The Isle of Devils HOLY WAR (16 page)

Storm asked, “What in the hell are they going to use these boats for? These are all very expensive boats.” Storm was right. Each one of the ten speedboats was worth a fortune. These boats had huge inboard motors on them and must have been equipped with every electronic device imaginable.

Savage added, “Maybe these guys are planning to use them to escape from the tanker before it explodes.”

Storm replied, “I don’t think so. Suicide bombers usually aren’t thinking about getting away. I can see that Hooda and Imad would, but not the rest of the terrorists.”

Savage began looking into one of the speedboats and said, “Storm, help me up into this boat so I can look around.” Storm gave him a boost, and then Savage turned around and helped pull Storm on the board.

Storm went below into the small storage area of the boat to look around. It didn’t take long for him to whisper up to Savage, “Look down here, Savage. This boat is stuffed full of explosives.”

Savage bent down to look in and said, “Holy crap! These terrorists are planning on striking multiple targets.”

Storm added, “It was bad enough that this tanker is a floating time bomb, but how in the hell are we going to deal with ten more high speed suicide bombers on the loose?”

Savage said, “Let’s check out a few of these other boats and make sure they’re loaded with explosives. Maybe we can tamper with each of them to make sure they won’t run.”

Storm replied, “That’s a good thought, but we probably don’t have much time plus they’ll be guarded most of the time.” The two went on to check three other boats. As they suspected, each of them was rigged with high explosives.” Storm whispered to Savage, “Look, the sentries are coming back. We’d better get out of here before we’re spotted.” Both men climbed out of the speed boat they were in and crawled under the speedboats and their steel bracings. Once back to the hatchway that they had escaped from Storm asked, “What should we try to do to those speedboats?”

Savage smiled and said, “Well, mate, I don’t have a clue. Do you think this might help?” He pulled out four drain plugs from the speedboats.

Storm replied, “You sly dog. Do you think they’ll catch on to the boats taking on water?”

Savage whispered back, “I don’t think they’ll notice; however, I also don’t think the boats will take on enough water before they reach their intended targets. They can’t be going very far to reach their targets.”

Storm replied, “Well, it’s a start anyway.” Before he could finish they both heard several terrorists heading their way. Storm whispered, “Quick, they may be coming to check on us. We have to get back down to the barge.” The two scrambled down the rickety steel stairway and managed to get back in place by the time the terrorists stepped through the hatchway. Storm and Savaged pretended to be sleeping.

The first terrorist on the barge thought they were sleeping. He kicked Storm in the side and yelled, “You slime! You look too comfortable. You don’t need any sleep. Tomorrow you’re going to die anyway.” He turned to the others and said, ”Come on. These infidels aren’t worth the air they’re breathing.” As the terrorist climbed the stairs he yelled back to Storm and Savage, “Since you infidels are dying tomorrow you won’t need any food or water.” The three terrorists laughed as they made their way up the stairs and through the hatchway.

After the hatch door had closed Storm looked over to Savage saying, ”Well brother, at least we found out one good bit of information.”

Savage added, “Actually, mate, two bits of information. First, we’ll be at our destination tomorrow. Secondly, I don’t think they’ll be back to check on us anymore.”

Storm smiled and said, “Not seeing them again won’t bother me anyway, and we’re not down and out yet. We’ll see who gets the last laugh tomorrow.”

Savage added, “Let’s get back on deck and try to figure out again where we’re going.” The two quietly raced up the stairway and when the coast was clear went out onto the tanker’s deck.

As they looked over the railing towards the west they could now see off in the distance what could be lights on shore. Storm whispered over to Savage, “I feel it in my bones. We must be heading for New York City Harbour.”

Savage, looking a little puzzled said, “Why do you think that, mate?”

With a grim look, Storm said, “With a terrorist plot of this grand scale it has to be New York City. Hooda would love nothing better than to show New York is still as vulnerable to attack today as it was on 911. Plus think about the new name on this tanker, “The Liberty” for the Statue of Liberty.”

Savage replied, “I bloody well hope you’re wrong, mate.”

Storm replied back, “If I’m right you’re right about one thing, Savage.”

Savage asked, “What?”

Storm replied, “It will be bloody.” The two went on about their business of removing the drain plugs from all of the speedboats.

The Venom of Cobra

It was now about two in the morning. Storm and Savage were lying low in one of the speedboats waiting for the dawn. Both men had dozed off. Finally Storm was awakened by some of the terrorists talking as they walked past the boats. Storm gave Savage a gentle tug on his shirt sleeve trying not to startle him. When Savage came around, Storm whispered, “Look, Savage. It looks like all the terrorists are heading towards the stern of the tanker. I wonder where they’re going?”

Savage sat up and said, “This must be it. Maybe they’re going to get final instructions.”

Storm replied, “If that’s the case, we’d better follow and find out what’s going on.” The duo climbed out of the speed boat and crossed over to the oil piping that ran parallel to the tanker’s railing. As the two crawled along under the piping it was evident the entire ship’s crew was going into the tanker’s mess hall.

As they got close to the mess hall hatch Savage said, “How are we going to get into the mess hall without being noticed?”

Storm looked around and replied, “Let’s go on around to the stern of the tanker and sneak into one of the hatches there. We can then bypass the mess hall, go into the galley and listen from there.” The two made their way into the galley and hid inside a broom closet just next to the double swinging door leading into the mess hall. From this location they could clearly hear anything being said. Storm and Savage figured that the entire group of about fifty terrorists must be in the mess hall now except for a small group controlling the tanker on the bridge. It was lucky for Storm and Savage that they were hidden in the closet; because to their surprise Hooda, Imad and a few body guards entered into the galley through the same hatchway as they had. Hooda wanted to make a grand entrance through the double swinging doors into the mess hall. As Hooda and his group entered the mess hall, Hooda raised his right arm giving the Cobra salute to his fellow terrorists. The room went wild as the terrorists all saluted back to Hooda and began yelling, “Cobra, Cobra, Cobra, death to the West.”

Hooda smiled and yelled, “Death to the infidels! The future is ours!” The room roared again. Hooda continued, “The Holy War is upon us. We will crush our evil foes. No one can stop us now. It is our destiny to destroy the West.” The mess hall got louder and louder with Hooda’s fellow terrorists reaching a mad frenzy.

Savage nudged Storm in the side and said, “These blokes have gone off the deep end. They’re out of control.”

Storm replied to Savage, “We’d better hope we’re not discovered right now. In their frame of mind they’d chop our heads off in a split second.” The two continued to listen.

Hooda went on to say, “This morning before dawn, while the infidels sleep, we will make Pearl Harbor look like child’s play. Paradise awaits us and hell awaits our enemies. By the time we enter Upper New York Bay no one will be able to stop us.” Hooda had to stop talking because of all the yelling and chanting.

Back in the broom closet Savage spoke, “Well, Storm, we now know the who, what, when, where and why.”

Storm snapped back, “That does us a hell of a lot of good. We’ve got no weapons and nothing to communicate with the outside world. Somehow we’ve got to get to the bridge and call for one hell of a backup team to stop these suicidal maniacs.”

Savage added, “Well look, mate. I’ll go out and arrest these blokes, and you head for the bridge to call your mates at the FBI.”

Storm replied, “I wish it was that easy, but why don’t I just kick your butt first.”

Back in the cabin, the terrorists had now calmed down so Hooda could continue talking. He added, “You all know your assignments. Now go and prepare for your destiny! We have very little time to prepare.” After another five minutes of yelling and chanting, the terrorists broke up the meeting and went to their assigned places for final preparation.

Storm and Savage waited for several minutes making sure all the terrorists had left the mess hall. Storm then moved towards the doors to see if the galley was clear and accidently knocked over a mop in the closet.

Savage whispered, “Don’t move. If someone’s out there maybe they’ll think it was a rat.”

Storm whispered back, “Don’t be silly! There’s no one out there. Hang on. I’ll show you.”

Just as he pushed open the doors about two inches, Storm got a very bad surprise. A barrel of an automatic weapon slid through the opening touching Storm’s head right between his eyes. A voice on the other side of the doors said, “Come out slowly, you coward, or I’ll blast your head off.”

Storm signaled Savage to stay put with his hand. He said to the terrorist, “Ok, ok, don’t shoot. I’m coming out.” He slowly pushed the doors open and stepped out.

The terrorist quickly glanced into the closet, making sure it was empty. Somehow he missed seeing Savage. He turned back around to Storm saying, “Infidel! Move over to the hatch. Imad will be very glad to see you.”

Storm walked quickly towards the hatchway causing the terrorist to try to keep pace with him. While the terrorist was distracted by Storm’s quick movement, Savage stepped out of the closet with a mop in his hand. He took a few steps forward yelling, “Hey mate, what’s your big hurry?” The startled terrorist turned around only to find the side of his head being smacked by an old wet mop.

Before he could react to the mop blow, Storm kneed him in the groin; then he hit him in the head with a frying pan he had noticed on the stove. The terrorist dropped to the floor like a bag of potatoes.

Storm looked over at Savage and said, “Is that the best you could do? Did the Bermuda Police Academy teach you how to overpower a terrorist with a wet mop?”

Savage, a bit embarrassed and a bit mad, snapped back, “Well mate, you didn’t do much better with that frying pan.”

Storm smiled and added, “Well, at least I knocked him out. All you did was clean his face.”

Savage replied, “Alright, let’s tie and gag this bloody terrorist up and lock him in the closet.” Storm agreed. After dumping him in the closet they went through the hatchway back out onto the deck of the tanker.

In the pitch black of night, the two went unobserved by the tanker’s crew of terrorists. There were so many activities going on all over the tanker no one was going to notice Storm or Savage. Both Storm and Savage stared off to the northwest where on the horizon they could see the night lights of New York City. Savage thumped Storm on his arm pointing down to the pipes that ran along the tanker’s railing. Storm knew exactly what he meant. They both crawled under the piping, hoping to talk. Storm was the first to speak saying, “It’s clear what these scum bags are up to. How in the hell are we going to stop this suicide assault on New York? If they launch these speedboats then we’ll not only have the tanker to deal with, but ten more suicide bombers besides.”

Savage thought for a minute and said, “We’ve got no way to call for help or warn the city. If we don’t do something bloody quick, there will be thousands of innocent people killed.”

Storm added, “We’ve only got one shot at this, and we both already know what has to be done.”

Savage nodded saying, “Yeah, I know. We’ve got to blow this bloody ship up while it’s still out at sea. It’s going to make for one hell of an oil slick for someone to have to clean up.”

Storm smiled and said, “Well, old buddy, I think the environmentalists will forgive us.”

Gritting his teeth, Savage said, “Mate, there you go again. I may just have to kick your butt right now.”

Storm looked puzzled replying, “Now what? You have a problem with environmentalists?”

Savage snapped back, “Hell no! But if you call me an old man one more time you’re shark bait.”

Storm added, “Alright, Inspector. Let’s get this show on the road.” The two rolled out from under the pipes and ran back to the hatchway that led down to the explosives barge. Both men knew that their chances of survival were next to nil.

The Suicide Mission

Storm and Savage quickly made their way onto the explosives barge. Without wasting any time Savage pulled out the detonator crate and opened it up. After looking at the detonator for a couple of minutes Savage said, “Mate, this is really strange. Before we were looking at this detonator and trying to figure out how to defuse it. Now we’re looking for ways to set this dirty bomb off.” Neither Storm or Savage were very excited about the prospects of detonating the device, especially since they were going to be on the tanker when it exploded. Both men carefully continued to tinker with the device trying to figure out the mechanism.