4.6 x 30mm, while the MP5 and Glocks both shot a standard 9mm. From our little assault on Navassa Island, we had a total of five magazines of MP7. From Jennifer’s boat assault we had three MP5 magazines and two magazines for each Glock.
I’d taken a Glock and an MP7 with two magazines, leaving Knuckles with three for his MP7. I’d given Jennifer the MP5, and Knuckles got the other Glock. Best we could do. Like the tactics for an ambush, I wanted the maximum casualty producer up front, with Knuckles and me, but we didn’t have a lot of ammunition to sustain a fight.
I finished positioning my magazines for quick retrieval and ran my hands over the pistol and other kit, satisfied. I said, “Knuckles, your show. What’s the focus?”
“Okay,” he said, “if they’re going to take the ship, they have to have the bridge. That’s the center of gravity. We get up there and see if it’s under control. If it is, leave them some weapons and start hunting. If it’s not, clear it out.”
I looked at Jennifer and said, “Sounds good to me. You’re in back. Pull security.” I turned to Knuckles. “You know how to get there?”
“Yeah. These ships are basically all the same. Follow me.”
We jogged to the superstructure and started climbing, one gun in front pulling cover until the stairwell turned, then another gun, a leapfrog like a kid’s game with deadly consequences. We went through three levels, continuing up to the bridge, then heard some pops. Gunfire. Knuckles held up a fist and crouched. I put my head next to his.
“What do you think?”
“They have to have the bridge to control the ship, but that might already be done. Someone’s shooting. Might be starting the slaughter.”
I thought for a second, then said, “Fuck it. Time to get in the fight.”
Knuckles smiled and said, “My thought exactly.” He moved to the exit door and I turned to Jennifer. “Watch our backs. This is it. Gunfight coming.”
She nodded, her jaw clenched tight, and Knuckles popped the door. We slid down the hall, reaching a recreation room. Inside, I could see two bodies on the floor, a man with a massive revolver and a man on his knees.
Dylan.
He screamed, “Dragos, what the fuck are you doing? I got you the chips! I got you here! I didn’t double-cross you. Why on earth would I tell you about them coming?”
The man called Dragos said, “You are a worm. I can’t predict what you’ve set in motion, but I know if there’s someone on this ship, you brought them.”
He cocked the hammer of the revolver, and Knuckles pulled his trigger. The man’s head snapped back and he flung against the wall, slipping through a crimson spray and sliding onto the floor. I entered and put my barrel on Dylan. When he recognized me he went through a little seizure, then placed his hands in front of his face in a praying gesture, saying, “Yes, yes, yes.”
I tapped his head with my barrel and said, “Look at me.”
He did, babbling that he had no idea what was going on and that he was a victim just like us. I put my barrel between his eyes and said, “You say one more thing I think is a lie, and I’m going to split your brain open. Understand?”
He gave me a silent nod, his eyes showing a slow recognition that we weren’t a bunch of academic professors. Finally realizing he’d broken the glass on what he thought was the bunny exhibit only to have a pack of wolves escape. Realizing that
he
was the bunny.
I short-circuited the thought process, slapping him in the head again.
“How many? Where are they focused?”
He spilled his guts, begging to remain alive. There were six people including him. Counting the dead guy Knuckles had killed, and adding Dylan, that left four alive to fight. All were currently located inside the captain’s mess, where they were going to kill the majority of the officers before moving up to the bridge and killing the men driving the boat. They’d get the crew in the quarters belowdecks last,
I’d taken a Glock and an MP7 with two magazines, leaving Knuckles with three for his MP7. I’d given Jennifer the MP5, and Knuckles got the other Glock. Best we could do. Like the tactics for an ambush, I wanted the maximum casualty producer up front, with Knuckles and me, but we didn’t have a lot of ammunition to sustain a fight.
I finished positioning my magazines for quick retrieval and ran my hands over the pistol and other kit, satisfied. I said, “Knuckles, your show. What’s the focus?”
“Okay,” he said, “if they’re going to take the ship, they have to have the bridge. That’s the center of gravity. We get up there and see if it’s under control. If it is, leave them some weapons and start hunting. If it’s not, clear it out.”
I looked at Jennifer and said, “Sounds good to me. You’re in back. Pull security.” I turned to Knuckles. “You know how to get there?”
“Yeah. These ships are basically all the same. Follow me.”
We jogged to the superstructure and started climbing, one gun in front pulling cover until the stairwell turned, then another gun, a leapfrog like a kid’s game with deadly consequences. We went through three levels, continuing up to the bridge, then heard some pops. Gunfire. Knuckles held up a fist and crouched. I put my head next to his.
“What do you think?”
“They have to have the bridge to control the ship, but that might already be done. Someone’s shooting. Might be starting the slaughter.”
I thought for a second, then said, “Fuck it. Time to get in the fight.”
Knuckles smiled and said, “My thought exactly.” He moved to the exit door and I turned to Jennifer. “Watch our backs. This is it. Gunfight coming.”
She nodded, her jaw clenched tight, and Knuckles popped the door. We slid down the hall, reaching a recreation room. Inside, I could see two bodies on the floor, a man with a massive revolver and a man on his knees.
Dylan.
He screamed, “Dragos, what the fuck are you doing? I got you the chips! I got you here! I didn’t double-cross you. Why on earth would I tell you about them coming?”
The man called Dragos said, “You are a worm. I can’t predict what you’ve set in motion, but I know if there’s someone on this ship, you brought them.”
He cocked the hammer of the revolver, and Knuckles pulled his trigger. The man’s head snapped back and he flung against the wall, slipping through a crimson spray and sliding onto the floor. I entered and put my barrel on Dylan. When he recognized me he went through a little seizure, then placed his hands in front of his face in a praying gesture, saying, “Yes, yes, yes.”
I tapped his head with my barrel and said, “Look at me.”
He did, babbling that he had no idea what was going on and that he was a victim just like us. I put my barrel between his eyes and said, “You say one more thing I think is a lie, and I’m going to split your brain open. Understand?”
He gave me a silent nod, his eyes showing a slow recognition that we weren’t a bunch of academic professors. Finally realizing he’d broken the glass on what he thought was the bunny exhibit only to have a pack of wolves escape. Realizing that
he
was the bunny.
I short-circuited the thought process, slapping him in the head again.
“How many? Where are they focused?”
He spilled his guts, begging to remain alive. There were six people including him. Counting the dead guy Knuckles had killed, and adding Dylan, that left four alive to fight. All were currently located inside the captain’s mess, where they were going to kill the majority of the officers before moving up to the bridge and killing the men driving the boat. They’d get the crew in the quarters belowdecks last,
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