The Devil's Waters

CHAPTER 45





Wally spoke straight into LB’s face, without broadcasting to the team or the pirate.

“No.”

Wally gave the next order over the radio. “Team, lights out.”

The hovering heads on both wings extinguished. Dow and Quincy lowered their NVGs over their eyes. Quincy crept to the window to help Dow keep an eye inside the bridge, weapons ready.

LB checked the time. Twelve minutes left.

Wally, again off the team freq, said, “You got two minutes.”

LB lifted the M4 strap over his head. Before he could lay the gun on the deck, Wally thrust his bandaged arm to stop him.

“I said no.”

“I got to go in there. I can talk them out.”

“Do it from here. Use the radio, like we said.”

“For Christ’s sake, he wants me inside. I can do it; I know I can.”

“Listen to me. We’re not hostage negotiators. We’ve got a mission. You have two minutes to talk them out of the bridge. Then we go in and get them. If you lack the stomach for that, stay out here. Start talking now, or I give the go.”

LB slipped his rifle back across his shoulders. Wally joined Quincy and Doc kneeling at the port window.

LB peered through his NVGs for one more look inside the dark bridge. Five frantic pirates and five guns menaced the huddled hostages. Big Yusuf Raage stood in the center of the bridge behind the captain’s chair, holding the spare walkie-talkie Doc had slid inside.

Doc was right. A single wrong move, and this would turn into a bloodbath.

LB lifted the goggles. He flicked on his flashlight again, training it under his chin, upward over his face as before, to talk to the pirate in plain view. He thumbed the PTT.

“Yusuf.”

“Yes.”

“I can’t come inside.”

“I understand. It would not have been good for you.”

“I’ve got two minutes to convince you that you’re all going to die.”

“I don’t believe you, Sergeant. You would not sacrifice the hostages.”

“We would. I know you’ve seen what’s on this ship. Down in the cargo hold, I was there. I saw you and Drozdov.”

“Very good. That is a lot of machines.”

“About five billion dollars’ worth, all of it state-of-the-art.”

“All going to Iran. Yes, I know this.”

“Then you know it’s an illegal shipment. Four different countries, mine included, do not want you to keep this boat. Hostages or not.”

“Those are harsh orders, Sergeant.”

“For everybody. So come out. Let’s call it a night.”

“What if I fight you?”

“Listen to me. Even if you win, you lose. In ten minutes, the United States government’s going to blow this ship to the bottom if we don’t have control of it. There’s a drone over our heads right now with weapons locked.”

“Again, I don’t believe you.”

“Look behind me, Yusuf. You see the American warship?”

“Yes.”

“It’s turned around.”

“Yes. It has.”

“They’ve got orders, too. No witnesses. I’m not lying. We’re all dead, the hostages, you, me, if we don’t settle this fast. If we have to come in for you, I swear, you and your men will not survive. You’ve seen what we can do.”

“Yes.”

“So end it. Give your men and the hostages their lives back. You and me, too. I’ll be honest, I don’t want to come in there to get you.”

Off the radio, Wally said, “Time.”

“Yusuf, what’s your answer?”

Inside the bridge, the pirate lowered the radio. Wally stepped beside LB. He drew his hand under his chin—out of time.

LB shut off the flashlight.

Wally circled a finger in the air for Quincy and Dow. Ready.

Dow snuck his arm up to the portal handle. Quincy readied a flashbang.

LB dropped his NVGs in place. In the starboard window, Mouse and Dow watched from their dark wing. LB took a knee, Wally knelt beside him. Wally held up a fist, as per the plan, marking thirty seconds.

The team freq hissed.

“Sergeant?”

“Yeah, Yusuf.”

“Can you see me in the dark?”

“We all can.”

“Then watch.”