The Pirate Read Free Page B

you doing? Savage and the team are ready to come on board,” Hamm said joining him on deck.
    â€œQuiet. I told Savage to hold because Daphne was just up on deck.”
    â€œDaphne? Do you mean one of the doctors?”
    â€œYes,” Laz said, glancing over toward the gangway where she’d disappeared when he’d told her to go below.
    He hadn’t been sending her away only because he didn’t want her to know that his team was coming on board; he needed to keep the deck clear until they found out what they were up against.
    â€œWe look clear. Savage, you’re okay to come aboard,” Laz said. He lowered the rope ladder over the side. The first man over the side was Jack Savage.
    He was their leader, and he was every inch the savage he was named after. He was as tough as nails and didn’t back down for anyone except maybe his sweet British wife. But even that didn’t happen too often.
    â€œBoss,” Laz said.
    â€œRomeo.”
    Laz laughed. “I’m not romancing anyone.”
    â€œYeah, right. Just stay focused on the job.”
    â€œI am. Let me show you the passive system I’ve added to the bridge.”
    â€œGreat. Hamm, show the rest of the men where to hide the weapons. We heard some chatter on the radio earlier. I think you should expect some action tonight or early tomorrow morning.”
    Laz led the way to the bridge and showed Savage all the systems he’d been able to put into place.
    â€œSince we are allowing the pirates to take the ship, I’ve added two recording devices here—one is video and audio, the other is just audio. The audio only is built into the radio and will allow you to monitor the frequency they are broadcasting on.”
    â€œThat sounds good. I’ll need you to show Wenz how to handle the scrambler. We have had some problems with all of our communications.”
    â€œThe salt air will do it every time. I will show him how to maintain all the radios,” Laz said. He was the team’s communications guy, as well as their transport expert. There wasn’t a machine that Laz couldn’t make work.
    â€œAs long as we can keep the lines open, I’m happy. Do you need me to leave another man on the tanker?”
    â€œNo. Hamm and I have it covered. Besides, at this point, if we had another man I think the crew and our passengers would question it.”
    â€œI agree. Who are the passengers? Your message was a bit garbled…you said doctors?”
    â€œYes. They are going to Somalia, so we are going to take them close to the shore and they will take one of the speedboats there.”
    â€œWho came up with that plan?”
    â€œTheir group. The plane they’d chartered was sabotaged.”
    â€œWhy didn’t they turn back?” Savage asked.
    Laz shrugged. “I didn’t ask. But the fax I got from Maersk said that they were needed in Somalia to relieve the group of doctors who are already there.”
    â€œWill they get in the way?”
    â€œI don’t know. I’m hoping we can deliver them before we lure the pirates to the tanker.” Maersk was a shipping line and not a passenger fleet.
    Savage shook his head. “We can’t count on that. I’d recommend locking them up at the first sign of trouble so that we can keep them all alive.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œLaz? You here?” Hamm said through the wireless earpieces they all wore.
    â€œYes, what do you need?”
    â€œOne of the men is up on deck.”
    â€œOn my way. Savage, do you need anything else from me?”
    Savage shook his head. “Mann?”
    Laz heard the conversation via his earpiece.
    â€œWe’re done. As soon as the deck is clear, we’ll meet you on the boat.”
    â€œSounds good. We’re running silent now,” Savage said.
    Laz left his team leader and went back down to the deck to see what his crew member was doing at this time of night.
    The ship