OUTCAST Ops: African Firestorm

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

The pair of detonations lit up the night, sending twin fireballs into the sky. Axiam let out a slow whistle. "Damn, that's beautiful."

Tanner said nothing, scanning the container ship with binoculars. The ship was slowing and most of the lights had gone out. The stern was now hidden by thick, heavy smoke that blended into the darkness.

"OUTCAST to Javelin. Form up on me. We'll take the lead and come over the stern. We're going after the nukes, your teams are to secure the rest of the ship."

"Negative," Javelin replied. "Our orders are to secure those nukes. We will secure those nukes."

Tanner frowned. "I thought we had lead on this, Javelin, but there’s no time to argue. How do you want to approach this?"

"Two helos forward, two after. Repel down to the deck. How good are your people?"

Tanner looked back into the crew department. "None better."

"Let my helo take the lead, your helo in the second slot. Less chance of confusion. We'll take the bow, you’re forward of the superstructure, and Javelins Two and Three take the stern. Any rules of engagement?"

Tanner stood. "The only ROEs are to treat everyone on the ship right now as an ICA member."

He could practically hear the SEAL commander's grin. “I like those ROEs."

"We all want the same thing. Getting credit is secondary. Let’s do this.”

It took Narsai, Musa and the rest of the bridge crew several minutes to make their way down the stairs. Most of the lights had gone out, leaving only the emergency floodlights. They took the stairs in silence, their faces grim with determination.

"Narsai to Masood," the ICA captain said into his radio when he reached the superstructure's lowest deck. "What is the launch status?"

"A few… more… minutes," Masood replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "What… just happened?"

"The infidels are coming. We can no longer run. I will be there in a minute. Get that missile ready to launch."

"But what—"

"We do not have time for explanations now! Make sure that missile is ready to fire!"

They stepped out onto the main deck just as Faisal and the rest of the Northstar's engineers emerged from belowdecks.

Faisal nodded to Narsai. "Engine room secured.”

Narsai put a hand on the engineer's shoulder. "How bad?" he asked softly.

"Very," the engineer reported. "The pumps are holding the water back for now, but if we lose power, this ship will sink."

"Take your team to the missiles. One of them is nearly ready. Help in any way you can, but get it ready to fire."

In the distance, Narsai could hear the deep thrum of approaching helicopters. He raised his radio. "Brothers!" he bellowed. "The infidels come! Be ready! Anti-aircraft teams, shoot them out of the sky!"

There was a hiss, and something struck the ship near the top of the superstructure with enough force to knock down many of the ICA warriors. Narsai managed to retain his balance, cursing the enemy as he hauled Faisal to his feet.

"I want the top of the containers and the decks barricaded with whatever items are at hand! Move! For the love of Allah, move!"

The lead HH-60H Seahawk fired two of its four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles at a range of four and half miles. The two projectiles ate up the distance in fifteen seconds, plunged through the still-thick smoke from the Harpoon strikes and slammed into the top of the superstructure, destroying the bridge, the two decks below it, and killing the eight ICA terrorists who had been stationed on the superstructure's roof. The bridge and the upper two decks started to burn.

The Seahawk, followed by OUTCAST’s Hip, swung to the left and increased speed. As soon as they came abreast of the container ship, both the Seahawk’s starboard gunner and Madar cut loose with their machine guns, 50 caliber and 12.7mm rounds punching into the deck, containers, superstructure, and any ICA gunmen who foolishly dared to stand their ground.

The helos swung toward the ship and now all four door gunners opened fire, laying down heavy streams of machine gun salvos from the bow to the superstructure, except for the area where the nukes were. Return fire from the ship was sporadic, mostly ineffectual and quickly eliminated by the helicopters' machine guns.

The choppers were now over the ship, the door gunners still firing at any target while repel lines dropped from open doors to the deck fifty feet below. In the Hip's cargo bay, Tanner stood in the port-side doorway and looked down at the ship below.

"All right, team…Three…two…one…Go!"

He dropped out the door, Naomi and Stephen a step behind. On the other side, Liam, Dante and Danielle were also on the ropes, dropping to the deck in what was basically a controlled fall. Above them, both of the Hip's door guns were blasting heavy barrages into the ship below.

Ten feet above the deck, Tanner caught a flash of light out of the corner of his right eye. Before he could turn his head to look, a rocket-propelled grenade shot through the air and struck the MI-8 just behind the port-side door.

The rope Tanner was holding suddenly went slack and he was falling, the deck rushing up to meet him.