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It was time. They did last minute checks on all of their procedures and equipment and gathered at the bottom of the stairs. They left for the docks shortly thereafter. Jako stood overlooking the balcony, watching them leave. He hated this part of their missions. He went back to command to make sure that everything was ready and working properly.
Janie had picked the ship up on radar. In five hundred feet, they would cut the engines. Fifty feet out, both teams got in the water and swan silently into position. As soon as they got the green light from Vice President Woods, their snipper took out the guards on watch. Both teams moved swiftly and in unison to take over the ship just as they had practiced in their mock drills. They had gained control of the vessel in ten minutes flat. The only thing they hadn’t counted on was Absame being nowhere to be found. Kat reached the wayward side of the ship. As she got close to the rail, her radioactive badge went off. At that same moment, she was attacked from behind. All that time practicing in the ring had served her well; it didn’t take long for her to dispatch her attacker and radio for help. Janie announced that there was a small vessel on radar. Kat was livid; Absame had gotten away! Jake and Reese were the first to reach her. Reese ordered Thomas to pursue the small boat; the rest went back to their ship to secure the location.
From out of nowhere, a shot rang out. Sarah and Thomas were hit. BJ located the shooter and took him out in seconds, then took off after the boat with Shawn and Bill close behind. Kat ran over to Sarah, and Jake went to assist Thomas. They field dressed the wounds and gave each a shot of morphine. Sarah had just been grazed by the bullet, but Thomas had taken the shot dangerously close to his heart. During all of the commotion, Kat had given herself an injection of morphine. She quickly looked around to make sure that no one saw anything. She would come up with an excuse for the missing syringe later. Right now, they had work to do.
They made a thorough sweep of the ship. Reese found a map that had been half burned. He put it in his pocket and concluded their search. Upon returning to the compound, they rushed to the main house and down to the hospital ward with Sarah and Thomas. Jako was waiting for them there. Reese rushed down a few minutes later and asked how they were doing.
“Sarah is being stitched up now and should be out in just a few minutes. She’ll be a little sore for a few days, but she’s gonna be fine. Thomas has a long road ahead of him. His heart is under a lot of stress.” Just then, the doctor came out.
“We did all we could do. The damage was too severe to the tissue around the heart. I’m so sorry, but we couldn’t save him.”
Jako led everyone up to command where the Vice President and Ryan were waiting on the intercom. The group was very solemn as they made their way upstairs. After the debriefing, Vice President Woods told them not to be discouraged.
“The only way to honor Thomas is to catch that son-of-a-bitch Absame and make him pay for everything he has put you all through.”
They left command and gathered in the study. Kat grabbed a bottle of Irish Whiskey that she knew was Thomas’ favorite. She poured them each two fingers and they toasted to his life. Reese excused himself first so that he could check on Sarah before calling it a night. She was resting peacefully. He sat beside her for a moment, just holding her hand. The rest of the team turned in for the evening; everyone was exhausted.
Mendoza had just received word that their ship had not made it to the check point. He was trying feverishly to get ahold of Absame, but wasn’t having much luck. He tried calling Reese next.
“I’m sorry to wake you, my friend. Can you meet me for brunch on Bourbon Street at eleven o’clock?”
“Of course. Is everything okay?”
“Not on the phone.”
“See you tomorrow.” Reese got Janie and Jake up and told them that they needed to get to New Orleans right away in case Mendoza changed his mind. He was worried that Sarah wouldn’t be up for the trip, but she insisted that she was fine and ready to go. They had made the right call because Mendoza was at their door at sunrise.
“I’m sorry to disturb you so early, but this can’t wait. I need to talk to you now.”
“What’s going on?” Reese asked.
“We lost the shipment. I can’t find Absame.”
“Look, Mendoza, I’m sorry, but I just don’t see how I can help.”
“I need to replace that order...and fast. The people I sold to don’t handle complications like this very well.”
“It would take me a few days to duplicate a shipment of that size.”
“Thank you, my friend. I knew I could count on you. It wouldn’t surprise me if that bastard Absame took the shipment. We need to find him.”
“Calm down. Let me make some calls. I will get back to you this afternoon.”
BJ, Shawn, and Bill had been able to keep up with Absame while remaining off the radar. Absame had gone to shore for fuel and supplies. It looked as if something was about to happen. BJ called Jako.
“Sir, I swam in as close as I could. You need to get the team here before sunrise. If I translated right, they have a buyer for the item that Absame had hidden in the tobacco boat. It’s a bomb, sir—a big one.”
Jako reported to Ryan, who immediately got the Vice President involved. Then, he got on the phone with Reese and told him that they needed to get back immediately.
“I’ll fill you in when you get here.”