Detective Mira Sanchez was spitting angry. She had secured a search warrant for the Pasiphea on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping. She and her officers were in the process of executing the warrant when the ship owner's lawyer obtained a restraining order, preventing them from finishing the search. She was certain that Rollie and Angie were on the cargo ship.
The surveillance expert that she had called in couldn't pick up any audio from Rollie's mic. They did still have the video link but that wasn't of much use at the moment because the footage was too dark to really see anything and there was no audio to go along with it. But the expert had managed to pick up a faint signal of a tracking device, and they had followed to the ship's deck and were about to have the hatches opened when suddenly the lawyer's came aboard with their injunction.
"Damn it!" Mira yelled, along with some Spanish expletives. She had returned to Rollie's van, along with Francis and the surveillance expert, Maddox.
"Give me something," she ordered Maddox. "Tell me there is something you can do to pull in Rollie's audio signal."
"I'm working on it," Maddox insisted. "But don't hold your breath. Frankly, I think you have a better chance with the tracking device."
Mira shot him a dirty look. "Yeah well, the tracking device won't give me grounds to get another warrant for that ship. I need audio or video proof!"
Maddox scratched his chin. "I could try to see what's on the footage from the camera so far and see if I can clean it up --"
"Do it!" Mira ordered.
Francis, who had stepped outside for some air, came back into the van. "You better hurry with that proof," he said, "because the Pasiphea has just weighed anchor. They're heading out."
"Great," Mira said angrily. "Now what?'
Rollie was leaning against the wall. His arm encircled Angie's waist as she stood beside him, his chin resting on top of her head. They were both tired and worried. Still, it amazed him how right it felt to hold Angie in his arms and how, just a few hours ago, he thought she was going to marry someone else. He knew she had returned his kiss but still wondered about her feelings for Paul.
Rollie was startled out of his thoughts when Li finished speaking with the group and he came over to talk to him and Angie.
"They don't see what they can do to help. But they won't hinder your trying either," Li said.
"That's all I'm asking."
Angie looked up at Rollie. "So what is your plan?"
Rollie let Angie go as he moved from the wall. He looked around the room. "Well..."
"You don't have a plan, do you?" Li asked.
"Give him a chance, Li."
Rollie rubbed his chin, which was beginning to grow stubble. "Li, I need the kerosene lamps," he announced suddenly, "And Angie, I need you to rip up this shirt into small rags," he said as he handed her his plaid shirt.
Li and Angie looked at each other and then both did as Rollie asked. Rollie went around the room gathering up the glass cola bottles that had been used as urinals, and promptly emptied them, scrunching his nose during the process.
"These are a bit woofy!" he exclaimed.
Angie smiled at Rollie, guessing now what he was planning.
Suddenly, the ship jerked and a loud whirring sound could be heard. The other prisoners started murmuring and getting excited.
"We're leaving port," Rollie exclaimed, "c'mon, no time to lose."
Angie opened the kerosene lamp and soaked the rags. Then, the three of them began filling the cola bottles with kerosene and stuffing the openings with the soaked rags.
"Molotov cocktails?" Li asked.
"That's right."
Li looked between Rollie and Angie, "But isn't that dangerous?"
"I won't lie to you, Li. It could be dangerous. It's not as big an explosion as I would like but it will cause some damage and a lot of noise. We need a way out of here --"
"Phew! What is that smell?" Angie asked, waving her hand in front of her nose.
Rollie laughed, "That's the kero, sweetie, on your hands."
"No, Rollie. It's something else, almost like --"
"Diesel!" he exclaimed, and walked towards the other side of the room.
"It's the engine," Li explained, "we've lived with that horrid smell for fifteen days."
"But how is it coming in?" Angie asked.
"Through this vent," Rollie said. He was looking at something on the wall. Along with the diesel smell there was a slight draft of air coming through, "I'm surprised that they have a vent in one of their holds."
"I think they converted this hold specifically for this purpose. That way, at least, some of the human cargo will make it to port alive. This is sort of an anteroom off between the hold and the engine room," Li explained.
"Well, lucky for us then because I think we've found a way out of here," Rollie proclaimed.
Rollie and Angie tried to pull the grate off but it was stuck in one corner. They used whatever they could to try to loosen it including flattened cola toppers and coins. When she looked through her pockets for anything that might help, Angie realized that she still had the tracking device she had pocketed from the van earlier in the day...or was it yesterday now?
"Rollie?" she whispered.
Rollie was busy working on one of the screws. He turned to look at her.
"What is it Ange?" he whispered back, though he did not know why he was whispering.
She was showing him the object in her hand. Suddenly he smiled. He grabbed her face and kissed her.
"Mmm," He said against her lips, "I have wanted to do that for a while now."
Angie looked at him kind of stunned, "I still can't believe you're saying things like that to me," she said quietly.
For a moment a pained look crossed Rollie's face, only to be replaced a second later by a look of determination.
"Believe it," he told her.
Angie looked away quickly from Rollie's intense eyes, which sent a shiver down her spine. "Okay, so why hasn't Mira found us?" she asked.
"Maybe they did. Remember that ruckus up on top before? Maybe Mira got too close. And now the Captain is spooked and that's why we've weighed anchor."
"Great."
Li came over. "Well the ship's leaving port has not helped their attitude. It's like they've all given up," he sighed.
"We'll get out here," Rollie promised.
At first, it looked like Li didn't believe Rollie. But he closed his eyes for a moment as if in prayer, and then he looked at Rollie. "How can I help?"
Rollie smiled, "Well, we can use help getting this grate off. The faster we get it off, the better our chances of getting out of here will be," he paused, "Li? There is something else you can do."
"What is it? Anything?"
Rollie looked Li square in the eye, "I figure once we get out of here, you're going to write a Pulitzer Prize winning expose on human smuggling But I need you to promise me that you will keep mine and Angie's names out of it."
Li looked crestfallen, "Rollie, you can't ask me that."
"Sorry, mate. I am asking. Angie's and my life would be a living hell if it came out about this and other stuff we do for the police. We've already been threatened. Please?"
Li was silent for a few moments. Rollie wasn't sure what he would decide but he hoped he could count on him.
"If we make it out of here alive, it will be due to the bravery of you and Angie. I will owe you my life and so will all of these people. I will honor your request, Rollie."
Rollie and Li shook hands, "Thanks, mate!"
Angie smiled too, "Thank you, Li."
They finally removed the last screw. Rollie looked inside at the space.
"Small."
Angie and Li took turns looking at it. It was indeed very small. Rollie looked at Angie, and then quickly looked away. Angie looked back at the vent.
"I could probably --"
"No."
"Rollie --"
"No."
"Well, what else do you suggest?" she asked, exasperated.
"Let me think."
"Great! Well... while you're thinking, we're heading out to sea."
Rollie turned to Li, "Do you think that one of them would go through?"
Li looked at him in surprise, "I don't think so. Besides they wouldn't know what to do."
"I could tell them --"
"Rollie! This is ridiculous. We can't ask one of them to go through this. They've been through enough already. Listen to me," Angie placed her hands on her hips defying Rollie to look at her, "I can do it. I'm the only one who can. You know that."
Rollie pulled her close in a tight hug.
Angie squirmed within his arms. "Too tight!" she exclaimed, "can't breath."
"Alright," he said, "Alright," he repeated, as if he was trying to convince himself that it would be all right. Rollie let her go.
"What do I do with the Molotov cocktails?" Angie asked.
"Use it on the engine --"
Angie's eyes grew big, "But won't that send a fireball though the vent?"
Rollie shook his head, "Possibly. But it may be our only way out. We need a way out of here and it will disable the engine. I figure there will be an air pocket underneath the vent where we can all take cover. The rest is up to you, love."
"Rollie. I don't know," she replied slowly, "that air pocket thing doesn't sound too good."
"Well, it's all I could come up with," he replied, slightly angry.
"Okay. I know. I'm sorry."
"Look, it's a chance. If it doesn't work, then I'm all out of ideas...it's not like I have a lot to work with here, you know?"
"It'll work," Angie assured him. She gave him a hug. As she pulled away, he pulled her back to him, hugging her tightly again.
Li came over and gave Angie the lighter the group had been using to light the lanterns. She would use it to light the Molotov cocktails.
"Okay. Well, better get this show on the road," Angie smiled.
Rollie had used the remainder of his shirt to make a gunnysack to carry the cocktails. He placed it in the vent.
Li hugged Angie, "Good luck."
"Uh...in show business it's better to say: break a leg."
Li smiled, "okay, break a leg."
"Thanks."
She turned to face the vent. Rollie was standing next to it and he took her hands in his.
"You keep yourself safe, okay?"
"I will."
‘You better."
"I said, I will," she argued, "Jeez!"
Rollie's lips came down on hers. It was a different kiss than before. Not feverish, but still intense, yet soft, "I love you."
Angie laughed but she had tears in her eyes, "Oh God! Don't do this to me!" she said as she wiped the tears away. Angie realized that she couldn't leave without telling him words she had longed to tell him, "I love you Rollie," she said quietly.
Rollie's rested his forehead on Angie's as they looked deep into each other's eyes, both wishing they could explore this new turn in their relationship more fully. They realized that now was not the time. Rollie's thumb wiped away Angie's tears.
"Okay. Well, you better get your butt in there," he said finally, "And remember Angie, we don't have communication. Try to think of what I would do...and do the opposite, okay?"
Angie laughed, "I'll be fine, boss."