Meanwhile Viper had pulled out a small black electronic box from the medical bag strapped to his thigh.
"This is standard SEAL procedure. I gotta take DNA samples for our database records" he announced as he sensed Hayes watching him.
He flicked out two probes from one end and removed the sterile protective covers before swabbing some blood from firstly Perez's shoulder wound and then Delgado's neck.
Seconds later the data was being transmitted back to Virginia for analysis and storage.
Viper and Hayes decided to move Delgado's body out of the way as he had fallen awkwardly across Bachetti when taken down by Viper's shot to the skull. As they positioned themselves to lift the big Mexican up they both had their backs turned to Perez, who hadn't yet received any treatment. Unwatched and in considerable pain, the injured drug-lord edged his left hand slowly to a leg sheath where he had a hidden pistol.
He slowly stretched his hand down and started to work the weapon free of its holster.
At that moment, Watson returned into the room having just started to drag all the bodies below deck into one single area, which was to become a makeshift morgue. This would help with the morbid task of identifying the victims of Viper's clinical work.
His eyes fell straight onto Perez, and the gun now being freed into his hand.
"He's gotta a gun on his leg!" yelled Watson flinging himself like a wide receiver over Viper to knock Perez's hand. He drew out his own Glock and pointed it into Perez's face, momentarily unsure whether to kill Perez there and then.
Viper scooped up Perez's weapon before composing himself and saying.
"Thanks. Hey both you guys have both saved my life today! And that was good shooting before to take this guy down. We call that a Double Tap in the SEALS!"
Viper then turned to Watson who offered out his hand.
"Hi! I'm Captain Vicente "Viper" Vecchio."
"Hi! I'm Logan Watson with the DEA in Arlington."
"Yeah!" said Viper "You were with the US Navy weren't you? I read both your biographies when we were airborne. I got them issued along with a schematic layout of this trawler."
"Why are you called Viper?" Is it because you have a silent and deadly strike?" asked Watson smiling.
"No, no!" laughed Viper “I think it’s just that I got a lot of Vs in my name!"
Neither agent really believed him.
"Who are you bastards?" yelled Perez interrupting the conversation though gritted teeth and in obvious pain.
"Where is my wife? I want to see my wife. Luis, Luis are you there?"
"We are FBI and DEA agents. Miguel Perez you are under arrest for violation of Schedule II of the United States Controlled Substances Act. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense." said Hayes in word perfect fashion despite her frantic heartbeat. She stared into the eyes of one of the most wanted men on the planet - and didn’t flinch.
"Where is my wife? Where are you taking me?" he shouted again in an agitated voice.
"I am afraid both your wife and Luis Delgado are dead Mr. Perez. We are taking you to back to Florida where you will be held in custody at a US Naval base for questioning" replied Watson.
The Mexican looked furious, shocked, confused and pained all at the same time. He went quiet for a bit and started to cry in either pain or sorrow. Viper and Hayes cleaned up his wounds with a swab and applied a tourniquet to his leg injury. Viper’s SEAL medical kit contained medication for dealing with most emergencies and he drew out a hypodermic needle, with a dose of Morphine pre-loaded. Almost without looking Viper jabbed the needle into Perez's thigh muscle, giving him some instant pain relief and temporarily silencing him.
The agents then undertook a search of the boathouse room for evidence and anything else that would be useful in the future in their war against drugs and terror.
"How much money do you make in a year in your DEA work, amigo?" Perez suddenly spurted out at Watson as he lay on the boathouse floor with Sanchez's trusty seat cushion under his head.
"No, no I will tell you how much you make. You will be on GS pay and I guess you have a few years service. So let me think...you earn between $80-$90,000 a year. Am I right?"
Watson didn't answer but was privately amazed that Perez knew this level of information.
"You not answer me - so that means I am right" Perez added smugly.
"That is not a good salary amigo. No, no it is not good. Listen to me my friend. I will make you all very rich people. I will pay you $1,000,000 each now - you, your FBI friend and the army guy. And then I will pay you another $1,000,000 next week - if you help me to go free. I will wire the money anywhere in the world you want. I have the money here now in these suitcases. Take a look! I am a man of my word. Do we have a deal?"
The Mexican was desperate to barter for his freedom and his life long in-built ability to survive whatever situation faced him kicked in.
Watson however was full of contempt for Perez and despised corruption - another throwback to his parental influence. Watson realised that Perez had lost his wife and his best friend but the most important thing to him now was to try and bribe his way to freedom.
“I don’t want your fucking money!” shouted Watson grabbing Perez by the lapels of this coat “I want you in jail for the rest of your life! You are looking at a penal sentence of 10 years and a fine of $10 million”
Viper and Hayes pulled him off the Mexican. “Easy man, easy” said Viper in a strangely calming way. “Don’t let him get to you.”
Perez laughed. "I not understand you. I have worked with the US Government for many years and there has been, how you say? Mutual benefits. I have helped you Americans and your Government many times"
Hayes looked shocked and assumed Perez was lying.
"What do you mean worked with the American Government? Who have you worked with and when? Or are you just lying to try to save your skin?"
Perez's face was very serious. "But no Senorita. I have provided weapons for freedom fighters across the Americas at the personal request of the American Government officials. I have names and contact details. I have dealt with two men from your National Security Council. One goes under the name of Archangel the other calls himself Iron Eagle. These are, how you say, code-names? One is like you with the FBI and the other one is CIA. I also know their real names."
Both Hayes and Watson listened keenly. Now Perez was talking with what seemed like honesty - perhaps due to being in a state of shock following his deaths of his wife and best friend, or maybe the effects of morphine. Perhaps he did just want to save his skin but whatever the reason his voice and manner was now very different.
"I will tell you all what you want to know. But only when you let me go free" Perez added before the effects of Viper's morphine hit him fully. His eyes closed as he slipped into a deep sleep leaving the agents tantalized.
Chapter 14
Viper got a call in his SEAL channel headset.
"Yes sir. All targets are down with one injured and hostage is free. The hostage requires medical attention but the two agents here are arranging for that with the Coastguard."
He listened to news from his colleagues, smiling and nodding his head.
"That is great news sir. US Special Forces are the best in the world - no question there. Out."
Viper turned to Hayes and Watson looking pleased.
"SEAL Team Two took the ship after a gunfight. Two Ukrainians were killed and the rest surrendered. None of our guys were injured and the team found two barrels of Semtex and C5 explosives. The USCG Stratton is headed towards us now to pick you up along with the injured and dead."
Hayes couldn't contain herself and asked Viper some questions that were at the front of her mind.
"Viper. When did your team get told about this situation and what was happening?"
Viper had taken an instant like to both Hayes and Watson and whilst he never normally spoke outside SEAL circles he opened up a little.
"SEAL Team Two is trained to be mobilized at very short notice to tackle any situation where American lives and interests are at stake. We only got about one hour's notice of this situation and our Colonel decided to split us into two operational units. We have some guys in the team who are experts in handling chemical and nuclear material and explosives so they were dispatched to the ship."
"I have been trained in electronics and close quarter combat so I was sent to assist you guys. Sometimes when we have more notice we can build a mock up of the target zone back at our base in Virginia but there wasn't enough time here. I had to try and memorize as much as I could about this boat's layout and who was on board."
"We were briefed to deal with four fanatical terrorists with Middle Eastern and Soviet connections. I gotta say that there was only one person who looked to me like a terrorist below deck and then the two armed guys in the bridge. Nobody mentioned anything about a young woman being on board but ..." he hesitated and then said in an almost apologetic way
".. If you are told they are terrorists and you gotta take them down... well then that's what you gotta do. Anyway I'm real grateful to you guys for your help" he added modestly and massively playing down his own role in the liberation of the boat.
"We needed really your help here Viper and would probably have just ended up trying to shoot our way out!" said Watson.
"Yeah Logan's right. You knew what to tackle first and I'm real thankful to you. You were told they were terrorists and you did your job properly." added Hayes.
Privately, both agents thought about Viper's stunning efficiency and appreciated that America's multi-million dollar investment in training Navy SEALS had paid handsome dividends in averting a major terrorist attack on the United States homeland.
After a short period of silence and reflection on all these events, Viper spoke out trying to end the puzzlement in his mind.
"Hey! What on earth was that massive white snake thing that came out of this guy's mouth?" asked Viper. "I've never seen anything like that in my life and I've spent time in some weird places!"
"I suspect it was some form of tapeworm" replied Hayes switching her thoughts back to the worm and momentarily away from Perez's comments about corrupt American officials which were really bothering her.
"I was only saying to Logan the other day that there have been a couple of instances this year of massive tapeworm discoveries in Florida. I wish we could have gotten a closer look at it."
Watson spoke then. "There is a slimy trail by the cabin door over there. I saw it as I went downstairs to the galley before. Looks like whatever it was; it went through the railings and towards the sea. It must have moved real fast"
Hayes mind was whizzing.
"Parasites can survive outside the host's body for several hours but they need to feed on something. Maybe this thing needs to survive in sea water?" she wondered out loud.
"Well maybe we can get a closer look at it" said Viper suddenly.
He rolled up the sleeve of his combat suit to reveal a small, flexible micro-HDTV screen secured around his forearm by two Velcro straps. The two agents looked on in silence as Viper pressed a couple of tiny buttons on the panel of the micro unit.
"This is a bit like a home camcorder." he explained. "It's linked to the HD camera in my headset and can show live feedback to Virginia HQ as well as storing local data.
Anything on here is Top Secret NOFORN classified but I'm gonna show it to you guys as our mission still has live status."
He fast forwarded the recording through his parachute jump into the sea and through the multiple killings of the crew of El Alcatraz- all caught on camera.
Nobody said a word.
When he got close to the frames where Bachetti expelled the parasite, Viper stopped the recording.
"Here we go - I'll use freeze frame progression mode."
The three watched as the huge worm first appeared from Ethan's mouth. Viper could zoom, pan and edit the lighting so that even in the dark, the picture quality was excellent.
"Good job you kept your head still!" joked Watson, truly fascinated now by what he was watching.
"That looks a bit like an Anaconda or Python to me. I've faced them in jungles in South America before" said Viper slowly advancing the images. The creature reared its body about two feet off the ground at one point, looked around slowly and a hissing sound could be heard."
"It looks reticulated for sure but tapeworms consist of strobila - small sections. I do understand though why you would think it is a snake and it does appear to have eyes which tapeworms do not possess. It also has the characteristic triangular shaped head and this has a tongue flicking out."
"There have been some sightings of huge Nemertean white worms in the Gulf of Mexico but this looks slightly different" said Hayes, who was really puzzled by the creature and its classification.
"But the host here, Ethan Bachetti, is from Florida and that is consistent with other tapeworm research and findings from that area recently. I wish we could get an oncosphere" she said as she closely studied the footage, at the same time losing her two colleagues.
The sound of gunfire came next as Viper, Watson and Hayes all opened up on Perez and Delgado. And then darkness came.
Viper rewound the recording and clicked another button. He dragged an icon with a measurement gauge onto the screen using his index finger and the two agents realised he was using some highly advanced software to calculate the creature's body length.
"I usually use this for estimating pipe length or explosive cable - not for measuring snakes!" joked Viper who remained convinced that is what he had seen.
The micro-screen computed the worm's length at 28.35 meters or 93 feet.
"Mercy me!" muttered Viper suddenly remembering that he was in the presence of a woman and all three were astonished at the length of the creature and what they had witnessed.
"Viper! Is there no way you can share that footage with us? I am a scientist and I would like to try to get that creature analyzed in case it presents a threat to human life in Florida. You have my word that I'll not reveal where I got the information from." said Madison almost begging now.
"There is no way maam." he said seemingly without negotiation. "Like I said, this data will be classified under Top Secret No Foreign Access."
"OK" Hayes added disappointedly but grateful that at least he had shown the footage to her.
She had no doubt it was a vital discovery and without hesitation she would be including reference to it in her end of assignment report for Konchesky. She had to agree with Viper that it looked like a snake and her mind started to wonder if the creature was somehow connected to the abandoned snake problem in the Florida Everglades. Maybe it was some form of new hybrid life form - something between a python or an anaconda and a tapeworm? Had mankind created a new Frankenstein?
However like all scientifically minded people, Hayes wanted hard facts thoroughly supported by incontrovertible evidence – not fanciful guesswork.
Viper then got another call in his headset on his SEAL-only channel.
"My chopper lift is nearly here, I better get on deck or the Major won't be happy" he said before pausing for a moment as he packed his last items of kit away.
"Look. Have you guys got a business card with your full work address and ZIP code?" he suddenly asked the two agents. This surprising request gave Hayes some hope that he would be able to furnish them with something.
"Sure" said Hayes handing him a card from the supply she kept in her iPad sleeve bag but saying no more.
"Now I ain't promising anything...." he added as he zipped the card into his sleeve pocket.
Viper had all his SEAL combat kit back on now and he shook hands again.
"Thanks again guys! Nice working with you."