JET V - Legacy Read Free Page A

leaky tub was used as a mother ship for the pirates who had taken her without a fight. Two fast skiffs trailed the boat, towed by stout rope, and over time the fifteen Chinese crew members had grown apathetic about their lot; they weren’t paid enough to risk their lives fighting the pirates, and it was unlikely that their owner would pay much of a ransom for their return, so they were just taking it day by day as the twenty-one armed Somali gunmen kept them on the deck where they could be used as human shields if any warships approached – which, so far, none had shown any interest in doing. A multi-national coalition force had sent ships to patrol the area, but it was a vast ocean, and the sector the pirates operated in was bigger than all of Europe, making the effort largely hit or miss.
    Two ebony-skinned gunmen heaved the ropes and brought the skiffs to the stern as the pilot cut power, and in a few minutes eighteen of the heavily armed fighters had loaded aboard. The target was Salome , a medium-sized freighter hauling cargo to the Middle East. An accomplice with internet access in Mogadishu had alerted them to its passage, and their leader had decided it was a viable target.
    Salome was operated by a prominent Israeli shipping company with offices in most major European ports, which made it an excellent candidate for ransoming – the value of the cargo alone would be worth many millions, perhaps over ten, so a ransom of a few million could be in the offing, rewarding them handsomely even after their financial backers had been paid. Pirating had become a booming cottage industry, and opportunities were now traded on an ad hoc exchange in Korfa, although the market was down since the success rate had dropped – a function of the increased military presence now patrolling the area.
    The powerful outboard motors cranked to life, and a few moments later the boats were slicing through the waves, bound for where Salome was moving inexorably north, oblivious to the magnitude of the threat headed its way.
    ~ ~ ~
    “Damn. Two bogies, small, just separated from the fishing boat. Looks like they’re headed straight for us,” the watchman said, eyes following the glowing dots on the screen as they moved away from the larger blip that was the Chinese fishing vessel.
    “Speed?” Barry asked, standing, his heart rate accelerating at the prospect of an attack. Ribbons of red and orange were just beginning to light the sky as the sun fought its way over the horizon, and if it hadn’t been for the approaching small craft it would have been another breathtaking sunrise at sea to behold.
    “Fast. At least twenty-five knots. They’re moving at a ninety-degree angle to our position, so they’ll be on top of us in just a few minutes. The fishing boat is only a couple of miles away from us now, so you can do the math.”
    “Get someone to wake Ari. I’m headed down to the deck to set up a firing position. I don’t really even need them in range. Six hundred meters out I should be able to throw a few bursts their way. That should send them running,” Barry explained, grabbing his rifle from where he’d stowed it in a corner of the bridge.
    “All right. Consider it done,” the mate said, rising from his swivel chair and preparing to follow him. “I’ll go get the captain, too.”
    As they entered the stairwell, the mate cleared his throat. “Why don’t you shoot at them from up here, on the superstructure? Wouldn’t that give you a better position? Shooting from the highest possible point?”
    “Flexibility. I want to be able to cover both sides of the ship, as well as the bow and stern. I can’t do that as easily from up top because of the railing and the configuration of the walkways – and there’s less cover.” He paused as his foot hovered over the next step. “Look. Just do me a favor and get Ari. We’ll need all the time we can get. And tell him to bring some more ammo, as well as our sidearms,” Barry