Nina screamed and clawed at Sam as they felt the compound tilt gradually under the onslaught of the unnaturally vicious tempest. Sam held her tightly. The room had no windows he could smash to help them escape and the steel door was bolted from the outside.
"Don't let go of me, Sam," she cried.
"I won't, love. I'm right here," he shouted as the rumbling elevated alarmingly around them. They looked up, expecting the roof to cave in on them and the massive waters to drive their bodies to pulp. Deafening and deep, the repetitive thump of it drew nearer to them. Suddenly a thunderous rapping slammed against the outside of their prison door and a faint voice was heard, "Anybody in here?"
Sam and Nina jumped up and hammered against the door, screaming for their lives. A dent appeared in the door and they stood back as a pickaxe tool cleaved through the hinges and finally ripped the door loose.
"Sam Cleave?" the rescuer shouted. Sam nodded and grabbed his laptop case and camera bag..
Two rescue divers were harnessed to a hovering Sikorsky CH-53E helicopter, heavy enough to withstand most of the thunderstorm's badgering and they lifted the two from the failing oil rig. As they were helped into the helicopter, Sam was elated to see his pal, Patrick. He had reported to MI6 and garnered aid for them. They looked down from the helicopter to see Deep Sea One disappear under the foamy rage of the North Sea.
When they arrived at Ashton House a few hours later, Nina and Sam learned that Calisto was not a police officer from Spain, but that she was an operative for PIDE, the Portuguese Secret Service long disbanded . . . or was it? She was sent to steal the strains from Purdue's mansion when he caught her burgling his home. After she worked her way in and discovered where the strains were kept, she intercepted them, as initially ordered, to prevent Eickhart's man from getting his hands on it.
"Bitch could have warned us," Nina jested, and Sam squeezed her hand with a reluctant smile.
Patrick, even though with a wide berth, had fulfilled his mission objective and Mrs. Lancashire was pleased with his performance. What happened to Purdue, nobody knew, but Sam was grateful that he made copies of everything and saved his laptop to prove it.
"Come on, Cleave, I believe you owe me breakfast," Nina said, as their car waited to take her home.
Patrick sniggered and made suggestive gestures at Sam, who simply gave him the finger and got in the car.
Under the calming surface of the North Sea, Deep Sea One joined the German submarine it had stood sentinel over for ages. Iron junk and debris floated downward through the dark blue of the deep to settle among the rest of the steel graveyard already waiting. In subdued silence it was laid to rest to join all the wraiths begotten by the greed of the Third Reich.
☼
THE END
Table of Contents
Other Books in This Series
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41