Joe 90: Panther 7V9

Scene 8 - Escaping by the skin of his teeth

Joe is back in the corridor with his gun loaded and ready to fire in his hand as he creeps down alertly. He hears more footsteps and dives behind the same cover again, seconds later a set of guards charge down ready to kill and don't notice him. Once the coast is clear again, Joe makes a break for it back to the engine room. He hears on the loudspeaker that sounds across the entire ship from the order of the angry Captain.

Captain:

(On the speaker) Calling all guards and crew, this is the Captain speaking. I want that intruder who was last seen by the door of the engine room hunted down and destroyed. Make no effort to spare the boy. He has seen too much and is a threat to our operation, seek and destroy. I repeat, seek and destroy!

On the other side of the ship, more guards rush down with guns in their hands set to kill, with the coast once again clear Joe gently opens the vault-like door and decides to make his break. The deck is getting tense with two scared Lieutenants, a stressed Lieutenant and an unimpressed Laura man the top deck.

Laura:

I'm not impressed by this mess my knight in shining Armour, I thought we were meant to be invincible.

Captain:

Oh yes, but we are my dear as soon as we locate our intruder all will be dealt with. (To the Lieutenants) You two grovelling little insects just keep this ship under control because that is something you can do.

Lieutenant 1:

Should we not help with the search sir?

Laura has had enough and leaves the deck to take a view of the deck from the top whilst tensions rise further in the Command Deck with the Captain aggressively grabbing the Lieutenant's shirt.

Captain:

Now listen here you fleabag! I have to impress the lady over there and you two aren't making anything any better for me or your little, miserable lives. If you went out there and helped with the search, you wouldn't know how to fire a gun you'd shoot all of my worthless guards such as yourself dead! Now you get back to...

The shell-shocked Laura spots the intruder down below about putting on his gear and preparing to dive into the ocean, Joe!

Laura:

Captain! The intruder's down there.

Joe is now ready to dive and makes a break for it instantly before Laura pulled out her hidden gun from somewhere in her pretty outfit and fired at him as the Captain sprints over to locate Joe.

Captain:

Where is he?

Laura:

Missed.

Captain:

Never mind, the missiles will take care of him. Lieutenants, do something sensible and intelligent and launch those missiles.

Lieutenant 2:

Well... Not to be rude in any way sir, but we don't know where he has gone.

Captain:

Then find out and launch every machine canon we have to destroy him.

Laura:

We aren't using the big one then my Captain?

Captain:

Oh, erm... Yes, very well. Prepare the launchers!

Joe has reached the other side of the ship where his scuba diving machine is parked on the Panther 7V9. With the ship not knowing his location nearby, Joe hastily activates the machine, de-magnetizing it off the side and making a rush for it towards the military airship. Once travelling, he hears the booming missiles launching off into the sea around the ship, but the ship is travelling in the opposite direction so none of the missiles is pursuing him. Turning around to observe the fast-travelling ship heading away from him, he is gobsmacked to see a homing missile being fired in his direction which he believes is homing onto him. So, Joe dives down faster and faster down to the sea bed with the missile approaching him nearer and nearer. Taking his chance, he gets so close that he realizes that it is best for him to manoeuvre up back on course and rises back to sea level whilst the missile not fast enough crashes onto the sea bed with an almighty explosion as Joe escapes.

The deck has now cooled down with the Captain and Laura impatiently wait for a report from the Lieutenants, busy and hard-working under pressure on the controls and radio.

Lieutenant 1:

Captain, there was a missile destruction from behind, so he must have been hit.

Captain:

Good. The emergency is now over, now we should reach Mumbai port in how long?

Lieutenant 1:

Three hours at present speed.

Captain:

Excellent, those Chinese will get an explosive surprise at their megacity.