Danger Cove: A Quantum Leap Tale
By Adam Erik Batkay
Sam looked in the calm water of the cove near the dock and saw the reflection of the man he had leapt into this time. He barely looked old enough to drive, let alone own his own business. Sam Beckett had a feeling that the person he was going to inhabit for the next few days was a lot older than he looked.
Al Calivicci decided to appear at that moment, “You are a lot older than you look, Sam,” he said, glancing down at the reflection, “according to Ziggy, Douglas Rahnock just turned 34 years old last Saturday.”
Sam looked up at Al and smiled. “I hope you have some information on our friend here,” Sam stated as he pointed to the reflection of the man he currently occupied.
“Well, Ziggy’s looking into it, but she’s not having much luck yet. Dougie’s still not talking either. I think that despite being a tough cookie, he’s still in a state of shock. It happens to some people when they see your reflection in the mirror instead of their own.”
“Well, what do you know that you can tell me?”
“Ah, well, Sam, your name is Douglas Rahnock and you created and operate a diving school called, get this Sam, UCanDive. You’re in California in the year 1970. This cove was nicknamed “Danger Cove” due to the fact that it was home to hammerhead sharks, one of the few species of sharks known to sometimes attack humans. We are near Santa Barbara . . . boy do I remember this hot little number I met on leave in Santa Barbara one time . . . she was this delicious-looking redhead who could ___”
“Al, could you focus please,” Sam interrupted.
“Oh, sorry Sam,” Al said. “Where was I? . . . Oh, yes. Douglas Rahnock started this scuba business at the ripe old age of twenty-four and has successfully run it for the last ten years. He’s been interviewed by National Geographic and runs this place with the help of Gabrielle Walters. She takes Doug and his current student out into the cove by helicopter.”
“I know Al, this leap started out with a jump into the ocean off of the side of that helicopter. I never scuba dived before, at least my Swiss-cheese brain didn’t recall ever doing so, but luckily you were there to give me that crash course. Fortunately, we hadn’t gone out far enough to encounter any of the sharks. I managed to successfully complete the dive with my new student and got both of us back to dry land in one piece.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot Sam. You almost freaked out there. I was lucky that Ziggy was able to center the Image Chamber on you before you hit the water. I got you breathing correctly just in the nick of time. You have to breath with your mouth when you scuba dive.”
“Well, I just glad Ziggy found me so quickly . . . wait, how did she manage that?”
“Gushy thinks that you and Doug’s brain patterns are similar enough that Ziggy was able to narrow the search field for the exact time you leaped in. I don’t quite understand why that would make a difference, but ___”
“Al,” Sam interrupted, “It doesn’t really matter why, just as long as you got to me in time to save my bacon. Now, what does Ziggy have to say about what she thinks I’m here to do?”
“Well, Sam, there we’re having problems. Ziggy thinks it might have to do with your new student. Her name is Dawn Larson and she just started your quickie program to become a licensed scuba diver. Ziggy really doesn’t know that much about her, but her father’s got a chain of businesses along the California coast. The details are still sketchy, but I will keep on it Sam.”
Albert Calivicci tipped his ever present hat and called up the entrance to the Imaging Chamber. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, Sam.” And in the next second his holographic image was gone from the California beach as the door closed behind him.
Sam returned to Douglas Rahnock’s office and sighed as he sat down behind the desk. Part of the appeal of this diving school was that he, that is Doug (Sam couldn’t see calling the young man Douglas because it seem too formal for a California surfer-type) would take students to swim with the hammerheads once they had been qualified as a diver. Sam knew this because he had read the pamphlet about UCanDive, Doug’s scuba business. He had built it here on the beach at this cove near Santa Barbara, California. Sam wondered when he could expect Al to return with news of what he was expected to fix on this leap. Sam sighed again. He decided to go to sleep and hoped tomorrow would be a better day with some answers.
Sam sat at the desk in the office of UCanDive. He had had a good night’s sleep and was glad it was Sunday . . . the dive school was closed on Sunday so he could relax and wait for Al to return with what he hoped would be the answers he needed to complete this leap. He looked through the paperwork on the desk – standard bills for electricity, phones, and helicopter fuel. Sam was glad to have some time for himself. So far the leap was going well, but he was not sure what he should do next.
Sam heard a commotion in the hallway. Gabrielle was talking to someone there and it sounded like she was losing patience with whoever the visitor was. She was then at the door, saying to Sam, “Boss, I’m sorry . . . I know today's Sunday but this gentleman wants to talk to you.”
A tall man wearing a suit popular with traveling salesmen pushed past Gabrielle and stood before the desk.
“Mr. Rahnock, I’m Edward Finnegan. I would like to buy your business here,” he said without preamble.
Sam stood up but did not shake the man’s offered hand. “As my assistant told you, we are not open for business on Sundays. And my business is not for sale.”
“Don’t be so hasty, my surfer friend. I am a legitimate real estate broker and I would like to purchase you business and the land it sits on.”
“As I said Mr. Finnegan, my business is not for sale,” Sam said.
“Why don’t we meet at the seafood restaurant on Beekman Street. I heard it’s got a great crab cake special. You can consider your position and we’ll discuss this further tomorrow.”
Sam did not like the man, call it his gut instinct, but he was sure the man was up to no good. He decided to play along for now until he could get some information on the man before him. “All right Mr. Finnegan, we’ll meet tomorrow.”
Edward Finnegan nodded and said, “Fine, that’s terrific. I’ll see you tomorrow then, Mr. Rahnock.”
He turned on his heel, swept passed Gabrielle and was gone.
Gabrielle turned to Sam and said, “I don’t trust that guy. Before I found him on the property, he was talking to Dawn, I don’t know about what, but he was doing it kind of sneaky-like.”
“Well, you did what you could to get him to leave. But don’t worry, whatever he is up to, I’ll figure it out.”
“You’re not going to sell it to him, are you?” Gabrielle asked.
“No, there is no way I’m going to sell UCanDive to him. You have my word, Gabrielle. This place is going to be ours for a long, long time.”
Gabrielle gave him a hug, “I knew you wouldn’t let a guy like him get to you. You give him hell tomorrow.”
Gabrielle smiled and left. And Sam was left alone in the office again, very concerned and hoping for Al’s quick arrival with news.
“The man’s a real shark, Sam. Edward Finnegan’s nickname around the real estate community here in California is “The Shark.” Apparently, he lives to swallow up land for his own real estate purposes,” Al said as he stepped out of the Imaging Room door.
“Al, where have you been?” Sam whispered with exasperation, “I sure could use some information about this creep. I’m sure he up to no good and I want to know his plans so I can sink them.”
“Oh, I get it, Sam, a little nautical humor.” Sam’s stare would have withered flowers, so Al continued, “Ahem, well. Thanks for the vote of confidence, but unfortunately Ziggy hasn’t been able to find much about this creep’s past dirty dealings. He’s as slick as an eel and the law enforcement community hasn’t been able to get anything to stick to this guy. All they have is unsubstantiated allegations.”
“Al, what am I going to do? I can’t let him buy Doug’s business from him; at least two people are relying on him right now, Gabrielle and Dawn!”
“Well, Sam, I think you will just have to meet with him tomorrow. I’ll go back and try to get some more information.”
“Al, while you’re at it, see if there’s anything connecting that creep to Dawn. Gabrielle caught him talking to her before he got to my office. I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t like the possibilities.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Al said as he stood at the door to the Imaging Chamber, “Sorry, Sam, but you’re on your own for now. I’m going to go back and try to get Ziggy to be more creative in her investigations, maybe get her to try the California Better Business Bureau’s database, the F.B.I, or something. There has got to be something on “The Shark,” Al stepped through the door and then he was gone.
The next day, Sam stared at his half-eaten crab cake platter and sighed. He seemed to be doing that a lot on this leap. His nemesis this time had gone for a bathroom break and he was left thinking about how he was going to save the business of the man he had leaped into this time. He seemed to be the most respected scuba instructor on the West Coast and so far he had been able to pull off being him.
Sam glanced around the restaurant and almost groaned aloud at a sight at the bar. By the bar was “The Shark” himself, trying to pick up a beautiful blonde woman with all the right curves.
Douglas Finnegan was wearing was a three-piece suit in the worst possible lime green color available for the polyester suits that existed in the early seventies. He watched as Finnegan flashed the young woman a mouthful of teeth which could only be described as a leering smile. The woman at least had the sense to know he was not a man she wanted to have anything to do with. She turned her back to him and left the bar area to ask the manager to call her a cab.
Douglas “The Shark” Finnegan’s leering smile instantly shrank into a thin-mouthed frown. He started to stalk over to the table and did not look like “a happy camper,” as Al would say.
Sam sighed loudly and hoped whoever was leaping him around throughout his lifetime was really sure Sam Beckett could pull this one off. Sam was beginning to have his doubts.
Mr. Finnegan made a noisy production of pulling back his chair and then sitting back down.
“Women . . . can’t live with them, can’t shoot them!” His eyes became predatory slits as he said, “Your employee, Gabi, is one hot number, huh? You ever sleep with her?”
“Only her friends are allowed to call her Gabi!” Sam said with some heat in his voice.
“Don’t get me wrong, Doug, I respect the hell out of her – her reputation as a helicopter pilot is legend, but how can you miss that she’s some woman . . .”
“If you are still referring to her physicality, you’re just the sexist pig I pegged you for. Gabrielle is an accomplished professional who deserves your respect, not this sexist bull****!”
“Whoa, hold on there, scuba man. I don’t mean any disrespect; I’m just pointing out the facts like they are.”
“Well, you need to keep your mind on a clean roadway, if you know what I mean,” Sam said, disgust hard to hide from his facial features.
“Not to worry, Douglas, I’ll be all business from now on,” Finnegan said as he passed a piece on paper with an amount on it.
Sam took the paper and looked at the figure. The man must be insane, he thought the amount he had written was probably three times the amount UCanDive and its property was worth. He kept his features neutral and passed the sheet on paper back.
“I am sorry to disappoint you Mr. Finnegan, but my business is not for sale at that price or any other,” Sam said calmly.
“The Shark” was not pleased and he took a swig on his imported beer and stared at Sam.
“I’ve made a very generous offer, Mr. Rahnock and it will stand only until tomorrow. You should really consider it or __.”
“Or what, Mr. Finnegan,” Sam interrupted him, “Or what?”
“Nothing, nothing. I was just thinking that the sharks in Danger Cove are dangerously unpredictable. You never know when you could lose a student.”
“Is that a threat?” Sam asked.
“No, scuba man, it’s a fact,” Finnegan said as he got up from the table.
As “The Shark” finished the beer, he finished his thought, “You have until tomorrow and consider the price doubled. I am sure you’ll make the right choice.”
Edward Finnegan left Sam sitting at the table fuming. Sam Beckett did not know what Finnegan had in mind to get what he wanted, but he was sure it was not good for Douglas or his business.
The next day arrived and Sam was looking forward to the rest of the day with dread.
Al appeared and said, “Sam, bad news . . . Dawn is out there swimming with the sharks.”
He dressed and left his studio apartment, looking for Gabrielle. He found her by the helicopter pad.
“Gabrielle, where’s Dawn?”
“She didn’t talk to you before going out? Hmm, she took a rubber dingy, the one with the outboard out into the bay to go scuba.”
“How long ago?”
“It must have been an hour ago.”
Sam said, “I’m going to get suited up and then I want you to take me out there. I have a bad feeling about this . . .”
Gabrielle took Sam out into the cove. They spotted the dingy and the surface of the water nearby was red.
Al appeared next to him, “Sam! Dawn’s leg is bleeding and the sharks are surrounding her. Those hammerheads are going to eat her alive!”
Sam looked at Al and said, “Not while I’m around.”
Sam dived into the water and looked around for Dawn. He saw her and saw that she was bleeding. The sharks were gathering rapidly now. They usually didn’t pay close attention to divers, but the blood oozing from the gash on Dawn’s leg out into the warm, clear water of Danger Cove clearly had attracted them. The sharks had sensed the blood and they seemed primed to attack. Sam gabbed at the exposed eye of the nearest hammerhead shark. The shark instantly recoiled from the blow and retreated . . . temporarily at least. The others still gathered just out of Sam’s striking range.
Sam had to do something quickly. He had to keep Dawn from sinking, she had bled out too much and was losing consciousness.
Sam bobbed in the waves trying to keep both Dawn and himself afloat, and waved to Gabrielle in helicopter. Slowly but surely, the orange and black striped copter came closer.
Gabrielle soon hovered above them, displacing the water below into a circulating pattern that seemed to start to scare away the hammerheads that had surrounded Sam and Dawn. Sam couldn’t have been happier, they were saved, but then he glanced over where Dawn should have been and didn’t see her bobbing next to him on the surface. He panicked for a moment. Dawn’s blood loss must have caused her to lose unconsciousness as he had feared it might and she must have sunk beneath the waves. She wouldn’t be able to fight them off and would quickly become lunch for the hungry throng of hammerheads!
Sam quickly dived below to find her before it was too late. He saw her just below him and with several quick kicks was by her. He grabbed her beneath her arms and kicked upward. The two of them broke the surface and Gabrielle lowered the dingy which was now attached to the winch system on the helicopter. Sam forced Dawn’s body onto the dingy and then pulled himself on it also. Gabrielle nosed the helicopter upward and the dingy with its passengers inside left the surface of the cove’s blue waters and she headed back towards shore.
Within minutes, they were all back on dry land. Sam and Gabrielle performed CPR on Dawn and soon Dawn was coughing up seawater and raggedly breathing fresh air. They disengaged the dingy from the winch system and they all climbed aboard the helicopter. Gabrielle piloted them to the nearest hospital. Gabrielle radioed ahead and thus a stretcher was waiting for Dawn when they landed in the parking lot of the hospital. Sam followed the doctors as they pushed the wounded Dawn into the emergency room.
“You’ll have to wait outside, sir,” said a doctor with the nametag G. Northland, “I’ll come out and tell you when Miss Larson’s condition has stabilized.”
“Okay, thank you, doctor,” Sam said, as Gabrielle caught up with him.
“Doug, I can’t leave the copter out in the parking lot . . . here’s twenty bucks . . . catch a cab back to UCanDive when you’re done here.”
“Thanks for the rescue, Gabi,” Sam said smiling broadly, “You did great today. I couldn’t be happier that you are working with me at UCanDive.”
“No worries, boss. Hope Dana will be okay . . . she seems like a nice kid,” Gabrielle said, and then she turned and headed out to return the helicopter to its berth back at UCanDive.
Sam took a seat on one of the hard plastic chairs in the waiting room and balked as a special report on hammerhead sharks came on the local news. He couldn’t believe how close he and Dawn had almost come to ending up as shark fatalities worthy of the news.
The doctor woke Sam with a gentle shake to his shoulder.
Sam blinked open his eyes and looked sheepishly at the doctor.
“How long have I been out?” he asked with a yawn, “Is Dana okay?”
The doctor smiled and said, “She lost a lot of blood and she needed stitches on her leg wound, but she’ll be fine.”
Sam Beckett breathed a sign of relief and said, “Thank God. When can I see her?”
“She should rest, but I guess you can see her for a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Doctor. Can you show me to her room?”
“Right this way,” the doctor said and led Sam to Dana’s room.
She looked up and smiled as Sam entered her room.
“Hi,” she said, “I guess I made of mess of things, huh?”
“I’m just glad you’re okay.”
She shook her head and replied, “Why did I listen to him? . . . I feel like such an idiot.”
“Who are you talking about?” Sam asked, confused.
“ ‘The Shark,’ “ she said, “I was just supposed to go out into the bay and then disappear. But I gashed up my leg and would have died if you didn’t show up.”
“Why did ‘The Shark’ want you to disappear?”
“He figured if a student was lost at sea that you’d have to shut down in shame and sell to him.”
“That bastard,” Sam said with venom, “Well, thank God I was there to save you . . . that must have been my reason to be here.”
“Huh,” she said, confused,
“Never mind that, we have to find a way to get ‘The Shark’ out of the real estate business. He’s not getting UCanDive from me!”
She smiled and said, “Thank you again. I can’t believe I listened to that jerk. Anything I can do to help, I will.”
“It’s okay. You rest and we’ll figure out what to do tomorrow morning.”
“Okay,” she replied, yawning, as she closed her eyes and was soon asleep.
The next day Sam sat behind the desk at UCanDive waiting for ‘The Shark’ to arrive.
Al appeared next to him and said, “Sam, he coming and he’s got police with him. What are you going to do?”
“ ‘The Shark” is not going to do these kind of shenanigans ever again. I have a plan.”
Douglas "The Shark" Finnegan entered the office with the police in tow.
“There he is officers,” ‘ The Shark’ said, “The man responsible for the loss of his student. He allowed her to go out before she was ready and she was eaten by the hammerheads!”
The police officers looked skeptical and asked Sam, “Are you aware that your student Dawn is missing? This gentleman seems to think you are responsible for her death.”
Sam smiled and Al asked him if he knew what he was doing and Sam nodded.
“This gentleman is ill-informed. Dana was injured yesterday but she is very much alive, officers. In fact, it was this man who almost got the young lady killed.”
“That’s ridiculous. I had nothing to do with her disappearance!”
“Who said I disappeared?” Dawn walked slowly into the office supported by Gabrielle. “Officers, this man offered me money to disappear and leave UCanDive with a missing student so that he could force the sale of this business.”
“You, can can’t be here . . . I saw you surrounded by sharks. You should be dead!”
“Well, there you have it, officers, this man planned to have this woman die at sea so that he’d be able to take my business away from me.”
The officers took hold of ‘The Shark’ and one of them cuffed him as the other read ‘The Shark’ his rights.
“But this is impossible. She was as good as dead . . .”
One of the officers said, “I would stop talking there, buddy. You are under arrest and you keep on making the case against yourself.”
The officers dragged him out of UCanDive and straight into a squad car.
“Sam, that idiot gets life for attempted murder and you and Dana get married . . .” Al said.
Sam went over to Dana and asked, “How would you like to be Mrs. UCanDive?” As she smiled and kissed him, Sam was leaped onward again.
Finis.
By Adam Erik Batkay
Sam looked in the calm water of the cove near the dock and saw the reflection of the man he had leapt into this time. He barely looked old enough to drive, let alone own his own business. Sam Beckett had a feeling that the person he was going to inhabit for the next few days was a lot older than he looked.
Al Calivicci decided to appear at that moment, “You are a lot older than you look, Sam,” he said, glancing down at the reflection, “according to Ziggy, Douglas Rahnock just turned 34 years old last Saturday.”
Sam looked up at Al and smiled. “I hope you have some information on our friend here,” Sam stated as he pointed to the reflection of the man he currently occupied.
“Well, Ziggy’s looking into it, but she’s not having much luck yet. Dougie’s still not talking either. I think that despite being a tough cookie, he’s still in a state of shock. It happens to some people when they see your reflection in the mirror instead of their own.”
“Well, what do you know that you can tell me?”
“Ah, well, Sam, your name is Douglas Rahnock and you created and operate a diving school called, get this Sam, UCanDive. You’re in California in the year 1970. This cove was nicknamed “Danger Cove” due to the fact that it was home to hammerhead sharks, one of the few species of sharks known to sometimes attack humans. We are near Santa Barbara . . . boy do I remember this hot little number I met on leave in Santa Barbara one time . . . she was this delicious-looking redhead who could ___”
“Al, could you focus please,” Sam interrupted.
“Oh, sorry Sam,” Al said. “Where was I? . . . Oh, yes. Douglas Rahnock started this scuba business at the ripe old age of twenty-four and has successfully run it for the last ten years. He’s been interviewed by National Geographic and runs this place with the help of Gabrielle Walters. She takes Doug and his current student out into the cove by helicopter.”
“I know Al, this leap started out with a jump into the ocean off of the side of that helicopter. I never scuba dived before, at least my Swiss-cheese brain didn’t recall ever doing so, but luckily you were there to give me that crash course. Fortunately, we hadn’t gone out far enough to encounter any of the sharks. I managed to successfully complete the dive with my new student and got both of us back to dry land in one piece.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot Sam. You almost freaked out there. I was lucky that Ziggy was able to center the Image Chamber on you before you hit the water. I got you breathing correctly just in the nick of time. You have to breath with your mouth when you scuba dive.”
“Well, I just glad Ziggy found me so quickly . . . wait, how did she manage that?”
“Gushy thinks that you and Doug’s brain patterns are similar enough that Ziggy was able to narrow the search field for the exact time you leaped in. I don’t quite understand why that would make a difference, but ___”
“Al,” Sam interrupted, “It doesn’t really matter why, just as long as you got to me in time to save my bacon. Now, what does Ziggy have to say about what she thinks I’m here to do?”
“Well, Sam, there we’re having problems. Ziggy thinks it might have to do with your new student. Her name is Dawn Larson and she just started your quickie program to become a licensed scuba diver. Ziggy really doesn’t know that much about her, but her father’s got a chain of businesses along the California coast. The details are still sketchy, but I will keep on it Sam.”
Albert Calivicci tipped his ever present hat and called up the entrance to the Imaging Chamber. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, Sam.” And in the next second his holographic image was gone from the California beach as the door closed behind him.
Sam returned to Douglas Rahnock’s office and sighed as he sat down behind the desk. Part of the appeal of this diving school was that he, that is Doug (Sam couldn’t see calling the young man Douglas because it seem too formal for a California surfer-type) would take students to swim with the hammerheads once they had been qualified as a diver. Sam knew this because he had read the pamphlet about UCanDive, Doug’s scuba business. He had built it here on the beach at this cove near Santa Barbara, California. Sam wondered when he could expect Al to return with news of what he was expected to fix on this leap. Sam sighed again. He decided to go to sleep and hoped tomorrow would be a better day with some answers.
Sam sat at the desk in the office of UCanDive. He had had a good night’s sleep and was glad it was Sunday . . . the dive school was closed on Sunday so he could relax and wait for Al to return with what he hoped would be the answers he needed to complete this leap. He looked through the paperwork on the desk – standard bills for electricity, phones, and helicopter fuel. Sam was glad to have some time for himself. So far the leap was going well, but he was not sure what he should do next.
Sam heard a commotion in the hallway. Gabrielle was talking to someone there and it sounded like she was losing patience with whoever the visitor was. She was then at the door, saying to Sam, “Boss, I’m sorry . . . I know today's Sunday but this gentleman wants to talk to you.”
A tall man wearing a suit popular with traveling salesmen pushed past Gabrielle and stood before the desk.
“Mr. Rahnock, I’m Edward Finnegan. I would like to buy your business here,” he said without preamble.
Sam stood up but did not shake the man’s offered hand. “As my assistant told you, we are not open for business on Sundays. And my business is not for sale.”
“Don’t be so hasty, my surfer friend. I am a legitimate real estate broker and I would like to purchase you business and the land it sits on.”
“As I said Mr. Finnegan, my business is not for sale,” Sam said.
“Why don’t we meet at the seafood restaurant on Beekman Street. I heard it’s got a great crab cake special. You can consider your position and we’ll discuss this further tomorrow.”
Sam did not like the man, call it his gut instinct, but he was sure the man was up to no good. He decided to play along for now until he could get some information on the man before him. “All right Mr. Finnegan, we’ll meet tomorrow.”
Edward Finnegan nodded and said, “Fine, that’s terrific. I’ll see you tomorrow then, Mr. Rahnock.”
He turned on his heel, swept passed Gabrielle and was gone.
Gabrielle turned to Sam and said, “I don’t trust that guy. Before I found him on the property, he was talking to Dawn, I don’t know about what, but he was doing it kind of sneaky-like.”
“Well, you did what you could to get him to leave. But don’t worry, whatever he is up to, I’ll figure it out.”
“You’re not going to sell it to him, are you?” Gabrielle asked.
“No, there is no way I’m going to sell UCanDive to him. You have my word, Gabrielle. This place is going to be ours for a long, long time.”
Gabrielle gave him a hug, “I knew you wouldn’t let a guy like him get to you. You give him hell tomorrow.”
Gabrielle smiled and left. And Sam was left alone in the office again, very concerned and hoping for Al’s quick arrival with news.
“The man’s a real shark, Sam. Edward Finnegan’s nickname around the real estate community here in California is “The Shark.” Apparently, he lives to swallow up land for his own real estate purposes,” Al said as he stepped out of the Imaging Room door.
“Al, where have you been?” Sam whispered with exasperation, “I sure could use some information about this creep. I’m sure he up to no good and I want to know his plans so I can sink them.”
“Oh, I get it, Sam, a little nautical humor.” Sam’s stare would have withered flowers, so Al continued, “Ahem, well. Thanks for the vote of confidence, but unfortunately Ziggy hasn’t been able to find much about this creep’s past dirty dealings. He’s as slick as an eel and the law enforcement community hasn’t been able to get anything to stick to this guy. All they have is unsubstantiated allegations.”
“Al, what am I going to do? I can’t let him buy Doug’s business from him; at least two people are relying on him right now, Gabrielle and Dawn!”
“Well, Sam, I think you will just have to meet with him tomorrow. I’ll go back and try to get some more information.”
“Al, while you’re at it, see if there’s anything connecting that creep to Dawn. Gabrielle caught him talking to her before he got to my office. I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t like the possibilities.”
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Al said as he stood at the door to the Imaging Chamber, “Sorry, Sam, but you’re on your own for now. I’m going to go back and try to get Ziggy to be more creative in her investigations, maybe get her to try the California Better Business Bureau’s database, the F.B.I, or something. There has got to be something on “The Shark,” Al stepped through the door and then he was gone.
The next day, Sam stared at his half-eaten crab cake platter and sighed. He seemed to be doing that a lot on this leap. His nemesis this time had gone for a bathroom break and he was left thinking about how he was going to save the business of the man he had leaped into this time. He seemed to be the most respected scuba instructor on the West Coast and so far he had been able to pull off being him.
Sam glanced around the restaurant and almost groaned aloud at a sight at the bar. By the bar was “The Shark” himself, trying to pick up a beautiful blonde woman with all the right curves.
Douglas Finnegan was wearing was a three-piece suit in the worst possible lime green color available for the polyester suits that existed in the early seventies. He watched as Finnegan flashed the young woman a mouthful of teeth which could only be described as a leering smile. The woman at least had the sense to know he was not a man she wanted to have anything to do with. She turned her back to him and left the bar area to ask the manager to call her a cab.
Douglas “The Shark” Finnegan’s leering smile instantly shrank into a thin-mouthed frown. He started to stalk over to the table and did not look like “a happy camper,” as Al would say.
Sam sighed loudly and hoped whoever was leaping him around throughout his lifetime was really sure Sam Beckett could pull this one off. Sam was beginning to have his doubts.
Mr. Finnegan made a noisy production of pulling back his chair and then sitting back down.
“Women . . . can’t live with them, can’t shoot them!” His eyes became predatory slits as he said, “Your employee, Gabi, is one hot number, huh? You ever sleep with her?”
“Only her friends are allowed to call her Gabi!” Sam said with some heat in his voice.
“Don’t get me wrong, Doug, I respect the hell out of her – her reputation as a helicopter pilot is legend, but how can you miss that she’s some woman . . .”
“If you are still referring to her physicality, you’re just the sexist pig I pegged you for. Gabrielle is an accomplished professional who deserves your respect, not this sexist bull****!”
“Whoa, hold on there, scuba man. I don’t mean any disrespect; I’m just pointing out the facts like they are.”
“Well, you need to keep your mind on a clean roadway, if you know what I mean,” Sam said, disgust hard to hide from his facial features.
“Not to worry, Douglas, I’ll be all business from now on,” Finnegan said as he passed a piece on paper with an amount on it.
Sam took the paper and looked at the figure. The man must be insane, he thought the amount he had written was probably three times the amount UCanDive and its property was worth. He kept his features neutral and passed the sheet on paper back.
“I am sorry to disappoint you Mr. Finnegan, but my business is not for sale at that price or any other,” Sam said calmly.
“The Shark” was not pleased and he took a swig on his imported beer and stared at Sam.
“I’ve made a very generous offer, Mr. Rahnock and it will stand only until tomorrow. You should really consider it or __.”
“Or what, Mr. Finnegan,” Sam interrupted him, “Or what?”
“Nothing, nothing. I was just thinking that the sharks in Danger Cove are dangerously unpredictable. You never know when you could lose a student.”
“Is that a threat?” Sam asked.
“No, scuba man, it’s a fact,” Finnegan said as he got up from the table.
As “The Shark” finished the beer, he finished his thought, “You have until tomorrow and consider the price doubled. I am sure you’ll make the right choice.”
Edward Finnegan left Sam sitting at the table fuming. Sam Beckett did not know what Finnegan had in mind to get what he wanted, but he was sure it was not good for Douglas or his business.
The next day arrived and Sam was looking forward to the rest of the day with dread.
Al appeared and said, “Sam, bad news . . . Dawn is out there swimming with the sharks.”
He dressed and left his studio apartment, looking for Gabrielle. He found her by the helicopter pad.
“Gabrielle, where’s Dawn?”
“She didn’t talk to you before going out? Hmm, she took a rubber dingy, the one with the outboard out into the bay to go scuba.”
“How long ago?”
“It must have been an hour ago.”
Sam said, “I’m going to get suited up and then I want you to take me out there. I have a bad feeling about this . . .”
Gabrielle took Sam out into the cove. They spotted the dingy and the surface of the water nearby was red.
Al appeared next to him, “Sam! Dawn’s leg is bleeding and the sharks are surrounding her. Those hammerheads are going to eat her alive!”
Sam looked at Al and said, “Not while I’m around.”
Sam dived into the water and looked around for Dawn. He saw her and saw that she was bleeding. The sharks were gathering rapidly now. They usually didn’t pay close attention to divers, but the blood oozing from the gash on Dawn’s leg out into the warm, clear water of Danger Cove clearly had attracted them. The sharks had sensed the blood and they seemed primed to attack. Sam gabbed at the exposed eye of the nearest hammerhead shark. The shark instantly recoiled from the blow and retreated . . . temporarily at least. The others still gathered just out of Sam’s striking range.
Sam had to do something quickly. He had to keep Dawn from sinking, she had bled out too much and was losing consciousness.
Sam bobbed in the waves trying to keep both Dawn and himself afloat, and waved to Gabrielle in helicopter. Slowly but surely, the orange and black striped copter came closer.
Gabrielle soon hovered above them, displacing the water below into a circulating pattern that seemed to start to scare away the hammerheads that had surrounded Sam and Dawn. Sam couldn’t have been happier, they were saved, but then he glanced over where Dawn should have been and didn’t see her bobbing next to him on the surface. He panicked for a moment. Dawn’s blood loss must have caused her to lose unconsciousness as he had feared it might and she must have sunk beneath the waves. She wouldn’t be able to fight them off and would quickly become lunch for the hungry throng of hammerheads!
Sam quickly dived below to find her before it was too late. He saw her just below him and with several quick kicks was by her. He grabbed her beneath her arms and kicked upward. The two of them broke the surface and Gabrielle lowered the dingy which was now attached to the winch system on the helicopter. Sam forced Dawn’s body onto the dingy and then pulled himself on it also. Gabrielle nosed the helicopter upward and the dingy with its passengers inside left the surface of the cove’s blue waters and she headed back towards shore.
Within minutes, they were all back on dry land. Sam and Gabrielle performed CPR on Dawn and soon Dawn was coughing up seawater and raggedly breathing fresh air. They disengaged the dingy from the winch system and they all climbed aboard the helicopter. Gabrielle piloted them to the nearest hospital. Gabrielle radioed ahead and thus a stretcher was waiting for Dawn when they landed in the parking lot of the hospital. Sam followed the doctors as they pushed the wounded Dawn into the emergency room.
“You’ll have to wait outside, sir,” said a doctor with the nametag G. Northland, “I’ll come out and tell you when Miss Larson’s condition has stabilized.”
“Okay, thank you, doctor,” Sam said, as Gabrielle caught up with him.
“Doug, I can’t leave the copter out in the parking lot . . . here’s twenty bucks . . . catch a cab back to UCanDive when you’re done here.”
“Thanks for the rescue, Gabi,” Sam said smiling broadly, “You did great today. I couldn’t be happier that you are working with me at UCanDive.”
“No worries, boss. Hope Dana will be okay . . . she seems like a nice kid,” Gabrielle said, and then she turned and headed out to return the helicopter to its berth back at UCanDive.
Sam took a seat on one of the hard plastic chairs in the waiting room and balked as a special report on hammerhead sharks came on the local news. He couldn’t believe how close he and Dawn had almost come to ending up as shark fatalities worthy of the news.
The doctor woke Sam with a gentle shake to his shoulder.
Sam blinked open his eyes and looked sheepishly at the doctor.
“How long have I been out?” he asked with a yawn, “Is Dana okay?”
The doctor smiled and said, “She lost a lot of blood and she needed stitches on her leg wound, but she’ll be fine.”
Sam Beckett breathed a sign of relief and said, “Thank God. When can I see her?”
“She should rest, but I guess you can see her for a few minutes.”
“Thank you, Doctor. Can you show me to her room?”
“Right this way,” the doctor said and led Sam to Dana’s room.
She looked up and smiled as Sam entered her room.
“Hi,” she said, “I guess I made of mess of things, huh?”
“I’m just glad you’re okay.”
She shook her head and replied, “Why did I listen to him? . . . I feel like such an idiot.”
“Who are you talking about?” Sam asked, confused.
“ ‘The Shark,’ “ she said, “I was just supposed to go out into the bay and then disappear. But I gashed up my leg and would have died if you didn’t show up.”
“Why did ‘The Shark’ want you to disappear?”
“He figured if a student was lost at sea that you’d have to shut down in shame and sell to him.”
“That bastard,” Sam said with venom, “Well, thank God I was there to save you . . . that must have been my reason to be here.”
“Huh,” she said, confused,
“Never mind that, we have to find a way to get ‘The Shark’ out of the real estate business. He’s not getting UCanDive from me!”
She smiled and said, “Thank you again. I can’t believe I listened to that jerk. Anything I can do to help, I will.”
“It’s okay. You rest and we’ll figure out what to do tomorrow morning.”
“Okay,” she replied, yawning, as she closed her eyes and was soon asleep.
The next day Sam sat behind the desk at UCanDive waiting for ‘The Shark’ to arrive.
Al appeared next to him and said, “Sam, he coming and he’s got police with him. What are you going to do?”
“ ‘The Shark” is not going to do these kind of shenanigans ever again. I have a plan.”
Douglas "The Shark" Finnegan entered the office with the police in tow.
“There he is officers,” ‘ The Shark’ said, “The man responsible for the loss of his student. He allowed her to go out before she was ready and she was eaten by the hammerheads!”
The police officers looked skeptical and asked Sam, “Are you aware that your student Dawn is missing? This gentleman seems to think you are responsible for her death.”
Sam smiled and Al asked him if he knew what he was doing and Sam nodded.
“This gentleman is ill-informed. Dana was injured yesterday but she is very much alive, officers. In fact, it was this man who almost got the young lady killed.”
“That’s ridiculous. I had nothing to do with her disappearance!”
“Who said I disappeared?” Dawn walked slowly into the office supported by Gabrielle. “Officers, this man offered me money to disappear and leave UCanDive with a missing student so that he could force the sale of this business.”
“You, can can’t be here . . . I saw you surrounded by sharks. You should be dead!”
“Well, there you have it, officers, this man planned to have this woman die at sea so that he’d be able to take my business away from me.”
The officers took hold of ‘The Shark’ and one of them cuffed him as the other read ‘The Shark’ his rights.
“But this is impossible. She was as good as dead . . .”
One of the officers said, “I would stop talking there, buddy. You are under arrest and you keep on making the case against yourself.”
The officers dragged him out of UCanDive and straight into a squad car.
“Sam, that idiot gets life for attempted murder and you and Dana get married . . .” Al said.
Sam went over to Dana and asked, “How would you like to be Mrs. UCanDive?” As she smiled and kissed him, Sam was leaped onward again.
Finis.