The Mediterranean Caper

“What the Goddamn hell do you want?’ snapped Pitt, “a birth certificate?”

“No, sir.” The lookout vanished behind the railing and a moment later reappeared on the boarding ladder with a boathook in one hand. He caught the dory on the aft port gu

Securing a line to the little boat’s stern, he leaped on board, caught his foot on a cleat and fell sprawling on top of Pitt.

Pitt clamped his eyes shut. grunting from the impact of the other man’s weight When he opened them again he found himself staring into the yellow beard of Ken Knight.

Knight started to say something, but then he more clearly saw the bloody and ragged body beneath him.

The sight of Pitt’s condition made the young scientist wince and his face turned ashen. He sat rock-bound in unbelieving shock.

Pitt’s lips twisted into a bemused grin. “Don’t waste time sitting there like a broken crutch. Help me into Commander Gu

“My God, my God,” Knight murmured, shaking his head dazedly and slowly from side to side. “What in the name of God happened?”

“Later,” Pitt snapped. “When there’s time.” He swayed forward onto his hands. “Help me you dumb bastard before it’s too late.” There was a desperation, a burning fierceness in Pitt’s voice that startled Knight into action.

Knight half carried, half dragged Pitt up the ladder and onto the deck. He stopped at Gu

Gu

“What’s the meaning.. “ He stopped suddenly, staring at the blood-caked apparition supported by Knight His brown eyes swelled to Immense proportions behind the thick lenses. “My God, Dirk, is that you? What happened?

Pitt tried to smile again, but it was only a slight curl of his upper lip. “I’m a dropout from hell!” His tone was low, then it came on strongly. “Do you have any meteorological equipment on board?”

Gu

“That's just it, Rudi, there is no time,” Pitt said, grasping Gu

Gu

Pitt’s hands released their grip and fell away from Gu

“You must be delirious,” Gu

“My body may look like hell, but my mind at this minute is sharper than yours,” Pitt said. “Now listen, and listen closely. Here’s what has to be done.”

It was the lookout perched on the great A-frame crane, that first spotted the little yellow plane against its vast blue background. Then Pitt and Gu

“He’s ten minutes late,” Pitt grunted, holding an arm aloft for a white goateed doctor who worked quickly and skillfully at bandaging his chest.

The elderly physician, oblivious to Pitt’s movements on the: ship’s bridge, cleaned and dressed the raw cuts without bothering to turn and look at the approaching plane. He tied the final knot tightly, making Pitt twinge and display a wry face. “That’s the best I can do for you, Major, until you stop ru

“Sorry, Doc,” Pitt said without taking his eyes from the sky. “But there was no time for a formal office call. You better get below now. If my little battle tactic doesn’t work, you’re going to do a land office business in about ten minutes.”

Without answering, the wiry, deeply ta

Pitt drew back from the railing and glanced over at Gu

“Say when.” Gu

“History never fails to repeat itself.” Pitt said confidently, glaring at the nearing plane.

Even in this moment of tense anxiety Gu

He remembered as though it was only an hour ago, seeing the same expression on Pitt’s face just before the old rusty hulk cast off to find and destroy a mysterious seamount In the Pacific, north of Hawaii.

Abruptly he was pulled back to the reality of the present by a strong grip on his arm.

“Get down.” Pitt said urgently, “or the shock wave will blow you overboard. Be ready to join the contacts the instant I give the word.”

The bright yellow plane was banking now, circling around the ship, testing it for defenses. The drone of its noisy engine tore across the water, causing a vibration in Pitt’s eardrums. He watched it through a pair of borrowed binoculars, smiling with satisfaction as he noted small round patches in the fabric of the wings and fuselage; a record of Giordino’s hits with the carbine. Moving the glasses in a near vertical angle he focused on the black wire that led upward, and all at once he felt a hope that began to amount to complete conviction.

“Steady… steady,” he said quietly. “I think he’s going to nibble at the cheese.”

The cheese, Gu

The roar of the plane’s engine grew louder, and for one brief moment Pitt thought it was going to dive straight-on at the ship, but then be realized that its angle of descent was too low. The pilot was lining the Albatros up for a pass at the balloon. He stood up for a better view, knowing he was a tempting and exposed target The engine turned into a high pitched snarl and the gun sights aimed for the lazy gas bag, waiting above the sparkling water. There was no delay, no adjusting for range, the yellow wings glistened in the sun, obscuring the flashes from the two guns mounted on the cowling, The sound of the staccato bursts and the whine of the bullets signaled the begi