“I guess our surprise visit will not go undetected,” Cala remarked.
“Muerto doesn’t like to be hunted,” Gus replied. “We’ll head for home. Nick will get permission for satellite surveillance to see if they pull anchor and steam for parts unknown. He probably should have done that to begin with, but I think Muerto wanted to test them. If they’re that touchy about any boat within sight, it makes a big difference in whatever plan we’ll have to create for boarding.”
“I wonder what Carone will think of what happened to his Panga boat crew.” Cala continued watching, shifting her view to the Tempest once again as Gus held course. “Some men have come out on the top level with weapons.”
“Muerto better not hurt my ocean liner.”
“Huh?”
Gus smiled over at Cala, holding the Lucky Lady steady. “Wait for it.”
The armed man on the top deck of the Tempest in the middle of his companions suddenly pitched backwards, his weapon falling over the railing. Cala enjoyed the aftermath of the dead center shot. The dead man’s companions scrambled down into the ship’s interior.
“I think the ship’s fine, but it will need a cleaning,” Cala observed.
*
Nick, with Johnny trailing, entered the Lucky Lady’s wheel house, his silenced M107 .50 caliber sniper rifle still in his hands. “We better go home, Gus. Our experiment didn’t end well but at least we know our planned assault needs a far more subtle approach than we hoped.”
“You could have waited until the Panga boat reached us,” Gus replied. “Maybe they were out here to issue threats to stay away from the area.”
“Maybe they were census takers for the Neptune Society. Carone already has too much information. He knows the Lucky Lady and registration which we figured on. In one scenario, we could have done a wide sweep and anchored for a while as if we were enjoying the day on the ocean. An immediate challenge like today’s action means they have far reaching detection on board and someone watching at all times. They’ll either move location which we’ll track, or hunker down and go nuts trying to perceive what the hell happened today.”
“You sure turned their water off, Muerto,” Gus replied. “As you say, we have facts now that were not in evidence.”
“At least we have the Lady’s registration cloaked to a point where Carone will have to send minions into town once he finds out where the Lady is ported. That will tell us more too. We have surveillance coverage all over our docking area. Carone’s already after my ass so fooling around with him today won’t mean much in the way of added danger if he does link us to the Lady. Besides, I feel better now. If the prick would have shown his face anywhere on deck, we could have assaulted the Tempest at our leisure, and tracked it while the crew came to grips with their headless leader.”
“I watched for Carone, Muerto,” Cala said. “He did not even peek out above deck.”
“Johnny was spotting for me. He didn’t see any sign of Fernando either. Paul knows I have to get Carone. He’s already supported my request for full on satellite surveillance we can tap into. If the Tempest moves, I want to know where. If they land a helicopter on the yacht, I want to know where it goes when it leaves. I’ll call John when we get home after having a sip on my deck in honor of the poor lost souls in today’s boating accident.”
Nick’s remark provoked instant hilarity as Gus increased speed for home.
Chapter Four
Tempest Collaboration
“I want you, Harding!”