The Devil's Waters Pararescue book 1 by David L. Robbins

Author:David L. Robbins
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: AmazonEncore
Published: 2012-11-13T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Camp Lemonnier

Djibouti

Wally charged through the Barn, beneath the tall shelf where Doc and LB lived.

“Everybody!” He jogged into the common area where the entire PJ team was assembled. “Briefing room. Now.”

All nine filed into the small room used for briefings and movies. Wally shut the door. Quickly the team spread onto the two tiers of beat-up sofas and leather chairs. Wally stayed in front.

“We got a mission. Set alert thirty.”

Dow said, “Whoa,” at the thirty-minute notice. Jamie whistled. Every man hardened his posture in his seat.

“One hour ago, Somali pirates hijacked a freighter out in the gulf. The ship is the CMA CGN Valnea.”

On the back row, Jamie’s feet shot under him. He gripped the arms of his chair. Wally motioned for him to stay down.

“That’s right, it’s the same ship LB and Jamie boarded this morning. LB’s still there. That hasn’t been confirmed, but we all know him, and we know he’s pissed off. The freighter’s carrying some kind of highly classified cargo. The bottom line is, these pirates have taken the wrong ship. I’ve just come back from the JOC. I spoke with very high brass on the phone. We’ve been given the order to take the Valnea back before she reaches the Somali coast.”

Dow asked, “They’re sending a PJ team? Where are the SEALs?”

“We got the job for two reasons. First, there’s a tight window on this one. We’re sitting alert four hundred miles from the target. There’s no combat-capable team in range but us. We can get there faster than SEALs, Special Forces, anyone else. Second, one of our own is on that ship.”

The team stirred. Each looked at another, bonds of training and action asserting themselves. They showed each other balled fists. We’ll do this. You, and you, and you, and me.

“Yep.” Wally addressed this to Robey. “LB needs rescuing.”

He explained the situation. The pirates were lethal, that much was known. There’d already been one acknowledged killing. He made no mention of the concern that the victim might have been LB. He gave the location, speed, and direction of the freighter, one hundred miles from the Somali coast. A US warship was tracking her. The number of pirates on board was still indeterminate, but they could expect at least twenty armed targets, likely more.

Doc asked, “What about the crew?”

“Hostage.”

“How many?”

“Twenty-seven. That includes a couple guards and one passenger.”

“Passenger? Who gets on a freighter as a passenger?”

“Don’t know. It’s odd.”

“Where’re they being held?”

“Don’t know that either.”

“Got to have that.”

Wally tapped the knuckles of one hand into the palm of the other. Unease filtered among the team. Most of them knew Wally well enough to notice anytime he pulled up short.

Big Quincy asked, “Now’s not the time to dance, Captain. What’s up?”

“This is where it gets tough.”

Mouse said, “Okay.”

“Our orders are to regain control of the ship.”

“And?”

“According to the orders, freeing the hostages is a secondary objective.”

Jamie spoke first above the buzz in the room. “That’s dicked up.”

“I know.”

“They’re civilians.”

“They are.”

“The brass don’t care if they die? What the hell?”

“They care.

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