Mega 3: When Giants Collide (Mega Series) Page 14

  “Yeah,” Darren said, “I can’t believe the man is gone.”

  “But we aren’t,” Ballantine said, “keep that in mind, Mr. Chambers.”

  Darren nodded then looked over his shoulder at Tank Top.

  “That the guy that killed him?” Darren asked.

  “It is, but revenge isn’t part of the plan just yet,” Ballantine said. “Have patience and Popeye’s death will be honored properly.”

  “He says one word to me and I rip his throat out. Got it?” Darren snarled.

  “Fair enough,” Ballantine said. “Now, get below, grab some food and rest. We’re running now, there’s nothing you can do to make that happen any faster.”

  “Not hungry,” Darren said, “not tired.”

  “Bullshit,” Kinsey said, “you have that tired and hungry look all over your face. I know it better than anyone.”

  “Except me,” Gunnar said as he came up on deck. He glanced at the crew of the Monkey Balls and made sure to take a wide path around them. “Come on, D. We all need to eat, and talk.”

  “Oh?” Ballantine asked. “Anything I should sit in on?”

  “No,” Gunnar said.

  “How’s Max?” Kinsey asked.

  “He’s fine,” Gunnar said. “I have him patched up and sleeping down in the infirmary.”

  “I want to check on him before we hit the galley,” Kinsey said.

  “Yeah, sure,” Gunnar nodded.

  The ship lurched and everyone grabbed what they could, even if it was another person, to keep from falling.

  “That’s new,” Kinsey said.

  “I have had Cougher apply some of Moshi’s technology to our engines,” Ballantine said, as they all felt the ship begin to move swiftly through the water. After a few seconds, the force of the momentum evened out and everyone was able to steady themselves again. “Excellent. We didn’t explode.”

  “Was that a possibility?” Kinsey asked.

  “It’s always a possibility when you’re around me,” Ballantine smiled then turned and walked away. He nodded to Tank Top before he ascended the stairs up to the briefing room.

  “That man is insane,” Darren said.

  “That’s what we need to talk about,” Gunnar said. “I’ve been chatting with Dr. Morganton and we both think something isn’t adding up.”

  “When does it ever add up with Ballantine?” Kinsey asked.

  “Never, but this adds up less than usual,” Gunnar said. “That’s why I need your input.”

  “Fine,” Kinsey shrugged, “let’s talk.”

  Shane and Gunnar started to move away, but stopped when Darren didn’t follow.

  “‘Ren?” Kinsey asked. “You coming?”

  She saw where he was looking and took his arm.

  “Not yet,” Kinsey said as she glared at Tank Top. “Let Ballantine do his voodoo then we’ll gut this fuck and throw him overboard.”

  “I get to gut him,” Darren stated.

  “No problem,” Kinsey replied, “But right now, Gunnar needs to talk with us.”

  Darren shook his head and nodded. “Sure. I’ll be right down. I need to check in with Lake first.”

  He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek then took off for the stairs to the bridge.

  “He’s going to crack,” Gunnar said.

  “No shit,” Kinsey nodded as she rubbed at the spot where he kissed her.

  ***

  “How you holding up?” Darren asked Lake as he stepped onto the bridge.

  “Oh, I’m great, man,” Lake smirked as he sat in front of the wheel, his left leg in a heavy brace and propped on a stool next to him. “Plan on doing some jogging later.”

  “Marty, I’m sorry about your leg,” Darren said, “and everything else that’s happened since we lost the Hooyah and got mixed up with Ballantine.”

  “Popeye was the best of us,” Lake said as he turned away from Darren and focused on the horizon. “That man was pure good inside.”

  “Yeah, he was,” Darren said, “and when this is done we’ll take care of the man that killed him. Our way. Not Ballantine’s way, not Thorne’s way, but our way. This is between the old crew and that fuck. This isn’t Team Grendel business.”

  “I’m glad to hear you say that,” Lake said, “because Team Grendel has enough business to deal with.”

  He nodded to the refugee crew that stood on the deck below then looked Darren in the eye.

  “You sure they aren’t going to be a problem?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure of anything anymore,” Darren said, “but Shane and Lucy are up top with eyes on the crowd. Ballantine said there’s only a handful of mercs in there and the rest are just sailors hired to run their ship.”

  “Won’t be a ship for long,” Lake said as he looked down at the instruments in front of him. “It’s going to be shrapnel in about five minutes.”

  “Will we be clear of the blast?” Darren asked.

  Lake laughed and shook his head. “If the engines don’t burn up, then we’ll be well clear of the blast. We just hit seventy knots and we haven’t leveled out yet.”

  Darren moved close and studied the same readings.

  “We’re going to burst into flames, aren’t we?” he asked.

  “More than likely,” Lake nodded, “so go find me a beer and a sandwich so I don’t die thirsty and hungry.”

  Darren laughed and patted his old friend on the shoulder. “Sure thing, Marty. I’m heading to the galley anyway.” He moved to the doorway. “Has Ballantine told you where we’re going?”

  “Same coordinates as before,” Lake said, “but that’s as specific as he’s been.”

  “Typical,” Darren nodded.

  “Know what else is typical? You standing there instead of getting me my beer,” Lake grumbled.

  “On it,” Darren grinned as he took off out of the bridge.

  ***

  “How many can you take in say, four seconds?” Shane asked Lucy as they sat up in the crow’s nest, their sniper rifles trained on the men below. “I could probably hit six and kill five.”

  “I’d kill six,” Lucy said. “That .338 doesn’t quite have the same power as my .50.”

  “Like fuck it doesn’t,” Shane replied. “Okay, well, maybe not, but it’s fucking close.”

  “Fucking close doesn’t win any cigars,” Lucy said.

  “That reminds me,” Shane said as he pulled a joint from his pocket and sparked it. “Ahhhh, that’s the stuff.”

  “Give me that,” Lucy said, plucking the joint from Shane’s fingers so she could take her own drag. He started to reach for it, but she slapped his hand away as she took another drag.

  “You’ve been hanging out with me and Max too much,” Shane laughed when she finally gave it back.

  “When in Rome,” she smiled after exhaling, “especially when Rome is right and that shit does actually make you a better shot once you get used to it.”

  “Takes nerves right out of the equation,” Shane said.

  “Unless you count paranoia,” Lucy said.

  “Pshaw, paranoia is for sorority girls and high school kids,” Shane said, “not seasoned professionals like us.”

  “Hey!” Lucy yelled down as two men moved closer together instead of keeping two feet between them as they’d been instructed to do by Darby. “Separate!”

  “Do I need to handle it?” Darby asked over the com.

  “Nope,” Lucy replied, “all good from here. You keep having your reunion and we’ll hold down the fort.”

  Darby, who was standing just outside of arms reach from Bokeem, turned and looked up at the crow’s nest. Shane gave her a wave.

  “Are you two stoned?” Darby asked.

  “Are you a scary mother fucker that likes watching guts splash onto deck boards?” Shane replied.

  Darby didn’t answer.

  “Yes, we’re stoned,” Shane said.

  “Good,” Darby replied, “you’re easier to deal with when you’re stoned. Just don’
t fall asleep. It’s not the time for an adrenaline crash. Eyes open and alert.”

  “You’re my brother’s girlfriend, not mine,” Shane smirked. “You can’t tell me what to do.”

  “Want to test that?” Darby asked.

  “No, ma’am,” Shane replied quickly.

  “Good,” Darby said again then turned her attention back to Bokeem.

  “Such a trusting, pleasant soul,” Shane said.

  “Like Mother Theresa if Mother Theresa had healed the sick with knives and bullets,” Lucy added.

  “Hallelujah,” Shane laughed.

  ***

  “Your snipers are high?” Bokeem asked Darby.

  “They are,” Darby said.

  “The one with the patch is Shane Reynolds, right?” he asked.

  “Yep,” Darby responded.

  Bokeem nodded then whistled and held his hand up. The men that stood on the deck all quit talking and looking around and focused their attention only on him. He pointed up at the crow’s nest then shook his head. Darby waited as he made eye contact with each and every man.

  “You still do that whistle thing, I see,” Darby said. “Good idea to tell them not to fuck around while my people are up there.”

  “Who’s to say I didn’t give the signal to attack?” Bokeem smiled.

  “Because if you wanted them to die then you would have left them on your ship,” Darby said.

  “True,” Bokeem replied and the smile faded away. “Gonna miss that ship.”

  “There’re always more ships,” Darby said, “trust me.”

  “Yeah, but that was the first one where I was captain,” Bokeem said. “Not sure if Tank will agree to that again.”

  “If you make it out of this alive,” Darby said.

  “You mean, ifwe make it out of this alive,” Bokeem said.

  Darby only nodded.

  “Ballantine,” Bokeem laughed, “he has this all under control, doesn’t he?”

  “I doubt that,” Darby said.

  “Really?” Bokeem asked, surprised. “Are the boss and the guard dog not getting along?”

  “I haven’t been the guard dog in a long time,” Darby said.

  “Right,” Bokeem smirked.

  Darby stared at him until the smirk faded away.

  “Fine. Whatever you say, Darby,” Bokeem said, “but we both know you owe that man more than just one lifetime. If I believed in reincarnation, I’d say you’ll be paying your debt until you reach Nirvana.”

  “My debt is paid,” Darby said. “If Ballantine doesn’t think so, then that’s his problem and not mine.”

  “His problem and not mine?” Bokeem echoed. “Wow, you really have gone off the Ballantine reservation, haven’t you?”

  “Hey!” Lucy shouted from above.

  Darby whirled around and saw Tank Top stop with his hands held above his head.

  “It’s good,” Darby said into the com then waved Tank Top over.

  “You’re not afraid we can take you?” Tank Top asked as he sidled up next to Bokeem. “Kind of reckless, Darby.”

  “Reckless would be for either of you to get close enough for me to grab you,” Darby said, “or have you forgotten Taipei?”

  Tank Top and Bokeem both crossed their arms and glared.

  “No, I see you haven’t forgotten Taipei,” Darby said.

  “What happened in Taipei?” Shane asked over the com.

  “Yeah, I want to know too,” Lucy added.

  “Get off the com!” Darby snapped. “It’s not cool to eavesdrop on a private conversation!”

  “Geez, sorry,” Lucy said.

  “You’re standing around a dozen men,” Shane replied. “I’d hardly call that private.”

  “If I have to come up there, I’d hardly call you living,” Darby growled.

  “Right. Eavesdropping is bad,” Shane said. “Com is off now.”

  “Sounds like a really disciplined Team,” Tank Top smirked.

  “More than you ever were,” Darby replied.

  “Ouch, that hurts,” Tank Top said.

  Darby kicked him in the balls, sending him to his knees.

  “No. That hurts,” Darby said. She looked at Bokeem and hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “I’m going to go sit in the shade over there and watch all of you assholes bake in the sun. You two have fun.”

  Bokeem waited until Darby was across the ship and sitting in the shade of the superstructure before he helped Tank Top stand up.

  “I guess she hasn’t stopped being a ball buster,” Bokeem said.

  “Fuck you,” Tank Top squeaked. “You can kiss my-”

  The Monkey Balls exploded into a massive fireball and everyone literally hit the deck.

  “Shit,” Bokeem said once the explosions subsided and he picked himself up. “Truly the end of an era.”

  He looked down and saw Tank Top just lying there.

  “You alright, Tank?”

  “Yeah, I’m good,” Tank Top replied, “but I figure there’s no reason to get up again since I’m sure something will just send me back down. You know, for a man without a dick, I sure get a lot of action down there.”

  “Oh, quit your bitching,” Bokeem said, his eyes finding Darby again. “We aren’t out of the game yet.”

  “Ballantine’s pretty sure we were never in the game,” Tank Top replied.

  “Ballantine lives in his world,” Bokeem said, “and we live in ours. We wipe out his world and we can make ours whatever we want it to be.”

  “Too philosophical for me right now,” Tank Top replied. “My nuts hurt. Once they stop throbbing, then I’ll have you run that by me again.”

  “No worries, brother,” Bokeem said. “You just lay there and rest your nuts, but remember, we still have a job to do. The real job.”

  Tank Top closed his eyes and gave Bokeem a thumbs up.

  ***

  The galley mess was empty except for Gunnar and Kinsey. They both gripped the edge of the table they sat at while they waited for the far off sounds of the explosions finally to be done.

  “You think that will scare off the shark?” Kinsey asked Gunnar.

  “The shock waves and sonic disruption it’ll create should at the very least disorient the creature,” Gunnar said. “Hopefully, that gives us enough time to get away.”

  “With how fast this ship is going now, I’d be surprised if we didn’t,” Kinsey said.

  Gunnar only shrugged.

  “What?” Kinsey asked.

  “It’s just a hunch I have,” Gunnar said. Dr. Morganton came into the mess on shaky legs and Gunnar waved her over. “A hunch we both had.”

  “Should I get my dad?” Kinsey asked as Dr. Morganton sat down. “If this is about Ballantine then maybe he should hear it too.”

  “No, not yet,” Gunnar said. “I want to talk this out before we go to Vincent.”

  “If we’re wrong, then we could add to your father’s already heavy suspicion of Ballantine for no reason,” Dr. Morganton said. “I would have to guess that during a high stress time like this, it wouldn’t be good for his performance as a leader or, well, considering his age, it wouldn’t be good for his health.”

  “My dad is in great health,” Kinsey argued.

  “Your father is in his sixties,” Dr. Morganton. “He may be in great health, but there is always added risk for man his age.”

  “What’s an added risk for a man my age?” Thorne asked as he stepped into the mess. Everyone looked away. “Now I really need to know.”

  “Hey, I’m back, sorry,” Darren said as he came jogging in then he saw Thorne and Dr. Morganton. “I thought this was just a chat for us three.”

  “Dr. Morganton knows Ballantine in a professional way we don’t,” Gunnar said. “I thought her perspective would be helpful.”

  “And mine wouldn’t be?” Thorne asked.

  “Uh-oh,” Darren laughed as he took a seat at the table, “Vinny wasn’t invited, was he?”

  Thorne took a seat and glared
at everyone.

  “I just invited myself, so spill the fucking beans before I reach up your ass and pull them out of you,” Thorne grumbled.

  “Charming,” Dr. Morganton said.

  “Wasn’t supposed to be,” Thorne said.

  “Here’s how I see it,” Gunnar started. “Ballantine hasn’t told us anything about the company. We don’t know a single fact other than a routing number to our bank accounts. I checked the routing number and it leads to another one and another one and so on.”

  “Which is typical of shadow organizations,” Thorne said. “They wouldn’t be very good if they just handed us their debit card.”

  “True,” Gunnar said, “but what’s really been bothering me is our first mission. Perry, Horace, and Longbottom were supposedly from the company, but they didn’t act like it.”

  “They had gone rogue,” Darren said, “except for that woman, Horace. She was on Ballantine’s side.”

  “They had a relationship,” Dr. Morganton confirmed, “but I’m not sure anyone is on Ballantine’s side.”

  “Exactly,” Gunnar said, “like you, Dr. Morganton, are you on his side?”

  “Well, I guess,” Dr. Morganton. “He’s helped me out of a lot of trouble over the years.”

  “Because you work for the company,” Gunnar nodded.

  “Yes,” Dr. Morganton agreed.

  “How many of the company’s executives have you met?” Gunnar asked.

  “None that I know of,” Dr. Morganton said.

  “They’d insulate themselves,” Thorne said.

  “True,” Gunnar nodded, “but you’ve at least met other scientists or division heads, right?”

  “No,” Dr. Morganton replied, “I’ve already told you this.”

  “Right, right, but you haven’t told them,” Gunnar said.

  “Again, divisions may never have contact with each other,” Thorne said. “With the type of company we’re dealing with, they’d be smart to keep everyone separate.”

  “I’m not disagreeing with that,” Gunnar said, “but here’s the thing I don’t get. Why is the company coming after Ballantine now? Why send a bunch of mercs, Somali pirates, and Mexican drug cartels to hunt him down? Why not just kill him when they see him next? Why not just cut off our funding, fire us all, and then pick us off one by one? Why not just hand us over to the Somalis, to the cartels, to the mercs? If a company like this is so powerful and so connected, then why aren’t we already dead?”