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〃e on；〃 O'Donnell said from behind his mask。 Another black…clad man appeared on the vehicle deck。 He trotted to the leader。
〃Both engines are disabled。〃
O'Donnell checked his watch。 Things had gone almost perfectly。 A good plan； it was except for the bloody weather。 Visibility was under a mile； and
〃There it is； ing up aft；〃 one man called。
〃Patience； lads。〃
〃Just who the hell are you？〃 the cop at their feet asked。
O'Donnell fired a short burst for an answer； correcting this oversight。 Another chorus of screams erupted； then trailed quickly away into the shriek of the winds。 The leader took a whistle from inside his sweater and blew it。 The assault group formed up on the leader。 There were seven of them； plus Sean。 Their training showed； O'Donnell noted with satisfaction。 Every man of them stood facing outward around him； gun at the ready in case one of these terrified civilians might be so foolish as to try something。 The ferry's captain stood on the ladder sixty feet away； clearly worrying about his next hazard； handling his craft in a storm without engine power。 O'Donnell had considered killing all aboard and sinking the boat； but rejected the idea as counterproductive。 Better to leave survivors behind to tell the tale； otherwise the Brits might not know of his victory。
〃Ready！〃 the man at the stern announced。
One by one the gunmen moved aft。 There was an eight…foot sea rolling； and it would get worse farther out beyond the shelter of Sconce Point。 It was a hazard that O'Donnell could accept more readily than the Cenlac's captain。
〃Go！〃 he ordered。
The first of his men jumped into the ten…meter Zodiac。 The man at the controls of the small boat took alee from the ferry and used the power of his twin outboards to hold her in close。 The men had all practiced that in three…foot seas； and despite the more violent waves； things went easily。 As each man jumped aboard； he rolled to starboard to clear a path for the next。 It took just over a minute。 O'Donnell and Miller went last； and as they hit the rubber deck； the boat moved alee； and the throttles cracked open to full power。 The Zodiac raced up the side of the ferry； out of her wind shadow； and then southwest toward the English Channel。 O'Donnell looked back at the ferry。 There were perhaps six people watching them pull away。 He waved to them。
〃Wele back to us； Sean；〃 he shouted to his rade。
〃I didn't tell them a bloody thing；〃 Miller replied。 〃I know that。〃 O'Donnell handed the younger man a flask of whiskey。 Miller lifted it and swallowed two ounces。 He'd forgotten how good it could taste； and the cold sheets of rain made it all the better。
The Zodiac skimmed over the wavetops； almost like a hovercraft； driven by a pair of hundred…horsepower engines。 The helmsman stood at his post 'midships； his knees bent to absorb the mild buffering as he piloted the craft through the wind and rain toward the rendezvous。 O'Donnell's fleet of trawlers gave him a wide choice of seamen； and this wasn't the first time he'd used them in an operation。 One of the gunmen crawled around to pass out life jackets。 In the most unlikely event that someone saw them； they would look like a team from the Royal Marines' Special Boat Service； running an exercise on Christmas morning。 O'Donnell's operations always covered the angles； were always planned down to the last detail。 Miller was the only man he'd ever had captured； and now his perfect record was reestablished。 The gunmen were securing their weapons in plastic bags to minimize corrosion damage。 A few were talking to each other； but it was impossible to hear them over the howl of wind and outboard motors。
Miller had hit the boat pretty hard。 He was rubbing his backside。
〃Bloody faggots！〃 he snarled。 It was good to be able to talk again。
〃What's that？〃 O'Donnell asked over the noise。 Miller explained for a minute。 He was sure it had all been Highland's idea； something to soften him up； make him grateful to the cop。 That was why both his shots had gone into Highland's guts。 There was no sense in letting him die fast。 But Miller didn't tell his boss that。 That sort of thing was not professional。 Kevin might not approve。
〃Where's that Ryan bastard？〃 Sean asked。
〃Home in America。〃 O'Donnell checked his watch and subtracted six hours。 〃Fast asleep in his bed； I wager。〃
〃He set us back a year； Kevin；〃 Miller pointed out。 〃A whole bloody year！〃
〃I thought you'd say that。 Later； Sean。〃
The younger man nodded and took another swig of whiskey。 〃Where are we going？〃
〃Someplace warmer than this！〃
The Cenlac drifted before the wind。 As soon as the last terrorist had left； the captain had sent his crew below to check for bombs。 They'd found none； but the Captain knew that could just mean they were hidden； and a ship was the perfect place to hide anything。 His engineer and another sailor were trying to repair one of his diesels while his three deckhands rigged a sea anchor that now streamed over the stern to steady the ferry on the rolling seas。 The wind drove the boat closer to land。 That did give them more moderate seas； but to touch the coast in this weather was death for all aboard。 He thought he might launch one of his lifeboats； but even that entailed dangers that he prayed he might yet avoid。
He stood alone in the pilothouse and looked at his radios smashed。 With them he could call for help； a tug； a merchantman； anything that could put a line on his bow and pull him to safe harbor。 But all three of his radio transmitters were wrecked beyond repair by a whole clip of machine gun bullets。
Why did the bastards leave us alive？ he asked himself in quiet； helpless rage。 His engineer appeared at the door。
〃Can't fix it。 We just don't have the tools we need。 The bastards knew exactly what to break。〃
〃They knew exactly what to do； all right；〃 the Captain agreed。
〃We're late for Yarmouth。 Perhaps 〃
〃They'll write it off to the weather。 We'll be on the rocks before they get their thumbs out。〃 The Captain turned and opened a drawer。 He withdrew a flare pistol and a plastic box of star shells。 〃Two…minute intervals。 I'm going to see to the passengers。 If nothing happens in 。 。 。 forty minutes； we launch the boats。〃
〃But we'll kill the wounded getting them in 〃
〃We'll lose bloody everyone if we don't！〃 The Captain went below。
One of the passengers was a veterinarian； it turned out。 Five people were wounded； and the doctor was trying to treat them； assisted by a member of the crew。 It was wet and noisy on the vehicle deck。 The ferry was rolling twenty degrees； and a window had been smashed by the seas。 One of his deck crew was struggling to put canvas over the hole。 The Captain saw that he would probably succeed； then went to the wounded。
〃How are they？〃
The veterinarian looked up； the anguish plain on his face。 One of his patients was going to die； and the other four 。 。 。
〃We may have to move them to the lifeboats soon。〃
〃It'll kill them。 I 〃
〃Radio；〃 one of them said through his teeth。
〃Lie still；〃 the doctor said。
〃Radio；〃 he persisted。 The man's hands were clasping bandages to his abdomen； and it was all he could do not to scream out his agony。
〃The bastards wrecked them；〃 the Captain said。 〃I'm sorry we don't have one。〃
〃The truck a radio in the fucking truck！〃
〃What？〃
〃Police；〃 Highland gasped。 〃Police van prisoner transport 。 。 。 radio 。 。 。 〃
〃Holy Jesus！〃 He looked at the van the radio might not work from inside the ferry。 The Captain ran back to the pilothouse and gave an order to his engineer。
It was an easy enough task。 The engineer used his tools to remove the VHF radio from the truck。 He was able to hook it up to one of the ferry's antennas； and the Captain was using it within five minutes。
〃Who is this？〃 the police dispatcher asked。
〃This is the Cenlac； you bloody fool。 Our marine radios are out。 We are disabled and adrift； three miles south of Lisle Court； and we need assistance at once！〃
〃Oh。 Very well。 Stand by。〃 The desk sergeant in Lymington was no stranger to the sea。 He lifted his telepho