Final Option (Oregon Files 14)

“Omega, are you still ready for evac?” Juan asked Gomez.

“Who’s he talking to?” Machado asked Eddie.

“Our ride,” Eddie said.

“It’s gotten a lot more complicated,” Gomez said. “We surfaced, so they’ve seen us. I’ve dived the boat again, but I’m used to flying, not piloting a sub. It’s taking some time to get the hang of the controls.”

“Why are you driving the boat?”

“We’ve had an injury.”

Meaning Linda was hurt. Juan couldn’t take time to ask how badly or how it happened.

“Are there any quadcopters left?”

“One. Smoke bomb.”

“Good. We’re going to come out near the bow. Be ready to cover us.”

Juan hoped that the other guards would be herding the other guests onto the aft deck.

“Understood,” Gomez said.

“Take us to the bow,” Juan said to Machado.

“This way.”

He led them down a series of corridors. They didn’t encounter anyone until two guards spotted them climbing the stairs at the front of the yacht.

Juan fired three shots. He got one of the guards, but the other one escaped. Juan could hear him calling for backup over the radio.

“Omega, they’re onto us,” Juan said. “We’re coming out hot. Set off the smoke bomb now.”

“Roger that,” Gomez replied. “The breeze has gotten stronger, so it won’t last long. We’re ten yards off the starboard bow. Surfacing.”

Juan took the lead and eased the deck access hatch open. He saw the quadcopter land and deposit the smoke bomb. The bomb went off, releasing orange smoke that engulfed the deck.

He popped the hatch and climbed out. While Eddie came out, Juan had his gun trained aft.

By the time Machado emerged, the smoke was dissipating.

“Hurry,” Juan said, hauling Machado out.

A sudden gust blew most of the smoke away, leaving them exposed.

Ferreira spotted them from the bridge. In a rage, he grabbed an assault rifle from a guard next to him and shot out the window.

“I trusted you, Roberto!” he yelled.

Machado raised his pistol to fire, but Juan could see more guards coming from both sides of the Dragão, so he grabbed Machado and shouted, “Come on!”

The three of them sprinted to the side of the yacht as bullets chewed into the deck where they’d been standing.

The rifle rounds chased them all the way to the railing, where they jumped over and dove into the water.

10

As they were plummeting from the Dragão, Juan heard a brief scream of pain, but he couldn’t tell if it was Eddie or Machado. After he plunged into the water, Juan swam back up as quickly as he could.