Deep Wild Blue

by Michael Maguire

  ‘There he is!’ Troy pointed a finger.

  ‘Dim-witted little dog,’ Len Riddle said. He crossed quickly to the crusher’s operating buttons.

  Troy’s heart was in his mouth. He knew Oscar couldn’t be in a worse place. Compressed air would force the crusher’s sides and top to flatten anything inside.

  Len’s hand hovered over the “start” button just as Archie pushed his fingers in his mouth and produced a shrill two-note whistle.

  Oscar responded immediately. His legs, although short were powerful for his size, and he jumped to a shelf and then made another jump to the top of the machine. Spirited, obedient, and absolutely fearless, Oscar showed all these qualities of his breed. He sat high up looking down at the four faces.

  Len swore loudly and removed his hand from the crusher’s operating buttons. ‘Right, little mongrel,’ he said, looking up at Oscar and grabbing a broom handle and a ladder that were propped against the fence. ‘Either you come with me or you fall into the crusher.’

  Len’s dirty boots rattled the steps on the ladder as he made his way up to where Oscar’s tiny claws had gripped the top lip of the machine.

  ‘Leave our dog alone!’ Archie shouted.

  Len was on the top ledge of the crusher now and sliding his way towards Oscar. He held the broom handle like a sword and began jabbing it in the dog’s direction.

  Oscar let out a couple of growls before he suddenly dived towards Riddle. His little paws scraped on the metal.

  ‘Ahhhh!’ Riddle let out a pained scream as Oscar’s teeth found the flesh above a dirty sock and he closed his jaws.

  Riddle stumbled backwards, throwing the broom handle at Oscar and losing his balance. He was on the edge of the crusher and the sole of a dirty boot had jammed under the machine’s lip. Unbalanced and with arms wind-milling he had nowhere to go now… except down.

  Both Troy and Archie watched open-mouthed as Riddle tilted backwards and lost his footing on the top ledge of the vehicle crusher. He fell headfirst downwards and into the large tank that was filled with thick black engine oil that had been drained from old scrapped cars.

  Joe made a move to help his brother. As Len’s two hands scrabbled to get a grip on the top edge of the tank Joe pulled on Len’s forearms until his face appeared, his lips gagging for breath.

  Troy, holding back laughter, turned to Archie. ‘Get Oscar,’ he said.

  The little Jack Russell had weaved a way to the bottom shelf. Archie blew another two-note whistle and the dog sprang into the air and landed in Archie’s open arms.

  Len Riddle, now standing in the tank looked a disgusting dripping mess as he wiped shiny black lubrication oil from his eyelids. He flicked the handkerchief away that Joe was holding.

  ‘That’s no good, you drunken bozo. I’m gonna have to take several showers to get rid of this stinking oil!’

  His eyes swung to Archie and Oscar. ‘That vicious animal will be reported,’ he blurted out as the oil ran from the corners of his mouth to his chin. ‘There are laws about dogs who bite people. If I had my shotgun with me I’d shoot him.’

  ‘There are also laws about owning a shotgun,’ Troy murmured thickly. ‘I reckon the police would be very interested in seeing your licence.’

  ‘We a-a-ain’t gotta licence, have we Len?’ Joe looked at his brother.

  ‘Shuddup you numpty!’ Len Riddle shouted the words as he heaved himself out of the tank.

  Troy and Archie backed away from the oil-soaked figure as he removed his jacket and boots. There was a black puddle growing around his feet.

  He shook his jacket in Archie’s direction hoping spots of oil would drift in the air and cling to Oscar. Archie dodged the spray, following Troy as he crossed to the gates and towards Jacob’s old van.

  ‘There’s no way your Stinger will beat Kristo to the treasure ship,’ Troy called back to the dripping figure of Len.

  ‘And stay away from our dog!’ Archie added.

  Oscar couldn’t resist turning his head in Archie’s arms and giving the Riddle brothers a deep growl.

  *

  Back at Gull Cottage, Uncle Jacob was sitting at his desk holding Troy’s mobile phone. He was scrolling through the photos of the Riddles’ Stinger and looking very pleased.

  ‘I wish I’d been there,’ Lucy said, looking peeved.

  ‘I think I was being over-cautious, young lady,’ Jacob said. ‘I regret not letting you join the boys.’

  ‘But you have a treat for her tomorrow,’ Troy winked at his Uncle.

  ‘Have I?’ Jacob played along with the game and lifted his eyes from the mobile phone.

  ‘Mm… I’m trying to remember.’

  ‘I think you were going to let her ride on Kristo’s back.’

  ‘Did I say so, Troy?’

  ‘Very definitely.’

  ‘Then it must be true. I never break a promise.’

  ‘Oh, wicked!’ Lucy threw her arms around her Uncle’s neck and placed a kiss on his cheek.

  ‘In the morning,’ Jacob told her, ‘Troy will show you the adjustments I’ve made to Kristo to make it safe.’

  Archie appeared from the kitchen. ‘I’ve fed Oscar,’ he said. ‘He was starving hungry.’

  ‘I thought he ate Len Riddle’s ankle?’ Troy grinned.

  ‘No meat on it,’ Archie grinned back. ‘All smelly skin and bone.’

  Uncle Jacob pressed the “close-up” feature as he continued to study the images on Troy’s phone.

  ‘These are very good,’ he said. ‘At least now we can see the design of the Stinger and work out how the Riddles aim to travel to the treasure ship.’

  ‘Will depth be a problem for the Stinger if they reach it?’ Troy asked.

  ‘Absolutely. It looks a tired old machine and even a modern nuclear-powered sub that can perhaps dive eight-hundred meters might be nearing the danger of collapse.’

  ‘So how deep is the treasure ship?’ Troy asked.

  ‘Nobody is really sure. The guess is around four or five hundred meters.’

  ‘Holy Moly…’ Archie’s breath hissed through his teeth.

  Jacob was still flicking through the photographs. ‘The Riddles’ Stinger seems to have had a lot of welding… very unsatisfactory.’

  As the pictures passed over his finger he pointed out the battery-powered electric motor used when underwater, and the diesel engines used for surface travelling.

  ‘I can’t see any inside heating,’ Jacob was saying. ‘The lower they go the colder it gets. If they reach the treasure ship the temperature of the sea surrounding their sub will be about two degrees Celsius.’

  ‘Do you think the Stinger will be a danger to Kristo?’ Archie asked.

  Jacob ran his finger in a circle around the photo of the Riddles’ craft. ‘This is interesting, Archie, and quite complicated. Be very aware if you touch the Stinger with Kristo.’

  Jacob pointed to the stainless steel panels that had been welded in a loop around the sub. He explained that these had been designed to hold a pulse pattern of high voltage electricity.

  ‘Don’t really get it, Uncle?’ Archie chewed his lip.

  ‘Well, think of each panel as a stun-gun.’

  ‘Okay… then?’

  ‘A capacitor builds up a charge and releases it to the electrodes…’

  Archie cut in with, ‘And as Kristo is made of titanium, he would get a huge electro-shock!’

  ‘As would the crew sitting inside,’ Jacob said. ‘If you get close to this Stinger machine you will have to be very, very careful.’

  ‘I’m glad the photos have been of help,’ Troy said. ‘At least we now know the main danger.’

  Lucy suddenly made an appearance behind Uncle Jacob. She was wearing her wetsuit and looked very positive.

  ‘Ready to hit the waves,’ she said.
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  *

  ‘You’ve got slots for your toes and padding where your knees will go,’ Troy was saying.

  Troy, Archie and Lucy were in the boathouse and a lesson was in progress. The rear doors were open and Kristo had been turned in the cradle, facing the rails and the sea.

  ‘I thought I would be standing up,’ Lucy said.

  ‘Far too dangerous,’ Troy told her. ‘The speed against the wind would knock you off. You’ll be kneeling with your toes in the slots and gripping Kristo’s back with your thighs.’

  ‘What are those two pieces of rope you’re holding?’ Archie asked.

  ‘They clip here and here,’ Troy pointed to two anchor points each side of Kristo’s mouth where the spring clips would fit.

  ‘This isn’t rope – it’s neoprene.’ Troy gave a demonstration snapping open the clips. ‘This stuff is strong and the hand grips are extra tough.’

  ‘So I hold one in each hand,’ Lucy nodded as she understood. ‘And that way I can keep my balance.’

  ‘Well done, little Sis. I think you’ve got it.’

  ‘So does Lucy kneel in front or behind the dorsal fin?’ Archie asked.

  ‘In front,’ Troy told him. ‘There’s a microphone and speaker built into Kristo’s gill slits so you as pilot and me on the shore will both be able to hear her.’

  ‘And I’ll be able to see her too,’ Archie chuckled. ‘Don’t forget there’s a tiny HD camera at the top of the dorsal fin.’

  The entry hatch was open so Archie wasted no time in climbing onto the cradle and heaving himself onto Kristo’s front seat. He put on his safety harness and began tapping the glowing icons that were needed for Lucy’s trial run.

  ‘Keep your speed below fifteen miles-an-hour,’ Troy’s voice was firm as his fingers prepared to close the entry hatch.

  Archie looked up at him. ‘What is the top speed of Kristo?’

  ‘I think Uncle once said he could reach forty.’

  ‘Wow… Mega!’

  Troy leaned in. ‘Don’t you even think about reaching that speed, Archie. I know what you’re like for ignoring orders.’

  ‘Orders understood, Boss.’ Archie replied giving a fake salute. ‘Fifteen miles an hour, and no more.’

  ‘High speed could put Lucy in danger.’

  ‘She’s safe with me at the controls.’

  ‘I hope so, little Bro. I’ll be watching you.’

  Uncle Jacob appeared at the rear doors holding Oscar. ‘Thought you might like to give him a ride,’ he said, handing the dog to Troy.

  ‘Ha-ha,’ Archie chuckled. ‘I’ve got a co-pilot.’

  Troy opened the other hatch and lowered Oscar into the padded box-like section of Kristo’s tail. The little Jack Russell snuggled himself down.

  ‘He’s comfy,’ Archie chuckled again and deepened his voice so he sounded like an aircraft captain: ‘No more passengers please. Kristo is full and we will be leaving shortly.’

  ‘Smarty-pants,’ Troy said, lowering both hatches and checking they were secure.

  Lucy had pulled on the elasticised foam pads that would cushion and protect her knees. She clipped on the two lengths of neoprene either side of Kristo’s mouth and climbed over the cradle and onto the shark’s back. Troy helped her get into a comfortable kneeling spot and then positioned her toes for the best grip.

  ‘You’ll need these,’ he said, handing her a pair of goggles and a lifejacket. ‘Be prepared for a lot of ocean spray.’

  ‘This will be brill!’ Lucy said.

  ‘Have you completed the pre-launch checks, Archie?’ Jacob asked, using Troy’s transceiver.

  ‘All complete, Uncle,’ Archie replied.

  ‘Then I’ll have time to fit the new photo recognition locks to the front door of Gull Cottage.’

  Troy switched on the cradle and a humming noise filled the boathouse.

  Uncle Jacob made his way to the rear doors. ‘Good luck, Lucy,’ he called out.

  *

  The Riddle brothers were using a pick-and-carry machine to move the Stinger from the old tin workshop and onto a tipper truck. The scrap-yard had at least a hundred old cars and vans and all had to be shifted around or crushed. They used two large vehicles for this, one with a huge scoop-crane attached, one which was just a tipper truck, and a smaller vehicle similar to a fork lift truck.

  Due to the weight of the Stinger the rubber tracks of the pick-and-carry were throwing up grassy dirt in all directions.

  ‘Careful!’ Len yelled at his brother. ‘I’ve only just got rid of all the oil… Now you’re covering me in stinkin’ mud!’

  ‘The Stinger is heavier than I thought,’ Len said, pressing buttons on the pick-and-carry’s control panel.

  Both men watched as the hydraulic system dropped the craft onto the truck and the searcher hook dragged it into position.

  ‘Whoa… whoa!’ Joe jumped into the back of the truck and released the hook.

  ‘Any damage?’ Len asked.

  ‘Our baby is just fine,’ Joe told him.

  ‘So let’s take her for a spin. We could go to the hidden beach at Valentine Cove. The tourists ain’t discovered it yet.’

  ‘Is the old workshop still there?’

  ‘Yep, still on the beach. It’s the perfect hideaway.’

  Joe pressed a button and raised the tipper truck’s section until it was level with the cab and then Len noisily lifted the truck’s tail flap and fastened the chains.

  They drove the two miles along a dusty track that would take them to Valentine Cove. It was a secluded place with caves carved out of the rocks by waves. It had deserted fishing huts built on the side of the cliffs and was known as a great cove for bird watching.

  A section of the beach was covered from view and Len knew a winding track that would take them there. The tipper truck squealed on its springs as it bumped and shook its way to an inlet that met the sea.

  ‘Perfect,’ Len said, jerking on the handbrake.

  Joe was already out of the cab and lowering the tipper section of the truck. The tail flap was dropped and both men dragged the Stinger onto the sand.

  Unlike Kristo the Stinger sub contained windows. It had one each side of the craft and a huge bubble-shaped one at the front. There were two seats which offered an all-round view of the sea. A large pressurised hatch at the rear of the sub made it easy for the Riddles to gain entry.

  Len fiddled with some switches and the turbine engines kicked in. The shoreline disappeared behind them as they made a bumpy entry through the waves and into the sea.

  ‘All going to plan,’ Len said, popping a mint sweet into his mouth.

  Joe felt the Stinger lift as the ocean bottom fell away and the Stinger floated on the sea surface.

  ‘Let’s take a trip along the coast to the private beach used by the Scott kids for launching Kristo,’ Len said.

  ‘Surface or underwater?’ Joe queried.

  ‘Any boats about?’

  ‘Nothin’ as yet. If something shows on the sonar gauge or we hear a “ping” we can soon dive.’

  ‘Okay, let’s stick to the surface for now.’

  ‘Wanna speed test?’ Len asked.

  ‘No, we don’t wanna burn out the propulsion motor or drain the batteries. Stick to ten miles-an-hour.’

  ‘What’s that in knots? The Royal Navy’s dials only use knots.’

  ‘About nine knots, I think. I ain’t sure, but that’s close enough.’

  Len nudged the throttle control and the Stinger did a small leap then settled back on the sea. They cruised the short distance of coast until they had a good view of the high cliffs and Gull Cottage.

  Joe Riddle had a pair of binoculars round his neck and lifted them to his eyes.

  ‘That old boy Jacob seems to be fixing a new photo-recognition lock to the c
ottage.’ He turned to his brother. ‘Tut-tut, Len. I gotta feelin’ we ain’t welcome there anymore.’

  The Stinger was cruising about two-hundred meters from the shore when suddenly the sonar started pinging. Joe twisted in his seat looking at the gauge as he re-focussed the binoculars.

  ‘What is it, Joe…?’ Len asked, ‘A fishing boat?’

  Joe’s mouth was open. ‘You ain’t gonna believe this, brother.’

  ‘Well tell me!’ Len snapped.

  ‘It’s that Lucy Scott girl. She’s wearing a wetsuit without the hood… I can see her streaky blonde hair.’

  ‘What surfing or water skiing?’

  ‘Neither. She’s too far from the shore line.’

  Lucy was only a dot on the front bubble-window and Len wanted a closer look. He increased the power so the Stinger bumped and jumped over the waves as it headed towards her.

  ‘Blondie’s hitched a ride,’ Len said, realising that Lucy was kneeling on Kristo’s back. ‘What does the silly little bimbo think she’s doing?’

  ‘She’s just trying to be clever… you know what kids are like.’

  ‘Well, I think its get-your-own-back-time. I could’ve drowned in that tank of oil.’

  ‘So whatya gonna do?’

  ‘Tip her off that shark… Let her float about in the sea.’

  ‘There are dangerous currents around here.’

  ‘Who cares? She’s wearing a lifejacket. A fishing boat is bound to pick her up.’

  ‘You’re crazy, Len. This was supposed to be another test-run for the Stinger. It’s not a weapon for knocking teen girls into the sea.’

  Len didn’t reply. He turned on the pulse pattern of high voltage electricity which encircled and protected the Stinger, then pushed the throttle to full power.

  ‘Enjoy your swim, Blondie!’ He spat the words at the bubble-windscreen.

  Lucy turned and spotted the bright yellow paintwork of the Riddles’ machine.

  ‘I see him Lucy.’ Archie’s voice echoed from the gill slits. ‘Dive out of danger. Dive… Dive… Dive! Hurry! The Stinger is going to RAM US!’

  Chapter Four

  Lucy let go of the two ropes and held her balance as she stood upright on Kristo’s back. She raised her arms, kicked hard and speared the water in a perfect dive.