Chapter 145: On the Cusp

"You did good, with Mary Ellen," Alex said to me.

"I'm sure she thinks the motivation was pure jealousy and she would be a little right," I said it with a laugh. "Anyway that's one problem out of the way. We need to talk about the captain."

"What about him?" Alex asked.

"He says he is going to surrender the ship and cargo, if we are challenged," I informed him.

"Well, he sure as hell isn't going to do that," Alex replied forcfully.

"Well then you need to search the belongings of the crewmen. I don't want to see any surprise weapons on crunch day, if there even is one." I said.

"I can do that, I'll take one of the guys and do a shakedown inspection. I'm writing their checks, so they better go alone or they are gone at the next stop." He informed me.

I went back to working on my tan while Alex conducted the search personally. I was almost asleep in the shade of the wheelhouse, when he returned. "Well were there any surprises?"

"I'm pretty sure one of them is gay, but no guns or explosives," he admitted.

"Then the captain will have to pass out weapons, if he intends to surrender the ship. People with weapons don't look very docile to pirates, I'm sure. So he isn't going to want to show weapons. It's kind of a toss up whether he and the crew will try to stop us. My original plan should work. just add him to the rest of the crew and detain them in the mess hall until the issue is resolved one way or another."

"Always something ain't it," Alex suggested.

"Usually and seldom are they good things. I figure we need to just play along with the captain since he thinks we are gun runners. He might just be on the pirates payroll and not know it. They are getting information somewhere. At least, I think they are. They may be just random acts. Like if you cross their path on the right day of the week, when the stars are aligned just so, but I doubt it."

"I know it's hard to believe in random events, but I guess now and then they do happen." Alex said.

"Do you know where your friend Jeff stopped before he got to the Somalia waters?" I asked.

"Some little port I can't pronounce. It was about a hundred miles north of Somalia." he informed me.

"Then we should stop there as well. That might be the link to the pirates. Put in for fuel or something." I suggested.

"That sounds like reasonable plan. We can be as sloppy as possible with our security and maybe someone will bite." he said in agreement.

"This part of the trip was supposed to be pure vacation, but it looks like there are lingering issues, like the captain, and Mary Ellen, which are going to make me work after all," I said, and then I laughed.

"I guess I am paying you for an hours work and to make sure things go our way. That's a hell of a pay rater for an hours work."

"It would be, if there weren't the Captain and Mary Ellen type issues coming up during my supposed downtime. Did that sound a little like Gilligan's island to you?" I asked with a laugh.

"Nobody is going to mistake me for the professor or Mr Howell," he said smiling

"Or me for Ginger," I admitted. Let's drop that train of thought, before we try to figure out what shows that cast of oddballs you have assembled, might be from. I don't think many of them are comedy material."

"I can agree with that for sure. So tell me about this TV show of yours?" he suggested.

"No way, that thing isn't mine and it is what it is nothing more, I hope." I replied.

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"It means, I hope they don't try to make the show more dramatic than it really is. I don't need people calling me looking for drama." I admitted.

"Yeah, that could be a problem, I suppose." he said. "I found you because we have mutual friends."

"Actually we don't. Those guys are sponsors of the show. Trying to clean up their crappy image. They want to show a kinder gentler side of Mercenaries. I don't know how they plan to edit the shows to do that. It looks to me like the gigs they want to send me on are just to make good PR. Of course this is just the second one."

"They have nothing to do with this gig," he said.

"Don't kid yourself someone is matching your ten grand, or I might not be here," I admitted.

"Those guys are matching my pay for you to be here?" he asked.

"I didn't say that. I have no idea where the money is coming from my lawyer/agent said the show was matching it. Who, at the show is anybody's guess."

"I'm not sure I like that," he said

"Why is that Alex. You got me on a half price sale. You should be thrilled."

"Well, we still don't know if you are worth what I'm paying, let alone twice that," he said. There just a little edge to his voice.

"Well by the time you find out, it is going to be too late to ask for a refund. You trusted the opinion of the Admiral, until you found out he had an interest in the outcome of the game. Do you think he would lie to you just to plant a ringer on you?" I asked.

"No of course not. He and I go back all the way to the Delta and the DMZ." Alex said simply.

"Then you need to just trust him and me. I can keep you guys out of jail, and still get your lessons taught."

"Okay, I'm going to take a walk about this small ship," he said.

"Where is everybody else?" I asked.

"In my cabin playing poker. I got tired of it. Mine is the only cabin big enough to have a game. I have no idea what they will do when I tell them to leave." Alex explained.