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MYSTIC:
After a quick meal, Alex climbs the stairs to relieve Okana. “Josh is waiting for you. He said you have to eat it while it’s hot.”
Okana grins. “Now why does that worry me a little?”
“It’s good. I’ll take over.”
When Okana gets out of the chair and goes down the stairs, Alex takes his place in front of the control console. A moment later, he hears footsteps coming up.
Mike steps into the bridge. “Lisa seems to be handling things better since you came back, Alex. Who would have guessed little Lisa would save the crew?”
“She saved all of us.”
They hear a click from the radio. “Calling Mystic. Calling Mystic. This is the Canadian Coast Guard. Please come in.”
Alex nods toward the radio. “It’s still your ship.”
Mike reaches up and grabs the microphone from its clip. “This is the Mystic. Go ahead.”
“We understand you have a Mister F. Okana on board. He is being charged with murder on the high seas. We want you to bring him to Prince Rupert, British Columbia as soon as possible.”
“Who’s filing the charges?”
“Captain Montego, of the merchant ship, CONDOR.”
Alex looks at Mike. “He’s a friend of Blacktooth. I saw him in Prince Rupert. One of Blacktooth’s men must have told him about the botched hijacking.”
“It was probably Bartram. We can’t just turn Okana over. We know he’s innocent, but he’ll be stuck in jail until they straighten things out.”
“Just agree to do it. Getting there as soon as possible is a relative term.”
Mike nods. “Canadian Coast Guard, this is Mystic. I understand, and we’ll be there as soon as we can. Mystic out.”
“Mystic, you should be aware of a massive storm moving south. Suggest you hurry and take shelter.”
“Thank you, Coast Guard. Will do. Mystic out.” He reaches up and inserts the microphone in the clip. “I hope your friend Donner sent jets to pick up our passengers.”
“I’m sure he did. We should be approaching the island any time now. Did you disconnect the turbines from the computer?”
“Yes. Rita finished just before we found you and we’ll keep them that way. We will only lose communications.”
“Who’s your best pilot?”
“Dieter, but he’s drunk in his cabin. Josh can handle it.”
“If we can manage to get close, I’ll take Okana in the motorboat so I can see what’s going on inside the crater.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. When we were there earlier, the whirlwind was coming from inside the crater.”
“I’ll have to chance it. We need to see what we’re up against to know what to do.”
Mike points through the front window. “There it is. The whirlwind looks the same as last time. That’s a good sign.”
“All right. Take over and I’ll send Josh up.”
Alex goes down to the lounge, sits at the table next to Okana, and looks across at Josh. “We’re getting close. Okana and I will take the motorboat over, and we need you to take over control of the ship. Stay a safe distance from shore unless we run into problems.”
Okana takes another bite of food. “I’m ready. This is great, Josh.”
Alex frowns at Okana. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but you’re a wanted man, Mister F period Okana. According to the Canadian Coast Guard, You are wanted for murder on the high seas.”
Okana stops chewing and stares at him. “You’re kidding, right?”
Alex slowly shakes his head no. “We are supposed to turn you over in Prince Rupert.”
“You wouldn’t?”
Alex shrugs. “I’m a law-abiding citizen. As soon as we reach Prince Rupert, I have to escort you off the ship into the hands of the law.” He winks at the rest of the crew.
Okana grins and continues eating. “You’re a funny man, Alex.”
Alex turns serious. “I’m sure people in Prince Rupert will remember the Mystic. After you left the tavern, Blacktooth was speaking with the captain of a merchant ship named Condor. He’s the one who told the coast guard about the murder of Blacktooth and his men.”
“I’ll stay on the ship. Let’s worry about that later. Right now, we have to get on that island.”
They feel the ship lose momentum, and Okana scrapes the last bits of food from his plate into his mouth and stands. “I’ll do my dishes later.”
Rita reaches across the table and grabs his hand. “I’ll take care of it. I have a soft spot for wanted men. Just be careful.”
Everyone stands and goes up to the bridge, then crowd along the short walls inside. Mike steps aside so Josh can take over. “The only wind is from the north, but the whirlwind is having a minor effect on the Mystic. The water level has dropped dramatically because of the all the water being trapped in the ice, so make sure we don’t bottom out.”
“Okay. I’ve got her now, Mike.” Josh looks over at Alex. “How do you want to do this?”
“Use the thrusters to bring the stern fairly close to the beach. Once we’re in the water, move a safe distance from shore. The safety of the Mystic comes first.” Alex looks at Okana. “Ready?”
Okana turns and walks outside, and Mike and Alex follow him down to the stern. Alex and Okana climb up onto the motorboat and take the canvas down to eliminate drag. After a few moments to fill the gas tank, they are ready.
Mike retrieves the control pad from its storage locker, brings the motorboat out of the brackets, and lowers it over the stern. Alex and Okana climb in to undo the straps, and Mike looks down into the boat. “Be careful. I want my motorboat back,” he says with a grin.
Okana moves to the steering wheel and starts the engine, as Alex shoves the motorboat away from the stern. “See you in a few minutes, Mike.”
Josh surprises them by bringing the Mystic across the wind, with her bow twenty-feet from the shore, making it an easy short ride to the beach. With the water level so low, the front edge of the beach is now a solid rock wall two-feet above the lower water line. The top edge tapers up across the beach and stops below the V in the crater.
Alex climbs onto the bow and waits as Okana bumps the motorboat against the rock, then he leaps onto the shore. He quickly climbs the steps to the V and peeks over the edge. The device is covered in a three-inch-thick layer of black material, with a small tornado still spinning off the tip, but they are in luck. The tornado does not expand into a whirlwind until thirty-feet above the ground in the crater. A small amount of wind is sucked in above his head, but other than the rusted ship to deal with, they should be able to work on the spaceship without any problems.
Alex walks back down the steps and waves Okana over to pick him up. He grabs the front of the boat and leaps onto the bow, and Okana reverses from the shoreline as he climbs inside. “We are lucky, my friend. Now all we have to do is keep you from being arrested in Prince Rupert. Let’s go back. I need a shower before we pick up David and the Doc.”
Josh and Bett stare through the side window of the bridge, watching the motorboat back away from the beach. Josh brings the Mystic around, bow into the wind. When the motorboat is safely stored, he engages the jet pumps. Once the Mystic is far enough away from the island for the electronics to work, he enters a course for Prince Rupert.