~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“I see the Fast Frigate got here. Let’s go meet the captain and watch them mount the pod.” I said to my two companions. The crane was just lifting the unit off of the fantail of the Fast Frigate.
“Look guys the Navy ship has the same missile system that we’re putting on,” the chief noticed.
“It’s the latest and greatest system our Navy has. It replaced the old ASROC system the Navy used for forty years,” I informed them.
“What is this system capable of Rick?” Chris asked. “I don’t know anything about missile systems,” he admitted.
“It’s an incredible weapon, the missiles are able to fly at Mach three, that’s over 2,200 miles per hour. It has a range of forty miles and the pod holds sixteen missiles. It can target targets in the air or on the water. The warhead has an incredibly powerful explosive that will level just about anything it hits. Don’t let the size of it fool you it packs a hell of a punch.”
“Does it use heat to lock in on a target?” Chris asked.
“Yes and no. It uses radar or a laser to lock on a target. You’ve heard the term painting the target? That’s what they call it when you use a laser on a target. The missile locks in on the laser beam and follows it to the target. It never misses. When the radar is used the missile is fired and as the missile closes in on the target the heat seeking feature of the missile helps it locate the target. It’s mostly used on fighter aircraft.”
We walked up to Danny and Chief York standing with two officers from the Navy ship.
“Matt, is that you?” I asked. The captain had his back partially turned to me but I thought I recognized him.
He turned to me, a broad grin on his face. “Rick, damn it’s good to see you. When I found out they needed a delivery boy to bring this on down to you I jumped at the chance to do it. Let me introduce you to my executive officer, this is Commander Jason Briggs. Jason, this is an old friend of mine, Rick Chambers, Navy Seal retired. The man by his side is Senior Chief Jake Morrison also a Navy Seal. The other one I’m guessing by the looks of him is Rick’s brother.”
“Good eyes, this is my brother Chris. You’ve already met Danny the captain of the Sea Eagle and Chief York.”
“How did you ever get the Navy to deliver this to you? It’s our latest system. Not just anyone can have one Rick.”
“Sorry buddy but that’s classified information. You might be reading about it in the papers down the road but for now its hush, hush.”
“I understand classified information is available on a need to know basis only,” Matt said. “But it sure doesn’t mean that I can’t be curious though does it?
“I guess not. I’d probably want to know too,” I admitted. “So what do you think of the Sea Eagle?”
“I think at one time it was a hell of a yacht. But I can see from here it’s not a pleasure boat anymore.”
“You’re right we had to refit the entire ship. We had to expand the galley and mess deck. We needed to make berthing compartments where it used to have cabins and we needed a sickbay.”
“From here it looks like you needed Gatling guns too,” Commander Briggs mentioned looking at the starboard side gun.
“How fast will she go?” Matt asked.
“Before we added the steel to hold up the Missile pod and added the CIC to the back of the bridge it would make 38 knots. I don’t know how much the added weight will slow her down yet. I’m hoping it will only be one or two knots slower than it was.”
“That’s pretty fast. My Fast Frigate will do 43 knots at flank speed so you’re right up there.”
“Your ship is a hundred feet longer than ours is too. What I wouldn’t give to have her,” I said looking the sleek vessel over.
“Sorry buddy you can’t have her, she’s mine,” Matt said with a grin. “But with your connections you can probably get one,” he said eyeing the missile pod that was now almost on its new home.
“I’ll work on it, you just never know. But I’m thinking my contact would squawk if I asked for one. You should have heard him when I asked for this pod.”
“I can only imagine. But whatever trade off you made he must have thought it was worth it or you wouldn’t have it,” Matt reasoned.
“Oh yeah, he definitely thinks he’s getting his money’s worth,” I said in agreement.
Matt turned his back on the job being done on the dock and looked the isle over. “So this is where you found the treasure you lucky bastard.”
“This is it. Welcome to Dead Men’s Isle the old stomping grounds of Captain Kidd and his merry men.”
“You would have never guessed that it could have held such a secret,” Matt murmured looking the island over.
“That’s the reaction from all who come here. But it’s true, the isle held untold riches. The stuff dreams are made of, pirates gold and jewels, a king’s ransom.”
“Didn’t I read the island was uninhabited when you found the treasure Rick?” Commander Briggs asked.
“You’re right it was. Danny’s family owned the treasure map and bought the island a couple of generations back. Danny offered to let us use the island for a base of operation so here we are.”
“You didn’t waste any time getting the construction going did you?” Matt said eyeing the construction workers that were everywhere he looked.
“There was no reason not to get right at it. We certainly didn’t have any money problems to worry about.”
“You got that right,” Matt said thinking back to the amount of treasure the papers claimed we took from the bowels of the isle.
The pod was finally resting on its new home. I could hear impact wrenches rattling overhead as the construction workers bolted her down to the pre drilled and pre tapped mounting holes.
“She’s down on her new home,” I said happily. “I understand you have the radar dish and all of the electronics for it?”
“Those crates strapped down behind the superstructure are yours,” Matt said pointing to the crates.
“As soon as we unload those we need to hightail it out of here. We have orders to be somewhere else.”
“I was hoping I’d get the chance to show your crew a little island entertainment Matt,” I said disappointedly.
“Maybe next time Rick, duty calls. You know how it is,” Matt said giving me a knowing look.
I nodded my head, “I understand, but I owe you a cookout. Make sure you and your crew makes it back here Matt.”
“It’s a promise Rick. But the next time you have a chance to battle pirates and find treasure don’t be such a big pig about it. Get on the phone and call me so I can have some fun too.”
“You don’t know how many times I’ve heard that,” I said laughing. “I think this is the third or fourth time this week alone.”
Matt smiled, “I can believe it. That was a hell of a tale I read about your team’s adventure.”
“It wasn’t a tale, it was cold hard fact and I have this man to thank for it,” I said slapping Danny’s shoulder.
“Danny you did the right thing calling in the Navy like you did,” Matt said. “Neither rain, nor storm, nor dark of night will keep us from our appointed rounds. No that’s not right, but we wouldn’t let that stuff hold us back either,” Matt said with a laugh.
“I would have never come close to retrieving the treasure without the help of Rick’s Seal Team,” Danny admitted freely.
The crane swung over to pick-up the other crates and soon had them offloaded onto the Sea Eagle.
“Matt it was good seeing you again. Remember that invite stands for the party. Just call me and make sure we’re home and not on a job before you come. Here’s my cell number,” I said as I handed him my business card.
“Good luck on your new adventure Rick and I’ll see you around,” Matt said shaking my hand before walking up his gangplank with a wave to the others.
With the missile system onboard we were one step closer to Fidel’s Cuba and one step closer to Kennedy’s remaining killer.