Jay scanned the serene waters of Buzzards Bay through his sniper scope. Unfortunately, his view was obscured by the evening haze hovering over the water like a translucent blanket. Despite the cool night temperature, he was tense but not nervous. Jay lay prone on the bow of the twenty-five-foot Coast Guard patrol boat. Behind him, an MSST member operated the .50 caliber machine gun. The Coast Guard Marine Safety & Security Team was responsible for anti-terrorism operations. Tonight, their job was to apprehend one of the terrorists responsible for the Boston Cathedral attack before he harmed any more innocent people.
Petty Officer Kathy Brennan peered through a set of high-powered binoculars.
“Jay, I appreciate your help on this mission,” Brennan said. “You are the highest qualified sniper available. But remember, as a contractor, you’re not cleared for boardings. So let my team handle that.”
“Roger,” Jay said.
“Chief, do you see anything?” asked Mack over Jay’s radio headset.
“Negative, no sign of the boat.”
“What’s your twenty?”
“We’re three hundred yards north of the Nob. The water is calm tonight. A light haze is settling over the water.”
“Our stakeout team said the boat left Barnstable Harbor an hour ago. They observed one person on the boat.”
“What kind of boat is it?”
“A lobster boat. White with a blue hull. Traveling at eighteen knots.”
“Where is it headed?” Jay said.
“It’s heading your way. Our GPS showed it exited the south end of the Cape Cod Canal five minutes ago.”
“What do you think they’re planning?” Jay asked.
“We’re not sure, but we heard a lot of internet chatter the last few days about an attack. But, of course, the biggest crowds are on the Fourth of July at the oceanfront fireworks displays.”
“That leaves a lot of possibilities. Every town on the Cape and South Coast has fireworks on the ocean.”
“We know, but Falmouth has the largest crowds right on the beach. Plus, we’re expecting at least a thousand boaters anchored offshore. So it is a target-rich environment.”
Brennan was listening in on the same radio frequency. “Do we have probable cause to board the fishing boat?”
“Not yet,” Mack said. “Right now, we have the statement from the guy we arrested in Falmouth. He told us he picked the drone up from this fishing boat. There wasn’t anybody on board when he was there.”
“It sounds like probable cause to me,” Jay said. “Since the drone tried to kill me.”
“Jay, cool down. We have to do this right if we want a conviction.”
“Who said I wanted a conviction,” Jay said. “The only way we know this bastard won’t harm anybody is to put him in a watery grave.”
“Cool down, Jay,” Mack said. “I know you have a lot of reasons to kill this guy, but now that the FBI is involved, we have to do it by the book.”
“Roger, that,” Jay replied. “We’re dealing with a psychopath. There are thousands of people’s lives at stake. We can’t let that boat anywhere near Falmouth.”
“Then it has to be a security case,” Brennan said. “If the boat is a threat to public safety, I have the authority from the Coast Guard Regional Command Center in Boston to board or stop the boat as I see fit.”
“What about Falmouth Police?” Jay said. “They’ll need time to evacuate the beachfront.”
“There won’t be time to evacuate ten thousand people,” Mack said. “We need to keep that fishing boat away from the beach. I’m more concerned about the boaters. But I agree. Let’s loop Marty into the comm circuit. We’ll want to make sure emergency response teams and the local hospitals are on standby.”
Jay’s stomach tightened from the anticipation. The fishing trawler was five minutes away, but the time dragged by. He saw deck lights from the boats passing by. He also heard loud music and singing as people sailed towards Falmouth Heights. A distant boom startled Jay. Then he saw the distinctive flash of fireworks—one of the towns on the opposite side of Buzzards Bay starting their celebration.
“I got him,” Jay said. “Lobster boat with a blue hull. Traveling south, southwest. Coming right at us.”
“Roger,” Brennan said. “GPS confirms that’s our boat. We’ll let him pass and fall in behind. MSST prepare to board.”
Jay scanned the fishing boat through the sniper scope. The view was a bit foggy, but he could see the pilothouse. Strange, he thought. It’s empty. Alarm bells rang in his head.
“Brennan, do you see anybody on the fishing boat?”
“Negative.”
“The boarding team leader is Lieutenant Salerno. He’s in charge. Got it?”
“Roger that,” Jay said.
Jay held on as the boatswain mate increased the speed and pulled up tight to the fishing boat’s stern. Jay sat at the bow of the patrol boat as it bounced over the light chop. He flipped down his night vision goggles to get a better look at the lobster boat. He saw a small derrick and chain pull located near the aft. Steel mesh lobster traps lay strewn across the deck.
The assault team pulled alongside the lobster boat
“Salerno, board the fishing boat,” Brennan said.
“The deck is too small for the full team,” Salerno said. “I’m taking Jones and Murray. The rest of the team will stay alert and ready to go.
The boatswain mate sped up to match the speed of the lobster boat. They pulled up against the lobster boat’s port side, and the assault team members climbed over the rail.
Jay watched Salerno as he tried to enter the pilothouse, but the door was locked. Jones smashed the window with the butt of his assault rifle and opened the door from the inside. Salerno entered the pilothouse and reported, “All clear. We’re going to check the cabin.”
Murray kicked the door in and entered the cabin.
Jay heard the sound of a single rifle shot.
Salerno and Jones rushed into the cabin. There was more gunfire. Then Salerno emerged, pulling Murray out with him. Jones followed behind, covering their retreat.
Salerno waved for the rest of his team to board, “He took a shot in the head, but his helmet stopped the bullet.”
Before any of the remaining assault team members moved, Jay leaped over the side rail onto the fishing boat. He grabbed Murray by the collar and dragged him aft until an assault team member pulled him onto the patrol boat. Then Jay picked up Murray’s M4 and joined Salerno in the pilothouse.
Brennan yelled into the radio, “Mendes, what the hell are you doing?”
“You can’t risk losing any more of your team members. This guy is a psychopath.”
“That’s what we do. It’s our job. Now get off! That’s an order!”
“I’m not on your team, remember.”
“But I can arrest you. Salerno, place Mendes under arrest and bring him back to the patrol boat.
Suddenly, the lobster boat sped up and turned hard to port. The sudden turn knocked Jay and Salerno to the deck.
“Who’s piloting the boat?” Brennan asked. “You’re heading straight towards the fireworks barge!”
“Nobody,” Jay replied.
“Salerno and Mendes, you need to get off,” Brennan said. “We need a clear shot for the .50 cal.”
Jay struggled to regain his footing as the lobster boat accelerated to almost thirty knots. “What the hell is powering this boat?” he said. “We need to get the shooter and get off the boat!”
Salerno shouted to be heard over the rushing wind, “I’ll throw in a flashbang, and then we can go in.”
Salerno tossed the flashbang through the hole in the door created by the previous gunshot. The cabin lit up with a bright flash and loud explosion. Salerno kicked the door then opened fire with his assault rifle.
Jay heard the return fire then went in. Two sets of bunks lined each side of the cabin. A small desk sat knocked over on the floor. Salerno was on the deck, trying to crawl out of the way.
“He got me in the shoulder. I’m okay.”
Jay sprayed the cabin with gunfire, then grabbed Salerno by the collar and pulled him out.
Two members of the assault team jumped onto the fishing boat and pulled Salerno back to safety.
“Evacuate the boat, Mendes,” Brennan called over the cutter’s PA system.
Jay ran back into the cabin.
“C’mon, you bastard,” Jay said. “I know you’re the one who attacked the Bishop and kidnapped the girl! Now come out and fight like a man instead of hiding in the shadows like a little pussy.”
That worked. The assailant jumped off the bunk, landing on top of Jay. He ripped Jay’s rifle from his hand and threw it across the deck. Then he pulled Jay to his feet and placed his handgun to Jay’s head.
Jay slammed his fist into the man’s face, knocking him back against the bunk. He twisted the gun from his hand. The man grabbed Jay around the head and pulled him out of the cabin and onto the pilothouse deck. Jay wrapped his arms around the man’s waist. He then lifted and smashed him onto the deck. But the attacker didn’t let go. The two warriors rolled on the deck, entangled in each other’s bodies. Neither man gaining an advantage.
Meanwhile, the lobster boat plowed towards the fireworks barge. Pleasure boats scattered in all directions, slamming into each other.
“Mendes, we’re firing,” Brennan yelled into the radio. “Get off the boat!”
Jay struggled to escape the attacker’s steel grip. Grabbing at his mask, Jay pulled it off. The familiar grey eyes stared back at him.
The man smiled and said, “It looks like we’re going to die together, Chief.”
“Not yet, you bastard. You have to pay for your sins.”
With all his strength, Jay kicked the man off his body. Jay jumped to his feet, then wrapped his left arm around his neck and yanked him to the side of the boat.
Then a roar erupted as the .50 caliber opened fire. Flaming red tracers streamed past Jay’s body. Razor-sharp wood splinters and smoke filled the air as the gunner adjusted his aim down towards the deck and the engine compartment.
Jay pulled the attacker with him towards the boat’s stern but had to stop to stay away from the gunfire.
“Ceasefire,” Brennan ordered. “We need to help Mendes!”
Then the boat exploded, throwing Jay and his assailant overboard.
Kyle, Brendan, and Carla sat in the Boston Whaler a half-mile away. Marty was at the helm when they witnessed the fishing boat explosion. He piloted as far away from the fireworks barge as he could get. The move saved their lives.
The blast created a tsunami wave, wreaking havoc among the small boats. Dozens of boats capsized, washing boaters into the sixty-five-degree water. Those with life jackets bobbed in the water. Others were not so lucky.
Then the call came out across the emergency radio channel. The Coast Guard called for volunteers to rescue victims. As they scanned the water with a searchlight, Brendan spotted a body in the water. Marty slowed down to investigate. Kyle used a grappling hook to pull the body closer.
“Oh God,” Carla said when she saw the headless body. She turned and threw up over the side of the boat.
The next three bodies were in worse condition. There was nothing they could do for these people now, so they left the bodies in the water.
Brendan slowed down as they reached the blast scene.
“Help me!” said the voice of a young child in the water. “Please help me!”
Kyle pointed the searchlight towards the calls for help. He spotted a small mound of blonde hair in front of them. “There, Brendan. She’s right in front of us.”
“We see you,” Carla yelled. “We’re throwing out a life ring. Grab onto it.
Brendan turned the wheel, so the boat turned to starboard. Kyle threw the round preserver into the water. He saw the girl grab it, and he pulled her in. Carla reached over the side, pulling her on board.
“Are you alright?” Carla asked. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m just cold.”
Kyle wrapped her in a large beach towel while Carla hugged the girl to keep her warm.
Brendan turned the boat towards the shore and kept going. They picked up five more survivors. They also found a young boy with a large gash on his leg. Kyle tied his belt around the boy’s thigh to slow the bleeding and wrapped the wound in gauze.
“I can’t take any more people on the boat,” Marty said. “We’re at our limit. I need to go back to shore. Brendan, call the Coast Guard to find out where we can offload these people.”
Brendan tried calling with his cell phone but couldn’t get through. He tried the radio patch he was on before and reached Brennan.
“You can go into Green Harbor marina,” she said. “There are several ambulances there.”
“Okay, thanks.”
Brendan turned the boat south.
“Brendan, wait,” Kyle said. “There’s another body out there. It’s dressed in black. It could be one of the Coast Guard assault team members.”
Brendan eased the boat up close. The person was on their back, held afloat by a black life jacket.
“Oh my God,” Kyle said. “It’s Jay Mendes. He’s unconscious and not moving.”
“That’s too bad, but unfortunately, we’re full,” Marty said. “We’ll call for someone else to retrieve his body.”
“Wait,” Brendan said. “He said something.”
“What?” Carla said. “He’s alive?”
“Help me,” said a faint voice. “I can’t move.”
“Jay, is that you?” Kyle yelled. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t feel….”
“Feel what?”
“Anything.”
“Oh no, he’s paralyzed,” Kyle said. “We can’t leave him in the water. He’ll die from hypothermia.”
“He can’t grab the life ring either,” Brendan said. “How is he going to pull himself in?”
“He’s not.” Kyle grabbed the life ring and jumped overboard.
Kyle swam slowly through the cold water.
“Hang in there, Chief,” Kyle said when he arrived. “We’re gonna get you out of the water. Can you breathe?”
“Just… barely,” Jay said in gasps. “It’s hard… for me… to get… a breath.”
Kyle wrapped one arm under Jay’s waist and held onto the life ring with his other arm.
“Carla,” Kyle yelled. “Pull me in. Real slow.”
Carla pulled Kyle and Jay back, and two of the adults lifted Jay into the boat.
“Marty,” Kyle said. “Let’s go! As fast as you can go without capsizing the boat.”