Stabenow, Dana - Blindfold Game (v1

by Blindfold Game(lit)

  “Go! Ostlund shouted, and Delgado went up the rope hand over hand without pause and vanished over the stern. A second later the grapnel came hurtling down, splashing into the water next to the small boat, to be reeled in briskly by Ensign Reese.

  The coxswain took that as a sign and opened up the throttle to maneuver the small boat around to the freighters starboard side. He dropped off the stern a little, where they endeavored not to be squashed by the freighters rise and fall, and waited.

  Hugh noticed a sheen of white across Ostlunds shoulders, and reached out to touch it. Ice. He looked around and noticed that the small boat was adding a layer of ice with every wave they took. He started beating on the sides with his fists, and everyone else woke up from their frozen stupor and started beating. It got rid of most of the ice so long as they kept beating, and it warmed them up a little, too.

  “There! Ostlund said, after what seemed hours and was probably only minutes. Hugh followed his pointing finger and saw a rope ladder rattle down the hull of the freighter. The coxswain goosed the engine until they were alongside, and kept them alongside until Ensign Reese managed to snag it. Hugh looked up and saw Delgado grinning down at them from the gunnel, and his mind numbly remembered the briefing. This would be the pilots ladder, the ladder the ship would let down to board the local marine pilot when the ship got close enough to port to need one.

  Ostlund was first up.

  “Mr. Rincon? Ensign Reese said.

  It was a very small ladder, and the hull of the freighter seemed impossibly high.

  “Mr. Rincon? Ensign Reese said again.

  In some small part of his mind that was still functioning Hugh knew he was holding up the line and endangering the mission. He grabbed the side of the inflatable and rose shakily to his feet, losing his balance immediately and pitching forward. He flung up his hands to catch himself and by sheer luck fell into the ladder.

  The sea fell away from beneath the inflatable and he was left clinging to the ladder. His feet scrabbled automatically for the narrow slats of wood that formed the steps. The hull of the freighter rolled away from him and he found himself lying face down against it, his knuckles caught between the rope of the ladder and the metal of the hull.

  “Go! Reese shouted. “Go now!

  His feet fumbled for the rungs and he gained a few shaky steps before the hull of the freighter rolled back and he found himself swinging wildly away from the hull, the ladder twisting and twirling. He looked down and saw faces turned up to him. When the ship rolled back he slammed hard against the hull.

  “Ouch, he clearly heard someone say.

  “Climb, goddammit, Mr. Rincon! Climb! Climb now!

  Reeses urgency got through, and Hugh unclenched one hand for the next rung, and the next, fighting the heave of the sea and the roll of the freighter and the shove of the wind and the sting of the spray. About halfway up he lost all contact with his feet, and his hands were bloodied and painful from rubbing against the hull. It felt like an hour later when a hand grasped the back of his Mustang suit and began to pull. “Its okay, Mr. Rincon, Ive got you, Ostlunds voice said, and the next thing he knew he was sitting on the deck and dry-heaving between his legs. Nothing had ever felt as good to him as the solid deck of the Star of Bali beneath his ass.

  When he recovered enough to look around, the coxswain was climbing over the gunnel. He staggered to his feet in time to see the inflatable fall off the hull of the freighter. The line fastening the small boat to the bottom of the rope ladder pulled taut, twisting the ladder into a helix.

  This had been much discussed in the planning session. “Mr. Ryan said they had fifteen people on board the Agafia. We have to assume there are at least that many on board the Star of Bali, Sara had said. “We can fit ten of you, plus Mr. Rincon, into the small boat without swamping her. We will need every gun weve got. Everyone boards. They can leave the small boat tied off to the ship. An escape hatch, in case things went sour, was what she was thinking.

  On board the freighter, Delgado closed the door behind the coxswain and slammed down the hatch handle. He donned his pack and shouldered his shotgun. “This way, he said, and they followed him single file through bundled pallets of rebar and angle iron stacked as high as the hold.

  They came to a hatch. Ostlund put his ear to it for a moment. “Cant hear a goddamn thing, he said cheerfully, and cranked it open. Delgado slithered through, gave an all-clear, and motioned the rest of them inside. Hugh was last in, and he closed the hatch behind him. Ostlund tied a strip of red cloth to the hatch handle. “Hansel and Gretel, he told them, “only better than bread crumbs.

  They went through a series of corridors without seeing a soul. “Where the hell is everyone? Lewis said in a hoarse whisper. “This is getting creepy.

  Hugh didnt say what he was thinking. He was thinking the crew of this ship was dead, every last one of them, the same way the crew on the Agafia was dead. He touched the nine-millimeter Smith & Wesson in the holster strapped to his side. It comforted him.

  They went through an exterior hatch and began to climb the outside stairs to the bridge. The fresh air was welcome to them all, but especially to Hugh, in whom fear was beginning to be superseded by nausea. He was almost wishing he were back in the small boat. He thought of Sara. Hed seen her standing on the bridge wing, watching as they pulled away from the cutter. Dont worry, babe, he thought, Ill be back. Me and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

  Which was probably why he was the one to stumble into the first man theyd seen since they boarded. He came around a corner the rest of the team had just passed, with Hugh bringing up the rear. He had earphones on and walkman in one hand, the other hand snapping to the beat.

  He was also armed. When he saw Hugh, he drew and fired in one smooth motion. The shot went wide and he was smothered by a pile of furious, frightened Coasties before he could get off a second. When they got up, he was out cold, possibly for good.

  The shot had been heard. They heard cries from the deck below and footsteps from above and quickened their pace, the stairs clanging beneath their feet. A shot ricocheted off the bulkhead near Hughs head, followed by the sound of another shot from the deck. A third shot, this one from above, made them all duck. Delgado, who seemed to have the instincts of a cat, didnt flinch but trotted directly to another hatch, which led to an inside stairwell. He pointed up. “Bridge.

  “Weapons, Ostlund said briskly. He looked as if he might not so secretly be enjoying himself. Hugh, still nauseous, wanted to shoot either Ostlund or himself. “Okay, Delgado, take Segal and Chernikoff and locate the engine room. Segal and Chernikoff were the EOs choice for this insertion. “Segal, Chernikoff, disable any secondary controls. If you find the hydraulics controlling the rudder, cut it or break it. Once were in command we can always take her in tow. What we want is control.

  “Aye aye, Ensign. Delgado and the two engineers mates disappeared through a hatch.

  “Okay, Ostlund said, “lets go, and then a surprised look crossed his face. He looked down at the blood welling from his thigh and said, “Oh, shit.

  The crack of single bullets alternated with the explosion of shotgun rounds. It didnt sound at all like it did in the movies. Hugh reached for his sidearm and then was hit in the back with a large club and felt himself falling forward, ever so slowly, ever so gently, onto a big black bed, oh, so soft.

  Sara, he thought.

  “Delgado! Ostlund yelled into the handheld, right into Hughs ear from where he had fallen next to Hugh.

  “Sir! Delgado responded over the radio. “Segal and Chernikoff are both down! I am pinned down!

  “Understood, Delgado, I am sending assistance! Ostlund pressed his hands against his thigh and looked at the men still standing. “Reese! Take two men and go get them!

  “Aye aye, sir!

  The next shot sounded like a cannon, like the last trump, like Armageddon. The ship, already trembling from the pounding it was taking from the seas and the violent change of command, shuddered.


  Okay, not sounding at all good for our side, Hugh thought. As for himself, he was tired, and he thought hed take a little nap.

  ON BOARD THE SOJOURNER TRUTH

  A GREAT SPOUT OF water went up off their port bow.

  “What the hell was that!

  Mark Edelen, looking through binoculars, said calmly, “A bunker buster.

  “A what? Sara said.

  He elaborated, sounding like a firearms manual. “A shoulder-launched assault weapon firing rounds with explosive loads.

  Another puff of smoke from the bridge of the Star of Bali, another trail of darker smoke, and this time the marksman didnt miss. The shell impacted aft of the bridge. The deck shuddered and everyone turned to see that the starboard cannon was gone.

  “Yes, Sara said, speaking over the ringing in her ears, “I see. Lets fall off a little, shall we, Chief? She looked down at where Edelen was crouched against the console.

  “Jesus, the chief said. He straightened. “I mean, aye aye, XO. Helm, all ahead one quarter.

  “All ahead one quarter, aye, Seaman Cornell responded with a sangfroid to match Saras own.

  Sara looked at Ops. “Whats the word from Ostlund?

  “Ostlunds down. Delgado got to the boat and is picking up the ones who went over the side.

  “Who didnt? Sara said sharply. “Who isnt with them?

  “Lewis. Segal. Chernikoff. He looked away. “Mr. Rincon.

  Saras face went gray. Ops seemed to recede into the distance. She brought him back into focus with great difficulty. He looked worried as he watched her. “Are they sure? she said, the words coming from a great distance.

  “Ostlund saw him go down, XO, Ops said. “ImIm sorry.

  There was a dreadful silence on the bridge that seemed to go on forever.

  When Sara spoke again her voice was hoarse. “Did they find the missile?

  Ops swallowed. “No, XO. Delgado says the Star of Bali had too many men and they were too well armed. Our guys were driven back. Most of them went over the side. Like I said, Delgado is picking them up in the small boat.

  Another dreadful silence.

  “Chief, Sara said.

  “XO? Edelen said.

  She said in a distant voice, “If you wanted to disable a ship, and you didnt think your twenty-five-millimeter cannon would do the job, especially if the only working one had just been destroyed, what would you do next?

  He actually paled. “XO, I

  “Where would we want to hit her, Chief? Where would it do the most good?

  He swallowed audibly, and said, calmly enough, “Shes probably a five-hatch ship. Somewhere between the second and third hatches.

  “My thoughts exactly, Sara said.

  “What? Ops said.

  “Hitting them at a ninety-degree angle would be best, XO, but well still lose the bow.

  She nodded, almost dreamily. “I figured. The collision bulkhead should hold her, though. She went to the plot station and looked at the Transas. “Pan in, Tommy, would you, please?

  Tommy, looking a little gray herself, zoomed in.

  “Yeah, Sara said, and pointed at the screen. She looked around and found everyone frozen in place. “Huddle up, she said. “Now.

  There was a scramble of feet as everyone except Cornell on the helm stumbled across the heaving deck to peer over Tommys shoulder and follow Saras pointing finger.

  “Theyre headed straight up Resurrection Bay, Sara said. “Im guessing we decided to board them at just about the same time the terrorists took control of the ship. And why not? she asked herself. “Why wouldnt they just ride it in until they absolutely had to have the ship under their control? Makes perfect sense. Its what Id do myself.

  “XO?

  “Never mind. Theyre going up the inside. She traced the Star of Balis route up Resurrection Bay. “Well go up the outside. She traced the Sojourner Truths route up Eldorado Narrows.

  “Thats awful skinny, XO, the chief said.

  “Well never catch them, Captain, Ops said.

  “Weve got six knots on them, and they think theyve disabled us. Even if they were looking for us, theyll be watching for us to come back at them from behind, not from the side. Hugh said Her breath caught, and she swallowed painfully and went on. “Mr. Rincon said that they probably wouldnt fire the missile until they cleared Caines Head, and that it would take an hour for the firing sequence to be activated. The pilot boat will come out, and when they dont take him on board, it will probably be the first time the people on shore know somethings wrong. By then itll be too late.

  She saw her second in commands anguished expression and said with a thin smile, “Dont worry, Ops. I dont plan on sinking us. I dont even have to sink them, although I admit it would be a nice bonus.

  There were nods all around. She looked at Mark Edelen. “Yes, Chief?

  He swallowed. “Permission to speak freely, XO.

  “Granted, Chief, Sara said, almost pleasantly.

  The chief squared his shoulders and spoke directly. “How personal is this?

  “Its personal as hell, Chief, she said, still in that eerily friendly tone of voice. “They killed my husband. I want them dead. Another shot from the assault weapon whistled toward them and went long, poking entirely too large a hole in the wave about to crash over the stern. In some distant part of her mind Sara noticed that they now had a following sea. She wondered how much this would increase their speed. Of course, it would also increase the freighters speed. “However, the missile theyre getting ready to fire trumps my need for revenge. We have to stop them, people. I dont want them getting any closer to the mainland. I dont want to turn my back on them for an instant. There are two hundred and forty thousand people a hundred miles from here who dont know theyre counting on us. Id like to keep it that way.

  She didnt wait for a reply. “Chief, fall off to starboard. Let them think theyve chased us off. They hunched over the Transas again. “Okay, Tommy, whats your best guess for intercept?

  Tommy punched in some numbers. “If we want to surprise them, right here.

  “We do. How long?

  “About an hour.

  Sara looked over her shoulder at the receding stern of the freighter. “Man, thats just cutting it too damn close. She turned back. “Lay in a course. Chief, we slow down over long enough to pick up the crew.

  “What about the inflatable?

  “Leave it, we dont have time. Ops, break out the machine guns. Order the gunners to lay down a covering fire to suppress the hell out of that bastard with the rocket launcher when we catch up to them.

  “Aye aye, XO. Ops took the portside hatch at a run.

  She slipped and slid across the deck and grabbed the microphone. “Attention all hands, attention all hands, this is XO Lange. She paused. She really didnt know what to say this time. She only hoped she didnt start a mutiny. She struggled to sound as calm as possible, as if one heard this kind of order everyday on board a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. “Youve got about an hour to prepare for collision, I say again, one hour to pre pare for collision. Batten everything down and keep one hand on those survival suits. I say again, all hands, prepare for collision.

  ON BOARD THE STAR OF BALI

  HUGH WOKE UP TO the feeling of someone pushing a red-hot poker through his lower left back. He groaned, partly in pain, partly in humiliation. Hed been shot in the ass. He could hear Kyle laughing. “Shut up, Kyle, he muttered.

  “Hello, someone said in Korean.

  With a tremendous effort, he turned his head and pried his eyes open to see a pair of combat boots in front of his face. He groaned again.

  “Yes, you have been shot, the voice said. “Im sorry about that.

  “Me, too, Hugh said, surprised that he still had the ability to speak.

  “I have noticed that there is no blood, so I assume you are wearing body armor. One of the shoes nudged him. “Get up.

  Sweating, straining, Hugh pulled himself to his knees, where he threw up on the combat boots.
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  “Very amusing, the voice said. “Stand up.

  He pulled himself the rest of the way to his feet, and stood, swaying, partly from the motion of the ship, partly because little stars were flying around his head and chirping. Or was that little birds twinkling?

  He was on deck. They must have dragged him there. That would explain why every bone and muscle in his body ached.

  The deck beneath his feet jarred and twisted and his hand slipped and let go of whatever it had been holding on to. Hands caught him and set him ungently back on his feet but not before hed caught a face full of spray. He blinked around at the circle of hostile faces.

  “Careful, the voice said, revealing itself to be a young Asian man with sallow skin and expressionless dark eyes. Not Kyle, then. “We wouldnt want you falling overboard.

  He held a pistol in his hand that Hugh recognized. He looked down and though his head swam at the movement he could see that his holster was empty.

  “Who are you? the man said.

  Hugh licked his lips. “Could I have some water?

  The man nodded at someone behind Hugh. A bottle of Evian appeared. Hugh almost laughed but he was afraid it might hurt. He unscrewed the cap and drank thirstily.

  “Who are you?

  “Who are you? Hugh said.

  The man gave a little bow. “Ja Yong-bae. Almost as an afterthought he brought the pistol up and hit Hugh in the face with it.

  Hugh went down again, and was caught again by the same rough hands and dumped back on his feet.

  “Who are you? the man repeated.

  A head appeared over the side of the container and said something to Ja that Hugh didnt catch over the sounds of wind and sea. “Dont stop! Ja shouted.

  He turned back to Hugh. “You came from a U.S. Coast Guard ship. I must assume that you have captured the Agafia. Where is my brother?

  One brother per boat. “He is a prisoner, along with those of his men who survived.

  “You lie, Ja Yong-bae said. “He would rather die than live in captivity. As would I.

  “Why are you doing this? Hugh said.