Part 41 (1/2)

”Yes Captain, go ahead, state your position.”

”Okay, we are at: two-six-point-seven-three-one-two-two-dash-six-nine-one-nine-one-eight-nine-five.”

They waited for a response.

None came.

”Sir? Did you hear me?”

”Son, are you sure you're looking at the right numbers?”

Jonathan panicked, ”I think I am! They're the only numbers there! How am I supposed to know, I've never been on a small boat before!”

”Alright now, calm down. We have a cutter in that area. It'll take about ten minutes to get there. I need you to turn the vessel to the left, heading one-one-zero. Do you understand that?”

”Turn the wheel Kevin. Watch that number at the top of the screen.”

Kevin focused on the screen, ”Yeah, I know. I can figure that much out.”

”Okay, we're turning. Now what?”

”Just continue heading one-one-zero, and you'll see our lights. Hold steady, Captain, we are underway toward your position.”

”Thank you sir. And I don't mean to be rude, but can I ask you to please hurry? These guys are catching up to us, and I know they'll kill us if they can.”

”We're going as fast as we possibly can. You just hold it together. Did you say someone has been shot?”

”Yes, my sister. In the arm.”

”Captain ... apply direct pressure to the wound ... have all personnel don life jackets. There is a Coast Guard medic aboard the Coast Guard cutter near you, don't worry. Everything's going to be okay.”

The line went silent for a couple of minutes, then the static stopped again and the voice came out of the speaker.

”Buckley vessel, come in Buckley vessel, this is the United States Coast Guard, over.”

”Yes, sir, we're here. Over”

”Is this Jonathan I'm speaking to?”

”Yes sir, it is.”

”Captain, you parents have been notified of your status. Just thought you'd want to know.”

”Oh my G.o.d!” burst out Jonathan as tears started streaming down his face. ”Candi! Did you hear that! Our parents are okay!”

He quickly pressed the b.u.t.ton on the handset. ”What about the Petersons? Did you call them?” He waited desperately for the answer. He looked at Kevin and saw the stern set of his jaw. Jonathan reached out and put his hand on Kevin's shoulder.

”Captain, we were unable to make contact. Your parents and the Petersons will be enroute as soon as the Petersons get home.”

Relief washed over Jonathan. Kevin had a relieved smile on his face, but continued to focus on the radar screen to be sure he stayed on course.

”Thank you so much sir, I can't tell you how happy that makes us.”

”I have to tell you kids, you sure ended up way out in the middle of nowhere. You have entered large open water far from sh.o.r.e.”

Jonathan pressed the b.u.t.ton, ”Where did we end up sir?”

”In the Bermuda Triangle.”

Jonathan couldn't think of anything to say to that. He clicked the b.u.t.ton but said nothing. That was so far off course from where their cruise s.h.i.+p had been, it didn't make any sense.

About five minutes later, they heard another transmission. ”Coast Guard Station Indian River ... Captain ... our cutter has your position locked. Continue underway at one-one-zero. We also have a visual on the vessel pursuing you. They will likely terminate their pursuit.”

Sure enough the lights from the drug dealer boat turned away and quickly faded in the distance. Now that the pirates knew the Coast Guard was locked in and coming, they had to choose between getting revenge and getting caught, or going away and harvesting as many plants as they could before they were discovered.

”Want me to take over for a while?” asked Jonathan.

”No, that's alright, I can do it.”

Jonathan gave him a curious look and then headed back to where the girls were. Candi was still awake and seemed okay, even though she was in a lot of pain. Jonathan held her hand and absently rubbed Sarah's back with the other.

Soon Kevin was shouting out that he saw a bunch of lights up ahead. Then a voice came over the radio speaker.

”Buckley vessel, come in Buckley vessel.”

Jonathan spoke into the handset. ”Buckley Peterson vessel is here. What do you want us to do?”

”Captain ... place your engine in neutral ... stand by to be boarded as we come alongside.”

Good to their word, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter arrived and took over the rescue. The kids were transferred off the drug dealer's boat to the cutter. Candi was immediately rushed to the infirmary, Jonathan refusing to leave her side.

Kevin and Sarah sat with the captain and his crew in what looked like the command center of the boat. The boat's cook brought up some food for them; it was the best food they had ever eaten. Neither of them said much. They were overwhelmed by what was happening and didn't know what to think or do.

They arrived at the port; all of their parents were there waiting. Ambulances were there too to take them to the hospital for observation. Candi went into surgery to remove the bullet from her arm. The kids were kept in separate rooms, kept in the dark about what was going on with one another.

Their time was completely consumed by worried parents and then by the media that had somehow gotten wind of the fact that the four teenagers presumed dead from the Columbus cruise tragedy suddenly showed up after spending over two months on a deserted island in the Bermuda Triangle. They found out from the reporters and their parents that their lifeboat was the only one released that night, due to some kind of mechanical breakdown. Everyone else was transferred to another boat that was brought in several hours later. By then, the rogue waves had disappeared and there was no immediate danger to any of the other pa.s.sengers. The Columbus was towed into port over the next two days for repairs.

Search parties had gone out looking for them for a period of two weeks, never finding any clue of their whereabouts. Everyone a.s.sumed they had drowned at sea. Even the last of the private party searches had been called off over a month ago. Their parents had held funerals for them and hundreds of kids from their high school had come to their combined memorial services.

After a day in the hospital, Kevin and Sarah were released to their parents' custody. They promptly flew back to North Carolina, not permitted by their parents to visit their friends.

Jonathan was also discharged. He stayed with his parents in a nearby hotel until his sister was able to leave three days later. She'd have a h.e.l.l of a scar, but she was going to be okay.

In the car on the way to the airport, Jonathan held his sister's hand. She looked so small and frail. His heart was breaking for her, because not only was she dealing with the pain of a gunshot wound, she was also dealing with a broken heart. It had been four days now, and Kevin hadn't bothered to call even once. He hadn't heard from Sarah either.