The Left Series (Book 6): Left On An Island Read Online Free PDF Page A

we got a choice. Either try and reverse backwards off the reef or stay right where we are and take the boat over to the island.”
    “What boat?” Chernakov barked. “Don’t you remember? You tossed away the life boats when you fled from Belfast.”
    Smith exchanged glances with McElroy.
    “Yeah, but we still got the RIB,” he said.
    The rigid inflatable boat was basically a dinghy with an outboard motor, mostly used for emergencies, such as rescuing a person who had fallen overboard or to transport a small crew to carry out maintenance work along the ship’s side.
    “If we try to move astern, we could rip the bows off the ship,” Hannigen groaned. “Or maybe at the very least tear a big hole in the side. Why didn’t you ejits sort out where the hell we were going? Between you, you’ve managed to lead us into dangerously low waters.” He swung around in his chair to face the windows and banged his fist on top of the control panel. “Now, we’re totally fucked.”
    “It’ll take us a fair few trips in that small boat to get us all ashore,” O’Neil sighed.
    “What’s your best guess at the chances of you getting us off that damn reef, Hannigen?” Smith asked.
    Hannigen sighed and swiveled around in his chair to face the bridge. “Look, Smith, I really don’t know. Without going down under the briny to take a look, I really couldn’t tell you. This is a nuclear powered ship and I don’t know how much damage we could do to the reactor if we start flooding the decks with seawater, which may well occur if we rip a hoofing great hole in the side.”
    “We’re literally up Shit Creek without a paddle,” McElroy said.
    “Or up Shit Creek without a ship that’s fully maneuverable,” Hannigen reiterated.
    “So you want somebody to go down underwater and take a look at the damage, huh?” Smith asked.
    “Well, at least it would help to make a full diagnosis of our situation,” Hannigen said. “But how the hell are we going to manage that task, Smith?”
    Smith flashed me a rapid glance. If I hadn’t known him so well, I would have missed it. But I knew that expression and the sudden look in his eyes. He was thinking of something, another bizarre plan.
    I also knew that plan involved me somehow.
           
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
       
              
     
          
     

     
     
    Chapter Five
     
    “What do you have in mind, Smith?” I asked, fearing his answer would be some hare-brained scheme.
    Smith looked at me with a cocksure, crooked grin. “Remember when you told me you had a life-long ambition to go scuba diving, Wilde Man?”
    I could recall no such conversation but that didn’t mean I’d never uttered those words, perhaps during a late-night, drunken exchange, when you say the most ridiculous things.
    “I don’t know what you’re even talking about, Smith,” I sighed.
    Smith smiled and ducked his head slightly, using a pose he probably used in the past when threatening Brooklyn street hustlers into handing over a week’s takings before they took a serious beating.
    “Well, we got a load of gear in the diving store down below. How about me and you go for a little swim with the fishes?” He pointed downwards to the floor.
    I laughed nervously, holding up my hands in a surrendering motion. “What, me? Go down there? You must be kidding, right?” I knew there could be some very big fishes down there. “I’m sure Mac or one of the others would be happy to go scuba diving with you, Smith.” I was trying to volunteer other people for Smith’s crazy mission now. I really didn’t want to go down into the depths of the sea.
    Smith sighed and cocked his head to one side, staring at me like I was an insubordinate school kid. I knew he wanted me to do this loathsome task alongside him. Smith slapped me on the shoulder in a friendly manner but it was also a little harder than a buddy blow. He was telling me to go ahead with his plan or I’d be in deep shit.
    “Hey, Wilde