At that moment, Shindo’s cell phone rang. “Hello, Jorge? Then get the helicopter ready. In order to save fuel you will go when I call you. Grainger’s men must not get close to the Honolulu. I will take the boat out to make sure that if they do get near, that I can stop them, but will probably need your help from the air.”
Shindo shoved Ed through the door. Inside, two heavily tattooed men stood up when Shindo entered. Ed could see that both wore side arms and carried what looked like short rifles with wooden stocks and banana clips.
Shindo talked briskly. “Take this puke and guard him. He is the reason we are having all of these problems. I have urgent business. Keep an eye on the container ship out in the bay heading this way. If you see anything unusual, like explosions, then you are to immediately open fire on Grainger’s men.”
Juan was thankful for the wind and wave protection provided by the Honolulu. The going was much more tolerable. Chewing the ginger root also seemed to help. However he still felt shaky from all of the vomiting. “How soon will we be at the shooting point?”
Robert ran his fingers through his soaking wet gray hair. “That was quite a ride back there. These boats were not designed for speed in heavy seas. The bay can get pretty rough this time of year. Our ETA to the firing point is about 5 to 10 minutes. You should probably get on the aft deck with the RPGs.” He pushed a button on the com. “I need someone up here to take over the helm. Someone should also man the twin 50s in the gun tub.”
Juan staggered aft on the still rolling boat to the deck lockers. Robert soon joined him. “I think we need the diversion of another Oakland Hills fire. I just called our arsonists to set some blazes. That will suck up a lot of resources and keep the police from interfering at the docks.”
Juan looked up and saw the lights of the Bay Bridge above and behind them. The sun had set, but the twilight sky was still bright. The warm northeasterly wind kept all fog out of the Bay. The Honolulu suddenly began turning for the Port of Oakland. The PCF boat tracked the turn with the Honolulu.
Robert yelled out, “OK, now close in to 100 yards. Juan, load your first RPG.”
Shindo boarded the Fairchild Corporation motor yacht with four of his men carrying cases concealing a PKS machine gun along with an RPG launcher and several antipersonnel RPGs. A second trip brought out an AK47 for each of them. He quickly stepped to the bridge and started the big diesels to get them warmed up. Within a few minutes, they cast off and headed down the Oakland Estuary to the harbor. Shindo picked up his cell phone, dialed, and barked a command. “Jorge, get the helicopter in the air now!”
Elise gave El Zin a little more gas as they headed out of the parking lot. She glanced at Joe. “Ok, which way do we turn?”
Joe was on overload. Sweat soaked his hair. He was even having trouble seeing, his vision being confused by daytime dreaming mixed with the myriad tangle of glowing threads and ropes representing events of the future. “Go straight out and make a left turn on Embarcadero.”
Elise saw the black eclipse pull out right behind her. In a few moments they reached Embarcadero where she made a left turn. The eclipse followed her.
Joe’s glassy eyes suddenly got big. “We are being followed by a black car. We must lose them. There are two people in it who mean to harm us. They are armed.”
Elise put her foot into the gas. The engine roared. Everyone felt the force of acceleration. Elise called out. “He’s still following.”
Joe shouted, “Turn left at the next street, Franklin Street.”
Pauline and DeMario hung on tight as Elise broke traction as she slid El Zin around the turn.
Joe shouted again. “Give it all of the gas and blow through this next intersection. No cars are coming.”
El Zin’s engine roared. The eclipse, while more nimble, could not keep up with the raw horsepower of El Zin. As they blew through the fortunately empty intersection, they hit some railroad tracks hard and Elise caught a glimpse of a train engine just feet from the intersection. She hadn’t noticed the flashing lights of the crossing in all of the excitement. As soon as they were clear she hit the brakes hard, came to a stop and found herself shaking. “Oh my god! We almost died back there. Now what?”
DeMario was starting to get a better idea what was going on, but didn’t really know what Joe was up to. “We’ve got to find Ed. I think I can help.” DeMario pulled out his radio. “Derek are you there?”
“Go ahead DeMario. Whats up?”
“Has anyone seen Shindo enter or leave the dock area?”
“Give me a minute, and I’ll check. By the way, there are a bunch of reports of fires on the east side of Oakland.”
Continued..