Gloria, who had been staring at the computer screen, looked up. “You mean instead of hooking me to a harness and swinging me over the side of the balcony, we could have used a ladder?” she asked incredulously, her gaze shifting to her cousin.
Millie shrugged. “In the heat of the moment, I didn’t think about that. It’s not like I work in maintenance.”
Annette hustled to the door. “I’m going to get the ladder and Andy, along with maintenance and security.”
She returned a short time later with Andy and Oscar, both of whom had been monitoring the mic Annette had placed inside the vent outside the engine room. Last, but not least, was Frank, the head of maintenance.
“Oscar is going into the apartment. Annette is the only one small enough to crawl through the vent,” Andy said. “Security and the undercover agents will be in charge of the rest of the rescue mission.”
He gave Millie a stern look. “You…” He shifted his gaze to include all the girls. “Are to stay out of this and leave it to the professionals.”
Millie frowned.
Gloria sighed heavily.
“Too bad we don’t have a gun,” Lucy said. “If the hijackers were able to kidnap Danielle, any one of us could be in danger.”
“Oh no!” Andy shook his head. “The last thing we need is for one of you to accidentally shoot yourself.”
“I would never shoot myself or anyone else…that I don’t want to,” Lucy replied indignantly.
“She’s a weapons expert,” Gloria said.
“A sharp shooter,” Ruth added.
“This isn’t your run-of-the-mill granny,” Margaret agreed.
“No guns for the girls,” Oscar said firmly. “Except for Annette.”
“Annette is taking on the engine room?” Millie asked incredulously.
A man Millie hadn’t noticed before stepped forward and nodded. He was the same one Millie had seen hanging around guest services and she had approached earlier to ask if he needed assistance…John. “From her vantage point in the vent, she will have the element of surprise. Otherwise, the engine room is basically impenetrable and we won’t have a shot at securing the area.”
Oscar stepped forward to introduce the man. “Jim Kelly, special operations agent and first in command.”
Jim Kelly spoke again. “The cruise line is unable to meet the demands of the hijackers. We know they will carry through on their threat to kill their hostages so we must move now.”
He turned to Oscar. “Let’s go back to the temporary command post to run through the plan one last time. “These are the women who set up surveillance in Captain Armati’s apartment?”
“Yes,” Andy nodded.
Kelly hardened his jaw. “Under no circumstances are any of you to interfere with the rescue of the staff and crew. Is that understood?”
“Or else what?” Millie challenged.
“I’ll have you arrested,” Jim Kelly replied.
Chapter Nineteen
Annette checked the safety lock on the gun and then tucked it into the waistband of her pants. She stared at the ladder and then lifted her gaze as she studied the opening of the vent. “Here goes nothing. Wish me luck.”
Felippe, one of the ship’s security officers, nodded. “Shoot ‘em dead, Annette.”
He watched as Annette climbed the ladder and disappeared inside the vent before quietly making his way down the narrow hall to join the armed agents hiding behind a row of large, square mechanical boxes directly across from the engine room door.
***
Annette lowered onto her hands and knees and cautiously crept along the inside of the metal vent. It had been years since the last time she’d gone in under cover and attempted to take out a criminal element.
A rush of adrenaline surged through her body and her heart began to race. She prayed her aim was still dead on. There would be no second chance. As soon as the hijackers figured out where the gunfire was coming from, her cover would be blown and it would be all over.
Based on what limited information she’d been given, there were four crew and three hijackers inside the engine room. Annette’s gun clip had plenty of bullets, although the hijackers would have at least triple that.
Annette reached the end of the vent, slipped her fingernail under the edge of the cover and gently pulled it off. The opening was small but still large enough for her to not only get a visual of the exit door, but also get the tip of her gun through. It would have to be enough.
She studied the room carefully and discovered she was in luck. All four of the ship’s engine crew were seated in front of the computer monitors while two hijackers stood guard behind them.
Annette’s eyes darted around the room as she searched frantically for the third accomplice. He was nowhere in sight and she was out of time. She aimed her gun and pointed it at the exit door.
Ping! Ping!
“What was that?” The hijackers darted across the room and over to the door. The first hijacker to reach the door pushed it open and peeked around the corner.
Ping! Someone on the other side of the door fired off another shot.
The two hijackers, under fire from the outside, flattened their bodies against the wall and began to back into the engine room.
Unfortunately, for them, this put them directly into Annette’s line of fire.
Annette narrowed her gaze and squeezed the trigger of the gun in rapid succession. Pop! Pop!
Two for two. She was certain she’d hit both of them on her first try but fired off a couple more rounds just to be safe.
The room erupted in chaos as the third hijacker; the one Annette hadn’t been able to get a visual on, materialized from behind the row of computer equipment.
“Stay there!” He waved his gun at the hostages, who quickly dropped back into their seats.
Annette turned the gun and aimed at the last standing hijacker. As if feeling her eyes on him, he shifted his gaze and their eyes met as he spied her through the vent hole. He lifted his assault rifle.
It was now or never. Pop! Pop, Pop! Annette fired off three quick shots, hitting him in his trigger arm, his shoulder and his right leg.
The man stumbled back and lost his grip on the gun.
Two of the ship’s crew quickly overpowered the third hijacker while the other two crewmembers lunged at the injured hijackers and easily wrestled the weapons from them.
Annette studied the scene closely. When she was certain the ship’s crew had the situation under control and the hijackers were no longer armed, she wiggled backward out of the vent.
When she reached the opening, she slid out of the hole and down the narrow ladder, still clutching the gun.
Annette strode down the narrow hall that led to the engine room. A small movement caught her eye. “Hello?”
Felippe, along with three men dressed in street clothes, crawled out of the narrow space behind a row of metal equipment.
The men quickly raced into the engine room. Annette followed behind, stopping just inside the doorway. She had managed to hit all three of them in the leg, the arm and the shoulder, right where she’d aimed.
“Nice shots,” Felippe said admiringly.
Annette nodded. “Thanks. We better get medical down here to get them bandaged up and then take them to the cooler.”
She unclipped the radio from her belt and handed it to one of the hijackers, all the while keeping her gun pointed at his temple. “But before we do, radio your comrades and tell them they need to get down here. You have an emergency!”
***
The girls huddled around the monitor and watched the scene unfold in front of the engine room door.
After the undercover agents, along with Annette and Felippe, disappeared inside the engine room, Ruth switched screens to the one outside the bridge.
The door to the bridge flew open and two tall muscular men burst out of the bridge.
Jim Kelly, the special agent, along with two of the ship’s armed security crew, fought wit
h the hijackers in a desperate attempt to wrestle their guns away.
A third gunman raced out of the bridge and rushed toward the melee underway.
Millie gasped and quickly covered her mouth. “Oh no!”
The third hijacker tackled special agent Kelly. The men fought hard and it looked as if the criminal was gaining the upper hand when suddenly his body grew limp. He stared sightlessly at Agent Kelly and then closed his eyes.
Jim Kelly shoved the man’s body to the side and came face-to-face with Captain Armati, who was holding a nine iron and breathing heavily.
Captain Armati dropped the golf club on the floor. “What took you so long?”
Millie pried her eyes from the screen and jogged across the suite as she made her way out onto the balcony where Oscar was waiting. “Time to go!”
Oscar flipped the fire ladder over the edge of Gloria’s balcony and scampered down the ladder. He quickly vaulted over the side and onto the balcony below…Captain Armati’s balcony.
The room was empty except for Captain Armati’s Yorkie, Scout, who darted over and began pawing at his leg.
Oscar reached down and patted his head. “I’ll be right back, fella, but first, I have to take care of some business.”
Oscar started across the room as he headed toward the bridge when he heard a thumping noise coming from behind a closed door on the other side of the captain’s compact living room.
He made his way over to the door and slowly turned the knob, all the while clutching his gun in his right hand.
He peered around the corner and lowered his gaze. Bound and gagged inside the captain’s bathroom were Dave Patterson, Head of Security, Purser Donovan Sweeney and Amit.
Oscar met Patterson’s eyes and he smiled. “Hang tight. I’ll be right back, boss.”
Oscar mentally counted the captives in the closet. There were only three people unaccounted for: Captain Armati, Staff Captain Vitale and one more…the mole, aka, Russian born Ingrid Kozlov!
Oscar cautiously eased open the door that connected Captain Armati’s apartment to the bridge. He heard a commotion off to one side and opened the door a little wider for a better look.
“Oh no you don’t!” Staff Captain Antonio Vitale was trying desperately to keep a firm grip on Ingrid Kozlov’s waist. Ingrid elbowed Captain Vitale in the groin, which caused him to release his hold.
Seizing her opportunity, Ingrid yanked on the handle of the bridge’s side door as she attempted to flee.
Oscar flung the door all the way open and raced across the bridge. “Freeze or I’ll shoot!”
Ingrid let go of the doorknob, her arms falling to her sides.
Oscar lifted the gun and with great pleasure pointed it at the back of Ingrid Kozlov’s head. “Don’t move or I will gladly blow your head off.”
The hall leading to the bridge and the bridge itself exploded in a beehive of activity as security and secret agents cuffed the hijackers, including Ingrid Kozlov, and quickly escorted them to the holding cells in the bottom of the ship.
Oscar raced back into the captain’s apartment to free Purser Donovan Sweeney, Dave Patterson and Amit.
Captain Armati and Staff Captain Vitale, along with the crew in the engine room, quickly restored communications, fired up the ship’s engines and propulsion system and the ship began to move.
After the ship was in motion, Captain Armati contacted Majestic Cruise Lines’ headquarters to let them know the crew had regained control of the ship while the special agents phoned U.S. authorities in Miami to inform them of the ship’s status.
Millie couldn’t stand it a minute longer. She ran out of Gloria’s suite, down the hall and to the bridge. The other girls trailed behind.
When she reached the bridge, she crossed the threshold, her eyes scanning the room as she reassured herself that Captain Armati, Staff Captain Vitale, Amit, Dave Patterson and Donovan Sweeney were all safe.
“Where’s Danielle?” she asked Dave Patterson. “I don’t see Danielle.”
Patterson shuffled across the room and put an arm around Millie’s shoulder. “I’m sorry Millie. Danielle was throwing such a fit, the hijackers took her out right after she regained consciousness. I don’t know what happened to her,” he admitted.
Millie tilted her head to study Patterson’s expression. “I…do you think they killed her?” she asked fearfully.
“Surely they didn’t kill her.” Her lower lip began to quiver. “I would give anything to hear her voice again.”
“Like give up your lower bunk,” a familiar voice behind her teased.
Millie spun around and came face-to-face with a grinning Danielle.
Annette was directly behind her. “We found her tied up in the corner of the engine room with a piece of duct tape covering her mouth. Guess they couldn’t handle her either,” Annette joked.
Danielle gave her a dark look. “What a bunch of nincompoops. Why, you’d think they were afraid of lil ole me.”
Millie grabbed Danielle’s hand and pulled her close. “See what I have to put up with?” She eyed Andy and hugged Danielle.
Scout ran circles around the bridge, excited to see Millie, the captain and the rest of the crew.
Gloria bent down and picked up the small dog. “Why, aren’t you the cutest little pup in the world? I should take you home. Mally and Puddles would love you!” she gushed.
“Ah, you must be Millie’s cousin,” Staff Captain Vitale correctly guessed. “Would you like a brief tour of the bridge since you’re here?”
Gloria’s face brightened. “That would be awesome.”
Gloria, Liz and the others followed Staff Captain Vitale to the other side of the bridge.
“Millie, are you there?” Millie’s two-way radio went off. It was Nikki down in guest services.
Millie unclipped the radio and lifted it to her lips. “Yes, Nikki. The ship is back on track and we’re on our way to…” She turned to face Captain Armati and her heart skipped a beat as she gazed into his eyes.
The captain smiled and put both hands behind his back. “St. Croix. We shall arrive tomorrow morning after we put the ‘pedal to the metal’ as you Americans like to say.”
“Captain Armati said we will dock in St. Croix in the morning.”
Nikki groaned and Millie could sense the young woman’s frustration. She shifted her gaze from the captain to Andy. “Can someone make an announcement? The crew, staff and especially the passengers have been anxious.”
“Of course,” Captain Armati said. “Tell Nikki I will handle it.”
“Captain Armati is going to make an announcement via the intercom.” Millie lowered the volume on her radio and clipped it to her belt.
Millie turned her attention to the captain as she narrowed her eyes and studied his face. There was a noticeable purple bruise on his left cheek and dried blood near the corner of his mouth.
She instinctively reached out to touch the side of his face before jerking her hand back. “The hijackers roughed you up.”
Captain Armati touched the corner of his mouth with his index finger and wiggled his jaw. “It’s a little battle wound. I’ll be fine,” he assured her.
“I appreciate your concern, Millie.” His eyes sparkled when they met Millie’s eyes and a wave of heat rushed through her veins.
He tilted his head and lowered his voice. “Do you think we can reschedule our ruined dinner date?”
Millie’s face grew hot. “Y-yes. I…Yes.” She nodded and pressed her lips tightly together, fearful she was about to blurt out something embarrassing like “I love you.”
Andy strolled over and lightly tapped Millie’s shoulder, bringing her back to earth and her senses. “We better get back to work,” he whispered in her ear.
Danielle studied the large computer screen in the center of the bridge. “Maybe I don’t want to work security after all. I’m going to apply for the next open position in the bridge…maybe Ingrid’s!”
“That would be disastrous,” Annette
predicted.
Andy shook his head and smiled at Danielle. “Follow me, young lady. Your vacation is over,” he teased.
“Vacation?” Danielle gasped as she followed Millie and Andy from the bridge. “You think being shot at by hijackers, falling off the side of the ship, being knocked unconscious by a brute and then tied up was a vacation?”
Gloria, Andrea and Lucy turned to go. “Ladies!” the captain stopped them.
Gloria cringed and slowly turned, certain they were about to get a tongue-lashing.
Captain Armati took a step forward and extended his hand as he eyed each of them carefully, his gaze settling on Gloria. “So you are the infamous cousin Gloria.” He smiled.
“Y-yes sir.” She wasn’t sure what to do so she lifted her hand to her forehead and saluted him.
“At ease,” he teased. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for participating in our rescue.”
Lucy muscled her way closer. “Hey! What about us? What are we? Chopped liver?”
Lucy thrust her hand out. “Lucy Carlson, at your service.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lucy Carlson.”
Lucy pointed to Andrea. “This is Andrea Malone.”
Captain Armati lifted a brow. “Andrea Malone. Has anyone ever told you that you look a lot like Danielle?”
“As a matter of fact…” she shook his hand.
Annette and Amit hovered off to the side while the captain talked to Millie’s family.
Captain Armati looked solemnly at Annette and then the corners of his mouth turned up as he grinned. “Ah, Annette. Your cover is blown,” he teased. “When the dust settles, Millie will corner you for a full confession,” he warned.
Annette rolled her eyes. “I’m afraid you’re right.” She glanced at her watch. “I better get back to the kitchen.” She turned to Amit. “C’mon Amit. The party is over.”
Amit scrunched his brows. “What cover? What party?”
Annette linked her arm through Amit’s arm. “It’s a long, boring story and one we don’t have time for right now. As a matter of fact, we may never have time.”
Chapter Twenty
Cruise Control (Cruise Ship Christian Cozy Mysteries Series Book 6) Page 13
