TYBEE ISLAN
ISLAND
Continued from the October 2020 Beachcomber.
Catch up @ http://tybeebeachcomber.com/magazine
CHAPTER 39 - IT’S REAL TALK TIME!
DAY 11
“Maintain your positions people,” Tony says. “That ship doesn’t seem
threatening, but things can go south in a hurry. They’ve got some heavy
hardware on board. Does anyone know Morse Code?”
“I figured you would know Morse Code, Mr. Tanker-Army man,” Becky
says.
“Nope. Never needed to learn it.”
Doug looks up toward Tony and asks, “Do you think that’s Patch?”
“I don’t know. It might be. Let’s find out. Slide down into the gunner’s
seat. Sabot is indexed and loaded.”
“Should I get a range to the ship?” Doug asks.
“No. That’s a stealth ship. They’ll know if we shoot a laser at them, even
if it’s just a laser range finder. It’s still strong enough to be detected and we
don’t want to give up the fact that we’ve got a 120mm main gun pointed at
them.”
“Well, if something does happen, the range under the reticle says 1500
meters. Won’t that make the round fly high?”
“Damn dude, play Cross Out much? Okay, open the computer door. Hit
the Range button. Index 500 meters and push the Enter button.” Tony
engages the radio, “Hey Johnny! You know that Conch Republic flag on the
wall in the living room, bud? Can you grab it for me?”
“One sec,” Johnny replies and heads toward the living room.
Joey’s voice comes over the radio, “You want me to pull the tank around
to the back of the house?”
“No!” Tony responds quickly. “I want you to maintain overwatch in the
front. This boat is not our only issue right now. We need to maintain threehundred
sixty degrees of security. Those zeeks you wasted a few minutes
ago might have friends in the area.”
Johnny returns to the back deck with the Conch Republic flag in tow.
“Got it Tony.”
“Throw it down to me, will ya?”
Johnny throws it from the deck down to Tony, who is sitting on the
loader’s skate ring on top of the turret. Tony catches it and turns to Doug,
“You good down there?”
“I so want to fire off a round or two.”
“Calm down. You’re buzzing like a bee down there. Let’s see if this
works first, Doug.” He grabs the flag set out of the loader’s sponson box,
then stands on top of the turret and raises the U.S. flag over his head for
about ten seconds. When he lowers it, he grabs the green and red flags and
waves them both over his head.
“They’re signaling a green and red light. You see that?” Doug says.
“I was hoping that would be the response,” Tony says and grabs the
30 TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | NOV 2020
By By Paul Paul Cales Cales & Becca
Conch Republic flag. He waves it over his head for ten seconds. He then
waves the green and red flags over his head again.
“Holy shit,” Doug says. “They’re signaling with green flashes. It’s Patch!”
Joey’s voice comes over the radio again, “If it’s Patch, why isn’t he
talking to us on the short-wave radio?”
“Good question, Joey,” Tony responds. “I’m just assuming now, but he
probably doesn’t want to compromise his position. Remember, he said he
was on the USCGC Charles David, Jr.? That’s definitely NOT the USCGC
Charles David, Jr.”
“They’re lowering a rigid inflatable boat,” Doug says. “There’s two people
in it.”
“Becky,” Tony chirps. “Keep that fifty trained on the small boat coming
toward us. Do you see it?”
“I got it. We’re locked and loaded with our hands on the trigger,” Becky
says.
“Remember, if the boat is moving toward you, make sure you lead them
by a boat length to adjust for speed. Short bursts until you’re on target.”
“We’ve got this Tony,” Sara says. She and Becky make eye contact briefly
and roll their eyes in mock annoyance. “Don’t worry.”
“Tony!” Doug exclaims. “Look in the commander’s sight. You are not
going to believe this.”
Tony jumps from his position down into the tank commander’s hatch and
presses his eye to the commander’s sight. “Everyone listen up!” he says
into the radio. “Do not fire at the rigid inflatable. Move your weapons to safe
and get to the back of the house people.”
“Why? What’s going on?” Sara asks.
“You’re not going to believe who’s on that boat,” Tony responds.
Sara quickly makes sure Becky has her weapon safely put down, then
reaches into her bag. She grabs her binoculars and presses them to her
eyes. “Holy shit. It’s Travis!”
“Our Travis?” Becky asks while straining her eyes to see through the
distance and the glare of the water. “Travis with the dreads?”
“Yes!” Sara exclaims. She drops the binoculars and runs down the steps
into the back yard waving her hands wildly in the air. Becky picks them up,
returns them to Sara’s bag, and then follows her down the steps.
“Be careful Sara,” Tony says. “We’re still not sure what the situation is.
We must remain vigilant.”
Sara ignores him and continues to signal the boat with her hands. As it
gets closer, she can see Travis stand up in the boat and wave wildly back at
her.
“I think we’re going to be alright,” Doug says to Tony. “He doesn’t look
like he’s being held captive or anything. He genuinely looks elated.”
Tony jumps off the tank and starts walking toward the water just as the
boat pulls up to the dock. Travis ties the boat to the cleats and hops off the
boat. Sara jumps up onto Travis, wrapping her arms and legs around him.
He squeezes her and spins around in a circle three times before setting her
back down onto her feet.
“It is SO good to see my people again!” Travis laughs.
“It’s great to see you too!” Tony says, and extends a hand out to Travis.
“Come on, man,” Travis scoffs and throws his arms open for a hug. “You
know how we do around here.”
Tony laughs and leans into the embrace. Then, in Travis’s ear whispers,
“Are you okay? Are we safe?”
“Oh, YOU KNOW, I wouldn’t be bringing these folks here unless I knew it
would be safe for everyone,” Travis says.
“God, it’s good to see you man,” Tony says.
“You too, Tony. Hey, I’d like to introduce you to someone.” Travis turns
toward the boat he arrived in and the man he arrived with.
“Patch, I presume?” Tony asks, and extends his hand to help the man
onto the dock.
“That’s me.”
“Let’s get you guys inside. I’ve got a billion questions for ya’ll.”
Tony, Patch, Travis, and the girls walk up the stairs and onto the deck.
Tony grabs the radio. “Stand down, stand down, stand down. Rudy,
maintain front over watch. Doug, maintain overwatch in the back yard.
/magazine