Chapter 83

My thoughts were jerked back to the present by a message coming in my earpiece.

"Jon, the lookout just informed me that they are arriving at the dock in two limos. You better paddle a little faster or you ain't gonna make it. Jubal and I are already here and are wondering if you got lost and need us to find you."

"Very funny, you old reprobate. I am just about there and should be climbing up to where you are standing in plain sight. Get down, just in case they have binoculars and are looking for threats. This guy is super paranoid."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't think about that. Where the hell are you?"

"Look down and be glad I am not hunting you."

When he did, the look on his face caused me to snort and then laugh out loud at his expression. I heard a murmured, "smartass", before he disappeared from my line of sight. When I climbed out of the water, pulling off my diving flippers, they were both behind a log watching me with grinning faces.

"'Bout time you got here, slowpoke. We have been waiting for five minutes for you to finally arrive."

"Jubal, you were climbing out of the water as I swam up, so don't even start. Besides, from what I saw, Farley was here several minutes before you were."

That got me a dirty look and a grin from Farley before I settled in, digging the small but powerful binoculars out of my waist pouch. I panned the glasses over the open water in front of us and realized we had inadvertently picked the perfect spot to set up our little ambush. The buoys were directly in front of us, and outgoing traffic had to swing in close to the point we were on to navigate the shallow waters. We would have time to search for the briefcase before the harbor police could get up to speed and come our way. I pointed the glasses towards the yacht in time to catch the reflection of headlights off the water as the limos pulled up, disgorging their human cargo. The guards piled out first, forming a perimeter and checking the area before they signaled their clients to come out. I inhaled sharply as I recognized the first person out of the front limo. It was Maurice, and he was dressed in a suit and seemed to be in charge of the bodyguards. Damn, I thought, I wish he wasn't in the middle of this, but I was realistic and knew he took his chances like any other paid soldier. The next person out threw me for a bigger loop as it was Breedon's father, the attaché to the French embassy. He claimed, at least to Interpol when they spoke to him, that he hadn't seen nor had any idea where his son was. To me, this answered my and Interpol's question as to where the money was coming from and I hoped our lookout got his picture. Then I watched as Issac and his other guests all piled out and from the smiles I could see, it looked like everyone was having a good time. Well, I thought, laugh it up because I would have the last laugh. If he hadn't put an open contract on the ones I loved, I wouldn't be here and he wouldn't be dying tonight. I passed the glasses to Farley and pointed to the boat. I watched as he looked the people over and I heard him sharply inhale like I had. We had all seen close up pictures of almost everyone on the dock. For the most part, they were wanted for so many crimes it was like a who's who of international criminals.

"Damn, Jon, if we pull this one off, we will kill half the terrorists wanted by your country as well as several others. I think we hit the jackpot, my friend. Here, Jubal, take a look at some of the most wanted men in the world."

He handed the glasses to Jubal and grinned at me. We got comfortable behind the large tree and waited. To me, like any other mission I had been on, this was the hardest part, the waiting. I heard the diesel motors of the boat start and then a few muffled shouts coming across the water. I strained to hear what was being shouted. Then I realized it was just the deckhands shouting orders to cast off. Jubal handed me back the glasses, stretched out, and seemed to go to sleep. I looked at Farley in a questioning manner and he grinned.

"Don't pay any attention to him, Jon, he's young and dumb and full of...

"Oh shut up, Farley, before I start telling Jon about some of your drunken girlfriends and the tricks you used to pull to get your ugly ass laid."

I lost it and was chuckling so hard I couldn't focus the glasses on the boat, which was slowly coming around the point. I finally got myself under control and spoke up before they got into one of their arguing matches again.

"Ok, you two, don't start. Farley, when they get in front of us set the charges off."

"That's just a little too close, don't you think?"

"No, they will still be on deck and that is the shallowest part of their voyage. I don't want to have to spend too much time searching for the briefcase because the harbor police will be out in full force. If we lay flat and hug the ground, the tree should protect us from any debris."