over this.”
“But you’re not from an assault unit. You said you were pararescue.”
“We do what we have to.”
Iris Cherlina seemed troubled. “I didn’t know.”
“Most people don’t. Anyway, don’t worry. The boys are good. A lot of combat vets on the team. We’ll be okay.”
“When will they get here?”
“About an hour after midnight.” He handed her his spare flashlight. “You stay down there. You hear or see anything that’s not me, you go dark and find someplace to hide. I’ll be back in under an hour.”
“What was that about the hostages?”
“Dunno. Something’s up. I don’t like it, but it’s not my call. We’ll know soon enough. Go on.”
Iris Cherlina reached a hand out of the hatch to pat his boot. “Don’t leave me down here long.”
“Don’t be scared. Go.” He grabbed for the hatch cover to lower it in place. Iris stopped him.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“That’s odd.”
“What is?”
“Look. The padlock is gone.”
“Was it there when you came down?”
“Of course. I always leave it next to the hatch so I can lock behind me.”
“Drozdov and the pirate. They know where you come and go now.”
“I suppose that’s right.”
“Great. Hide, Iris. Go.”
LB pushed on the top of her head. He lowered the hatch, spun the watertight wheel.
He rose only to a crouch, staying out of sight.
Chapter 22
Yusuf climbed the last rung. He aimed the flashlight behind him to light Drozdov’s way. The Russian clambered up on deck, then locked the hatch cover. Yusuf kept the light aimed downward. Drozdov’s features, already sagging and pale, seemed even more sapped.
“Captain, I am ignorant of those machines. What do they mean to you?”
“For a pirate and a bastard, you are not an ignorant man, Yusuf Raage.”
“My patience is already thin. Do not strain it. Tell me what we saw.”
Drozdov laughed quietly. Perhaps he recalled pushing the patience of his previous captors. Yusuf’s threats meant little to this sad man. That might have to change.
Drozdov removed his cap to run a hand over his cropped white hair.
“The first railcars, those were nothing. Radar, drone aircraft. Pff. Israeli and top of the line, maybe. But nothing big weapons buyers cannot get and sell. That’s why Vladivostok. Those are Russian black market. Untraced.”
“What about the last car?”
“Yes. That one is bad.”
“How bad?”
“It is technology I do not know. It looks simple, but that only means it cannot be. My guess is that it is a weapon of the future. If so, it means the future was going to Lebanon. Now it is going to Somalia. Either one, I do not like.”
Drozdov waited while Yusuf weighed this. Without question, Robow had known what was on this ship. With lies he’d sent Yusuf here to the center of a web. Yusuf was snared in it. He sensed the spider coming. If Yusuf lived to the morning, Robow’s price for acquiring this ship would be much higher than he’d predicted. Perhaps his life.
“I believe we are someone’s pawns, Captain, you and me.”
Drozdov turned his head to again make the sound of his empty spit.
“Then we believe the same.” The Russian pointed to the open dark sea. “They are on their way. You will not be allowed to keep this ship. You know that.”
“Yes.”
“Then why don’t you go? Get in your skiffs.”
“Because the moment we leave, I have no doubt the American warship has orders to shoot us out of the water. If we take hostages with us, we’ll be boarded and arrested as murderers. No. We are trapped here with you, Captain. Until we reach Somalia or we die. Together.”
“Again, I don’t like either one.” Drozdov extended a hand. “For now, give me the flashlight. Let’s see if we can find some answers, eh?”
Yusuf handed over the light.
It did not take long to walk the alleys between the tall lashing bridges, beneath the towering midship and forward cranes. Drozdov kept the flashlight beam to the deck as if on a scent, searching for his own sign of the saboteur.
Drozdov was right. They would not be allowed to keep the Valnea easily. The rest of their crawl back through the gulf to the coast was going to be more dangerous than Yusuf could have guessed. Yusuf would not tell his pirates what he’d seen below; that would serve no purpose but to spook his men. He’d tell only Suleiman, his lieutenant.
Drozdov stopped at every hatch cover to shine the light on the padlocks that secured them. Four times he rattled the locks, testing their hold. At the fifth hatch, the padlock lay beside the hatch cover.