Chapter 29

E-Team was not benefitting from a bright moon, which made for reduced visibility.

Viktor slipped his night vision goggles on for a better look. “Something’s not right,” he said to Egan. “Rapunzel is riding too low in water.”

Egan took a look. “She wouldn’t be drawing that much water, even with the weight of the missiles,” he said to Viktor. Egan asked, “James, will you run a check on our position, then feed it to the Nalon Vet? Ask them to match our position with that of Rapunzel.”

“Aye, sir,” James replied.

Within minutes, James reported to Egan, “They say we are eight klicks from Rapunzel.” He noticed the quizzical look on Egan’s face. “Four and a half nautical miles, Captain.”

“What do you think, Viktor?” Egan asked. “This isn’t Sister Golden Hair either.”

Viktor studied the dark hulk and then shook his head in disbelief. “I think, my friend, what we have found is in my country—how you Americans say— an ‘insurance policy.’”

“This is the fishing vessel they were talking about,” Egan said.

“I’m afraid so, comrade,” Victor replied. “It seems we Russians have ghost ship of our own. Irina, do you know what ship?”

“If you maneuver us to side of the ship so I can see silhouette,” she responded, “I tell you.”

The strike boats repositioned so Irina could identify the mystery ship. “Is guided-missile destroyer Besstrashny,” she reported.

“Besstrashny further complicates our op,” Egan told the team. “Either Besstrashny is shadowing Rapunzel with Rapunzel’s knowledge or shadowing Rapunzel without her knowledge. Either way, Besstrashny is someone’s insurance policy, but whose?”

“James,” Egan said, “inform the Nalon Vet they have company out here. Besstrashny may not be aware of Nalon Vet. We don’t want to run the risk of a collision.”

Egan spoke to the entire team again. “If the Russian good guys have dispatched

Besstrashny, she could be aware of David Ray and her purpose. Besstrashny will keep a safe distance and allow the scenario to play itself out. If we fail to seize Rapunzel, the captain of Besstrashny will blast the Koreans out of the water, thus ending the transaction.”

James added, “If we fail to turn Rapunzel over to the Russians, Besstrashny will sink Rapunzel. The Russians will lose their missiles now but will return later to salvage them.”

Egan’s money was on the pro-Russian option.

Andrew asked, “If the Russians have a ship like Nalon Vet, why wouldn’t they run this mission themselves?”

“The Russians have the problem of trust,” James replied. “What would prevent the crew of Besstrashny from changing their minds and joining Rapunzel? After all, the billion-dollar cargo could be very tempting for a crew who has not seen a paycheck for a few months. Because Besstrashny is here as our ally tonight doesn’t mean she won’t be our enemy come tomorrow morning, even if the mission goes as planned.”

****

00:35 hours

Rapunzel’s dark hull loomed over the team as they moved along the Russian cruiser’s port, searching for the rope ladder “a friend” was to have left for them. It was difficult to spot the ladder in the dark. Viktor feared because they were behind schedule, it might have been withdrawn or discovered. They moved slowly along; James huddled with Simon Linn. He hoped Simon’s experience as a MEU trainer might help them develop a method of scaling the ship’s side, should they not find the ladder.

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair,” James murmured as he gazed at Admiral Moskva. James’s humor coaxed a chuckle out of a few E-Team members.

The team worked their way to Rapunzel’s bow, then drifted back toward the stern.

Then Viktor said, pointing to the ladder, “There! Ladder is parallel with second stack.”

The two small boats drew up to the ladder. It had now become a leap of faith for the team. E-Team had no way of knowing if a greeting party awaited them topside. If the Russian crew discovered the ladder, the Russians would be waiting to blast the first person who poked his head above the rail.

The mission planners had predetermined James would be first up. After all, he was the leader, and he spoke Russian. Simon would follow him, then Philip, Peter, Valentine, and Andrew. The five men would secure the immediate area. Irina, then Viktor, would follow, and finally, Egan.

Without hesitation, James grasped the bottom rung of the ladder. He gave Egan a thumbs-up, popped one of the caffeine pills into his mouth, and scurried up the ladder. Thirty seconds later, Simon grabbed the ladder and began climbing. Philip, estimating James should have just reached the ship’s deck, mounted the ladder and disappeared up into the darkness.

“We haven’t heard any gunfire at least,” Egan said.

James’ voice came over the Rascal headset. “On deck—all clear. Not a creature is stirring, not even a mouseski,” he whispered.

Viktor said to Egan, “I will cut ladder and boats. Go ahead. I will meet you.”

Irina knew her job and disappeared toward the comm center, armed with the combination to the room’s door. Her challenge would be to get to the room without being seen. Once inside the comm center, she would have to convince the comm center personnel to cooperate. The timing was such that she needed to succeed in her task first. Otherwise, a warning call from the bridge would funnel through the comm center and out to Sister Golden Hair.

As the team neared the bridge, Irina reported reaching the comm center. Approximately thirty seconds had passed before Irina was back on the headset. “I try combination—it no work.” She made a second attempt. “No luck. Combination changed.” Irina had no way to enter the room. “I shoot lock.”

“Only as a last resort, Irina,” James cautioned her in Russian. He had another idea. “Try knocking on the door. Take off your Nomex hood and unzip the top half of your suit. Show whoever looks through the peep you’re a woman who has had a little too much vodka and is ready to party.” He then said to Egan, “I told her to unzip the top of her black gear.”

“Unzip her suit?” Egan asked.

“Sex sells,” James said. He seemed unruffled.

Several minutes passed, then, “Clear,” Irina chirped.

“She’s in,” James said. “Must have worked. Men are suckers for a beautiful woman.”

It was time to storm the bridge. Intelligence reports had estimated as many as ten officers and crew would be on the night watch. Engaging in a firefight with the Russians was not an option. Except for a handful of rogue officers, the crew was innocent.

“Go! Go!” James whispered.

Viktor moved quickly through the door of the bridge with his weapon drawn. He said in his native Russian, “Good evening, comrades. My friends and I are here to commandeer your ship.”

The rest of the team burst onto the bridge. The crewmembers present were as surprised as those in the communications room must have been. They quickly placed their hands behind their heads. Most looked relieved.

James ordered the Russians to move to the back of the bridge and sit on the floor. Viktor quickly found those officers identified as the perpetrators and established three out of the total eight were present. James then contacted Irina to tell her they had assumed the bridge’s command. She stood by while the team members searched for the rogue officers.

The easiest and safest method to apprehend the remaining officers was to call them one at a time and invite them to the bridge. Viktor accomplished this with a few urgent calls, including one to the captain. As the officers appeared on the bridge, they were apprehended.

Valcov, Rapunzel’s captain, seemed to know Viktor. The two spoke briefly, then Valcov approached Captain Fletcher.

A short man with gray hair and a beard, Valcov stopped just short of Fletcher, saluted, and said, “Captain Fletcher, I am Valcov of Russian Navy. I understand you have seized my ship under orders of my country. I formally surrender ship and crew to you. You will have my full cooperation and that of my crew.” Valcov looked understandably sad.

“Captain Valcov, you have my word you and your crew will be treated with dignity and respect while I’m in command of this vessel,” Egan assured him. He extended his hand to Valcov. The Russian shook Egan’s hand, lingered for a moment as if he had something else to say, and then shook Egan’s hand once again and took his place with the rest of his crew.

Viktor and Kimo escorted the Russian officers to their quarters. It had been preplanned that once Fletcher was in control of the ship, he was to signal his success by indicating a course change. On the hour, he would change Rapunzel’s course by ten degrees—a signal to David Ray that all was well. On receiving his signal, David Ray would leave the area.

Captain Fletcher asked James to inform the Russian quartermaster to change course by ten degrees to port. When he inquired about Valcov and his rogue officers, Egan learned Valcov and his officers were missing. Egan had left Victor to attend to the ladder and boats.

****

“Admiral,” Colonel Higgins aboard the Bon Homme Richard said, “Nalon Vet reports Rapunzel has changed course on the hour. It’s the first part of our indication that the team is in command of the ship.”

“We’ll know the rest in nine minutes,” May said. “How’s our coffee supply?”

****

At 02:09 hours, Captain Fletcher asked James to inform Rapunzel’s quartermaster to change course by ten degrees to starboard and increase to flank speed.

****

David Ray confirmed Captain Fletcher and the team were in command of Rapunzel.

The span between course changes was nine minutes. Egan Fletcher was to have deducted one minute for each team member lost. If they had had one casualty, they would have changed course in eight minutes instead of nine.

The departure of Nalon Vet allowed the Russian escort destroyer, Sister Golden Hair, to change course. Sister Golden Hair was now heading back to rejoin Rapunzel for the remainder of their voyage. The Russian ghost ship, Besstrashny, the spirit in the night, did nothing.