Terror on the Seaview.

By Seaview Siren.

Admiral Nelson had flown out in the flying sub with Chief Sharkey to collect Dr.

Anthony Thomas. He was a well-respected scientist, a colleague of Admiral Nelson's, a decent gentleman. That was until he had gotten involved with a group of foreign scientists who had convinced him to put time and money into their own experiments developing new species of sea plants. These experiments in their highly secured lab had at first seemed innocent enough. But he had realized a little too late that these newly developed plants were intended to poison people! He had reported the experiments to the authorities and his life was believed to be in danger.

After being welcomed aboard the Seaview and escorted to his cabin, Captain Crane

discussed their latest passenger with Admiral Nelson in his cabin.

“Has he received any death threats Admiral?” Lee asked.

“Not as yet Lee, he's rather anxious, he regrets his involvement” Nelson replied.

Lee nodded, “How did he come to get involved with them Admiral?” he asked.

“They offered him the perfect opportunity, he has always had an interest is botany and

to work with James Kent, the botanist was perfect” Nelson told him.

Lee sighed, “Well let’s hope we get no trouble Admiral” he said.

“How is our other guest Dr. Strainer coming along in the lab Lee?” Nelson asked.

“He was buried under a pile of papers when I checked on him” Lee replied with a grin.

Dr. Harold Strainer was aboard to accompany a team of divers to an undersea cave in which a new species of plant life had been growing. He had previously been down to these caves and believed these plants to have medicinal uses after running some tests. Admiral Nelson was hoping that whilst on board and with an interest in botany, Thomas and Dr. Strainer could be introduced and work together.

Chief Sharkey knocked at the lab and went in, “Dr. Strainer Sir, you require anything?” he required politely.

“Oh a fresh pot of tea would be much appreciated thank you” Dr. Strainer said, he was a genius of a man, wore thick rimmed glasses and thick grey hair and walked with a limp due to polio as a child. He was British born but had lived in New York since his teens, he had a love of the city said he would never live anywhere else on earth.

“I'll get some sent down Sir” Chief Sharkey said.

Dr. Thomas had unpacked his case, he was still rather anxious about an attempt being made on his life. Why oh why had he got involved with these foreigners anyway? Not one of his best career moves. Did they know he was aboard? Stanhard Felmann, the leader had vowed to get his revenge, called Thomas a traitor, said all Traitors died!

Admiral Nelson asked for Dr. Thomas to come to his cabin.

“Be right there Admiral” Dr. Thomas replied over the Mic.

Dr. Strainer was listening in the lab, “All traitors died!” he said with an evil smirk upon his face. He opened his case and took out a square box and opened that. Inside was a bottle labled 'air borne virus'. It had been derived from plants and could make a lot of people very ill. Injected directly it could even kill. Inside the bottle was a small ampule of serum, this was intended for Dr. Thomas to be injected. Also inside the bottle where small particles, intended for the air revitalization system on the Seaview. ideal for emptying into the air revitalization duct on the Seaview. Mr. Felmann had been specific, “Make them all very ill” he had ordered, “But make sure Thomas is killed and that they know why!”

Strainer knew that Seaview had been called upon to deliver Dr. Thomas to his office

in Bedford, Virginia via the flying sub. Seaview would continue to the co-ordinates

for the undersea caves Dr. Strainer had requested. Nelson was keen to accompany him to see these undersea cave plants for himself being the fascinated scientist he was. Dr. Strainer had heightened his interest by informing him of their potential medicinal uses.

Dr. Thomas was in the Admiral's cabin now, he sat opposite the older man with a

nervous smile, Nelson could see the man was preoccupied.

“Everything alright Anthony?” Nelson asked Dr. Thomas, he nodded, “Yes Harry still a bit tense, I'll be happy when I get back to Bedford. I'm planning on re-evaluating my career” Dr. Thomas replied.

“We have a Dr. Strainer aboard with a special interest in botany, perhaps you would care to meet him” Nelson suggested.

“Oh of course Admiral” Dr. Thomas said with a smile.

Dr. Strainer was enjoying the tea that had been sent down when Nelson and Thomas arrived at the Lab. While Dr Strainer recognized Thomas from the report Felmann had sent, he pretended not to.

“Dr. Strainer,” Nelson said, “this is our other guest, Dr. Anthony Thomas. He's

interested in botany so I thought you both might enjoy each other's company a while.”

“Of course,” Strainer said. “I'd be delighted.”

“Same here,” Thomas said.

“I'll leave you both alone to talk shop,” Nelson said and headed to the control room.

Lee was in the observation nose drinking some coffee. They'd reach Virginia in the

morning. There had been no enemy planes or ships reported, maybe the threats to Thomas had been empty threats. He sighed, time would tell, the sooner Dr. Thomas was delivered the better. He rubbed his forehead and sighed.

Chip came forward.

“Everything's satisfactory Lee, O'Brien has the conn.”

“Very well, Chip, you might as well turn in.” Lee said.

Dr. Thomas studied the plant data in Dr. Strainer's folders and the diagrams, he was

absorbed in the reports. Dr. Strainer took the syringe out of his case and carefully

filled it from the ampule in his box being careful not to spill a drop and he got up.

He approached Dr. Thomas and delivered a hefty chop to the back of the neck

causing Thomas to fall forward. He rolled the man's sleeve up and injected him with the virus.

He took the box and left the Lab.

“Sonar shows some uncharted caves ahead Sir,” O' Brien called out and slowed the sub to a stop.

“Perhaps Dr. Strainer would like us to check these caves out as well as his own,” Lee

said, “I'll take the flying sub out for a quick look. No need to call him forward.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Strainer had crawled his way into the main branch of Air revitalization and emptied the particles into the system. Now he had to get off the Seaview in the flying sub, he hurried to the control room.

“Dr Strainer?” O' Brien asked when he arrived. “You just missed the skipper. He's out checking on some uncharted caves you might be interested in.”

“How long before he gets back?” Strainer asked looking pale.

“Dr Strainer Sir, anything the matter?” O 'Brien asked.

“Oh no, nothing.....excuse me,” Strainer said and hurried aft.

He had to get off the sub! It wouldn't be too difficult to use scuba gear would it?

He had to get off before the virus affected him too.

He hurried to the missile room for scuba gear but saw men on watch in there, he panicked. Then he remembered the orientation he'd received when he'd boarded. Rebreathers, they were situated all over the sub. Even in the lab, he hurried back to the lab.

He stepped over Dr. Thomas's limp body that had fallen on the deck and reached for the rebreather in the emergency cupboard. Now all he had to do was wait for Crane to return in the flying sub.

As Lee circled the caves in a cruising pattern with the flying sub, he was sure these

were definitely the same caves Dr. Strainer had described. His brow furrowed, he was beginning to get the feeling that something was not quite right. He called Seaview.

“O' Brien? There's something damn peculiar about these caves. Bring Dr. Strainer forward will you?”

Lee got no reply and tried again.

“O' Brien? O' Brien? This is the Captain, Anyone, please respond!”

There was nothing.

Lee came about in the flying sub and set off for the Seaview at flank speed.

As soon as he berthed he grabbed a revolver, and raced up the ladder and cracked the hatch. All the control room crew were collapsed in their chairs or on the deck.

Rushing toward the nearest crewman, Ron, he felt an erratic pulse, and his skin was cold and clammy, in spite of a normal air temp.

“Sickbay!” Lee called on the mic. “Emergency! Can anyone hear me? Report!”

“No one can hear you!” Strainer, rebreather on his face said, waving a gun. “And so no one will hear you”

“What’s going on?” Lee demanded, aiming his gun at Strainer.

“My mission! Death to all traitors!” Strainer said shooting Lee in the shoulder and he

made a grab for the railing by the flying sub hatch.

“What have you done to my crew?” Lee groaned, stooped in pain, he took a shot at

Strainer and brought him down on the deck, writhing from a wound in the leg, his gun falling from his grasp. Lee kicked it out the way, holding onto his bleeding shoulder. “What have you done and why are you wearing this?” he asked pulling the rebreather off

Strainer's face.

“IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ME IN TEN SECONDS, SO HELP ME I'LL KILL YOU,

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” Lee bawled dangerously.

“Orders. Virus in the air revitalization system. Kill Thomas....all traitors.....get me off this boat! I don't want to die! I don't....want...to...d...Felmann, help me!”Strainer said as he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Even with the mask, Lee felt hot and dizzy. He grabbed a new rebreather from the storage unit and began to distribute more to his fallen crewmen, but to no avail.

He punched in a few commands into the computer to turn off Air Revitalization, and also all functions for the flying sub, just in case Strainer somehow woke. He even set auto controls to surface and crack the hatches for fresh air, not that it would help much.

He rushed to sickbay and found Doc sprawled on the deck.

“Doc, Doc! Snap out of it!”

But as with the control room crew there was no improvement.

“Virus...virus,” Lee spoke to himself, “How to treat...antibiotics? No, that's not right. Doc always said they don't work for virus's....wait...he saw an experimental chemical formula that had some success with lab rats infected with some virus…brought it here to study…”

Lee franticly searched around the medicine cabinet...damn, what was the name of that thing?

Broad spectrum something or other... He almost missed it. Grabbing the large vial he began to pour it into a syringe, making sure to squirt out any air, then injected it into himself and took off the mask.

He waited. He still felt hot and dizzy but the symptoms were weakening. Bingo!He filled another syringe and injected Doc. By the time Doc began to rouse, Lee felt fine, except for his bullet wound and there was no time to see to that at the moment, his crew needed him now.

“What....what happened?” Doc asked gingerly staggering to his feet, Lee put out an arm to steady him.

“Too long to explain Will, Here we need to inject everyone aboard against a deadly virus which was unleashed into the air revitalization system!” Lee gasped.

In minutes the men had loaded up enough syringes and they went off in different sections of the sub to find and inject everyone.

Lee, Nelson and Chip sat in the observation nose drinking some freshly brewed coffee as Seaview, still on the surface, headed towards Virginia.

“Stanhard Felmann, the man behind the revenge plot and his colleagues are all being questioned by the FBI,” Nelson informed them.

“Strainer's requesting a plea bargain,”Chip said. “Is upset that we'll still be turning him over to the FBI when we dock.”

“What does he expect!” Lee stated, he felt the padded dressing on his shoulder.

“He'll be charged with the attempted murder of Thomas and for what he did here” Nelson

said.

“How is Dr. Thomas?” Lee asked.

Chip looked at Nelson with a grin who instantly returned it.

“We were hoping you could tell us, 'Doc!” Chip said.

Lee gave a bashful smile, “Oh” he said.

“Well done Lee” Nelson said with a smile. “If it hadn't been for your determination, well, we might not be here talking about it.”