Poseidon's Ransom

Chapter Six

At eleven-thirty, the sound of the engines being fired up caused Frank Baine to rise from his bunk. Patel was working on his laptop. ‘Sounds like we’re about to get underway,’ said Baine.

Patel turned and smiled. ‘Good, the sooner we’re out at sea, the safer we’ll be.’

Baine stood up and stretched the muscles in his back. ‘Right, let’s go find Grainger and the Captain.’

Patel put the laptop back in its case. Baine picked up his bag, ‘Okay, Rav, let’s go to work.’

They left the cabin and stepped out into the companionway. Baine stopped the first submariner he saw and said, ‘Excuse me. Could you help us find the Captain, please?’

The young sailor stood up straight. ‘Yes, sir. Please follow me. Oh, and it’s Commander, not Captain, sir.’

Baine smiled. ‘Yes, yes, of course, Commander Dowling,’ then under his breath said, ‘whatever.’

‘He’ll be on the tower, sir, we’re about to cast-off.’

The two hijackers followed the young seaman through the vessel. Each area they passed through was busy with officers and men going about their duty, in preparation for departure. They eventually arrived at the main control room, just as the First Officer was about to ascend the ladder to the conning-tower. The young seaman saluted and said, ‘Sir. These gentlemen are looking for the Commander.’

Pike returned the salute and said, ‘Thank you. I’ll see to them. Dismissed.’

The control room was as busy as the other areas. A dozen or more seamen, of various ranks, worked away monitoring screens and systems in preparation for sea. Pike noticed the two hijackers were taking in the scene before them. There was an almost unperceivable nod between Baine and Patel, then the big man said, ‘Very impressive, Mr Pike.’

The First Officer looked Baine straight in the eyes, then pointed upwards. ‘The Commander is on deck. You can leave your bags here.’

Baine gave a sickly smile. ‘We’ll hang on to them,’ he said, then nodded to the ladder, ‘after you, Mr Pike.’

The three climbed the ladder in turn and came out at the top of the conning-tower. Commander Dowling, along with two other seamen, was supervising the manoeuvre from the quayside. Sir Anthony Grainger was also there. All wore hooded weatherproofs; protection against the rising wind and falling rain. No offer of coats was extended to Baine and Patel, who looked somewhat foolish standing in nothing more than designer suits.

Dowling nodded to his First Officer, as Pike emerged from the hatch. Then, into a hand-held radio, Dowling said, ‘Clear stern-lines.’

A voice from the radio confirmed the order. ‘Clear stern-lines, aye, sir.’

A few moments later all lines securing the warship, were released and pulled from the water. The engines increased in volume in response to Dowling’s command, ‘Starboard thrusters to ten percent.’

As HMS Poseidon moved slowly away from the sea-wall, Grainger watched Baine tap out a message on his smartphone.

In the old Welsh farmhouse, Rick Washington smiled as he read the message. UNDERWAY.