“On it!” Nick rolled to a position where he had line of sight covering any gunman that could fire onto the second deck.
For the first time since coming on board, Nick thought of rolling a grenade into his top deck entryway and leaping down to join John. His hand fondled the grenade as he watched the lower deck for attackers. He spotted the man trying to maneuver along the outer lower deck railing for a shot at John. Nick’s single shot 9mm hollow point slug tore the front of his face off, leaving him screaming on the deck for his brethren to hear. Nick popped in a new magazine, deciding it was time for explosives. He reached for the grenade at his waist.
“We’re coming in, Dead Boy! Don’t you use any of your damn grenades!”
“Shit! Get out of my fucking head, Ahab! I have your back, DL. Talk to me.”
“All good, Muerto. I have cover. You chased a bunch directly to me. I have six dead bad guys here. I couldn’t cover the lower deck. Screw Ahab. If we don’t get some respect shortly, blow the shit out of the upper entry. We’ll land the troops in safety at all costs!”
“Understood. Stay down!” Nick saw another trio race to the lower deck stairwell.
He waited with cold blooded killer anticipation, a slight smile forming as the three became silhouettes on the angled ladder. Anticipating their hesitation as they approached the amidships deck, Nick glanced at the entryway he guarded, then calmly cut down across the men at neck level with a burst which nearly severed their heads. They tumbled down the ladder steps as the ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ became a wall of sound.
*
I liked my amidships deck with plenty of items to form a barrier between me and my access point from inside the ship. I made my fort, layering everything I could in a formidable barricade between me and the interior hatch. I could keep an eye on the amidships hatch and still watch my back which was slightly exposed to the lower deck. As the Valkyrie tripped their radar, one of the Tempest minions ran out with AK47 in hand. I shot him and waited, hearing Nick’s silenced rounds over me. It was then all hell broke loose.
A group of guys with automatic weapons streamed through the hatch, firing as they came. I picked my spots, shredding each one while moving behind my barricade. Some prick below me popped out and fired on my deck blindly. I put Nick on him and he was screaming seconds after a comical exchange with Admiral Ahab about damage to his yacht. I thought we secured our spots very well until I glanced behind me at the diagonal ladder from the lower decks. Three men had crept to the upper ladder level and one of them was taking aim at yours truly as Nick told me to stay down. A medium burst from above cut their throats. I liked watching the bastards tumbling back down to the lower deck as examples of what would happen to any following them. I kept humming the ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ as Laredo deposited our other warriors on Nick’s upper deck with a virtual universe of sound. It was a good day to be a Monster.
*
Nick ran to the hatch access on the upper deck as Laredo hovered over it. No matter what feelings Lucas had on the matter, he planned to grenade the interior of his level if confronted by anymore resistance. No more faces showed as figures rappelled to his deck. Within seconds Casey, Lucas, Johnny, and Clint with Tonto in his arms were down on deck, ready for action. He glanced up to see Lynn behind the .50 caliber machine gun wave at him. Nick waved back as the ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ pierced his senses.
“Hey, Dead Boy,” Clint greeted him as Tonto ran over to check him out.
“Damn good thing you didn’t ruin my superyacht,” Lucas said. He reached with professional touch to Nick’s neck. “You’re bleedin’ son. The boys have it now. Let me take a look.”
Nick reached with his left hand along his head, face, and neck while keeping control of his MP5 slung in firing position. His hand came away bloody. “It can’t be much, Lucas. I think my ear got nicked. You know how they bleed.”
“Hold the fuck still while I check. Yeah… you’re missing a piece of your ear, Muerto.” Lucas clamped a suture tape in place at the notch, which adhered to the dry skin on the undamaged ear. “You’re good to go unless you’d like to pussy out. I can have Laredo lift your sissy ass out of here if you want.”
Nick and everyone else on the network enjoyed Lucas’s dress down. “I’m good to go, Ahab, you unfeeling prick. Are you good, DL?”
“Your execution of the three on the ladder ended that avenue of attack, Muerto. Payaso has the Valkyrie in position on our fantail with Lynn’s minions covering both lower access points. Laredo, with Lynn on the fifty will watch our six. Samira is spotting for her. We’re good to do the compartment taking of the ship.”
“I’ll send Lucas and Casey down to you. Johnny and I can work our way down to you with Clint and Tonto, making sure we don’t have anyone left on the upper deck. From there, we’ll all take the compartmental search and destroy with Tonto in the lead.”