so,” Bart replied. “What the fuck are we going to do, man?”
“We’re going to do as we’re told,” Mike said. “Then kill every last motherfucker once we reach those fishing boats.”
“I got a family, Mike,” John said. “You heard what that psycho fuck is going to do.”
“What do you think he’s going to do to us?” Mike asked. “Give us a pat on the shoulder and tell us we did a good job?”
“But my family!”
“Fuck your family!” Mike shouted. “I want to live!”
Behind the three subs, three shapes emerged from below, locked onto the machines that looked like young blue whales.
***
“Thanks, Uncle Vinny,” Max said. “I owe you one.”
“You owe me a lot more than that,” Thorne replied. “And I never told you this, got it? McCarthy is an asshole of a frogman and he’s going to be pissed if he finds out I’ve been snooping in his business.”
“He recruited two others also?” Max asked. “Both amputees like Sherman?”
“That’s the scuttlebutt,” Thorne replied then changed the subject. “Am I going to see you two this weekend?”
“Sure are,” Max said. “We’re hanging until the end of the month.”
“No hippies to train?” Thorne asked.
“Nope,” Max said. “We’re on hiatus. Training pot growers to be snipers and defend their crops isn’t nearly as fun as working for Ballantine. But it’s a lot safer, so we’re trying to figure exactly which direction we want to focus on. And, speaking of Ballantine…”
“Just sit tight,” Thorne said. “I told you I’d call as soon as he has another assignment. Enjoy the paycheck and vacation until then.”
“Yeah, but there are more of those fucking freak sharks out there,” Max said, lowering his voice so Helen and the kids couldn’t hear. “We need to get Team Grendel back on the water and do some hunting.”
“Ballantine said he’d call once he had a lead,” Thorne replied.
“You hear from Ditcher lately?” Max asked, using the nickname he and his brother gave Darren Chambers when he walked out on their cousin Kinsey.
“He took some time off to deal with Bobby’s death,” Thorne replied. “But he’s now back overseeing the outfitting of the new ship.”
“New ship?” Max said. “Please don’t tell me it’s named what I think it will be.”
“I don’t care what it’s named,” Thorne said. “All I care about is that it can’t be taken down by a mega shark.”
“I hear that,” Max said. He turned about and smiled at Helen. “Listen, I better go. Thanks for the info on the Sherman guy. It’ll help ease his ex-wife’s mind.”
“Any time,” Thorne said. “Just not while I’m napping next time, hear?”
“Got it. See ya,” Max said and hung up. “Well, I have good news and bad news.”
“What’s the good news?” Helen asked.
“Your ex found a job,” Max said. “One that needed his specific qualifications.”
“Who needs a frogman without legs?” Helen laughed. “The circus?”
“Ouch,” Max frowned, looking at the kids. Their faces told him they were used to their mother denigrating their father. “Want the bad news?”
“Sure, why not,” Helen shrugged.
“The job is down in Mexico,” Max said. “And could be a while.”
“Of course,” Helen snorted. “The jerk loses his legs, but still finds a way to get deployed.”
“Want me to go back to the good news?” Max asked.
“Unless it’s that I won the lotto then no,” Helen snapped.
“Close,” Max smiled. “If my uncle’s intel is correct then the job pays some serious coin. Your ex should be able to get caught up on that child support as soon as he gets back.”
“Whatever,” Helen replied. “I’ve heard that before. That would be the responsible thing to do. And John’s not so good at being responsible.”
***
John was quiet for a minute as he thought about how he had helped recruit the other two men for McCarthy. John had known McCarthy from the SEAL