John Avery - Black Cobra

“The job will take place in roughly one month, here in San Diego,” Pankov said. “I thought perhaps if you and your girlfriend wanted to cruise up here on your yacht, you should have enough time to do so, and in order to help facilitate that, and as a second incentive, I will see to it that your beloved Cayman Jewel is properly registered, here in the U.S., in your name, with all historical paperwork and necessary licenses.”

Jason shot a sheepish glance Fagan’s way: Why he’d thought he could fool someone with his high level of intelligence, he didn’t know.

“Finally,” Pankov said, “as a third incentive, we will have your dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Navy expunged from your record, and in its place, the honorable military discharge you deserve.” He took a sip of his coffee, allowing his words to sink in.

Jason’s eyes moistened and he wanted to cry out with joy. Fagan had obviously played a big role in the selection of incentives.

Stay calm , he thought. You still don’t know what you must do in exchange. He took a sip of coffee and kept his mouth shut.

“We’re looking for someone capable of handling any and all submarine operations,” Commander Fagan said, “because that is what will be demanded of each of us. To say we’ll be running a skeleton crew would be a gross understatement, and I thought of you because I know you can handle it.”

“How many crewmen are we talking about?” Jason asked.

“Including you, we’ll have four,” Fagan said.

“ Four? ” Jason said. “Are you serious?” He looked at the others and considered for a moment. “The four at this table, I presume?”

“That’s right,” Fagan said.

Jason paused for a moment. “Who outside this group knows about your plan?”

“Only one other,” Fagan said. “A man whom you’ll meet at a later date.”

Pankov cleared his throat and looked squarely into Jason’s eyes. “Our mission is classified as top-secret, Jason, and must be treated as such, or there will be deadly consequences. Do you understand this?”

“Y-yes, of course, Captain,” Jason said.

“What Commander Fagan hasn’t told you,” Pankov went on, “and what I’m prepared to tell you now, is that we are planning an assassination… a political assassination .”

Jason concealed a look of shock. This really was serious. “May I ask who it is that we’ll be assassinating?” he ventured.

Captain Pankov glanced at his colleagues, then closed Jason’s dossier and looked at him. “Suffice it to say, the target is a high-ranking official in the United States government.”

“But why the sub?”

“We’re going to take this guy out the old fashion way,” Pankov said. “With a torpedo.”

It was dark when Brandy spotted Jason walking through the marina security gate. She had had time to think about things, and although he had only been gone for the day, she had missed him. She hopped up and skipped down the gangway to greet him.

“Welcome home, sweetie!” she cried, giving him a flying hug that nearly put both of them in the water.

“Whoa, there,” Jason said, regaining his balance. “I take it you’re glad to see me.” He dropped his bag on the deck and gave her a big kiss. “I was gone less than a day, you know.”

“I know, but it felt like years,” she said. “I want to hear all about your trip.”

The two boarded the Cayman Jewel and Brandy made drinks while Jason got settled.

It was a warm evening, and the air smelled sweet. Brandy snuggled up with Jason on a lounge chair.

“So… how did it go?” she asked.

“It went well,” Jason replied, taking a sip of his drink. The full scope of the meeting hadn’t really sunk in yet and he had trouble coming up with a way to explain it. “Brunch was fantastic. Just as I remembered it.”

“What was the meeting about? What did they say?”

He wanted to tell her about the money, but after promising her diamonds, he figured he’d better wait until he’d been to the bank. “Not much really,” he said. “They want me to pilot a submarine for them.”

“What? Really? That’s crazy .”

“I know.”

“But where? Why?”

“In San Diego. I have to report there in a few weeks.”

“For how long?”

“For a while, I guess, but don’t worry, you’re coming too. In fact we’ll both be moving there.”

Brandy’s mind whirled with a mix of emotions. She was relieved that Jason wasn’t leaving without her, but leaving her home in the Caymans for who knows what in San Diego? “But what about the Cayman Jewel ? She is our home.”

“The Jewel will still be our home. We’re going to sail her up there.”

Brandy paused. “Do you think we could do that? Just the two of us? San Diego’s a long way from here.”

“I know that,” Jason said. “I’m thinking about asking Aaron to come along, just to be sure.”

A thrill ran up Brandy’s spine. “Aaron Quinn? Would he do that?”

Jason took another sip. “I’m not sure. But it can’t hurt to ask.”

The lobby in Cayman Union Bank reminded Jason of the bank he and Johnny were robbing when they got caught. He looked around nervously for a minute and then approached the counter.

“May I help you?” the cashier said. She was pretty and polite. His new banking relationship was off to a good start.

“Uh — yes,” he said. “There’s an account in the name of Jason Souther. I’d like a printout of the balances, please.”

“May I see some form of ID?”

Jason provided the ID and the cashier printed out the report.

“Will there be anything else?” she said, checking to see that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.

“This will be fine,” he said, and took the report outside.

He found a bench in the shade and sat down to look over the report. His eyes went wide. The total account balance including trusts was $5 million. Available balance: $2.5 million. The money was his. Pankov was for real .

Jason folded the statement and put it in his pocket. Then he went back inside and made a cash withdrawal in the amount of $2,500.

Aaron was up at Earl’s Reef Dive Shop busily refilling SCUBA tanks when Jason showed up.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Aaron said, surprised.

“Good to see you, Aaron,” Jason said. “Do you have a minute?”

“Yeah — uh, sure…” He indicated a picnic table down by the water. “Have a seat down at that table. I’ll be right there.”

Aaron killed the air compressor and secured the refilled tanks, and then joined Jason.

“What’s up?” Aaron said, folding his hands in front of him.

Jason decided to get right to the point. “Brandy and I are going to sail the Cayman Jewel up to San Diego… and, well, we could use an extra hand. I thought maybe you’d like to come along.”

That was the last thing Aaron had expected. “That’s a long trip,” he said, picturing the route from the Cayman Islands to San Diego on an imaginary map. “Why would you want to do that ?”

“I have work there, consulting on some kind of restoration project.”

“But I have a job here,” Aaron said.

“I know,” Jason said. “But I thought if you could get a leave of absence, your job will be waiting for you when you get back. I’ll fly you straight back to the Caymans once we arrive in San Diego.”