Hard Case VII - Red Waves (John Harding Series Book 7) (51 page)

“Jesus… God in heaven,” Rachel muttered, watching with some satisfaction as brain, blood, and skull matter sprayed the bridge crew. She continued with readings as they changed, but Nick kept firing. “Nice shot, honey.”

Turning the entire bridge into a kill zone, Nick targeted electronics and navigation before turning to any crewmember moving into sight. Then he changed to the XM25 25mm airburst weapon. The Iranian gunboat was dead in the water. The first two rounds exploded something aboard the gunboat. Debris flamed in all directions. The ship then blew apart in a spectacular explosion, leaving no doubt only particles remained. Nick and Rachel could hear Red Dragon Security’s owners whooping it up in celebration.

“I imagine you weren’t supposed to do that,” Sal said, “but damn… Nick… that was the best.”

“I’m a little sore about the Iranian interaction with our Navy, Sal. I decided it’s not all about the mission.”

“Payback is a bitch! Nice one, no matter what comes of it,” Chuck said. “Achmed? Did you network all of that to our ships at sea?”

“Oh yes,” Jafar acknowledged. “We are getting curses from Denny and whoops of joy on our ships at sea, Muerto. That was spectacular!”

“Thanks, Achmed,” Nick acknowledged. “It’s good to know we don’t exactly share the weirdo decisions our leaders make. I’m reloaded and ready.”

“Shit!” Chuck’s voice sounded in Nick’s ear, causing both he and Rachel to check the helicopter pad. “We’re in a fight, amigo!”

Nick saw immediately a contingent of the ship’s crew were attacking the helicopter pad, thinking the opposite of what was actually happening. He could hear Captain Larsen bellowing out from the ship’s speakers to halt all activity at the helicopter port to no avail. He watched Red Dragon’s owners in front of their crew in hand to hand combat. Nick sighed, thinking now was not the time to get touchy/feely. He did instantly what Red Dragon should have done. In seconds, three of the attackers were down with as minor a wound as Nick could administer with the other weapon he brought with him besides his M107 sniper rifle and XM25, an MP5 9mm with hollow point slugs. The assault halted long enough for Chuck and Sal to establish their identities.

Nick and Rachel laughed as a gasping Chuck screamed at the retreating crew. “We’re the fucking United States Marines! Get your asses back to work kissing passengers’ asses! Get a medic for the wounded. Then, clear my LZ!”

* * *

“What happened?” The three boat assault force paused at a mile distant from the Starlight. The commander of the assault force, no ragtag pirate ruffian, gestured impatiently at the leaping flames ahead of them.

“I…I do not know,” his communications officer said. “I heard nothing of what happened. We are closing in on their position. It appears to be the scout vessel on fire.”

The commander of the converted Iranian gunboat, changed to an unmarked pirate vessel, watched the smoking horizon and the Boko Haram thugs on the boat’s deck. They impatiently waved weapons in the air and screamed ‘Allahu Akbar’ “The idiots think those flames mean victory! Issue the order. Full throttle. Once close enough, no one will dare fire at us.”

“No word from the scout vessel,” a young sailor at the communications monitor said. “I am trying to get word from them, Sir. I believe I was right. They have been destroyed.”

In moments, all doubt proved inconsequential. All that existed of the scout vessel smoked in pieces upon the ocean surface.

The vessel’s commander slammed a fist onto the bulkhead. He knew the explosions had meant anything but victory. Before he could reply, loud music sounded on his port and starboard side. In moments, they were bracketed in sound. Helicopters charged at them with some oddly terrifying music. After they made their first pass, the air filled with the pounding deeper beat the commander had heard at some point involving sharks. Soon, the entire area around his boat and the other two within his command were blanketed with the irritating sound wall. Suddenly, all instruments went dead. Then the heads of two Boko Haram pirates blew apart, sending the rest of the pirates scurrying for cover. The commander looked at the Starlight in frustration. He spotted a glint of sun striking glass high on the Starlight stack tower. A small popping noise sounded as the .50 caliber, uranium tipped slug streaked through the bridge observation window on its way into the commander’s head, bathing the bulkhead behind him in blood, brain, and skull matter while exiting.

* * *

Gus waved at us from the bridge of the Valkyrie as Laredo and I flew our Mi-24 and UH-60M assault helicopters off the Valkyrie’s helicopter pads. Tommy, Dev, and Jess all stood below acknowledging our lift off. They manned the Valkyrie’s .50 caliber machine gun, 20mm cannon, and Jess held an XM25 25mm airburst grenade launcher. Gus then keyed in ‘The Ride of the Valkyries’ and ‘Jaws Theme Song’, as did Lucas captaining the Sea Wolf next to him. Laredo and I dipped our craft in acknowledgement. Jafar programmed all music systems to play in concert on all attack vessels, in the air, and on the sea. We represented a storm of sound. Gus steered the Valkyrie away from the Sea Wolf as all assault craft entered into the final approach at full throttle.

The Sea Wolf, manned by Lucas and the minions, Sylvio Ruelas, Gus Denova, and Quays Tannous, would be our lead ship. Sylvio and Gus were to fire our EMP weapons the moment Lucas throttled into range of our targets. They would then fire the Wolf’s fixed gun emplacements, the .50 caliber machine gun and XM307 25mm grenade launcher, capable of firing 250 rounds a minute. Denny controlled an AWACS early warning plane far above us, supplying real time data on pirate movement.

“Nick just blew an Iranian gunboat to pieces,” Denny reported from the AWACS. “It must have been a scout, but it had an Iranian flag, which could be a problem.”

We Monsters were all pumping fists and celebrating at the news with our ‘Jaws Theme’ blaring on approach.

I heard Denny sigh. “Yeah, I figured you bunch wouldn’t see the long view. Damn… Nick blew the heads off two Boko pirates and the lead ship’s commander’s head.”

“We better get moving or there won’t be anything left for us.”

“Blackout lifted,” Nick said in my ear. “Sorry about the commander shot. I needed to slow their approach. They went into full speed attack mode.”

“It’s all good, Muerto,” I replied.

Nick chuckled. “I can hear you all in the distance like the sound of thunder. The Starlight passengers are going to tip the boat over if they don’t stop ogling the fireworks on the starboard side.”

Rachel called out a warning and coordinates, followed by range finder digital readout. I heard the M107 fire a rapid burst, followed by Nick’s voice again.

“I had one of those Boko’s getting ready to take a potshot at us with a rocket launcher. I’m glad you guys are here.”

“Enjoy the show.” No more play. Lucas switched our music network into complete ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ sound storm.

They didn’t know what to think in the lead boat as I went straight at them with Case firing the Yak-B Gatling gun and Kabong firing our XM25. We stitched everything down the middle. Clint and Lynn worked the .50 caliber machine gun and XM25 on the ship at our right, while the minions devastated the assault craft on the left with XM307 fire coupled with .50 caliber machine gun from the fast attacking Sea Wolf. All pirate assault craft bobbed dead in the water from the EMP blasts. I grinned at Case. He ordered the assault of a lifetime with enthusiasm.

“Regroup in the front,” Casey stated over the intercom. “Cheese thinks the time is right for last call. After each pass, we line again for the next wave. No stray shots hitting the wrong targets.”

“Yes!” Kabong called out from our interior.

Serious acknowledgement sounded as we all moved into frontal attack positions. The two ships on either side of our target vessel were already listing to their sides with fire bellowing out from below decks. Boko’s and Isis pirate puppets danced on the decks with their hands spiking the air in surrender modes.

“Ah… isn’t that cute,” Lynn said. “They all want to surrender. This is going to be the last time you bastards ever go after another ship. Light ‘em up.”

On came ‘Ride of the Valkyries’ with the extended beginning Jafar rigged for this. Oh my God. I don’t know what the pirates thought, but we went nuts. I could see fists pumping the air and slicing forward. The Boko Haram and Isis Muslim murderers I’m sure thought this was the end of the world. For them, they were absolutely right. We flew with rockets, Gatling guns, machine guns, and grenade launchers all on target behind the pounding beat actually stirring the ocean, a sound and fury of Monster making bliss. Good Lord in heaven it was so good we reformed after the massive explosions to go again and again until even the smoke from burning debris had been vaporized.

“Tell me you got all that, Achmed!”

“In HD glory, John.”

“The Starlight passengers and crew are hanging out with mouths open,” Nick said. “I’m afraid they got the magnificent attack too, but most will only have pictures of far off mayhem. I’ll meet you on the helicopter pad in five with my gear, Laredo.”

“Be right there, Nick.”

* * *

“Jesus, Nick… that was a kill mission?” Rachel watched the far off haze of destruction without illusions. Until that moment the term ‘kill mission’ meant something beyond her understanding.

“Yep.” Nick packed his equipment bag for the trek down to the helicopter pad. “That was your first one. If these Isis freaks keep this shit going, it won’t be the last. C’mon. Walk me down to the LZ.”

Rachel charged into Nick’s arms with wild abandon until Nick spotted the UH-60M heading for the LZ. He pushed her away gently. “I have to go, babe. I will be back.”

“You’d better.”

As Nick and Rachel reached the lower deck, a red tank-topped, familiar figure blocked their path.

“What the hell were you two doing? Did you people have something to do with those explosions? I’m going to-”

Rachel kicked Dolta Charlie in the groin. In a split second, Charlie dropped to the deck in a fetal position, hugging his injured part. Rachel gave the smiling Nick a quick kiss. “I got this, Muerto. Go on.”

Nick waved as he raced away. “See you soon.”

On the helicopter pad, Nick kept his hands in plain sight until recognized by Chuck and Sal. “Great job, guys. Sorry about having to wound those guys but we just didn’t have time for a distraction.”

“They’re okay, Nick,” Sal said.

“Good luck in Chabahar,” Chuck added, throwing Nick’s equipment bag aboard the UH-60M.

“If we need luck, my friend, we’re in trouble.” Nick saluted and climbed aboard after Jafar. In a matter of moments, Laredo lifted off carefully from the Starlight.

“I wish I could have been with you for that Monster Mash,” Nick told Clint and Lynn.

“Those were amazing shots you made, Dead Boy,” Clint said.

“You’ll be with us hitting Chabahar. It’s too bad you and Cheese have to mine the port before we hit it.”

“We have to, Lynn. Otherwise our chances of pulling those two tools, Khan and Mannan out of there would take divine intervention. We have to get them in one piece for you to extract a few more pertinent facts, right?”

Lynn smiled. “Absolutely.”

* * *

We were one happy, solemn pack of Monsters. We steamed for Chabahar for the most dangerous part ahead. The helicopters were refueled, all weapons loaded. My Mi-24, renamed Cheeseburger One by Lynn, contrasted with the UH-60M in a pleasant killer type mode as they rested side by side. Then Jafar ran out with his satellite laptop to present us with a rather huge unexpected consequence, at least in size. We had anticipated some reaction in Iran to our obliteration of their pirate buddies and flagged gunboat. We did not expect anything like a destroyer sent at full speed toward us. It was an admission by Iran they knew and sponsored the pirate enterprise of taking the Starlight of the Seas.

Denny stared out at us from his seat in the AWACS, sweat staining his clothing. “The Iranian destroyer Peris is on its way full speed toward you. My advice is to abort, split off, and head full bore toward Dubai. You’ve already completed the warning mission plus one flagged Iranian gunboat.”

“Listen, Snow White,” Nick barked. “This was a kill mission. That included scout craft, and I don’t give a shit what flag they hid under.”

“We have twin RGM-84 rockets thanks to you, Denny,” I interjected as the rest of the Monsters enjoyed Nick’s rebuttal. “We’re not turning back.”

Denny’s face went white. “No… John… you can’t take out a foreign nation’s warship in International Waters! Good Lord… steer for Dubai. That’s an order!”

“See you on the other side, Snow White. If you cut our live feed from the AWACS, you’d better start praying I don’t live.”

“I would never do that, John. Data streaming on the Peris will continue. Captain Blood out.”

I turned to Jafar. “Fix us with a complete data feed to our big guns, Achmed. I’ll bet the Peris doesn’t know they’re probably already in range.”

“On it.”

I looked around at my fellow Monsters. “Anyone not in on watching what an RGM-84 can do to a destroyer class ship?”

Smiling silent faces. We were at war. The guys didn’t bail at Bastogne. Neither would we. I turned to my other RGM-84 trained Monster. “Ready, Nightshot?”