Shadow Tyrants (Oregon Files 13)

“Confirmed,” Murph said. “I’ve lost power to the Gatling gun controls.”

“Same here,” Eric said. “We can’t even launch a torpedo now, let alone guide it.”

Hali chimed in. “Apparently, they’ve already switched over to old-fashioned radio communication. I’ve been monitoring the signals from the command ship. We’re going to have more company in about thirty minutes. They have another frigate called the Kalinga, and it’s on the way to destroy us.”

“Then we have to turn off that Vajra satellite before she gets here,” Juan said. “Tell everybody to meet at the moon pool on the double. It’s time for Plan C.”

SIXTY-FIVE

Thanks to Vajra, the unknown cargo ship armed with the missiles was still motionless. Twenty minutes before, the radar signature of a small boat had been reported heading from that direction toward the launch command ship, but five minutes ago, it disappeared. Mallik assumed it was a lifeboat from either the Maurya or the cargo ship, and it had sunk because of damage from the explosions they’d observed. Once the Kalinga had finished off the large ship, it could take its time searching the surrounding waters for any survivors to eliminate.

The countdown was now T minus four minutes. There were still no impediments to a successful launch, although Mallik couldn’t relax, not so close to finishing something that had taken so long to complete. He was already envisioning what would come next. The new world.

An alarm interrupted his reverie. Torkan rushed in carrying an assault rifle and said, “Stay here.”

“What is it?” Mallik asked.

“We’ve spotted smoke on the aft deck by the helicopter.”

“Fire?”

Torkan shook his head. “The smoke is red, like from a grenade. Or five. It’s covered the entire stern.” With the breeze from the monsoon gone, it would linger for a while.

“We have intruders,” Mallik said. “Go get them off my ship.”

Torkan nodded and ran out to join the rest of his security team, leaving just the two guards behind with Mallik.

“Should we hold the launch?” Kapoor asked halfheartedly.

Mallik sneered at him. “What do you think?”

Kapoor turned away and announced, “T minus three minutes and counting.”

Fearing that he would have a mutiny if there was a firefight on board, Mallik stood and went over to the control panel.

“We are committed now. Nothing is stopping the launch. I’m going to make sure of that.”

He tapped on the screen and brought up the command to lock out all changes to the launch sequence. The screen asked for his authorization, and he looked into the camera. The retinal scanner confirmed his identity. The screen read Abort command locked out.

Now nothing could stop the launch.

* * *

—

Using his crossbow, MacD stood atop the Gator and shot a bolt with a hook on it at the railing directly under the forward superstructure of the command ship. Juan, Raven, Linc, Eddie, and Murph stood next to him in full combat gear. When the nylon rope ladder was secured in place, Juan used his comm unit to talk quietly to Gomez, who was inside the Gator. He had already landed a dozen small drones on the stern of the ship to make it look like they were sneaking on board from that direction.

Half of the drones were carrying smoke grenades. The other half held gunshot simulators.

“Set them off, Gomez,” Juan said.

“Roger that,” he answered.

Instantly, the air was pierced by a series of loud cracks that sounded identical to multiple AK-47s firing simultaneously from different angles. As long as the smoke remained, it would be impossible to know if there was any enemy force on the stern.

Juan quickly scaled the ladder, making sure that they were alone when he got up to the deck. Since he was right below the bridge wing, no one up there would see armed operatives climbing up from the Gator unless they leaned over the railing and looked straight down.

Once the other five had joined Juan on deck of the command ship, Linda, who was driving the Gator, resubmerged with Gomez and stayed on station for the post-mission pickup.