the hell down! Now!’
Cooper yanked on Jackson’s arm. Hard. Real hard. Dragging him to the safety of the deck. And with the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath and a look of indignation he said, ‘Hey! What’s got up your nose Coop? All that… ’
‘Listen to me… ’ Cooper stopped suddenly as a cold uneasiness came over him like a sudden temperature drop. His eyes darting across the cerulean sea. ‘Jackson, I need you to start turning the boat round. We’re going to have to jibe her, but we gotta to do it fast.’
Jackson stared at him in astonishment. ‘Jibe? You’re crazy. The crosswind’s too strong to try to turn downwind. You’ll capsize her for sure.’
‘What’s going on?’ Ellie Granger, Cooper’s long-term girlfriend, stood bleary eyed behind them. She asked the same question which was on Jackson’s lips.
Cooper turned to her. And although his words were quickly spoken, he made sure they held warmth. He said, ‘Hey baby, look there’s no need to panic, but we’re going to have to turn the boat round. We’ve got to get back to Lamu as quickly as we can.’
She pushed her blond hair out of her big blue eyes and looked around puzzled and said, ‘I don’t get it. How long have I been asleep, Tom? I thought we were anchored up?’
Giving a side-glance to Jackson, Cooper spoke more to himself than her. ‘So did I, honey, so did I.’
Upon which his attention snapped back to Jackson. He barked out orders. Short. Sharp and precise. ‘Start pulling in the main sheet, I’ll come and help you but I’ve got to go and radio in our position.’
A veil of fear crossed Ellie’s face. She’d known Cooper since high school. Childhood sweethearts. Inseparable from the very first day. Fifteen years ago. Give or take a month. Yet in all that time she’d never seen him look the way he did now.
Her voice edged with anxiety. With unease. ‘Tom, you’re still not making sense. Why do you need to radio in? Is something wrong with the engine?’
Taking her hands, Cooper stared into her eyes intently. Locked into her gaze. And gave her a reassurance which he didn’t feel. ‘It’s just a precaution baby, okay.’
‘Tom, please. You’re making me nervous.’
‘Trust me honey, it’ll be okay. I promise.’
Jackson, beginning to sober up, grabbed Cooper’s arm. ‘Listen man, I didn’t mean anything by it. You guys were asleep so I thought it’d be fun to sail her. No harm done. Right?’
Shaking himself free from Jackson’ grip and not wanting to spend any more time explaining or talking or reassuring, Cooper began to hurry back below decks to where the mounted chart table was. His reply to Jackson was lost in the wind.
*
At the chart table, Cooper quickly scrutinized the radar screen. Watched the sweeping beam detect the flashing targets approaching their yacht at speed. And without hesitation, he picked up the radio. Selected the emergency maritime frequency.
‘Mayday, mayday, mayday! This is the Yankee Girl requesting urgent assistance from any US naval vessel. I repeat, this is Yankee Girl requesting urgent assistance. We are at 0-2 degrees, 21 north, 26-41 west. Mayday, mayday.’
There was a brief interval of silence before the radio crackled loudly. ‘Affirmative. I understand the vessel’s name is Yankee Girl. Break. Break. Vessel Yankee Girl. Vessel Yankee Girl, this is USS Abraham Lincoln. Request to know if you are in need of assistance. Over.’
‘Roger. In need of urgent military assistance.’
Cooper paused. Glanced at the target approaching on screen, adding. ‘Potential piracy situation. Over.’
‘Pirates? Oh my God, Tom, is that why we have to get back to Lamu?’
Ellie stood on the stairs. Her face drained of the softness of color as the voice on the radio cut through the air.
‘Yankee Girl, please identify yourself. Over.’
‘Ellie, please. Just go back to Jackson. I promise, I’ll explain everything. Let me just sort this out.’
Her voice trembled and she said, ‘Not until you tell me exactly what’s going on.’
‘Yankee Girl, I repeat. Identify yourself.’
‘I’m sorry baby, I got to do this.’
He turned his back on her. Not wanting. Not being able to deal with the hurt. The fear in her eyes. He raised the handset to his mouth. ‘This is Lieutenant Thomas J. Cooper of the US Naval Special Forces. Over.’
He heard a hint of surprise in the voice on the other end of the radio.
‘Lieutenant Cooper? This is Petty Officer Monroe, you are aware that this is an open radio channel and contrary to naval protocol for military personnel. Over.’
Cooper clenched his jaw as well as his fist. Tried to keep his composure. But it was tough. And he heard the strain in his own voice. ‘Affirmative, Officer Monroe, I am fully aware of protocol, but I repeat, urgent assistance required. Over.’
‘Lieut…’
Cooper cut him off as he heard Ellie walk away. The authority of rank speeding into his voice.
‘I repeat! This is a mayday call and as such, Monroe, you just need to listen and do your job… Over.’
‘Sir, yes sir! Please stand by, Yankee Girl.’
Placing the radio handset on the table, Cooper grabbed the binoculars before running back up the stairs to the deck. Two at a time.
He could see Ellie had now joined Jackson, who was pulling on the ropes. Struggling. Hauling in the main sheet as it billowed in the oceanic winds.
Pointing at the flapping sail, Cooper yelled, ‘Pull her tight! Jackson. Keep pulling her tight!’
Then through his binoculars, he scanned the horizon whilst listening to the desperate cries of Jackson.
‘Cooper…! Cooper! I need your help! She’s going to capsize!’
‘Hold her down Jackson. Just try to keep her steady… Ellie, take the slack up from behind him. I’ll come and take over in a minute… Whatever you do, just hold on.’
Chasing back down below decks, Cooper picked up the radio again to a different, but familiar sounding voice. A voice he could’ve done without.
‘Come in Yankee Girl. I repeat, this is Captain Neill. Do you copy? Over.’
‘Copy, sir. Requesting urgent assistance.’
‘Lieutenant Cooper, I understand you’re at 02 degrees, 21 north, 26-41 west, though presumably, Lieutenant, you’re aware it’s a high risk area with a code two situational alert.’
Cooper
