Black wind

pallet that spun lazily in the breeze. From inside the submersible, they watched as the pallet was dropped to the deck beside them. A trio of black-clad commandos then rolled several storage containers out of the Sea Rover’s auxiliary laboratory and secured them to the pallet. Each container, they knew, held one of the biological bombs encased in a cushioned sheath.
    The Baekje’s crane operator quickly transferred the pallet back and forth several times in the predawn darkness until all of the bomb containers were aboard the Japanese ship. The empty pallet then became a bus, ferrying the commandos to the ship a handful at a time. From belowdecks, a black-clad gunman appeared and conversed briefly with Tongju. Dirk noticed Tongju break into a thin smile, then pointed to the submersible and barked out an order. The cable hook was released from the pallet and attached to the Starfish.
    “Guess we’re changing rides,” Dirk commented when the cable was pulled taut.
    This time the submersible was hoisted smoothly into the air. Dirk rapidly jabbed the mechanical arm out and rapped three times on the rear bulkhead with the claw before being pulled up and off the deck. He and Summer watched the Sea Rover fall away beneath them as they were carried over the water and deposited on a high stern deck of the Baekje. Climbing out of the submersible, they were welcomed by a pair of armed thugs, who prodded them toward the ship’s railing with their guns.
    “I’ve had about enough of the assault rifle hospitality,” Dirk muttered.
    “I bet they feel naked when they don’t have a gun in their hands,” Summer replied.
    From their vantage point, they watched as the remaining commandos were ferried over on the pallet, Tongju riding with the last batch.
    “Dirk, is it my eyes or is the Sea Rover sitting lower in the water?” Summer asked with alarm in her voice.
    “You’re right,” he agreed, studying the ship. “They must have opened the sea cocks. She’s listing a little to starboard as well.”
    The pallet carrying Tongju swung to the deck and the commando leader jumped off, landing lightly on his feet. He immediately approached the two captives.
    “I suggest you say good-bye to your ship,” he said without feeling.
    “The crew is trapped in the hold, you murderous swine!” Summer cried out.
    Charged by emotion, she took a lunging step toward Tongju in anger. The trained killer reacted instinctively, launching a vicious right kick to Summer’s midsection, sending her sprawling backward. But his trained reflexes were not swift enough to ward off the unexpected quickness of Dirk, who sprang forward and threw a solid left hook just as Tongju regained his footing. The crushing blow landed on Tongju’s right temple, sending him dropping to one knee, where he teetered on the verge of blacking out. The nearby gunmen immediately jumped on Dirk, one of them ramming an assault rifle into his stomach as two others held back his arms.
    Tongju gradually regained his senses and rose to his feet, then stepped purposely over to Dirk. Thrusting his face close to Dirk’s chin, he spoke in a calm voice dripping with menace.
    “I shall enjoy watching you die in the manner of your shipmates,” he said, then brusquely turned and walked away.
    The remaining commandos roughly herded Dirk and Summer down a side stairwell and along a narrow corridor before shoving them into a small cabin berth. The cabin door was slammed shut behind them and locked from the outside, where two men remained on guard.
    Dirk and Summer quickly shook off the pain from their blows. Staggering past two twin beds wedged into the tiny cabin, they pressed their faces against a small porthole on the outside bulkhead.
    “She’s lower in the water,” Summer observed with dread in her voice.
    Through the porthole, they could see the Sea Rover still floating alongside the Baekje, the seawater creeping inexorably closer to the tops of her gunwales. No sign of life appeared on the decks, and the big research vessel had all the appearance of a listing ghost ship. Dirk and Summer searched for signs of movement aft of the moon pool but saw nothing.
    “They’ve either relocked the vent hatch or Morgan can’t get to it, Dirk cursed.
    “Or he doesn’t know it exists,” Summer whispered.
    Beneath their feet, they heard then felt an increased rumbling as the Baekje’s engines were engaged and the big cable ship slowly pulled
    away from the sinking NUMA vessel.