Day 11

All was in readiness for Seaview’s arrival . Members of the press were vying for the best angle to catch a glimpse of her, but the police had cordoned off the immediate area of the loading dock. An ambulance waited, along with a couple of non- descript black sedans with tinted windows.

 Those, I was certain, were for those of Gamma’s party that could still walk, not for the unfortunate, (and rich)  ‘passengers’  everyone supposed. In addition, two ‘representatives’ of Schwartz& Schwartz were there, jacket’s emblazoned with the bogus firm’s logo. Apparently to ‘apologize’ for the trip gone bad.

“The University wasn’t too happy about giving up your office,” Angie grinned at me, while she tried to  get the office suite back into some kind of NIMR order.

“Well, it does have  a nice view,” I chirped, looking out the window over the bay.

“They could at least have cleaned up after themselves,” she said as she picked up yet another banana peel from the carpet. “What did they think they were anyway, monkeys?”

“Actually…” I joked.

“Well, their offices are downstairs now, but the director of the University’s research dept. requested Office 007. I wasn’t sure about, um, ‘ things’, so I sent him downstairs, too. Was I right to do that?”

“Fishing, Angie?”

“I saw that picture, sir.”

“Unless the President says otherwise, my dear,  Captain Crane is still dead. And should he suddenly be resurrected, I’m not all that sure he’ll want to resume command.  “

“Like hell, sir.”

 “She’s comin’ in now!” Sharkey ran in, and turned on the monitor as the sub broached the surface,  her conning tower emerging from the depths.

“That isn’t the Seaview!” Angie exclaimed.

“What the dev…it’s the Gator!” I think I actually gasped.

“Should we be worried, sir?” Sharkey asked.

“I’m not sure…c’mon.”

As we made our way through the confused assemblage, we were forced to  show our ID’s to the police in order to be allowed down to the loading dock. Chip was already there, of course, along with many of Seaview’s original crew.

“I don’t know sir,” he answered my non-verbal question.

Almost as soon as the Gator was secured, her Captain emerged, saluted the colors and came ashore. He was followed by Sparks who was carrying a duffle bag.

“Admiral Nelson,” he extended his hand.

“Where’s my boat?”

He looked at his watch, “Don’t worry, she’s on her way. We just happened to be in the neighborhood.” He nodded at Sparks.

“I’m back in the Reserves now, sir,” Sparks grinned. “Since Seaview’s being returned to NIMR as damaged goods, well, I just have  to be here to welcome her home. Didn’t think my request would go through so quickly.”

“Welcome back, Lt.!” Sharkey shook his hand.

“Good luck Sparks,” his Captain shook his hand, “we’ll miss you. Except for your whining all the time about how cramped you were,” he laughed. Sir,” he saluted me, "you have a spoiled crew." Then he walked back up the gangplank and in minutes Gator departed, submerging as soon as she cleared the breakwater.

Then all hell broke loose. I was bombarded with questions from the press, waving their microphones in my face as Morton, Sharkey and I made our way back to the Administration Bldg.

“I’m sorry,” I finally turned, “you know as much as I do, but I’m reliably informed that Seaview is on her way. I just don’t know when she’s due.”

They pretty much left us alone, and returned their vigil toward the empty dock.

“It sure is good to be back,” Sparks sat his duffle down in my office.

“It’s good to have you. Most of the crew’s already here or on their way,” Morton said.

“It’s not just that. It’s what happened out there...er...am I allowed to say anything Mr. Morton?”

“The President briefed me,” I said, “ though even Morton doesn't know Gator’s part in all of this.”

“Oh, that was simple, sir. Our orders were to blow up Seaview if she gave us the mission abort signal.”

“Blow her up?” Sharkey almost fainted.

“I almost peed in my pants when I heard the ‘mission accomplished’ on the radio, not that they'd done it, but that it was the Skipper’s voice, Captain Crane’s voice! I sure didn’t know, not even the Gator’s Captain, that the Skipper  was aboard Seaview, let alone that he was  alive! Alive!”

“According to the President,” Morton said, “he’s still dead. Understood?”

“Yeah, the Captain kinda’ thought he might be. Ordered me to shut up and admit I was mistaken. But...it was him, wasn’t it?”

 “It was him, Lad," I said,  “but...”

“I know how to keep my mouth shut, sir.”

“Good boy. Well, I don’t know about you gentlemen, but I’m in the mood for stiff drink. Join me?”

And so they did  while the rest of the Lee's crew waited anxiously by the dock. Waiting for the boat that had been so much a part of their lives, letting the press know they were just glad they’d be getting old jobs back.

But I knew, and they knew I knew, that they were really only waiting for one man to emerge from Seaview when she arrived. Our beloved Lee Crane. Home from the sea.