Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
T he sea was rougher than around San Diego. Out here in the Pacific, off the coast of Baja California, it got pretty wild. Huge, angry gray swells pummeled the coastline, and the rigid inflatable boat powered by a hundred horsepower engine soared over the peaks and troughs like a rollercoaster.
The motion would have sent them flying if they hadn't been used to it. Both men had their hands firmly wrapped around the guard rope, their grips unwavering. Their feet were anchored on the deck with the precision of seasoned navy men. As they leaned forward into the wind, their bodies moved instinctively, absorbing the bucketing and pounding with bent knees, honed from years of experience. The spray from the waves hit their faces, but their steely gazes remained fixed on the horizon, undeterred by the storm's fury.
Most of his offshore training had taken place in the Atlantic, but he was well used to these conditions, although Viper had to admit, it had been a while since he'd attempted a boarding operation. His last few missions had been in the Middle East, not on the ocean.
"How much longer?" he yelled at Phoenix, who was driving.
"ETA twelve minutes."
That's if Pacific Pride was where she was supposed to be. Their last update from Ray had put her at the same coordinates as before, so it looked like she'd put down anchor. They could only hope.
"Looks like that storm's coming in," Phoenix shouted above the wind and the roar of the engine. "Could make things tricky."
"Weather app said we had another five hours before landfall." Viper had checked before they'd left. They'd been trained to leave nothing to chance.
Still, they'd done these ship-boarding exercises a hundred times in all conditions. Tricky did not mean impossible.
"There she is," shouted Viper, who'd been spotting with a pair of high-powered binoculars. The CIA guys had been generous, even lending them a high-powered inflatable that was due to be transferred to Panama for use on the canal.
"Bring it back in one piece," the CIA Captain had said.
"We'll try," Viper had replied, although they both knew the likelihood of that happening was next to impossible.
They decreased speed and snuck up to the trawler. The black hull loomed above them, over a storey high. Phoenix kept the inflatable from bashing against the side of the trawler, but it was hard work and required constant adjustment on the tiller.
Viper attached the caving ladder to the telescopic pole. They were on the leeward side of the ship, tucked in beneath the hull and out of sight of anyone on deck.
"Easy," warned Phoenix.
Viper grimaced with determination. With a practiced motion, he hooked the ladder over the guardrail. "Got it!" He collapsed the telescopic pole and set it back in the RIB, then put a gloved hand on the ladder. "See you soon."
"I'll be here," Phoenix confirmed.
Under normal circumstances there'd be at least four armed SEALs climbing onboard the ship and one manning the inflatable. They'd also have air support. Viper would have liked Phoenix to come aboard as backup, but he had to stay put.
"See you in a bit."
Rung by rung, he climbed up the ladder, keeping a steady motion and trying not to graze his hands on the hull when it listed. At the top, he glanced back down but couldn't see Phoenix thanks to his dark, camouflaged clothing.
Combat knife in hand, he stuck to the shadows as he slunk along the gangway, his back against the superstructure. Voices came from inside, men laughing and talking. He peered through a dirty, water-lashed window and counted five tangos. How many more were there?
He found the low door leading down to the interior of the trawler and descended, one careful step at a time, his knife in his hand. His handgun wasn't fitted with a suppressor, so if he encountered any opposition, he'd have no choice but to go loud.
That would bring the others running, and then it was over.
The trawler wasn't very big, only one room off the main cabin, and it was bolted from the outside.
Bingo.
He knocked on the door. "Izzy, are you in there?"
He heard scampering inside and a scared voice said, "Viper? Is that you?"
"Yes. I'm going to get you out."
"Oh, thank God."
He pulled the bolt back and opened the door.
She flew across the room and into his arms. "Oh, Viper. How did you find me? I'm so glad you're here. I thought they were going to kill me."
"Shh..." He gave her a quick hug, then released her. "Are you okay?"
She seemed to be in one piece. There was a nasty bruise on her upper arm where they'd manhandled her, but otherwise, she seemed fine.
"I'm okay."
He glanced at her shoes. "Ditch the heels. You can't run in those, and they'll make noise on the deck."
She looked at the dirty floor, then clenched her teeth and pulled off her shoes.
He took her hand. "Come on, we have to get out of here."
They snuck up the stairs onto the deck. The men were still joking around inside the bulkhead where it was warm and dry. Judging by the smell downstairs, they only went down there to sleep.
"Stay close," he told her, holstering his knife and racking the slide back on his gun. To hell with stealth now that he had her. If they had to go loud, so be it.
They snuck along the gangway, Izzy gripping his hand. It felt cold and small in his. They were almost at the point where the ladder hung when a shout echoed behind them.
Fuck. They’d almost made it out.
He turned and opened fire, pushing Izzy to the ground behind him. The man on patrol ducked behind the bulkhead, yelling for his buddies.
Glancing quickly over the side, he saw Phoenix's pale face staring upward through the darkness. They only had a few seconds before the others would descend on them, guns blazing. No time to climb down.
"Can you jump?" he yelled at Izzy. It was roughly ten feet high. Not impossible.
Face ashen, she nodded. "I think so."
"Go!"
Phoenix would know they had no choice and even now, he could hear the inflatable’s motor kicking up foam, moving away from the hull.
Izzy climbed over the railing and hesitated. Viper did his best to keep firing at the kidnappers, forcing them to stay under cover. As soon as he stopped, they'd advance. He counted four, but that didn’t mean there weren’t others. They weren’t wearing masks now, so he managed a brief but hard look at two of them.
"Now, Izzy!" he shouted over his shoulder.
She took a deep breath and launched herself off the deck. He watched her fall and hit the water, vanishing under the dark surface. At least he knew she could swim, although the unpredictable ocean was completely different from a hotel swimming pool.
A deluge of bullets pockmarked the deck in front of him.
That was it. Time to go.
He ran at the rail and dove over it, still holding his weapon. He turned in the air and hit the water butt-first, breaking his fall. Shots rained down over the side of the trawler. He swam toward the inflatable, praying none of them would find a mark.
Phoenix was hauling a shivering Izzy on board.
"Go!" he yelled, gripping the guard rope.
Phoenix didn’t hesitate. As soon as Izzy was inside the boat, he twisted the throttle and the inflatable surged forward. Viper hung on for dear life until they were out of firing range, after which Phoenix slowed down and pulled him on board.
"That was a close one," Phoenix shouted into the wind. The surface of the sea had been whipped into crests of whitewater. The storm was moving in fast.
"It's not over yet," warned Viper, glancing back at the ship. The kidnappers had launched their own motorboat and were getting ready to pursue. "Let's move."
Phoenix hit the throttle again and the bow rose into the air before flattening out as they raced over the bumpy surface.
Izzy sat in her tiny silver dress, eyes wide, teeth chattering uncontrollably, hanging on to the rope around the edge of the inflatable.
"You're safe now," Viper said.
Then, their pursuers opened fire.