Surprise had been on their side, but there were still four gunboats out there that wouldn't take kindly to their resistance. Pauncharillo was skulking around somewhere too. Bones didn't have to wait long for the four rigid inflatables to make themselves known. Fifty caliber bullets stitched up the side of the trawler just aft of the bridge leaving a string of rusty holes. The fifty calibers couldn't sink the trawler but they could kill him or Caleb in an instant.
Bones swerved to port, shifting earlier in the turn this time. He could see that the captains of the other vessels were attempting to coordinate their attacks. As two lined up to take shots at him, two circled wide in preparation for his next turn. That would give the first two just enough time to turn into him again.
Where was Caleb?
Seeing that his pursuers anticipated his next turn to starboard, he kept the wheel hard to port and drove right into and through the group buying them a bit of time as all four attack boats sped right by on either side. Bones kept going to increase the gap between the two groups by as much distance as possible. He wanted to give the boy time. Watching aft, he saw the gunboats take long gliding turns to bring themselves into coordinated pursuit.
He couldn't wait any longer.
Bones whipped the wheel and turned to face his attackers. As he did, the 30mm cannon rose from the deck like they were in a movie. His heart soared with the music he could hear in his mind. He grinned at Caleb proudly sitting in the gun seat. The prey had become the predator.
Two of the gunboats swerved in response as Caleb pushed down with his foot and let go with the first shell. His aim was deadly and the shell zoomed straight for the nearest boat and went right through the cabin doing absolutely no damage before slamming harmlessly into the sea. Dramatic but not very effective.
Caleb stood up in his seat and turned to his uncle raising his hands and shrugging his shoulders in apology. Fifty caliber rounds stitched up the side of the trawler and sparks flew off the 30mm gun as the marksman hit his target. Caleb ducked behind the armor plates, but not before he saw his uncle give him a thumbs up.
Bones shifted the trawler left to improve Caleb's line on the second boat, praying hard. Caleb lowered his sites to the water line and this time pumped his foot twice on the trigger pedal. The first round landed short but the second punched a hole in the pontoon causing the boat to spin into its forward momentum. Caleb stood and turned again, risking his life to give a double fist pump.
Bones motioned him urgently down as more rounds plinked into the trawler. It was clear that their attackers were saving their rounds in the hopes of killing those aboard instead of trying to disable the ship mechanically. Bones swerved again to help Caleb bring the gun to bear on two of the remaining attack boats. Caleb let two rounds of two go, pumping the trigger with his foot.
The first round took off the superstructure of boat one, the second missed completely. The drivetrain of the craft uninjured, the pilot scooted out of firing range. Boat two took both rounds, the first put a hole through the floor and the second demolished the steering mechanism. With its rudder stuck left, the boat did lazy circles while taking on water.
Bones looked desperately for the unwounded attacker who had scooted out of sight. He couldn't see the boat until it was too late. Recognizing the danger presented by the 30mm cannon, the captain had taken a long turn to come up behind and beside the trawler on the starboard side.
Bones figured this out as bullets tore the bridge to shreds. The gunboat was keeping pace with the trawler and its gunner lit up the bridge with everything he had. Bones could see the man's elated grin as he hammered the bridge. The 30mm cannon was useless against anything aft, so Bones did the next best thing—he turned into the gunboat and ran it over.
The gunboat slammed into the trawler's metal side, its bow climbing the gunwale under the power of the engines before the entire craft flipped end over end. Bones leaned into the turn and the trawler's heavy draft pushed the small inflatable craft under, silencing the gun and its gunner.
Bones turned to port scanning for the last mobile attacker. The gunboat might have been missing its superstructure, but its engines and gun were still quite operable and deadly. Spotting the escaping craft fleeing for Cuba, Bones slammed the throttles forward in pursuit. He'd come back for Teddy and Joshua after he finished this fellow off. Gaining rapidly, he glanced up to confirm Caleb siting the cannon at the target. He waited for the double boom as they closed the range.
Nothing happened.
Bones slowed so as not to overtake and ruin Caleb's aim. Still nothing. Bones took his eyes off the target in frustration and glanced toward the gun.
The seat was empty.
Caleb was standing a few feet in front of the cannon with his hands held high. Pauncharillo was behind him holding a tiny .38 special to the boy's temple.
Bones crashed the throttles and let the boat drift.
He had to live to fight another day.
More importantly, he had to keep Caleb alive for Teddy's sake.