubber foul weather clothing, the other half with their nerves alone. Hopefully, it would be enough. Some looked like their nerves were a bit worn, anxious looks around the room saying they were smart enough to know the risk they were taking yet a willingness to make a stand for their lives glinted within flicking eyes. The counterpoint to the nervous group was Wilkinson, standing in the back looking as angry as I'd ever seen him, flexing his huge arms with a grin that had no humor whatsoever in it.

"Alright. I know all of you and you know me. If you haven't noticed there's things wrong in paradise. Hayes has taken over where Powell left off only I'm thinking he won't be as 'diplomatic' as Powell was. He's formed a gang. I expect to find them in their cabin area, possibly with guards, possibly armed, I don't know," I told them.

Jenkins spoke up. "They have a guard in their corridor but only one. Haven't seen any guns though that ain't sayin' much. Took a stroll through that area on the way here." He had a determined and confident look, a leader ready for action.

I looked at him and asked, "The kids? They all safe?"

"I got Autumn and a few other girls to get them all together," he said. "Not sure they were all there though. Hope you don't mind but I told Autumn what was going on. She's pretty bright. She'll keep them safe."

"Might want to send someone to make sure, just in case." Jenkins nodded.

"So, take a little time and come up with a plan," I told them. "I have some ideas already but I'll leave the planning to you. Make it quick and safe. They might be armed and they might have kids to use as shields. If they so much as have a weapon in hand, shoot to kill instantly. Any problems with that?"

There were a few widened eyes but no disagreement. "Okay. In an hour I'm turning us broadside so the waves put a good roll on. Anyone below is going to have trouble dealing, those of you staying up here should be fairly comfortable with the horizon and all. It should give us an advantage, especially if they have to hit the bag. You have until then to do what you need to do."

Jenkins took a long look at me, handed me a nine millimeter pistol and turned to our team. "We were together in Seattle taking down the houses that had the kids enslaved. We can do this. We have to do this. I have a special girl now and I'd die protecting her. Hopefully I won't but if it comes to Hayes or my Mandy, there's no question in my mind which comes first. Anyone that don't feel that way, anyone that don't want to risk their lives for their freedom just say so and I'll put you on rear guard, no questions asked. We'll use hold number two for practice. Anyone gets a look or word of what we're doing put them in the hold, real easy like but under our control. Head out in twos and meet up in ten minutes. Move out."

One man stayed behind after talking to Jenkins. "I'm just no good in conflict. Can't stand violence," he muttered quietly. He gave me an apologetic look as I gave him the wheel. Couldn't blame him, really. At least he was honest enough to know himself.

"I can't tell you how glad I am to have company at a time like this," I told him. "This is a scary time, just standing here while other men I've sent out prepare to fight. I never knew what it was like until this very minute how terrible command can be. Thanks for being here." He gave a wan smile and turned back to scan the stormy horizon.

An hour later Jenkins sent a man up to tell me he was ready. I turned the ship parallel to the swells and we started rolling. It wasn't bad as we had the horizon to steady ourselves but it had to be uncomfortable (at best) in a closed cabin. After ten minutes of rolling Captain Doyle stomped out of his cabin.

"Bloody hell, do you have to steer this course?" he bellowed.

"Sorry Captain, but yes, for now this is the course I've chosen," I answered cooly.

"Well, don't be an ass. Steer westerly," he said loudly. "There's no need for this. What the hell you thinking?"

I stared at him cooly. "This is our course. It's necessary for at least an hour." ......(cont)