Chapter 134: The Cruise and How to Use It

"You are going to have to do better than that, I don't understand." I demanded. I was standing in her office when I said it. I had gone there, rather than finish the discussion on the phone.

"Some rich guy decided it would be fun to go big game hunting off the coast of Somalia. He chartered a cruise ship or a yacht, whatever. I'm not sure what it is really. He and a few of his friends are going to go cruise and hope they get attacked. They want the thrill of combat again. I think he is a former ranger or green beret, some such shit. Anyway it's kind of a reunion cruise, more than anything else." Jen said.

"So why the hell do they want me?" I asked. "You know, I'm not okay with murder."

"It's for bait. They need the cruise to look legit. So they need a wife for the captain. or girl friend for one of the friends, I'm not sure which. You won't be required to pull a trigger, except in self defense. Come on Max, it's only two weeks, and they really need a babysitter."

"In two weeks Jen, I could be very dead. Not to mention taking Mike and Gwen down with me." I thought about it another minute then said. "Well maybe they aren't a good enough reason to refuse, but you know what I mean."

"It's up to you. Think about it and let me know." Jen said a little disappointed.

"What's the payday?" I asked. I knew Jen well enough to know there was a real payday involved. Even though it wasn't her money, she loved the game anyway.

"Ten K from the cruise guys and another ten from the TV people. They want excitement they have to pay." Jen said.

"That's a lot of money for a two week job," I suggested.

"Yeah well like you said, there is a certain amount of danger involved. I figured that would appeal to you though. You probably would have done it free. if they had come to you without the TV crap."

"Are you sure they want the TV people filming their little safari?" I asked.

"That's another reason they want you. If anyone can keep them out of prison, they figure it's you." Jen said it with a smile.

"There is no way to make this look like anything, but what it is. It's an ambush to commit murder. This will only work, if you make the trip legit, and then these guys sign on as security. Then they have to conduct themselves, as if they were providing security. In other words respond only. The can't set an ambush." I said. "You need to find out more about the boat, then get some papers on it to cover why it is in the Somalia waters. A church aid delivery mission, something like that. Then the guys on board will have to just hope the pirates take a run at them. If you can talk them into all that, then they have a chance of walking."

"Okay, let's set up a conference call with the guy who leased the boat. Maybe we can work out some kind of cover with him." Jen suggested.

"Go for it," I replied.

"Oh by the way as a bonus, I have the GBI sending your weapons back. They said you could come get them, but I worked it out so they will ship them instead."

"That would be a target the Pirates can't pass up. An arms shipment would bring them out. Try to find someone who can leak that to the pirates. Then find a legal cargo to put on board the ship with the proper documentation. When the pirates come, the crew refuses to give up, so there is a fight. The security force does the best it can. God knows it isn't what we wanted." I suggested.

"That will play, of course now the TV people know and it's moot," Jen said.

"Actually they don't know," I showed her Martin's Bic lighter that wasn't a lighter at all.

"So, if I can make it kosher, are you in?" she asked.

"Set it up, so I feel we have a bullet proof plan, and I'm in. Once my weapons arrive that is."

You don't need a weapon, those guys are going to do the gunslinging," she said.

"It's to protect me from them," I said with a laugh. "All that life or death shit, makes men horny as hell."

"So it does,"Jen said with a giggle.

I left Jen's office since the call would have to be arranged for the next day due to the time difference. The drive home had me thinking. I didn't want to kill pirates, but maybe I could at least make sure they right guys got killed, if there is such a thing. I would really feel bad, if I found out later that it was some poor fisherman that got killed.

When I arrived home, it was late afternoon. Even I knew that it would be approaching midnight in Europe. I assumed the organizer of the trip would be somewhere in Europe at the moment. Jen had said that she needed an answer the next day, so I needed to think.

I was tempted to stop by to see Lucas and Ed, but thought better of it. Lucas was most likely still under Gwen's spell. I would hate to have him asked me about her. I had no idea what her status was at that time. Ed on the other hand would be bugging me to come back to the office to work. He always said I should work from his office. I was sure he just missed Helen's breakfasts. She came by the office a lot less frequently, since I moved out.

When Helen hit the active part of my brain, I thought about finding her a retail outlet store. That was what would work best for her, rather than a restaurant setting. I thought hard about all the buildings, which I knew were vacant and for rent. Nothing seemed to fit the bill.