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  Tariq turned and walked over to Dickinson, aiming the Glock at Dickinson’s head. “Up, old man, or you get it too.”

  Dickinson got up. His face was contorted in pain, his shoulders convulsing, and he tried to lurch at Tariq again. Easton grabbed him and pulled him back among the other hostages. Tariq waved his pistol nervously at Easton and the others: “Everyone off, off.” He motioned them down the steps and off the stage.

  * * *

  Hays, Winston and Bolding sat transfixed, staring at the video screen in silence. Finally, Bolding mustered the courage to speak: “Tariq, this is Bolding. Do you hear me?”

  Tariq turned towards the camera. “What?”

  “Please, no more killings. I’ll get you your money.”

  “I have no doubt of that, Bolding.” The screen went dark.

  Chapter 24

  Aboard the USS Anzio’s bridge

  Donnelly scanned the horizon through the ship’s tripod-mounted telescope. The ensign to his right called out.

  “Captain, I have the Caravan Star on radar.”

  Donnelly replaced the plastic protector of the telescope eyepiece and looked at the radar screen a few feet away. “What’s her heading?”

  “She’s on three-four-one.”

  “How far?”

  “30.6 nautical miles off our port beam.”

  “Speed?”

  “She’s slowed to 15 knots.”

  Donnelly looked at the Anzio’s GPS: 28 knots and closing. He took a closer look at the white blip on the radar screen, moving slowly towards the center of the screen and the Anzio’s position.

  “Think we’ll make it?”

  “I think so, sir. But it’ll be close.”

  Donnelly picked up the phone and called the engine room.

  “Harrison.”

  “Donnelly. Can you give me some more juice?”

  “We’ve got a bit of vibration in the port turbines, Captain,” said Harrison.

  “I need a couple of knots more.”

  “Right. She’ll take it, but not for long.”

  Donnelly went to the right of the console to the remote control throttle and pushed the handle all the way forward.

  Chapter 25

  P & W’s Headquarters, October 17th, 11.38 am.

  Bolding, Hays and Winston were still in a state of silent shock when Allin appeared at the doorway of the conference room.

  “What now?” said Bolding.

  “Sorry sir, it’s the U.S. Navy. An Admiral West, I believe. He’s with some woman from Homeland Security. I told them you’re in a videoconference with Sir Hays and they want to join in.”

  Bolding looked at Winston. “Might as well let them know.” Bolding’s voice cracked under the strain. “Terry?”

  “Yes,” said Hays.

  The video technician went to the monitor and adjusted the channel. The screen flickered and images of Admiral West and Lombardi, seated at a table, appeared.

  “We were about to call you,” said Bolding. “It… it was terrible. The hijackers. We were in a videoconference. He, he just murdered her. Right in front of us.” Bolding couldn’t continue. His voice choked with emotion and his lower lip trembled.

  Hays picked up in Bolding’s place. “They shot Dickinson’s wife in cold blood. These pirates call themselves the Baluchistan Tigers. They want 60 million US dollars within two hours. And they want seven prisioners freed from from Islamabad prison.”

  “Jesus!” Lombardi looked at West, then back at the camera. “Send us the tapes of the video conference. We’ll have our people look at them immediately. How did you leave it with the hijackers?”

  “I said I’d find the money. Somehow.” Bolding recovered enough composure to speak.“God knows how we’re going to meet their demands to free the prisoners. I’m just hoping these psychopaths won’t kill anybody else.”

  “I understand.” Lombardi turned towards West briefly. “Please know you have the full support and force of the United States and her Navy at your back. In the meantime, gentlemen, we have good and bad news. First the good. As you are surely aware of, the Caravan Star has slowed to 15 knots. It gives us a small window of opportunity before she hits that reef.”

  “And the bad?” said Bolding.

  “Although the Anzio is closing fast,” said West, “her captain says that unless the weather gets any better, he won’t be able to push the Star off course. The seas are too rough and we risk losing both ships if we have asynchronous contact between them.”

  “So what can you do?” said Bolding.

  “We’re looking at other options,” said West.

  “Such as?”

  “If she gets there in time, the Anzio can outflank the Star, cross her bows and drag cables into her propellers.”

  Bolding threw a skeptical look at Winston. “Really?”

  “The biggest problem we see is maintaining the element of surprise,” said West. “If they see us coming, the hijackers might do something stupid.”

  “Such as kill more people,” said Hays.

  “Yes,” said West. “But I’m afraid we don’t have a hell of a lot of other options.”

  “But they want money. Once we get them the money—”said Bolding.

  “What about their other demands, freeing the prisoners from Islamabad prison,” said Lombardi. “Do you have anyone working on that, Sir Terence?”

  “I’ve put a call out to the Pakistan Ambassador, but I’m not very optimistic. Even if we were to convince Islamabad, which is highly unlikely, we can’t do it in two hours.”

  “I’m sorry, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be satisfied with only the money,” said West.

  There was a moment of silence. West had spoken what everybody else thought and dreaded.

  Finally, Bolding spoke. “So what can we do now?”

  “How secure is this videoconference?” said Lombardi.

  “Hays here. It’s triple firewall protected and encrypted by MI 6. We can’t get more secure than that.”

  “Fine. I ask that everyone in the room to leave or disconnect, except you, Sir Adrian, and you, Sir Terence.”

  Bolding signaled Allin and the technician to leave.

  “Done.”

  “Sir Terence?”

  “Also.”

  “Gentlemen, have you heard of Sleeping Beauty?”

  Hays smiled wryly. “I presume you aren’t referring to the Disney film.”

  “Not quite,” said Lombardi. “Sleeping Beauty is the codename for a joint U.S. Navy and Army terrorist control experimental program. It’s a gas that’s been developed in complete secrecy as a method of neutralizing terrorists while avoiding loss of life of hostages.”

  “Sounds vaguely familiar,” said Hays. “I’m thinking of the Russian hostages taken in Moscow in 2002. If my memory serves me right, the Russians used gas and over 100 hostages died because of inhaling the gas.”

  West adjusted his bifocals. “You’re not far off the mark, Sir Terence. It was actually 120. We’ve come a long way since 2002. The gas we’ve developed is a derivative of the Fentanyl the Russians used, but without its side effects. It’s called Bezorban.”

  “So what has this to do with the current situation?” asked Bolding.

  “The Anzio is equipped with Bezorban, to be used in extreme circumstances only. We are equipped to use it against any terrorist force, if justifiable,” said West.

  “In extreme circumstances? If justifiable?” said Bolding. “I’m under the impression there are still some heavy risks here. Risking the lives of 500 passengers and crew is—”

  “We think saving the lives of the passengers of your ship, captured by terrorists on a suicide mission, fully justifies its use,” said Lombardi. “Especially when the terrorists are led by a psychopath who just killed a woman with a head shot right in front of your eyes. I don’t need to tell you what that means, do I? That he won’t hesitate to kill everyone on that ship.”

  Bolding clung to hope. “But they want money.
Once we get them the money—”

  “And again—there’s no guarantee they’ll be satisfied with money only,” said West.

  “We’ll have to think about this,” said Bolding. “In any case, what would be your plan if we were to agree?”

  “The plan is for the Anzio to get within helicopter range and then send a team of Navy SEALs equipped with canisters of Bezorban onto the deck of the Star. We calculate it will take about ten minutes for the gas to take effect after the SEALs blow it down the Dorade vents with portable compressors, into the ventilation system of the ship. After we take control, we can administer the opioid reversal drug Naloxone to those who need it. The Anzio has 200 doses of the drug to counter the effects of the Bezorban.”

  “Well, as I said, I’ll have to discuss this with Home Office, won’t we, Terry?” said Bolding.

  “I see this as a matter of Internal and Foreign Policy,” said Hays. “There are possibly legal implications if—”

  “Gentlemen, I think you misunderstood me,” interrupted Lombardi.

  “I beg your pardon?” said Hays.

  “We’re calling to keep you informed. The decision has already been made.”

  Bolding and Hays didn’t react. Finally Bolding broke the silence. “Is there no other way? I mean this sounds rather risky. I would—”

  “Believe me, Mr. Bolding,” said West, “there’s no other way unless the Star changes course. Right now, we have no indication of that.”

  “I see,” said Bolding, with an air of resignation. “Let us know when you have further developments. We’ll do the same. Terry, will you call the Pakistani government about freeing the prisoners?”

  “I’ll try, but I’m not very optimistic.”

  “Let me know. I’ll call our insurers concerning the ransom.”

  Bolding shut down the video screen.

  Chapter 26

  On the stern deck of the Caravan Star, 10.15 am. Ship’s time,

  Rivulets of rain, funneled by the wind, ran down the sides of Deck Five, onto the stern area of the ship.

  Dulac, Karen and Hank tried to find protection from the increasing gale behind one of the wider metal columns.

  “They’re bound to be looking for us,” said Dulac. “We’ve got to find a place to hide.” He looked at Hank, then Karen, shivering in her wet sweater and dressing gown. “Any ideas?”

  “What about in those?” Karen eyed one of the lifeboats. “At least we’ll be warm.”

  “I’ve changed my mind. That’s the first place they’ll check.” We’d be sitting ducks there.”

  “So what do you think?” asked Hank.

  “We’ve got to get P & W back on the sat phone again, and we’ve got to find a safe spot where we can try to call them, ” said Dulac. He looked astern. He spotted a small bar covered with a canvas canopy next to the pool. The wind played hell with the canopy, but it was the only obvious possibility. Not perfect, but it’ll do.

  Dulac pointed to the bar. “Let’s go.”

  They ran across the deck to the bar and ducked underneath its counter for protection. Wind and rain swept around the sides of the bar and under the counter. Overhead, the canopy buffeted about like a large flag, ready to rip into shreds at any instant. They huddled closer to each other and tried to stay warm. Dulac saw that Karen was showing the first signs of mild hypothermia.

  Dulac looked at Hank. “Give me the sat phone.”

  Hank reached into his pajama pants pocket. “Shit!”

  “What?”

  “It was here. It must’ve fallen out when—”

  “Merde.” Dulac looked up and back into the direction of the escape hatch. Nothing. “We can’t stay here. They know we’re at the stern, and they’re probably working their way aft right now.”

  “What do we do?” said Hank.

  “They’ll check every corridor, nook and cranny, hallway and lifeboat, and work their way astern from the center. That’s what I would do.”

  “So what options do we have?” said Karen.

  “We’ve got to buy time until the American warship gets here,” said Dulac, looking forward towards the deck. “Somehow we’ve got to get past the hijackers, to the bow.”

  “What for?” said Karen.

  “If we can get by them, they won’t know where to look next.”

  “And how do we do that?”

  Rain dripped from Dulac’s nose and eyebrows. He got closer to Karen and looked into her frightened eyes. “What’s the most miserable, unlikely place to be on the ship when it’s howling and raining nails?”

  “Right here?” Karen shivered, her wet hair plastered down onto her head.

  Dulac rose slightly and pointed to the open sky deck above.

  “You’ve got to be kidding!”

  * * *

  On the bridge of the Caravan Star

  The squat man rose abruptly from his chair and the glass doors opened. Tariq appeared and shoved Dickinson, Easton, his wife and three other hostages onto the bridge. Dickinson was shaking. Only his right arm draped over Easton’s left shoulder kept him standing. “You’ll pay for this,” Dickinson promised ariq. “I’ll make you—”

  “You’ll make me what?” Tariq pressed the barrel of his Glock against Dickinson’s forehead. “Sit down, old man. Hands behind your back.” He motioned with his pistol for Dickinson and the others to sit next to the officers. “Tie them up,” he ordered the squat man. He eyed Rhodes, who was sitting next to Sandra Brown. “You, Rhodes, up here with me.”

  With difficulty Rhodes, hands still tied behind his back, got onto his knees then rose. He went beside Tariq next to the console.

  Just then, a huge wave hit the Star and she shuddered.

  Tariq glanced at Rhodes and said: “A bit nasty out there, eh Rhodes?”

  Rhodes looked at the digital anemometer: 55 knots. “It’s getting pretty foul.”

  “When do we get to the Azores?”

  Rhodes looked at the GPS readout. “In about an hour and 15 minutes. We’ll have to alter course to avoid hitting—”

  “We’re right on course, Rhodes. Right on course.” Tariq looked straight ahead into the growing storm.

  Chapter 27

  Southampton, P & W Headquarters

  Bolding relayed the details of the hijacker’s demands to P & W’s insurers as soon as he returned to his office. He didn’t like their response. While he waited for Hays to come on line, he scribbled a note on his pad and signaled his secretary over. Get the Americans back online for a videoconference.

  “Yes sir.”

  The phone line came to life. “Hays here.”

  “Yes Terry, it’s Adrian.”

  “Did you get the money?”

  “The P and I Club deny coverage and the War Risk people won’t budge. They’ll only reimburse what we pay out if the method of payment is in line with the conditions of the policy.”

  “Buggers. They’re all the same,” said Hays. “You pay for their umbrella, and they take it away when it rains.”

  Bolding looked at his watch. “We’re running out of time.”

  “Adrian, surely you have reserves for this kind of contingency?”

  “Terry, there is something you must understand. The situation at P & W is, well, not that comfortable, shall we say.”

  “We’re talking about human lives, Adrian. Besides, I don’t have to remind you that the Somalians get ten times that amount of money for hijacked cargo ships every year.”

  “I know all that, Terry. And I’d pay if I could. But I don’t have it. I simply don’t have it to pay.”

  There was a moment of heavy silence.

  “I was afraid of that. How much time?”

  “About an hour.”

  “Damn. What is the situation with the Anzio?”

  “I’ve called for a videoconference with the Americans again.”

  “Put me through when you have them online. Just to let you know Adrian, I’ve spoken to the Prime Minister and he agrees that we can’
t let this situation deteriorate any further.”

  “But I can’t come up with money, Terry, I—”

  “We’ll get the money, Adrian. The Government will get the money.”

  * * *

  Bolding hung up. Five minutes later his secretary showed up at the doorway.

  “I have Admiral West and Secretary Lombardi ready for the video,” she said.

  “Get Home Office hooked up and phone Sir Hays. Get Winston to join me in the conference room.”

  “Yes sir.”

  Bolding rose, walked over to the conference room and sat down.

  A few minutes later, Winston appeared and joined Bolding around the table. They waited until the video monitor flickered to life.

  “Secretary Lombardi, Admiral. Sir Hays is about to join us. I have my Chief Security Officer David Winston here with me now.”

  Winston gave a quick nod. “Secretary Lombardi, Admiral.”

  Bolding looked at the clock on the wall behind the video monitor: less than 50 minutes.

  The video screen flickered again and Hays joined in: “Secretary Lombardi, gentlemen. Any news from the Anzio?”

  “She has the Caravan Star on radar, but no visual contact yet,” said West. “She hasn’t altered course.”

  “We have a decision to make concerning the hijackers’ demands,” said Bolding.

  “Surely you’re not considering payment.” Lombardi’s voice made it clear she wasn’t asking a question.

  “That’s easy for you to say,” said Hays. “The Caravan Star is a British ship, flying a British Ensign, run by a British company. We—”