It rang only once.
“Hey, Leaper. What’s up?” Declan yawned.
“Did I wake you?”
“Hell no. Maura’s had a craving. I’m making bacon burgers on the grill. Want to come over?” A sizzling noise filled the line. “I made ten of them.”
“Can you bring me one?” Something in Leaper’s gut didn’t want Kerry to be alone at the base this late at night. He could have brought it up to her before she left, but he didn’t want to give her an opportunity to say no. This way, he could show up with Declan, and they could hang out while she worked.
Of course, Leaper knew there was security at the base, but after the incident on the bridge, and the fact that he was so jumpy, he knew he’d be happier if he was close to Kerry. Having his swim buddy, Declan, guarding his six was another plus. If nothing came of the excursion and this odd feeling in his gut, at least Declan would have a nifty tour and Leaper could blame his nerves on something else. Maybe he’d blame it on the hamburger he was going to eat, though Declan did make a great burger. The key was the crisp bacon and the three different types of cheese stuffed inside. When you took a bite, the cheese just oozed out with all the yummy meat juices. Leaper’s mouth watered just thinking about it. “Put ketchup on mine.”
“Sure thing. Give me five minutes before I hit the road.” From the sounds Declan had been making, which Leaper had heard a hundred times before, he had closed up the grill, locked the back door, wrapped the burgers, and dumped the dishes in the sink.
“Good. I was hoping you might be up for an adventure. I’ve got this bizarre feeling that I can’t shake.” Leaper pulled his pants on and slipped on his shoes. “It could be boyfriend jitters. Damn, I can’t believe I just called myself someone’s boyfriend.”
“Not someone’s—Kerry’s. You’re Kerry’s boyfriend. Pretty cool, Leaper. I’m happy for you.” Declan cleared his throat. In a low tone, he added, “I trust your instincts. They’ve been right more times than I can count. Do I need gear?” That was their code for weapons, usually being two 9 mms, a Ka-Bar, and some additional hidden toys.
“Nah.” Leaper picked up his shirt and pulled it over his head. “I’ll meet you in front of the Marine Mammal base entrance.”
“Roger that.” The phone clicked off.
Leaper pocketed his phone and grabbed the keys to his scarred and battered backup hog, the one he held in reserve to scavenge pieces off of, if the occasion should arise. Right now, it just looked like a beat-up hunk of junk, but it functioned. Maybe he had more in common with it than he let himself consider.
The night air was cool, and it smacked at his face as he drove the motorcycle down First Street, onto Orange Avenue, and over the Coronado Bridge. The path was well-worn, and his motorcycle seemed to know the way as it sped along.
There were very few souls who would meet at any hour and at any place without a lengthy discussion. Declan was there, no matter what. They were brothers. Teammates. It was a bond more vital than anything Leaper had ever known.
Though Kerry…was coming very close. Her presence in his life was turning his personal rules of engagement upside down. He had never let a woman into his head and heart this intimately.
What would his friend say to this information? Leaper chuckled. Most likely, Declan would say About fucking time you fell for someone. And fuck it all, he was probably right. Perhaps Leaper was finally ready for the straight-and-narrow path, just like a regular, ordinary guy, which is something he never considered himself. As a SEAL, Leaper was prepared for all manner of issues, whether it would be by sea, air, or land. But this… Was he ready for full-time Kerry and full-time togetherness? The boat was still out on that question.
Chapter 9
Night was an ideal time for mischief. Even the fish were sleeping, or at the very least not biting yet. The world slowed down in the darkness. Clouds filled the San Diego night sky, obscuring whatever existed above, and only a few souls partied privately until dawn.
Morning was still several hours away, and the wee hours of the night were very quiet, especially on the bridge connecting Point Loma to nearby San Diego’s Lindbergh Field. The water below was still and the air smelled stagnant.
A skinny man scratched his nose and adjusted himself. He pulled out his phone, chose the phone number with the label StpUp, and sent a text. This moment is dedicated to you. Without your help, we never would have known where to go, how to enter, or what to do. I’m honored you chose me and I have this opportunity to lead others. Power to the People, as each of us chooses to willingly Step Up. He snapped the cover shut. Before he concealed the phone in an airtight, waterproof case, he wondered if he should ask his source who he was and why he was helping them. In the distance, he heard the call of a mockingbird mimicking a ringtone, and he shook off the brief moment of doubt.
The main purpose was that citizens take up the fight and act. Right? He nodded his head, answering his own question. “Time to begin.”
Holding a webcam at arm’s length, he spoke softly. “This is Octavius ‘Tavi’ Ploke, and we’re about to shake things up for the Navy.” He turned the camera toward the water. “Over there is the Marine Mammal base, and we’re going to ‘free Willy.’ Just kidding. We’re releasing dolphins and sea lions back into the wild.”
Pointing the camera at a piece of wrinkled paper, he said, “This is the note that began it all. It reads: ‘Here’s a challenge for those whose hearts are worthy. Open the cages at the Marine Mammal Program and let our aquatic friends go free. If you require help, open this bottle.’” He pointed to a blob of lines on the note. “This is a map to this very bridge. Now, I’m going to strap this camera to my head, and my friends and I are off to do some good.”
Darkness suits the night’s events, thought Tavi as he secured the webcam to his head mount. It’s doubtful the moon will make an appearance tonight. Tavi wore dark-blue board shorts and a black T-shirt sporting the phrase Saving It All in silver. He waved to two women and four men who stood in the shadows, urging them to walk onto the bridge.
A waterproof backpack was secured to his back with broad straps across his waist and chest. This was the first time he’d have a chance to use his gear, and Tavi was very excited.
He waved again, this time more frantically, and the small group moved in concert like lemmings, hurrying along the walkway of the bridge until they reached the far side. Only then did they catch their breath and wait for the next step.
Several cars approached. Their lights were overly bright, and Tavi was tempted to flip them off because they didn’t turn off their high beams, but he stopped himself. One battle at a time, he told himself. No sense calling attention to yourself.
“Look at the stars, Tavi,” said one of the women to him as she approached.
He sighed. Her name Lonettia, and she was not very good at being inconspicuous. Her blond hair was died black, and it was obviously a temporary color. It bled down her cheeks, following the path of her sweat. And her erratic movements screamed Pay attention to me.
A police vehicle sped by, going toward Point Loma. Luckily, the officer didn’t even slow down to see what this group was doing. Tavi liked the current state of affairs. Every citizen was on hyperalert and scared to confront anyone. They just made a mental note and sped by, afraid to comment or interfere with anyone else’s personal “freedom of expression.” That meant his pursuit of activist events went uninterrupted. Did society know how perfectly it was setting itself up? Not that he was complaining.
Tavi checked around the bridge to make sure no Coast Guard or Coastal Front Security boats were lurking about. When he was sure they were safe, he shattered the closest streetlight with a well-aimed rock. He then tied a rope ladder to the edge of the bridge railing and dropped it into the water. The dark color of the rope blended into the dark night.
Gesturing with his hand, he urged the others to descend.
&nbs
p; Smiling, he watched the others climb over the railing and down the ladder. It was a proud moment for him. His opportunities to lead had been few and far between in his life. His father had told him constantly that he’d never inspire confidence. If only the old tyrant could see him now.
“Tavi,” snapped Lonettia from the water. “Hurry. It’s cold.”
He sighed. He knew they were waiting in the darkness beneath the bridge for him to join them, but he wasn’t moving until he was ready.
His fingers checked the fasteners on the backpack, making sure it was sealed, and then he hoisted himself over the railing and quickly moved downward until his body was submerged in the Glorietta Bay water.
“We need to sabotage the pens and get the dolphins moving from their cooped-up area into the ocean,” he whispered. “I want everyone on the dock until we see how many we’re dealing with, and then we can divide and conquer. From this point forward, no talking.” They nodded in confirmation, and Tavi led the way. They swam single file toward the Marine Mammal base.
Tavi could hear the dolphins vocalizing, and he wondered what they were saying. In his mind, they cried for help. He believed wholeheartedly that the creatures were being tortured, and he wanted to set them free. This was the point of the endeavor, to release them into the wild. Boy, would these dolphins thank him!
They neared the far end of the dock. Tavi knew from months of observation that the guards would be shifting position and that there would be a rather long break before they resumed their posts. Smoking in the parking lot seemed to be their preferred activity. He guessed they got reprimanded if they puffed around the mammals.
Here it was. The moment. Tavi watched them walk the docks and head up the gangplank. He pulled himself onto the dock and waved his group forward.
Water splashed on the dock as the activists mounted it. Tavi frowned at them and put his finger to his lips, signaling them to be quiet. “There are more pens than I thought,” Tavi said quietly. “You three work on freeing the dolphins from this pen, and you three the next. I’m going around the side and work on the last one. We’re hidden by the shacks for now, but keep your ears open for those guards. I have the only bottle of the special potion, and it should make our job a lot easier.” He looked over his shoulder at them. “What are you waiting for? Move it!”
The four men and two women hurried off. Tavi rounded the corner and reached into the water to slice through some netting.
Heads bobbed to the surface.
It shocked him. He’d never been this close to a dolphin before. He had an odd, childlike urge to get in the water with them and play.
Several young dolphins looked at him quizzically. They bumped his hand. Tavi slapped them away and they poked at his hand with great force. “Ouch!”
A larger dolphin appeared suddenly, herding the young ones into a far pen.
Tavi hadn’t realized the pens were connected in this manner. When he followed the creatures to the far pen, he reached down to grab a hunk of netting. A larger dolphin came out of the water like a bullet and knocked the knife from his hand. It sank into the water.
“I’m trying to help you,” he whispered angrily. A tail smacked the water, splashing water all over him. Tavi was drenched. His anger climbed. “We can do it the hard way.”
Unclipping the straps over his waist and chest, he lowered the backpack to the ground and released the watertight seal on top. He reached into his bag and withdrew a small blue bottle. The only legible wording on it was HP 1020.
“A few grains of potion and you’ll be easy to take out to sea,” Tavi said. “I have this info from a good source who told me exactly how to do this.” He held the bottle tightly as he wrestled with the top.
Voices made him freeze. He hadn’t been able to remove the cap, but they didn’t need to know that. His heart was beating so fast, it felt as if it was slamming out of his chest. What was he supposed to do now? Was he going to be caught? It didn’t matter. This was only one of many plans. His source was a genius who was going to free all the marine mammals, even if this operation didn’t work.
Tavi squared his shoulders. I’m tough. He was prepared to do battle, and if it went horribly wrong…well, he wasn’t going to give up his source, no matter what they did to him. He’d take that name to the grave.
* * *
“Leaper, I heard something. One of our mother dolphins was using her angry tail slap. Let me just check on her.” Kerry’s hands were still covered by thick gloves, one of the protocols for the vaccine study. She was unprepared as she turned the corner and came face-to-face with a skinny man holding a strange bottle over one of her beloved dolphin pens.
“Roger that,” said Leaper.
“Stop!” Kerry shouted. “I don’t know what that is, but please don’t hurt it. She’s pregnant.”
“Where’s the other voice? It sounded like a man.” The strange man looked nervously over her shoulder. He frowned as his eyes scanned for his friends. “Hey,” he whispered anxiously. “Where are you guys?”
“Ah, hi. Who are you?” Kerry inched toward the man. “I’m Kerry. What’s your name?”
“Tavi.” His gaze ran up and down her body. “I can take you in a fight or I can be a martyr if you like; either way, it won’t matter. We will be victorious, even if I go down,” he said through gritted teeth. “Just remember that I warned you. To avoid further wrath from me and my friends, you need to let these dolphins out of captivity. I’m only going to warn you once, and then I’m going to dump this into the pen.” He tapped his head and added, “Just so you know, I’m recording you. Smile for the camera.”
“This is their home,” Kerry argued. “You see how strong and clever they are; they can let themselves out with one leap. They’re happy here. No one is holding them against their will.” She could see Declan and Leaper coming toward them from the far side of the dock. Both of them dripped with water, yet their steps were silent. The look on both of their faces was deadly, and it almost distracted her. She knew she had to keep this guy talking. “I see something in your hand. What is it? Can you tell me what you’re holding? Please, I’m a doctor…a veterinarian.”
“You’re a vet! You should know better. These dolphins need to be in the ocean, swimming free. You’re a horrible person for keeping them penned in.” The man’s arm shook. “That’s why you’re wearing gloves. You’re performing some kind of horrible test on them, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m not! I’m trying to save them. The wild dolphins have a virus, and it’s infected our group. We are testing a vaccine that’s shown great results, and it could save an entire subspecies, possibly the entire species.” Kerry hadn’t meant to tell him so much, but she was flustered. If only her gloves were looser, maybe she could wrestle that bottle from him. “You should know a few more facts. The bottlenose dolphins in this pen were raised here. This mother’s mother was a rescue, brought here after she’d been hurt in a storm. She was nursed back to health and eventually gave birth to a female. We love our dolphins, and they get the best care. Out there, in the ocean, they would most likely die. Is that what you want—to see them dead?” Kerry hoped her words would make him understand how damaging his actions could be. “Please, tell me what’s in the blue bottle.”
“I don’t have to. I’ll show—” The man’s words were cut short as Leaper tackled him. The blue bottle of carfentanil flew into the air and Kerry caught it. She sighed with relief. The top was still tightly sealed.
Declan secured his arms and legs with ropes. “Secure,” he said. “I subdued the other activists. The rest of group is, uh, tied up.”
“Pat everyone down for bottles. On the outside of their clothes,” Kerry advised. “This stuff is toxic.”
Declan’s voice carried from around the corner. “No bottles. Just screwdrivers and plastic bags full of small fish. Stinky, but not illegal.”
“Phew. I’m, ah
, going to deal with this.” Hurriedly, she took the bottle into a small hazmat hut, closed the door behind her, and placed the bottle inside a tri-container containment. She stripped her gloves and clothes off and put them in a secondary hazmat container. Please, please, please protect us all. She took the coldest shower of her life within the self-contained hazmat system. Why hadn’t the program sprung for a small water heater? It felt like her body was being washed with lye and frozen at the same time. Her skin was red, her goose bumps were layered with more bumps, and her nerves were completely fried.
Doing the math in her head while she was in the shower almost gave her a heart attack. Carfentanil was a deadly sedative used on elephants, and even a small amount could kill thousands of people. If the whole bottle had been dumped in the bay, there was no telling how much marine life or how many human beings would have been affected. She gulped, imagining the horror of it. This stuff should be banned from entering the country.
Breathe, Kerry. She sucked in air too quickly and coughed.
She looked at the receptacles. The bottle was sealed and contained, and she was pretty sure nothing had leaked out. But when there was an alert to all medical professionals across the country about the potency and danger of carfentanil, she’d rather err on the side of caution. Dogs couldn’t even be trained to sniff for it—they could die instantly.
Standing there naked and shivering where no one could see her was triggering her claustrophobia. “I can do this. I will not panic.” She took a long, slow breath. Kerry was pretty sure that she was the first person to use these hazmat facilities in the entire history of the program.
It had to be me, right? She sighed. I can do this. I’m tough.
Another what-if slammed into her brain, testing her resolve. If Leaper hadn’t invited Declan over to the Marine Mammal base for a private tour, what would have happened? Could she have managed all of these activists on her own? No. Would Tavi have dumped that bottle? Yes. Thank heavens, Tavi had been the only one with a bottle.
The Power of a SEAL Page 23
