Apples and Serpents in Paradise

Gift Horses

Doctor Bao had an emergency in the island farmland. Near the ancient volcanic rim. He had taken one of the Jeeps. As Murphy's Law would have it. The vehicle broke down out there. Needham was upset that he was now short a Jeep. Not that he could use it accept for interior work. In a way he blamed Bao. Because the Jeep was in his care.

In the meantime, Teuila said the Jeep was stuck there until the island mechanic had a chance to go out and fix it. It had also been given a couple extra tanks of fuel, in case Doctor Bao had needed it. That was sitting in the back of the Jeep. Needham was sure he could have used the extra fuel as well.

Aside from needing to get the Jeep to Zach and Harry. Teuila had used this excuse to find time to talk alone to Doc Bao. Li had contacted people he knew from China, Taewan, Indo-China, India, and Australia.

"Charlie King works for some sort of intelligence agency connected with the United States. I don't know which. It's not the new CIA. Some say he was employed by the GID and is now between agencies. Answering only to the President of the United States, but not a part of any traditional intelligence agency." Bao told Teuila.

"So, he has a vested interest in Waka as a American protectorate." Teuila felt that King did have a interest in protecting her island. "A lot of things are starting to make sense. Charlie is here to protect the island from the very thing that is happening. A criminal gang trying to take over the island."

Teuila had provided the men with a Jeep. Now, she gave them a old Webley revolver and a Colt 1911. Zach had hoped for more. His time in New York had given him some knowledge of bootlegging, even though he was assigned to homicide.

Zach had often been in the home of a bootlegger by the name of Luke Mason. Never having the chance to catch him in the act of any criminal activities. One thing he learned was that it was good to have firepower.

"I borrowed this from the armory and a friend." Teuila explained. "He said if you would stop by the radio station tonight he will loan you some extra ammunition."

Zach was now driving over to Waka Radio. Where he was observed by a fisherman. Who was assigned to watch the station by Adam. He quickly took off to inform Adam who was now living in a small warehouse on the docks. Modified into a comfortable apartment.

Zach was unaware he had been spotted. Had the native waited, he would have seen Zach coming out of the station with a bundle. It was long and appeared a little heavy. Wrapped in canvas. It was more than what Zach had expected. Zach had expected to get a couple of boxes of ammo for the Colt and Webley. It turned out to be much more important.

Zach had gone through the front door as instructed. I pretty island girl smiled at him. A more mature, a little more seasoned woman sat in a chair near the desk. The girl behind the desk was in her twenties. The other woman as old as Teuila. Zach and Harry tipped their hats to the girls.

"Is Charles King in." Zach said as he looked around the main room. There was a window that looked into a empty broadcast booth.

"He's in his office. Go on in." The older woman said.

"Thank you, ladies." Zach opened the door that had office painted in black on the door.

It looked a bit like a movie studio with a office in it. There were three sophisticated cameras and other unknown bits of electronic equipment. A beaten up metal desk, a couple of ancient wooden file cabinets. The man behind the desk was a tall lanky middle-aged man. Green eyes, with a touch of blue, and plain brown hair. A bit too thin.

"Teuila said she'd send you by." Charlie said. He rose, came around the desk. He shook their hands. "I have something more than a few extra bullets for you."

Charlie went to one of the filing cabinets and pulled it from the wall to reveal a cache of weapons. He pulled out two rifles that resembled the old World War I M1 rifles.

"These are M14 rifles. Capable of automatic fire." Charlie said.

"I used one of these during the Korean War." Harry said.

"I also have two fragment grenades, two Colts, and a couple of bayonets if you want them. Last, I just happen to find this old Bar machine gun in the same place I found the other weapons. Just don't tell Teuila where you got them."

Along with the weapons were cases of ammunition for all of the weapons. Zach now felt much better about this mission. How he would explain the extra weapons to Teuila, he didn't know, but Zach didn't intend to tell her that Charlie had given them to him. Zach appreciated the man giving up his stash of weapons to them.

"I don't like looking a gift horse in the mouth, but these M14s aren't left of from the Pacific Campaign of the last war." Harry told Zach as the drove back to their headquarters. The M14 has only recently replaced the M1 Garland. M1s are still used in some parts of the military."

"I know. I knew a bootlegger who helped me solved a series of murders by capturing the culprits. A gang of bigots. I learned at that time not to ask a lot of questions, but accept good fortune when I find it." Zach wish he knew what happened to Luke Mason. He had moved to Florida at some point and Zach lost touch. "I don't know where Charlie King got these weapons, but as long as it works in my favor I'm not going to ask a lot of questions."