Chip Morton: Missing

By

Seaview Siren.

Captain Crane, in full dress uniform, looking as usual, very dashing, checked his watch in the control room. Where was Commander Morton?

Chip wasn't usually late, the whole crew had boarded, Miss Young, Admiral Nelson's personal assistant was already at her desk sorting through files. She looked up wondering where the handsome Commander was.

“He should be here Sir” Dylan O'Brien said, leaning near the periscope isle ready to start his watch.

“I don't understand Dyl,” Lee murmured to the younger officer. “Where he could've got to, Chip's never late”

“Did you see him on liberty?” Dylan asked Lee.

“No he was visiting a sick relative, maybe he's had a bereavement” Lee put in.

Dylan O'Brien nodded and went over to the radio shack.

The crew were all seated at their various station's awaiting the order to get underway.

“Is Mr Morton aboard yet?” Admiral Nelson called down on the Mic.

Lee took hold of the Mic, “No Sir, we don't know where he could be, shall I organize a search?”

“There's no time Lee, we have to get to these co-ordinates for the missile test.”

Captain Crane gave the orders to get underway with a heavy heart, where was Chip Morton? This was so unlike him, no word had been left at the Institute, this was completely out of character for the XO.

As Seaview got underway, Captain Crane watched her move away from the docks from the observation nose, his face in a frown.

Miss Young was still at her desk, “Where can he be, Sir?” she asked.

“I don't know Claire, I really don't, excuse me” he said and took the spiral stairs up to Admiral Nelson's cabin.

*

“There's been no word Admiral yet,” Lee said, perching on the edge of Nelson's desk, “nothing. It’s completely unlike Chip!”

“I donno', Lee, But we've got to get to these co-ordinates by 1700 hours for the missile test.”

Lee leaned over the desk and had a look at the chart and his watch.

“We will be cutting it fine Admiral” he said with a sigh, and pressed the intercom on Admiral Nelson's desk and gave the order to Lt. O'Brien for the course.

“Lt. O'Brien is acting XO I take it?” Admiral Nelson asked.

“Aye, Sir” Lee said and left the cabin.

He nearly bumped into Miss Young who was nearing the cabin.

“You and the Admiral need to read this,” she said and handed the Captain a fax.

“Oh my God,” Lee said as he ushered Claire into the admiral's cabin, unannounced. “We have a problem. ONI reports that Chip may have been kidnapped.”

“But why kidnap Chip for Heaven’s sake?” Claire asked.

“Why not?” Nelson asked, “He's an excellent officer, an employee of the Nelson Institute, and it could be a grudge against me.”

In the Admiral's profession there were plenty!

He leaned over the intercom and asked Sparks to raise ONI as Lee and Claire left him to his privacy.

*

Chip Morton didn't know where he was, all he knew was that he had been walking across the Institute carpark two days ago after Seaview had docked. After that, he drifted in and out of consciousness. He recalled being in some kind of van, been driven before he awoke in a dark room. It had a slash window, but far too small for any escape. Not that he could if he tried. He was bound by the wrists and by the ankles and found it impossible to free himself. Who had him and what did they want with him?

*

Admiral Nelson entered the control room and waved Lee and Claire to the observation nose, closing the pleats behind him.

“Chip Morton is believed to have been kidnapped by a group of extremists who want to keep us from attending this missile test”

“But why?” Lee asked, “It’s just a test to see how well a missile can be fired at such a depth as at the new sub pen. There's no explosive in it. It's just a dummy”

“We know that, but these, these idiots don't, so they're holding Chip hostage in the hopes of keeping us from getting to the launch. In fact, they really wanted you!”

Claire's expression changed from concern to horror at the thought of Lee being held.

“Well can't we talk to them?” Lee asked, taking hold of Claire by the arm.

“We can't negotiate with terrorists, and the ONI isn't sure they are. If, and that's the operative word, if Chip was kidnapped, it was two days ago and probably within the Institute grounds.”

Claire cleared her throat, “I'll have Angie check the CCTV Sir, we may get lucky”

“Good idea, send her a fax and get her to check it out but to hold onto anything she finds until we contact her” Nelson instructed.

*

The door in Chip's cell was opened and a young woman in faded jeans and a baggy tee shirt came in. She was gaunt with long pale hair and couldn't have been more than eighteen or so. She reached up and switched on a harsh lamp with no shade.

“Who are you, where am I?” Chip asked, squinting.

“You are being held by my group, Commander Morton, because of the missile your Admiral Nelson is going to test.”

Chip stared at the young woman, what on earth was she on about?

“Look, Miss whoever you are, I really don't know anything about such a mission.”

“Our information is accurate.”

Just then, two men came in, looked as young as the girl. They were similarly dressed in faded jeans and tee shirts.

“Who are you, what is this?” Chip demanded. “You will get into big trouble for kidnapping me!”

“Cool it dude,” one of the youths said, “we know who you are and whom you work for, the marine scientist Admiral Nelson.”

“We wanted to kidnap your captain,” the other youth said, “But it was too risky and there was always someone with him. Our contact told us who you were and followed you to your car.”

“Contact? At the Institute? Who? Tell me!” Chip demanded, this was bad news.

“A new crewmen hired for NIMR and Seaview. He planted a bug in your Admiral's office as we directed. The Seaview is moving towards co-ordinates to an undersea sub pen to fire a new missile which will cause widespread destruction. We won't allow that to happen.”

“Destruction? You're crazy. You must have misunderstood, Admiral Nelson would never do that!” Chip shouted.

“Tony is aboard Seaview and will see to it personally that they never reach the co-ordinates!”

“If you have this man aboard, why kidnap me?”

“Insurance, “the girl said and watched as her companions bound Chip up even tighter, then they all went.

*

Tony Caulson had indeed joined the crew with expertly forged papers, highly recommended. Chief Sharkey showed him his post in the circuitry room, glad to have such a highly skilled electrician aboard to share the duties with the other highly skilled crew.

*

It wasn't long before Chip heard what sounded like an argument outside of his cell, and then a scream.

“Please don't!” a woman's voice yelled.

He couldn't tell if it was the same girl.

A door slammed. There was crying, then another door slammed.

Who were these three, they just looked like some college drop outs to him, obviously some hippy like peace followers. Admiral Nelson wouldn't fire a destructive missile, never in a million years, the whole idea was insane!

The door to his cell opened again and the light was switched on by the same girl, only this time, there was an angry red mark on her cheek and tears in her eyes. She'd obviously been slapped, forced to carry on with this, against her will perhaps? Chip decided to try and reason with her. She had a vulnerable look in her eyes. She looked scared and unsure. Damn, how would Lee handle this?”

“What's your name Miss?”

“Annie, Annie Brooks.” She was extremely pretty with long pale auburn hair.

“Well, Annie, why don't you untie me and I can help you?” Chip asked gently.

“I can't. Danny has a gun. He and Paul have strong beliefs and wouldn't hesitate to kill me.”

“Look, you don't want to be involved with these louts if they're as dangerous as you say, look, just untie me and I'll help you get away. I'll even make sure you're not arrested like they're sure to be, I'll speak up for you.”

“I can't,” Annie replied, scared.

“Please darling, let me help you?”

Chip was trying to act and sound like Lee would in his situation. Annie stared a little while at him, then succumbed.

She drew out a switchblade from her jeans pocket and began to slice through Chip's ropes.

“Where am I anyway?” he asked as soon as he was freed and got up.

“Mulley's yard”

“The abandoned industrial estate?” he managed, his throat was dry, “water?”

“The water fountain doesn't work. But there's an old vending machine that has some soda in it...not cold or anything anymore.”

In minutes they'd arrived in one of the empty employee lounges, where there was also a vending machine that had a few packages of potato chips in it. There were no telling how old they were.

Annie put some change in for the soda and also for two bags of potato chips.

“I need the phone, you got a cell?” Chip asked her after almost drinking an orange soda down in a few grateful gulps.

Annie shook her head, “There isn't one in the building.”

Chip looked around, “A toilet?” he asked.

“Over there, but there's no running water to flush or wash with. It's pretty vile”

“Better than the bucket in my cell.”

After a few private moments he returned and took her hand.

“Right Annie, let's go.”

*

On the Seaview Miss Young carried on with the paperwork. She had faxed Angie at the Institute with Admiral Nelson's specific orders and was hoping for more information from Kim at the O.N.I but nothing had come so far.

*

“Go to the stores and fetch some more cable,” Caulson told the others in the Circuitry Room. “I think this panel could do with some re-wiring. I want to check this out with the circuit detector to test for any shorts.”

After the crewmen left, he had to work fast. He opened the 'navigation guidance control' panel and smirked. “This'll stop the Seaview from getting anywhere!”

He used the wire cutters and cut all the circuitry then quickly replaced the panel.

The three crewmen came back in with the cable.

“Just what I needed,” Caulson said with a laugh.

*

Admiral Nelson came back down to the control room as he was finding it hard to concentrate on his paperwork for thinking about Chip.

Miss Young looked up from her desk, “I'm sure Commander Morton will have come to no harm, Sir. These people, you say, they don't want the missile firing as they believe it will cause destruction, well I kind of think they wouldn't want anyone to die

then would they?”

Admiral Nelson smiled and kissed her head. “Always so practical, Claire”

She gave him one of her lovely kind smiles, such warmth, why on earth wasn't she married? He often asked himself that and truth be told, he was glad she wasn't!

He joined Lee at the plot table.

“We're right on course, Admiral, I think we may get there with time to spare.”

“That's good Lee,” Admiral Nelson began and the Seaview lurched.

“Sir,” Mr O'Brien shouted, “The navigation guidance control isn't working, it’s just cut out!”

Both men rushed to the flashing light on the panel.

“Chief, go and check it out!” Captain Crane ordered and picked up a Mic. “Damage control, lay aft to the circuitry room!”

“Just when everything was OK!” Admiral Nelson shouted and also went aft. But they found the circuitry room deserted.

*

Chip climbed up the rickety wooden stairwell. There was a window at the top. He had Annie remain at the bottom while he investigated.He pushed the window open and saw there was a flat roof.

“Annie, come on up!”

“I don't like heights.”

“You'll be OK, come on.”

Annie began to gingerly climb up. Chip waited for her at the top, and let her crawl through first, holding her by the hips and helping her. There were three metal rungs to climb down on and she lost her footing. She fell onto the roof with a scream.Chip quickly climbed down and knelt by her.

“Annie?” he asked, tapping her.

The pretty red-head laid there, the air knocked out of her for a few seconds. Then she saw the handsome Commander kneeling over her. She reached up and touched his face and he took her hand and squeezed it gently.

“Are you OK, Annie?”

Annie nodded. Chip was gazing at her, compassion in his beautiful blue eyes. Annie found herself getting lost in them. She reached out and drew his head down as if asking to be kissed.

“Please?” she asked.

Chip gazed at the beautiful girl laid beneath him and drew her up into his arms, then he kissed her, he stopped, hesitated, then he held her held possessively in his arms and he was fusing her mouth with his. Annie clung to him as she surrendered instantly to him. He wanted her, really wanted her. He pressed his hard body to hers and she moaned against his mouth.

The screech of a cars brakes interrupted him.

“What the hell am I doing!” Chip cursed himself, getting up.

“It’s OK, you can” Annie said disappointed.

“I'm a married man!” he told disgusted with himself for having even considered the impromptu interlude. “And we need to get out of here.”

*

Tony Caulson was found in the corridor leading to the crew’s quarters by Chief Sharkey who demanded an explanation.

“I was just on my way back to the circuitry room, Chief, when the sub lurched, what’s going on?”

“Our navigation guidance control has cut out!”

As the two ran to the circuitry room, they found Nelson already there, working on things.

“I didn't notice anything wrong when I was here,” Caulson said, slightly panicked by what Danny and Paul had talked him into. They hadn't told him that he'd be risking his own life. What if they couldn't get back to port?

Admiral Nelson had been studying Caulson's worried expression.

“What do you know about this guidance control system Caulson?”

“Nothing Sir, I haven't come across one before.”

“But you told your crewmates when they asked about it that it was OK when you checked on it earlier…you sabotaged the system didn't you?”

“I, I didn't, please......it wasn't me! Honest. I was just following orders”

“Who's orders?” Nelson demanded angrily.

“I won’t say.”

“Take him to the captain, Chief!”

“The captain?”Caulson gulped.

“Yes, the captain,” Sharkey said, “who may just throw you overboard.”

“Oh, God, oh God.”

*

“Right, Mr Caulson,” Lee said as the man was brought to him in the observation nose, “who are you working for, and why?”

“Daniel Beeker and Paul Dodson, oh and there's a girl too, Annie Brooks. Please don’t throw me overboard!”

“If you want me to be lenient,” Lee said coolly as if that was within the realm of possibility, “tell me what you and your friends are up to?”

“We heard about the testing of a missile and we.....they wanted to stop it. I was sent aboard this submarine to cause some damage. I'm a skilled electrician. We weren't going to harm anyone. Only stop the missile from being tested because it’s dangerous!”

“The missile is a dummy, Mister!” Crane shouted.

“But we bugged the admiral's office! They said there was no doubt about it.”

“Well, they were wrong. How did you come to get mixed up with them anyway?”

“Daniel's my cousin and …..”

“Never mind....does this have anything to do with our missing XO?”

“They won't harm him, I'm sure. They were thinking about some kind of ransom if I failed to stop things here.”

“Where are they holding Commander Morton?” Captain Crane demanded.

“Some industrial estate in Los Angeles, Mulley's Yard, “

Chief Sharkey nodded, he knew it.

“Chief, take Caulson to the brig and lock him up!”

Nelson smirked as the prisoner was led away, “I think he really believed that you could toss him in the drink.”

“Well, it did hurt to let him think I might.”

“I’ll get started on these repairs while you have the police get to Mulley’s. Let them know that Chip is resourceful enough to have escaped but he might still be on the grounds. And that his captors may be armed. While they might only be trying to stop the test, I wouldn’t put violence beyond them.”

.*

Chip found some stairs leading off the roof to one of the ancient parking lots below. In minutes they were on the tarmac.

“That's their Station Wagon, they're back!” Annie cried as soon as she saw it.

Just then a gun was fired.

“You're not getting away, Morton!” Danny yelled as he and Paul fired more shots from behind their car.

“Paul's got a gun too, they'll kill us!” Annie cried, terrified.

“The hell they will!”

He ran on with Annie, trying to shield her while they dodged the bullets.

*

Seaview arrived at the sub pen and Admiral Nelson chose Sharkey as his dive buddy to set the detonation timer on the test missile. They returned within in minutes. Lee moved Seaview away by several hundred feet and gave the order for all hands to brace themselves for a shockwave.

*

In a few minutes after the sub had stopped lurching back and forth, Claire came running from the radio shack to the observation nose.

“Lee! Lee!” she shouted with glee as she hugged him, “Chip’s okay! Angie got a call from the police. They caught Caulson’s friends who were firing at him. The girl was with Chip and he doesn’t want to press charges against her. She helped him escape. But the cops still arrested her. She aided and abetted the kidnapping, but the court might be lenient. It’s not like she tried to murder him like they tried to. Thank God Chip’s okay!”

“My dear,” Nelson said, “we’re as happy as you, but perhaps you can release the captain?”

“Oh,” she blushed and excused herself.

“What a hair brained idea those four had,” Lee said as he poured Nelson and himself some coffee.

“The thing is, it could have worked,” Nelson said, “if we hadn’t caught Caulson in time. They could have stranded us before we could find the trouble, demanded our cooperation in exchange for Chip…and we would have complied. It was only a test. Not a military mission that would have prevented us from rescuing him, so to speak. So, what about Caulson?”

“Malicious mischief is probably the most we can charge him with,” Lee said. “He’s not a reservist so we can’t court martial him, and strictly speaking, it wasn’t terrorism. And I don’t think he knew his friends might try to murder Chip. We’ll turn Caulson over to the authorities as soon as we get home and let them decide.”

*

Chip had squeezed Annie's hand as she was helped into the back of one of the police cars. Then he quickly hailed a cab.

“Nelson Institute!” he ordered the driver, “I have a boat to catch!” he laughed.

THE END