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Shore leave for Seaman Mark Wolf was almost over. And none too soon as far as he was concerned. Although he hardly loved being cooped up on the ship for weeks on end, ever since his ship had docked in Japan, weird things had been happening.

Mark was certain that boxes of supplies had gone missing and then mysteriously reappeared again. Not that Mark could prove it. When ever he checked the records, the everything seemed in order. But Mark was certain that the supplies hadn't been checked out either. His crew mates who maintained the supplies looked at him like he was crazy whenever he mentioned it. And the entire situation had gotten worse since the USS Kitty Hawk had pulled into port.

It was the last day before the ship went back to sea and Mark was doing inventory as he was scheduled to do. That's when he noticed Petty Officers Smith and Cribbs nosing around, looking in the boxes. They hadn't seen Mark, so he ducked behind a corner and watched as the two men seemed to grab something and walk off!

Not knowing what to do, Mark followed the men as they both left the ship and went into the Navy Base. Mark wasn't an expert as tailing people but he was certain neither man had seen him as they entered a storage building, apparently unused.

 Mark snuck into the old building and down into a filthy basement, stopping short when he heard Smith and Cribbs talking to some other men.

"So this is the last of it?" Mark heard one of the unknown men say.

"Yeah, " Replied Cribbs, "We did a switcheroo with the records so no one will even notice this is missing. Especially when it comes back."

"And no one will inspect the boxes? We can't afford having this merchandise discovered!" The first man asked.

 "Don't worry! Customs doesn't bother with military ships. Once we get the stuff we took from the supplies back on the ship, no one will be the wiser. You get your drugs and your supplier gets the cash and it all looks like just a routine transfer of supplies."

Oh my God!, thought Mark, Smith and Cribbs and who knew who else were smuggling! He had to get the authorities. Unfortunately, before he could do just that, he was hit on the back of the head by a bottle. Everything exploded in a flash of white, then darkness.

 Mark woke up with an incredible headache. He tried to move his hand to feel his throbbing head but he couldn't. He had been trussed up hand to foot! HE could only sit helplessly as his captors, Smith, Cribb, and their accomplices, towered menacingly over him.

"What are we supposed to do with him then? This will ruin everything" One of the accomplices said.

"Relax." Smith said." This guy has been getting in our way too much anyway. We keep him here. The Brass thinks he's gone AWOL and it gives you guys time to get rid of him."

"Why not just pop him right now!?" Another accomplice asked, pulling out an object

 "Because we need it to happen after the fleet leaves and things settle down a bit. Then we can get rid of the body. Use that right now and half the base will hear it." Smith explained.

"You won't get away with ..mmmff!" Mark said as a black piece of tape was plastered across his mouth.

"As last words go, you could have done better." Cribbs mocked.

"Haha! Yep. Too bad for him. Now, our hardy boy wannabe will keep until you guys can come back for him. So right now we all mosey out of here and keep to our schedules. You guys can come back when no one is looking. I'd say, in about an hour or two."

 Mark, bound and gagged as he was, could only stare as his captors all filed out of the basement.. Realizing this would be his only chance, Mark immediately began working at his bonds. Unfortunately, the ropes had been tied cruelly tight. They bit into his wrists, arms and legs. Mark could already feel the circulation being cut off and his hands going numb.

"Mmmm! Mmmmmm!" Mark grunted as loudly as he could but while a gunshot would be heard by everyone on base, the muffled cries of one tightly tape gagged sailor could not. Help wouldn't be coming. Mark would have to get out of this on his own!

 He renewed his efforts to undo the knots. But he had been tied up by sailors and sailors knew how to tie a knot if they knew anything. The few knots Mark could reach with his fingers stayed tight and secure. And with the lack of circulation, Mark's hands would soon grow too numb to be of any use. If he didn't get out in the next few minutes, his hands would be too weak to get him out at all!

 To make matters even worse, the basement of the building obviously hadn't been used in years and covered in dust. The dirt got all over Mark's clothes and into his nostrils. Unable to effectively cough because of the gag, Mark worried he may simply suffocate and save the smugglers the trouble of killing him themselves.

The dust also made him feel grimy, which wasn't much of a concern considering his current dangerous predicament. But the combination of the dirt along with the heat made Mark begin to sweat. Large rivulets of perspiration began trickling down Mark's face and body. Sweat stung his eyes, making it hard to see as well.

 Damn! Why does this all this have to happen to me?, Mark thought but then realized. The sweat was more then a nuisance. It also as making his hands and arms slick. Maybe slick enough to slip out of the bonds that held him!

Mark didn't know how much tie he had left so he put all his remaining energy into his last chance to get free. His wrists were being rubbed raw as Mark moved his hands back and forth, trying to get some slack in the ropes. If only...

At last, Mark felt one of the loops of rope around his wrist go over his hands, then another and another! After what seemed like an eternity, Mark's hands were free!

 Not even sparing a moment to get the feeling in his hands back, Mark immediately began untying the rest of his bound body. While doing so, Mark kept an eye on the stairs for his captors return.

Though it stung his face, Mark was relieved when he peeled the tape off his mouth. He let out a great coughing fit, clearing the dust from his lungs.

It took a great while for Mark to finally get free because his hands had still not gotten their feeling back. Mark jumped at every sound, certain the smugglers had returned before he was free. But eventually Mark did free himself completely of his bindings. Not sparing a moment, Mark picked himself up and ran to the authorities.

 Cribbs and Smith were arrested along with their smuggling buddies while Mark was given a medal of commendation. And a transfer off of the ship.

The End

Seaman Mark Wolf played by Mark Wolf

Photography by Caitiff