Chapter 29

The trip to Dubrovnik had not been without incident. Even though the Soviets had not committed many naval units to the Mediterranean, the definition of many depended on if you were floating on the surface or skulking along as carefully as possible underwater.

Meeting with Josh's commando squad proved an experience in itself. Sergeant 'Manny' Helrod Josh's 2IC reminded David of competent NCO's he had served with. He was a shortish man built like a brick outhouse. His head looked like a bullet, his eyes never left David during their first get-to-gether in the cramped officers mess on the Sub. They were somewhere in the Bay of Biscay at the time, and running deep and as silent as they could. Josh was explaining the extraction to the men.

He was telling them where they were going, who their target was. He then placed some maps of the city of Dubrovnik on the table and asked for input. His men leaned over the maps and started talking quietly about Embs, Bimbling and Blagging, whatever in hell they were. The sergeant's voice cut through the quiet conversation. "And who would this Rupert be sir?" He didn't seem angry David was relieved to notice, just weighing up the situation.

"Well God bless you with tits and stockings Sergeant! You have cut right to the nub of the mission! This here," he said, grandly gesturing towards David, "is non of your fucking business! Call him Agent bloody X OK?" Josh was enjoying himself, and the squad — or stick, as David learned later, enjoyed the banter between their officers.

The sergeant scowled and not in the least put off by Josh's command, responded "Respectfully, sir, I don't bloody care if his name is the Queen of bloody Sheba! What I want to know is who is going to have to babysit the bugger!"

Josh chortled. "Manny, me old china! This here Rupert has more combat experience than all of us put together. But of course If I told you what he'd done..."

The squad groaned as one man and replied in unison, " ... you'd have to kill us"

The youngest looking soldier piped up, "Sir, that gets tired real quick you know."

"Maybe, maybe Stiller," Josh responded nodding his head gravely, "but true none-the-less. Now enough with the chatter, and lets look at the map shall we?"

All heads turned to the maps on the table. Well all heads except for the Sergeant, who continued to eye David.

They had made it safely to Gibraltar, refuelled, then slipped out and made their way to Malta. They didn't stay long, but they picked up a passenger.

They had not been under way long when David bumped into Julia. They were in the narrow corridor that ran between the officers ward room and mess and the officers cabins. David was dumbfounded. "What on earth are you doing here Julia?" he hissed.

She smiled and and stroked his cheek. "My love, I couldn't let you go on such a dangerous mission with out me could I?"