This dual phenomena brought the guards running, looking both ways. An alarm was raised. The crews of the two scuttled cutters began howling in dismay.
While the Cayuga was momentarily unguarded, Remo and Chiun returned and led the crew back to the ship. Lines were cast off. No one noticed. They were too busy with their histrionics.
At the bow Remo and Chiun each set one foot against a concrete retainer wall and pushed off. The Cayuga surged away from its dock in complete silence. This wasn't noticed, either.
In the pilothouse Lieutenant Sandy Heckman ordered the engines started. They rumbled to life, and kicking up dirty white sea foam, the Cayuga came about smartly and made for open water.
There was no immediate pursuit.
"I still say this is too easy," said Remo, looking back from the stern.
"Try to think of Canadians as Brits without the balls, and it'll go down easier," advised Sandy. "They just aren't used to violence."
"So how come they seized your boat?"
"Screw with their fish and they'll cut your throat with the edge of a Canadian dollar bill."
After a while a Royal Canadian Mounted Police de Havilland Otter flew overhead. From a loudspeaker, a cold voice shouted down a warning.
"Can you make out what he's saying?" Sandy asked Remo.
"Sounds like `Deaf boast fins fun.'"
"I don't think he's saying that."
"Maybe," Remo said with a grin. "But it sounds like it to me."
"Me, too," she said. "And if they can't communicate their intentions, we don't have to obey them."
The RCMP Otter circled and buzzed them angrily but attempted no interception.
Under cover of darkness they headed out and steered a course south.
"If we can reach U.S. waters, we should be okay," Sandy said.
But somewhere off Nova Scotia, they saw lights on the water. Many lights.
"Oh-oh. Looks like the fleet is moving to intercept us," Sandy said tensely.
"Whose fleet?" asked Remo.
"Whose else would it be?" returned Sandy.
But Remo's supersharp eyes were picking out details. "I see a flag, and it isn't theirs or ours."
"Whose would it be?" asked Sandy.
"I'm not good with flags," Remo said to Chiun. "Help me out, Little Father."
Chiun shaded his eyes with a palm. "I see the flag of Rome."
Sandy Heckman frowned. "Rome?"
"He means Italy. You do mean Italy?"
"And the flag of Portugal," added Chiun.
"What kind of fleet is that?" Remo asked.
"A fishing fleet. And I think it's ours," said Sandy.
"If they've come to rescue you, they're a day late and a line short."
"We'd better head them off before this thing gets any bigger and badder than it is."
"Canada is threatening us all over the place. How could it get any bigger?" Remo asked.
Lieutenant Sandy Heckman made no answer to that.
The Cayuga fell in on a straight intercept heading.
As it approached the oncoming fleet, the enormity of the vessels beating their way became apparent.
Sandy Heckman knew sailcraft. She saw Maine draggers, Chesapeake Bay skipjacks, assorted trawlers, shrimpers and scallop boats. It was a veritable armada of fishing craft, and all were pointed northward, maintaining an equal distance from one another like a pod of surface-feeding baleen whales.
"Helmsman, steer a careful course," Sandy warned tightly.
"Aye, sir."
The radioman was signaling their identity and intentions. He quickly received an answer.
"This is Captain Sirio Testaverde of the Sicilian Vengeance," a gravelly voice growled. "Get the hell out of our fucking way."
"Sicilian Vengeance, you are in Canadian waters. U.S. vessels are definitely not welcome at this time."
"We do not care. We come to avenge my Tomasso and take what is rightfully ours."
"What is rightfully yours?"
"The fish. The cod. Even the turbot, nasty as it is."
Sandy and Remo swapped glances, then Remo picked up her microphone to ask another question when suddenly they were riding into the teeth of the fleet.
Boats broke left and right to let the Cayuga pass.
Sandy rushed to the starboard rail and called out, "Are you people crazy? Don't you know tensions are running high? Canadian Coast Guard cutters are in hot pursuit of this vessel with the intention of recapturing it."