Vince pressed a button on the metal box.
“We have detonation,” Raz said. “Joseph?”
“Every device detonated,” Joseph said. “Confirming detonation.”
Vince looked at the drone boat for orders.
“Retreat to Zodiac,” Alex said.
Vince gave a hand signal and they swam to the Zodiac. The men in the Zodiac pulled them into the boat. From the feed, Alex watched people on the ship stumble and fall.
“Mission is a go,” Joseph said.
“Go,” Alex said.
Vince and the SEALs rowed to the pirate ship. With his body pressed against the hull Vince climbed up the ladder. A Navy SEAL followed him. The other SEALs rowed the dinghy around to the other side of the ship where they climbed the ladder. Vince lifted his camera from his helmet to give them a view of the ship’s deck. After a few minutes, the doors to the interior of the ship banged open and a few pirates stumbled from the interior of the ship. Smoke wafted out of the door. The men guarding the deck sounded the general alarm.
Vince and the SEALs clung to the ladders out of the pirates sight and waited for their orders.
“Captain Jakkman,” Alex ordered.
The Pave Hawk rose off the deck of the aircraft carrier. The helicopter flew fast across the Indian Ocean until it was hovering over the pirate ship. The pirates on deck shot at the helicopter.
“Go,” Alex said.
Vince hopped over the side of the ship onto deck. The SEALs followed him. Sergeant Beetle and Trece jumped from the helicopter to join the battle. MJ helped Alex up so that she could watch. From the helicopter, MJ engaged in a firefight with the pirates guarding the ship. Between Vince’s team and Sergeant Beetle and Trece, they easily subdued the ten pirates who’d escaped from the interior of the ship. Vince left two SEALs to secure the subdued pirates.
With Sergeant Beetle, Trece, and the SEALs, Vince went after the pirates guarding the ship. Trece chased a pirate to the end of the ship where he was ready to jump. The bodybuilder lifted the pirate over head. With the pirate screaming bloody murder, Trece carried him to the rest of the detained pirates. Sergeant Beetle engaged in a firefight with two pirates on the bridge of the ship. Zack ended the fight by firing a rocket into the ship’s bridge. The SEALs made easy work of the rest of the conscious pirates. When the pirates on deck were subdued, Alex called the rest of the SEALs. Using outboard motors, they arrived in no time. The men ferried duffle bags of gear onto the deck.
“Do you have any movement?” Vince asked.
“No,” Raz’s voice came from her laptop.
“Negative,” Alex said.
“We will go through the entire ship,” Vince said.
“Captain Hutchins your feed is pointed down,” Sergeant Dusty said.
Vince adjusted his video camera and instructed the SEALs to check theirs. Sergeant Dusty went man to man adjusting their feed. Because the team wasn’t there and Alex was ill, the video feed was vital to the operation.
“Ready,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Sir?”
“Loud and clear,” Alex said.
“Confirming order not to open the pirate Captain’s quarters?”
“Affirm,” Alex said.
“Willco,” Vince said. “And the hull?”
“Take a look, but do not engage the hostages,” Alex said. “The gas should have knocked them out too. If they’ve endured what I think they have, I’d rather they remain asleep.”
“Roger,” Vince said.
“Gear up,” Alex said.
Vince and his team took gas masks from the SEALs. They checked and reloaded their weapons. Zack landed the helicopter and Trece and Sergeant Beetle returned.
“Ready for action,” Vince said. “Clear.”
“Clear,” Alex said.
The men put on their gas masked and Vince and the team of Navy SEALs entered the dark, smoke-filled ship. The only noise was the ship mechanics and the men’s feet on the deck. They moved quickly through the gas cloud, stopping only to check rooms or secure pirates in place. Everyone within the ship had been sedated by the gas. The men moved fast as they efficiently secured every pirate. They checked every foot of the ship before standing outside the hull where Alex believed the hostages were being held.
“We are at the hull,” Vince said.
“Copy that,” Alex said. “Proceed.”
Vince opened the door. His video feed spoke of the horror inside. The US Navy SEALs hostages had been brutalized. Every thin, crumpled body was tattooed by broken bones, burns, bruises, and seeping wounds. The walls were painted with blood splatter. The decking was worse. Vince stepped around blood, pus, dark smears of diarrhea and vomit. Knocked out by the gas, they lay in puddles of their own waste. The SEALs from Norfolk vomited at the sight of the hostages.
“Send your men deckside,” Alex called. “Retreat. This is Fey work.”
“Roger,” Vince said.
He ordered the SEALs out of the room. He went hostage to hostage to confirm their identities and health status.
“Did you get that?” Vince asked.
“MJ?” Alex asked. MJ nodded and continued looking through his supplies. “Affirm. Retreat.”
“Roger,” Vince said. “Clear.”
“Clear,” Alex said.
Vince jogged through the ship. When he was on deck, he waved. Zack easily landed the helicopter.
“Report,” Alex said.
“They are in bad shape,” Vince said.
“Get me there,” Alex ordered Trece. “Vince, get your men to set up the fans to air out the ship. MJ, with me. Sergeant Beetle, can you do this? You saw what happened to the other men.”
“Yes sir,” Sergeant Beetle said. “Bill and I have been in worse situations.”
“Do you have a gas mask for Bill?”
“Of course,” Sergeant Beetle said.
“I need you to secure the dogs,” Alex said. “Did you see them on the feed?”
“Seven sir,” Sergeant Beetle said. “I will need help moving them to their crates.”
“Let Captain Hutchins know what you need,” Alex said. “When you’re done, I’d like Bill to assist in guarding the pirate Captain’s chambers – no one in, no one out. Can he do that by himself?”
“Of course,” Sergeant Beetle said.
“When you’ve secured the Captain, come to the hold to assist MJ,” Alex said. “MJ has a TBI and loses the capacity to speak while he’s working.”
“Sergeant Scully informed me on the chopper,” Sergeant Beetle said. “I’m honored to assist him. I will meet you in the hull.”
Sergeant Beetle saluted. He put on Bill’s gas mask then his own and ran into the ship.
“Vince, you have the com and the deck,” Alex said.
“Yes sir,” Vince said. “Would you like my video feed?”
“We’re so fancy I have my own Fey feed,” Alex said.
Vince smiled.
“Zack, I need you to ferry the injured,” Alex said. “Cliff, did you find the Comfort?”
“Yes sir,” Cliff said. “They are awaiting our delivery.”
“Perfect,” Alex said. “But Zack?”
“On my life, I will come to get you,” Zack said.
“Thanks,” Alex said.
“MJ?”
MJ injected her with pain medication.
“This will hold for?”
“Thirty minutes tops,” MJ said. “Sir, I have to protest, you’re…”
“Do you see anyone else here who can assess these men?” Alex whispered. “Who has experience with hostages? Is a little pain really worth forfeiting these men’s lives or mental health?”
“Point taken,” MJ said.
“Trece, can you carry a backpack too?” Alex said. “It has duplicate supplies. From the feed, we’re going to need them.”
“Easy.” Trece put on the backpack and his gas mask. Alex put on her gas mask and he put her hip on his shoulder. Alex held onto his waist to keep from bumping around.
>
“Go,” Alex ordered.
F
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
They left the helicopter and entered the ship.
“I love this view,” Raz said.
“Stop looking at my ass, Rasmussen,” Trece said. “I know I’m hot and you’re not, but this is not the time for sexy games.”
Raz laughed. The SEALs ran by them with fans to air out the ship. They reached the pirate Captain’s quarters and MJ went inside.
“He’s not alone,” MJ said. “They seem to have been busy when we set off the gas.”
“Vince?” Alex asked.
“Roger that,” Vince said. “Men on their way to you.”
They waited until the men arrived to take the woman from the room before returning to the room. MJ injected the pirate Captain with enough anesthetic to keep him quiet while they rescued the hostages. They left him sprawled out on his bed with a Navy SEAL to guard the door.
They continued through the ship until they reached the hull. Alex patted Trece’s butt and he let her down. She grunted with pain when she landed on her feet.
“You have each seen what’s in this room?” Alex asked.
Trece and MJ nodded.
“The most important thing for these men’s recovery is that we treat them like human beings,” Alex said. “It’s horrible to see another human in this shape, but you’d be amazed at how quickly the body heals. The mind heals much more slowly. When you’re with these men, imagine you are with a tiny baby. When someone is injured like this, their minds are that of the smallest child.”
Trece and MJ nodded.
“Are you able to fulfill your mission?” Alex asked.
“Yes sir,” Trece and MJ called.
“Can we get to work now?” MJ asked.
“Trece with me,” Alex said. “MJ? We will follow your lead.”
“Yes sir.”
Trece flipped open the door to the room. Without hesitation, MJ ran from man to man. They waited on the edge of the room until he reported back.
“Sir, we have three, maybe four men who may not survive a trip to the Comfort. The others… aren’t much better,” MJ said. “The pirates did this to these men?”
Alex nodded.
“Permission to get to work sir,” MJ said.
“Granted,” Alex said. MJ ran across the room to a man whose crumpled body had been dumped in a corner. “Vince, we need twelve gas masks with full tanks for the men.”
“Affirming they are on their way,” Vince said.
“I need to speak to the NAS,” Alex said.
“I’m already on it sir,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Major Walters recommended that course of action after the video feed.”
“Great,” Alex said. She felt a wave of relief for Joseph’s help. Sick, in pain, and a long way from home, she was glad that she was not alone. “Thanks.”
“Sir, I’ve been asked to inform you that the NAS has been contacted,” Sergeant Dusty said.
“By whom?” Alex said.
“My father-in-law was able to take a moment from his daughter’s bedside.” Sergeant Dusty cleared his throat from the lie. “The Comfort is on its way to you. Three medical helicopters have been dispatched to the ship. They will help the Jakker ferry men to the Comfort. Emergency personnel will return with each chopper until the hostages are off ship. Sergeant Scully?”
“What?” MJ asked.
“You were instructed to move the more stable first,” Sergeant Dusty said.
“I’m not stupid,” MJ said.
“Don’t kill the messenger,” Alex said. Two SEALs arrived with the gas masks and began attaching them to oxygen bottles.
“Yes sir,” MJ said.
“And sir?” Sergeant Dusty asked.
“Yes,” Alex said.
“Good luck,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Clear.”
Alex pointed to a man near the middle of the group. His eyes were open and he looked puzzled. Trece picked Alex up by the shoulders and carried her over to the man. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Alex kneeled down to the man.
“Hi,” Alex spoke loudly so he could hear it through the mask. “We released a gas that rendered everyone on the ship unconscious. You passed out.”
With a hand under his head, Alex gave the man a sip of water from her bottle.
“Pirate,” the man said.
“Yes,” Alex said. “We’ve rounded them up. What you hear moving on the deck are US Navy SEALs securing the pirates. When you’re feeling better, you’ll have a chance to identify the men who hurt you and they will see justice.”
Alex took the young man’s hand and leaned close to his face. His wounds and burn marks seeped blood and pus. His skin was hot with fever. His legs were broken and his feet mangled.
“You are safe,” Alex said.
“Are you the Fey?” the young man asked.
“Yes,” Alex said.
“You look like an angel,” the young man said.
Alex caressed his head. He was making a tremendous effort to stay conscious.
“Do you have someone back home?”
She held up her other hand. Trece put a morphine injector into her hand.
“Che’lisa,” the young man said.
“Tell me about Che’lisa,” Alex said. “What’s she like in the morning?”
“Sir, I…”
“Humor me,” Alex said. “You’ll feel better.”
“She’s not much of a morning person, ma’am,” the man’s voice was ragged. His mouth was bleeding from missing or broken teeth.
“Kind of grumpy in the morning,” Alex said.
“She’s a bitch, ma’am,” he said. “Especially these last months. She’s pregnant and I’m here and… Ma’am, my baby was due. I have to know if she had…”
“Sergeant?” Alex asked on her com.
“On it,” Sergeant Dusty said.
“I’m going to put you to sleep for a while,” Alex said. “The USNS Comfort is in position and waiting for you. The men will carry you to a chopper; you’ll be in the hospital in no time. A member of my team will contact Che’lisa and let her know what’s going on. We’ll find out about the baby and make sure the information is available the moment you wake up.”
“But ma’am…”
“We’ll do it together,” Alex said.
“If I die, will you tell Che’lisa I love her and I’m sorry I wasn’t there? Please.”
“She knows you love her. I’ll make sure she knows you were thinking of her,” Alex said. “I’m going to inject you now.”
Alex gave the young man the morphine. She held his hand until he was unconscious. Alex pointed to the young man. The SEALs put a gas mask on him, checked his oxygen, moved him carefully onto a litter, and ferried him to the waiting chopper.
Looking up, Alex surveyed the room. MJ was working efficiently on three men at the same time. Sergeant Beetle had a handful of gauze and was helping MJ wrap wounds. Feeling her gaze, MJ pointed to the next man ready to be moved. Trece helped her up and carried her to the next man.
Medical personnel arrived from the USNS. Comfort. Navy SEALs and soldiers moved around her.
Alex continued the work only she could do. One heart, one soul at a time, she rescued these men from the abyss. The next time she looked up, a surgical team was performing a field spleen removal on the last man in the room. MJ pointed toward the door to request permission to leave the room. Alex nodded.
“Come on, Alex,” Trece said. “Zack’s waiting for us.”
“I need to deal with the pirate Captain,” Alex said.
“After a bandage change, clean clothes, and more pain meds,” Trece said. “The kid is with his puppy.”
Alex nodded. Trece picked her up and carried her to the deck. When she arrived on deck, the men clapped. Feeling like she was Cleopatra on her litter, she blushed and waved. Trece carried her to the chopper and a SEAL helped her to her litter.
“Sir, Sergeant Scully checked the pirate Captain before we cam
e to deck,” Sergeant Beetle said. “He expects him to be out for at least another hour. He would like you to rest before attending to the pirate Captain.”
“Rest?” Alex asked. She looked at MJ’s concerned face. “Okay.”
She passed out.
FFF
Thirty minutes later
Wednesday morning
November 4 – 7:17 a.m. AST
Somalian Pirate Ship, Indian Ocean
Trece set Alex onto the edge of a table in the pirate Captain’s room. She was pumped full of equal doses of morphine and methamphetamines. The morphine dulled the pain while the methamphetamines kept her alert. MJ called it an old fashioned soldier’s cocktail. As far as the military was concerned, as long as she had a legitimate medical reason to take these medications, she could dose herself regularly.
Alex hated drugs. She hated the feeling of being drugged, the side effects, and the withdrawal. But today, there wasn’t much else she could do. She had to manage this interaction. She endured the drugs, and a half-hour of vomiting, so that she could sit right here, right now.
“Okay, wake him up,” Alex said.
MJ moved to wake up the pirate Captain.
“Alex!” Vince said.
Alex looked up. MJ stopped moving.
“Oranges!”
One at a time, he threw three oranges at her.
“Go ahead,” she said to MJ and began peeling an orange.
MJ injected the pirate Captain with epinephrine. He jerked awake. In a state of wild panic, he reached for the weapon he kept under the bed.
“Nah, we took that one,” Alex said in Somali. She didn’t look up from peeling her orange. He reached for his knife. “We took that one too. And the shotgun under the bed and the rifle near the window. A lot of weapons for a fishing pirate Captain.”
“As-Salāmu `alayki, Mrs. Fey,” the pirate Captain replied. He looked at her bowed head, and then noticed Vince, Trece, and Sergeant Beetle.
“Yeah, whatever,” Alex took a bite of her orange. She leaned her head back and took a sniff. “I do love the smell of a Khat bonfire.”
“That’s impolite,” the pirate Captain said.
“Burning your Khat? Or my manners?”
The pirate Captain shrugged.
“We piled your filthy drugs on the deck and set it on fire while your men watched.”
Lean on Me Page 26
