Page 145 of Clive Cussler Ghost Soldier

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Cabrillo studied the drone imagery in real time. Like Callie, he assumed the digital readout on the cave wall was a countdown clock. And since the sub was leaving in just moments, he was convinced the target was Guam.

“Callie, radioOregon. Tell them to put Guam on alert. I’m certain that’s the target.”

“Will do.” TheSpook Fishtrailed a comms antenna attached to a floating buoy that gave her radio access to theOregon.

Cabrillo wasn’t convinced there was anything that Guam could do to defend itself against whatever the Vendor had in mind. Ten thousand American lives hung in the balance. The best chance those people had were his Gundogs.

Right here.

Right now.

“Those two auto guns are going to mow us down if we don’t take them out first,” Juan said. “Linc and Murph. You both carry C4, so you pull the short straws.”

“Roger that,” they both replied.

“Chairman, one thing,” Murph added. “Those machine guns are on targeting mode—see how they track back and forth? The only reason they don’t open up and kill those tangos is because they’re wearing tags that prevent the guns from shooting them.”

“Your point?”

“Hopefully Linc and I take out those guns. But if we don’t, hiding behind one of those tangos is better than a bulletproof vest. And don’t forget, those guns are wicked fast. They’ll lock onto you in nanoseconds.”

“Anything else?”

“I’d also bet the sub is tagged, not that there’s anywhere to hide on that thing.”

“Copy that. But do your jobs and they won’t be an issue.”

“Aye.”

“Gents, we have two goals. First, take out that sub. Second, capture the Vendor. While Linc and Murph are taking out the machine guns, the rest of us will advance clockwise toward that smaller mini sub and use it as cover in our approach to the main pier, where the target sub is located. Anybody else carrying C4?”

“I am,” Eddie said.

“Then the rest of us will provide you covering fire while you get on the target. Use the C4 to blow a hatch if you have to. But get inside and pull the guts out of it any way you can.”

“Can’t you just shoot holes in the hull?” Callie asked over the comms.

“We brought peashooters compared to that pressurized hull,” Juan responded. “No chance of penetration. Our only chance is to get inside of it.”

“What about the Vendor?” MacD asked.

“I’d like to capture him,” Juan said. “But if we can’t, he’s all mine.”

“And the techs?” Eddie asked. “What are the rules of engagement?”

“Prisoners if we can. But if they pull guns, take them out.” Cabrillo added, “With extreme prejudice.”

75

The Vendor stood on the deck of theGhost Swordrelishing the welter of noise and commotion all around him. His armed technicians had just finished loading the last drones into theGhost Sword. The sub’s hangar door shut with an airtight whisper.

The Vendor stole a quick glance at the digital countdown clock as it ticked just past the three-minute mark. He smiled for the first time in days. His sub would launch on time and the Guam attack would succeed.

He knelt down and double-checked one of the deck hatches as the last of the workers dashed past him and headed for the gangplank. The two automated machine guns kept a deadly vigil in the distance, their servo motors whirring as the barrels snapped back and forth. The techs had long since ignored the fact the deadly guns targeted them like a pair of hunters aiming at a flush of fat quail bolting into the sky. An automated pull of the trigger could wipe them all out with a single burst.

In their haste and concentration, nobody noticed the bubbles rippling the water on the far edges of the lagoon.