Chapter 44: Chest Full of Trouble

“Where are we headed?” I asked. I had taken a quick shower and thrown on some clothes as I had been instructed. I was now seated in the salon with Captain Alfred, Archara, Monique and Cynthiana. Of course, Rachel was snuggled under my left arm.

“Due east. We’re meeting the Duckworth to hand over the prisoners in ten minutes,” Captain Alfred explained. The prisoners were still bound and attached to the rear anchor chain. Captain Alfred held the remote control for the anchor in his hand and the security camera for the rear platform was displayed on the large TV in front of us to watch them.

“Where’s the chest?” I asked.

“Can’t you see it?” Archara teased.

I studied the image on the TV screen, but couldn’t see it anywhere.

“Monique got the brilliant idea to hide it in plain sight. We put a table cloth over it and added some decorative pieces. It looks just like it was made to go there,” Archara explained.

“And Lily?” I asked.

“The girl is in the port VIP Stateroom downstairs. Samantha and Sarah are with her,” Rachel explained. “If I know them, the rest of the girls are there too.”

“What kind of shape is she in?” I asked. “Does she need a hospital?”

“Samantha says that she’s had a rough time, is dehydrated and starved, but no broken bones or other obvious problems. She’s been through an ordeal but I do not think that she was sexually assaulted. I think they planned that for later. She’s one tough cookie,” Archara reported. “If it proves necessary, we thought you might go and get Carina.”

The walkie-talkie in Captain Alfred’s hand crackled. “They’re here. I’m pulling alongside,” said Captain Tony.

We both immediately went to the cockpit and looked up at the Coast Guard Search and Rescue ship. A side ramp with a platform was lowered from the Duckworth and four Coast Guard MP’s came down the ramp.

The young Ensign saluted Captain Alfred who wasn’t in uniform, but returned the salute. “What are your orders, Ensign?” Captain Alfred asked.

“We are to remove all personnel indigenous to this investigation and proceed with all haste to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Sir,” he supplied.

“There’s your three prisoners. There is no one else going with you at this time,” Captain Alfred said sternly.

“But Sir ... a Mr. Master’s presence is urgently requested!” the Ensign whined.

“Ensign, are you aware that this yacht flies the flag of France, and Mr. Masters travels with French Diplomatic status? So that means, Ensign, that an American vessel is trying to board and take a French Diplomat in the middle of an important diplomatic mission with only a non-specific request from non-identified persons. And do you realize that that is considered a breach of treaty and an act of war?”

“No, Sir!” the young ensign replied, unsure what else to say.

“Then I suggest that you take these three prisoners, which France is graciously providing and proceed with all haste to Jacksonville. Is that clear, Ensign?” Captain said with his best captain demeanor.

“Yes, Sir!” the Ensign said as he came to attention and saluted again. “May I ask the gentleman’s name for my report?”

“I am Captain Alfred Fourreau, of the French Royal Navy, onboard my friend’s yacht on holiday. Captain Anthony Lavigne, also a Captain in the Royal Navy is also on board. We will heave to and stay close until you have verified my information. Good day, Ensign.”

Since the MP’s had already taken the prisoners, the Ensign did a smart about-face and stepped on the platform. I released the lines and we moved about a hundred yards away from the Coast Guard ship and then matched their speed.

While we waited, a Boeing P-8 Poseidon, which is an American maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, flew overhead, circled once and then headed northwest.

It took almost twenty minutes before the Duckworth hoisted the French flag, as several officers came out on deck. They all came to attention at the same time and saluted the Cécile. Captain Alfred returned their salute and we turned towards the south while the Duckworth headed northwest.

Soon we were underway again, headed south.

“So we’re NOT taking Lily and the chest to Nassau,” I asked.

“No. You’re taking Lily to Cannes and the chest to Zurich. I realize that it may take you a couple of trips, but I want to protect that girl until we know what’s really going on. I also want to get that chest into the hands of some people I trust,” Cynthiana told me.

“But what about the President? And the King? And the aliens?”” I asked in confusion.

“The old reprobate said that he would handle the peerage,” she replied.

“The peerage?”

“The people with too many titles in front of their names,” she explained as Sarah entered the salon.

“Alex, can you come to the bridge? That unknown ship has shown up again,” Sarah asked me. “Captain Tony said it appears to be following us.”

So putting my other questions aside, I followed Sarah to the pilothouse to see where our unmarked ship was right now. After studying the radar with the officers, I stepped out on the bridge wing to see if I could detect them.

We had decided that it was just over the horizon, approximately 15 miles behind us, matching our own speed, which, at 12 knots, was fairly slow for a ship that size.

When I figured I had their electronic signature and could stop them anytime, I stepped back into the pilothouse. “It’s lucky the seas are not any worse or they would be awash at this speed,” Captain Alfred was saying.

“Any ideas on what they’re up to?” I asked.

“Why don’t you try the radio?” Rachel asked. She and Sarah had slipped into the booth behind the Captain’s chair and had been listening to the conversation.

“You know, it seems odd that they bypassed the island to follow us. Unless somehow they were in contact with the cavern and know that their people and their chest are no longer on the island,” Captain Tony supplied.

“I’m going to investigate,” I told them.

“Here. You may need this,” Captain Tony said as he offered me his Glock.

“I just looked at him.

“Are you kidding? I might shoot myself!” I said as I laughed. Then I envisioned the generator in the cavern and disappeared.

On first impression, it was almost as I had left it an hour ago. The lights were still on and the generator was still running. But as I walked out from behind the generator I noticed a tripod without the camera. I couldn’t swear there had been a camera there before, but it made sense. I immediately began searching for another entrance. I soon found it in the same indentation from which they had removed Lily earlier. At the back of the small cave, was a series of hand hewn steps, and to my eyes they looked like they had been hollowed out centuries or even eons ago.

They came out of the cavern some twenty steps later, on a small outcropping facing east and about forty feet above the sea. I could see the unknown ship on the horizon, headed south. I quickly returned to the Cécile.