Indian Ocean Drama - 2. IOD Chapter 2

“Hello Ma’am, it is Lewis Shaw speaking, we have a situation here in Singapore, that needs to be dealt with on a higher level… yes ma’am, that is correct, he has been missing for about five hours now, and I am getting very worried… yes ma’am, thank you, bye for now” I said and ended the call with a smile on my face, as I noticed Mr Crompton looking very scared.

“That was Her Excellency, the Governor General, she is not too happy about the lack of action on your part to locate an Australian citizen, she is dealing with it at her end of the office” I stated, and Mr Crompton gulped nervously. “Please Sir Lewis, I have been trying my very best to try and locate your Mr Lister, but the Singaporean officials are not being very helpful” Mr Crompton pleaded.

I ignored him and walked back to my quarters and hoped that soon I would have Adam safe again, and that we can get out of Singapore. Once in my suite, I called the pilot, and asked him and the flight crew to be ready to leave as soon as Mr Lister has been located and is safely in our care.

Twenty minutes later my mobile rang, and it was a blocked number, “Mr Lewis, your man is being transported to the High Commission as we speak, you should take greater care with your personnel, when visiting our country” the caller said before he hung up, and I raced downstairs to the reception foyer.

“Call the security gate, let them know that Mr Lister is being brought to the front gate right now” I said as I passed through the front door security area, and down the drive towards the front gate. Just before reaching the gate, I saw a white van screech to a halt, and a body was flung out the side door, before racing off again. Security let me through the gate and followed me down the driveway, to where Adam lay on the side walk.

“Adam, are you ok, speak to me please” I said concerned that he was very badly hurt. Adam moaned, and tried to open his eyes, but he had cuts and bruises all over his face, a lot more than what I saw at the hospital. A vehicle arrived at the gate, from inside the High Commission, and we very carefully lifted him in, and I stayed with him as we were driven back up to the main building, where a duty nurse came rushing out to check on Adam.

Inside the building, Adam was taken to the medical clinic within the building, where a doctor soon arrived and began to examine Adam’s injuries, and I refused to leave. “I am his employer, so I am staying right here” I said in protest, to the Doctor demanding for me to leave, “I don’t care if you are his lawyer, I suggest you leave right now, before I call security” the Doctor answered back.

“Maybe I should introduce myself first Doctor, I am Baron Sir Lewis Shaw, Administrator of the Indian Ocean Territories of Australia, and retired Commander in the Australian Navy, KCB, CVO, VC, SC, DSC. I have served in wars overseas, and probably seen far worse than you have in surgery theatres, so now maybe you will re-think your decision about demanding that I leave” I said with a smirk on my face. “I am sorry Sir Lewis. Yes, I have heard of you, and I apologise, you may stay if you wish” the doctor answered.

When the examination was completed, I was informed that Adam was missing two teeth, he had two broken ribs, bruised kidneys, and a dislocated ring finger on the left hand. I told the doctor, what the hospital had told me of his injuries, and we surmised that he had been badly beaten, since I last saw him in the hospital.

While Adam was resting, having been given an injection to have him sleep, I went to our quarters and packed all our belongings, I then called the pilot, and asked him to be ready in fifteen minutes to fly back to Christmas Island. Once packed, I returned to the clinic, and told the nurse that I was taking Adam back to Australia right away, and that I needed assistance to get Adam into the Limo, to get to the airport.

Thirty minutes later, we arrived at the Seletar Airport terminal, and I presented the medical certificate that the doctor at the High Commission gave me, just before we left, to assist, saying it is an emergency medical evac back to Australia, which would allow us out of Singapore, and once we had cleared customs, and quarantine, and using a borrowed wheelchair, our flight attendant came to assist with the luggage, while I wheeled Adam to the waiting aircraft, near one of the aircraft hangers, about 200 metres from the terminal gate, and I had to physically carry Adam over my shoulder, to get him inside the aircraft and into a seat.

Once we were both onboard, the luggage had been stowed, and the door secured, I called the flight captain to get us out of here as soon as possible, but we had to wait for a few minutes, to allow international commercial flights to land and take off, before we could take off. Once we were in the air, I let out my breath, which I was not sure how long I had been holding in, as we started to climb and turn to the right towards the Java Sea.

A few moments later the co-pilot appeared, “Sir Lewis, Singapore Air Traffic Control is demanding that we return to Seletar, as we were not permitted to leave the country” the co-pilot said to me, “How far out are we from Singapore” I asked the pilot, “Just passing over Bintan Island, Indonesia, Sir” the pilot replied.

“Well we are no longer in their airspace, so just ignore them, and inform the Captain that we need to get Adam to emergency medical care, so we should head directly for Darwin” I answered. “Very good sir, Darwin it is” the co-pilot said with a big smile, before returning to the cockpit.

Just over 4 ½ hours later, we landed at Darwin airport, where an ambulance was waiting for us, and they rushed Adam to the hospital, while I sorted out the Customs and quarantine side of things. “Sir Lewis, we have a request that you go to Government house once you are cleared here, as the Administrator wishes to speak to you urgently, there is a car outside waiting for you” one of the Federal Police officers said to me, as he stamped my passport.

Once I was cleared, a chauffeur arrived and helped carry the luggage to the limo, and twenty minutes later the car arrived at Government House, and I was greeted by the Administrators Personal Assistant, who I had met before. “Sir Lewis, good to see you again, come in and please sit, this is not a formal meeting, just a casual chat” the NT Administrator said as I entered his office, which was quite grand, compared to mine in Christmas Island.

“Nice office you have here, Sir Michael” I commented, as I shook his hand and sat down. “Now Lewis, what is this matter about Singapore, that we are getting a lot of political flack about” Sir Michael asked me, “Well sir, firstly my administration assistant was framed in an inappropriate act, while seated on a bench seat in a park, and once I had him transferred to hospital, he was being treated by a medical team and all seemed to be going ok, except that there was an armed police officer outside his hospital room.

Next thing I know, Adam has been ambushed by an unknown person or persons, physically assaulted and injured a lot worse than when he entered the hospital, then dumped on the side of the road outside the High Commission, by an unmarked van, which just sped off.

The High Commission doctor and nurse treated Adam, for his new injuries, and I arranged for him to get an emergency medical evac out of Singapore, so we can get him proper hospital care in Australia. We had the proper medical papers, which we presented to the Customs officers at the private aircraft terminal at Seletar Airport, and the private jet that we use for business was on standby when we arrived there.

After a short wait to allow commercial air traffic to land and take off, we ourselves took off from Seletar, and we headed South East for Darwin. We had only been in the air for about four minutes, when the co-pilot informed me that Singapore Air Traffic Control was demanding that we return to Seletar, and that is when I asked the co-pilot our location, and he informed me that we were over Bintan Island, Indonesia.

I informed the co-pilot that we are no longer in their airspace, and to ignore their demands and to head for Darwin” I explained to my senior Administrator. “I see, well you are correct in assuming that you were no longer in their jurisdiction, but it now causes an issue of leaving Singapore in such a hurried manner, which they deem suspicious” Sir Michael said to me.

“That may be so, sir, but we arrived by private jet, at Seletar Airport, and that is exactly how we left, not from the main international airport of Changi” I responded. “Whose’ private jet is it?” Sir Michael asked me, “That would be my husband, Mr Sebastian Wagner, who allows me to use it for work and private use, whenever I need to travel” I responded, “Oh yes, that is right, I remember reading about it, you had a wedding in Liechtenstein, if I recall” the NT Administrator said.

“That is correct” I replied as I noticed the Administrator screw up his face in distaste, “Do you have a problem with my marriage sir?” I asked in an annoyed manner, which caused the NT Administrators assistant to step forward, in a protective manner.

“Down boy, I am not going to do anything” I said to the assistant, before facing the Administrator again, “I will say this last comment to you, I am very disappointed in you sir, it is not what I expected of an Australian Territory Administrator.

This meeting is over” I said, as I stood and made my way to the front door of Government House, and ignoring the car that I arrived in, I walked out the front gate, and down the street, to the centre of the city.

When I spotted a taxi, I hailed it, and asked to be taken to Darwin Private Hospital, which was a twenty-minute drive away, and luckily for me, I had my wallet with me to pay for the fare, even if it was the Sebastian’s company credit card, that I have access to.

Just as I was about to step into the private hospital foyer, my phone rang, and the caller ID said it was Sebastian. “Hello handsome, what is happening in your part of the world, where ever that is” I answered, and I heard Seb chuckle, “Maybe I should ask that about you, are you back at home, as I am currently in Darwin on business” Sebastian replied.

“Funny you should say that, I am in Darwin too, just stepped into the Private hospital, where my assistant is being looked after” I said.

“Excellent, I am at the Casuarina shopping centre, I will be there shortly” Sebastian said, and he ended the call, before I could respond. “Hello, I am Sir Lewis Shaw, here to see a patient, Staff Sergeant Adam Lister” I said to the young receptionist, when I arrived at the desk. “Yeah right! I am the Queen of Sheba” the receptionist replied while she was chewing gum.

“Thank you, Sharon, you can go back to your normal duties, I am sorry Sir Lewis, she is new to here, I was informed that you would be coming. Mr Lister is currently in surgery, apparently they have had to remove his spleen, so it will be an hour or two before he gets out of surgery” the second lady said to me.

“Thank you, I will come back a little later, and I suggest you keep that young lady well away from public duties, as she does not have the appropriate clothing or manners to do such a job” I replied, “Yes, I agree, and I am sorry for that mistake, it won’t happen again” the lady said and I turned and left the foyer, just as a limo arrived out the front, and the rear window came down, to reveal Sebastian’s smiling face.

“Do you have a suite booked, I need a place to relax and unwind, these past few days have been exhausting” I commented as I climbed into the limo and gave Sebastian a quick kiss on the lips. “Is that all I get?” Sebastian complained, “Yes for now, till we are in the privacy of our suite” I responded smiling.

“Fair enough, so I presume the Administrator Jet is also here in Darwin?” Sebastian asked me, as the Limo began the trip back into the city, “Yes, we only landed about two hours ago, I had a meeting with the NT Administrator, which ended in a bad way, he doesn’t approve of our marriage, and I made a point of letting him know I didn’t like his backward views” I said.

After a few hours of pampering by Sebastian, I was feeling a lot more relaxed, and I was wanting to get back home to Christmas Island as soon as possible, but I had to make sure Adam was doing ok, before I did.Sebastian told me that he still had two days of business in Darwin, before he was ready to head back to the MV Huon, at Christmas Island.

Two days later, Sebastian and I were preparing to leave Darwin, when there was a phone call, and the Call ID was GG – Canberra, and I groaned when I saw this, “I have to take this call, it is Canberra” I said to Sebastian, as I answered the call. “Lewis Speaking” I said into the phone, “Sir, please hold for the Governor General” came a response.

“Lewis, you have put us in some very hot water politically, and there are many within Federal Parliament, who want your head for what you caused in Singapore” the GG said when he took the call. “Sir, I am sorry for that, but he is my personal assistant, and they had him held on a trumped-up charge, which was a setup in the first place” I responded.

“I don’t care about that, you have put our Government in a very difficult situation, the Singapore Government has demanded that you deliver your man back to Singapore to face the charges, and you too, for illegally smuggling out a wanted man” the Governor General said.

“I am sorry sir, but the Singapore Authorities were using their strict social rules and laws, to set up an Australian citizen, who is also a soldier in the Australian Army, and if you want someone to take the blame, I will happily tender my resignation, effective immediately, good day to you sir, and goodbye” I said, and I ended the call, before turning off my phone.

“Did I just hear you resigned from your job as Administrator of the IOTA, effective immediately?” Sebastian asked me, and I almost burst into tears, “I have made a real mess of things, and the Federal Government are suggesting that I do as the Singaporean’s are demanding and turn myself and Adam into them” I said as I fought back tears.

“Leave it to me, we will do what we did before, have a holiday at my Grandmother’s place” Sebastian said, as we gathered our luggage, and minutes later we had checked out of the hotel. “What about Adam, surely they won’t send him back to Singapore?” I asked sounding very concerned.

“We can take him with us, but I think with your resignation, the Singaporean’s should be happy that you are no longer involved in Australian Government work” Sebastian replied.

Within twenty minutes, we were in the air, and heading West for Christmas Island, where we would pack up all my belongings at Government House and move to the MV Huon. During the journey, Sebastian was on the phone most of the time, making arrangement, including talking to the twins.

After two hours of flying, we arrived in Broome for a quick refuel, before taking off once again, for the 2 ½ hour flight to Christmas Island. Once we were in the air, Sebastian informed me that the twins had already been to Government House, and collected all my belongings, and that the MV Huon, was no longer anchored in the bay of Flying Fish Cove, but 12 kilometres to the East of the Resort, where is the closest spot to the airport.

“Once we have landed, we will catch a taxi to the resort, as if we are tourists, where a dinghy will be waiting to collect us and take us to the yacht, and from there we will sail West for the canal and onto the Mediterranean Sea, where we will stop in Cyprus, in 10 days’ time, and fly from there to Switzerland, and drive across the River Rhine to Liechtenstein” Sebastian said.

When we were approaching Christmas Island, the pilots had the plane flying like it was the regular flight from Darwin via Broome, and once we were in the terminal, the pilots refuelled and prepared for a return flight back to Broome, with passengers, that were wishing to return to the mainland.

Sebastian had cancelled all flights into the Indian Ocean Territories, so now there was only outgoing flights back to the mainland, once that is done, all flights by Wagner Air, are permanently cancelled.

A taxi took us to the resort, with me being dressed very casually, to try an hide my identity, and once the taxi had dropped us off, were headed directly to the small beach a few hundred metres up the road, where the dinghy will be waiting, and we were soon heading out to sea, to the waiting yacht, MV Huon.

Once we were safely aboard, with the twins greeting me with a group hug, we headed for our suite to try and relax. After entering the suite, I turned on my mobile, while it is still in mobile range, and it indicated that there were lots of voice messages, but I ignored them, and went to voicemail settings, and I changed the message recording.

“This is the former Administrator of Indian Ocean Territories, of Australia, Lewis Shaw speaking. I am no longer in Australia, and from this moment on, all messages will not be received. Goodbye and good luck” I said, and I saved the message, before turning off the phone.

I then went to my laptop, and opened the emails, the IOTA email account had already been blocked from my access, so I deleted the account, and I switched over to my personal email account, where there were a number of emails waiting for me, one from Kylie, one from Jeremy, and one from Margaret.

All the emails expressed concern, and they wanted me to call them back, so I decided to send one email to all three people. “Hey guys, no doubt, you have heard about the mess that I have got into, and that I am no longer the Administrator of the Indian Ocean Territories of Australia.

Sebastian, the twins and I, are going to be cruising the world’s oceans for a while, so we will not be in contact. I am fine and I am being well looked after, so please do not worry, I will contact you again, when things have quietened down a bit. Lewis”.

Once I had sent the emails, I deleted my email account completely, and shut down my laptop. Just over a day later, as we were cruising past the Cocos Keeling Island, Sebastian and I were tuning into the local television news.