ones. Even hardheaded ones. We’ll say no more about it, so long as Yusuf Raage is, in fact, dead.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now, gentlemen, you are likely wondering why I was sent all this way to deliver that little message myself. Someone from intel could’ve swung by Djibouti and told you fellas to stay quiet. The reason I’m here is because no one in intel knows what the hell was really on that ship. There aren’t many of us who do. ”
“The railgun.”
“That’s right, Captain. And all the rest. Tell me what you know about it.”
Wally shook his head. “Only what LB’s told me, sir. I never got a look at it.”
Piper raised a hand to stop Wally. “What LB’s told you. Sergeant, how much talking about this have you done?”
“What was determined on the scene to be the appropriate amount. Sir.”
Wally cut in. “General, tactically, I decided LB should inform the team. The situation was confusing and dangerous. Our orders were contradictory to our PJ training. I felt it necessary to have the sergeant brief the team on what he’d found out about the ship and its cargo. We had decisions to make on the fly. Sir.”
“What about the deal?”
“Yes, sir. And the deal.”
Piper rubbed his stubbled cheek again. “Well, that cat’s out of the bag, then. I assume with this knowledge, gentlemen, you’ll both agree it’s a lucky thing Iran didn’t get a railgun and all that hardware. It’s best to keep them out of enemy hands.”
Wally asked, “Sir, what about Iran’s nuclear weapons program? Doesn’t this just put us back to square one?”
“Not at all. Iran had to come clean on a lot of what they’re up to before that bargain could be struck. It was worth a few billion dollars down the drain to get that intel. The Israelis are beside themselves.”
LB fidgeted. Piper swelled into his businessman’s shirt made for a bigger frame.
“You got more to add, son? Let me have it.”
“Permission to speak freely, sir.”
“I got the sense you were already doing that.”
Wally shot LB a tight-lipped look of caution. LB hooked a thumb at the closed door and said, “Maybe you want to step out for the rest of this.”
Wally made no move to leave. Piper answered for him. “I’ll have the captain stay for this. Since I don’t believe orders are enough to keep you in line, DiNardo, I’m making him responsible for you.”
LB raised his palms at Wally: I tried to get you out of the way.
“Proceed.”
“Sir, you and I both know that ship wasn’t sunk by pirates.”
“Let’s focus on what you know. Leave me out of it.”
“Understood. I negotiated with Yusuf Raage before we assaulted the bridge. We had him and his last men surrounded.”
“And?”
“He never mentioned he’d set charges to blow up the ship. I believe he would have in that situation, or else what would have been the point of mining the ship? After we had him cornered on the bow and Wally asked him, Raage looked pretty surprised when he admitted to it. It just didn’t add up that he’d wait until all his men were dead to bring it up, then sink the boat. Didn’t make sense to Razvan, the chief engineer, either. That’s when he told Wally what he’d heard.”
Wally pitched in. “Iris Cherlina caused the piston to blow.” LB patted Wally gently on the back, pleased to have him at his side again.
Wally continued. “Razvan was dead certain the damage to the engine was sabotage. Then one of the Russian officers, before he got killed, confessed that he and Iris Cherlina timed the accident to slow the ship smack in the middle of the Gulf of Aden.”
Piper leaned closer. “Are you two telling me Iris Cherlina was responsible for bringing pirates on board that ship?”
LB looked at his boots. “Sir, I’ve been blown up, sliced, and almost drowned. We all got blood on our hands that’s going to take a while to wash off. One of us is dead.” LB lifted his gaze. “So can you please cut the shit?”
Piper pointed at LB’s sling. “You’re the knife fighter, son. Cut it for me.”
Wally gestured to LB with a flat palm. You’ve come this far—go ahead.
LB took Wally’s hand for a shake, as if to say, Nice knowing you.
“Iris Cherlina wasn’t working for herself. No way.”
Piper spoke slowly, making sure he got the tone of threat right. “Then who?”
“The United States.”
Piper let the words dangle. He cocked his crew-cut head to eye LB without blinking. “That’s a big