Nick smiled into his friend’s dark, scowling face. “Apparently you have been an inattentive student at this human stalking gambit over the years, Gus. Let’s get on board, and heave ho before we attract any visitors. We shall skulk away in the dead of night.”
“This damn mission cost us a fortune to pull off, and we’re not even safe yet.” Gus led the way back aboard their forty-two foot cruiser, The Majid. “Cast off you landlubber.”
“Aye, Captain Jinx.” Nick threw his equipment pack aboard, and did as ordered. He joined Gus on the bridge, waiting until Gus cleared the dock before speaking. “We’re getting paid handsomely for this mission, my friend, but may I remind you it was not I who moaned about our inactivity. You caused me to risk the rage of my pregnant wife, who was already not a happy camper due to her condition.”
Gus steered into the open sea, amused by his deadly friend. “Rachel was a lot more amenable when she only knew you as a cold blooded killer. She owns your ass now though. It’s a lucky thing you have Danger and Deke to protect you.”
At the mention of Nick’s nine year old stepdaughter Jean, AKA Danger Girl, and adopted dog Deke as allies, Nick laughed. “They only back my play when it suits them. Hey… did you just accuse me of being henpecked? I’ll concede the point Rachel has been getting a little bossy since gaining some leverage with having my child. What should I do, Gus… beat her?”
“Yeah, that’ll be the day. What are you going to do when she finds out what this business trip was really all about?”
“The only way she could find out is if you told her. I guarantee that would only happen once. When you rat me out, you’d best get your affairs in order, brother.”
“Don’t blame me when she sees all the signs you’re back at it. Flying into the Emirates supposedly so you could research another Diego assassin novel was pretty thin. I saw the look she gave you before we left. She didn’t buy it at all.”
“Really? I’ll have ten thousand words written in it before we get back. That’s proof enough.”
“She knows you, Nick. Right now, Rachel’s searching the newswire everywhere for people famous or otherwise mysteriously dead in our area of the world we’re cruising in. That Sheik Abdul Nazari is an Al Qaeda kingpin, and how many of his henchmen ate a bullet too, Nick?”
Nick mumbled something unintelligible.
“How many?”
“Six… damn it. You’re right. She’ll have that scoped out before we can get back in the States. I’d call her, but she gets suspicious if I use the satellite phone. I can’t do a face to face yet. I need to keep the beard and scruffiness until we put The Majid back in the hands of those helpful Company guys in the Emirates.”
Gus made a contorted face at Nick. “Do you have to keep the odor too? You smell like something ate you and shit you out.”
Nick chuckled and rooted around in one of the cabinets. He retrieved a can of Fabreze, backed away from Gus, and sprayed himself down. “There… I’m April Fresh. Happy now?”
“It’s an improvement. We won’t make the Port of Fujairah until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest. Go get some sleep. I checked the weather reports. There’s nothing bad on the Gulf of Oaman for at least a couple of days.”
“Wake me if you have any trouble.”
“What trouble are you talking about?”
“Anything at all, Gus. What did you think I meant? You’re getting to be like an old lady. This is the last time I’m letting you nag me into taking a contract.”
“I was afraid you’d start whacking locals if I didn’t get you out of your house,” Gus called out over his shoulder. “You were turning into a damn recluse.”
“Was not,” Nick called back. “Call me if you need me.”
*
Nick awoke to explosive rounds rocking The Majid, waves from the concussive aftermath throwing the cruiser violently from side to side. Nick ran up on deck to see Gus with his hands full weaving a course away from an Iranian gunboat. He knew The Majid had the engines to pace the Iranians, but a stray hit would cripple them. Nick accessed a false deck in the engine room, revealing a large case which he returned to the main deck with.
“Having a little trouble I see, Captain Jinx,” Nick said, as he removed an M136 Rocket Launcher.
“Hey… what the hell is that? Are you going to get into a battle with a fully armed Iranian gunboat? Are you stupid?”
“I’m hurt… really hurt, you would think of me doing anything in a haphazard manner with your life at stake, partner.” Nick loaded a round into the launcher. “Slow to a stop now, Gus. When I fire, put the pedal to the metal.”
Gus didn’t waste time questioning. He backed off on the throttle, allowing the Iranian gunboat to steam towards them. They stopped firing. When they reached a point approximately two hundred yards from The Majid, Nick fired the launcher and Gus went into full throttle. Nick joined him for a moment on the bridge, as the round Nick had fired exploded over the Iranian gunboat.