Running Dark by Jamie Freveletti Read Free Book Online Page B

before we reach Berbera.” Janklow was once again ringing the negativity bell, and again Sumner had to agree with him.
    “Short-term, we need to get security patrols going. How’s the perimeter system?” Sumner knew that the boat had an electrified outer railing to deter boarding in just such a situation, and that it was a recent addition.
    “Second grenade took it out. Doesn’t work,” Janklow said.
    “Guns on board?” Sumner spoke to Wainwright.
    “Two stun guns and a couple of flare guns. No pistols. Your rifle is the highest-caliber weapon we have.”
    “And it’s illegal,” Janklow said.
    Sumner nodded. “The only one who’s seen it is Block. I’ll talk tohim. Ask him not to broadcast it throughout the ship. We’ll have to double the security patrol. We should have at least two—one on either side and at the front and back—and they should work in shifts.”
    Wainwright shook his head. “We don’t have the manpower for that.”
    “We’ll need to recruit from the passengers,” Sumner said.
    “I don’t want to alarm the passengers any more than we have to.”
    “If they’re smart, they’ll feel safer to know that we’re taking steps to increase security. How about I start with Block? He already knows that we think they’ll be back, and he said he hunts. Means he must be able to shoot.”
    “I don’t like that guy,” Janklow said, “and he sure as hell panicked just now.”
    “He’s as big as a house,” Sumner said. “Someone like that gets frightened, he can do some damage. One of those whippet-thin Somalis climbs over the fence, he can just sit on the guy.”
    Wainwright gave a grim laugh. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
    “I’ll put this gun away and go get him. Maybe he has some insight into the other passengers. Help us pick the security team.” Sumner grabbed his gun case and headed out.
    The ship’s narrow hallways were empty. The passengers, ordered to their staterooms, had beaten a hasty retreat there. In the casino a dozen die-hard players sat at the blackjack tables, including the Russian and his mistress. They gambled with a joyless determination that reminded Sumner of the stories of passengers left behind on the Titanic, playing while the ship sank. He shook off the ghoulish thought. This ship would not sink. Not if he could help it. He jogged to his stateroom and shoved the titanium case back into the closet.
    He found Block at the casino bar, nursing a scotch. Cindy was nowhere in sight. Sumner couldn’t help but feel thankful for that. He didn’t know how she’d handle her husband being tapped for the security team. He slid onto a stool next to Block, who didn’t turn his headbut said, “You’re coming to ask me to keep quiet about what I saw, aren’t you?”
    Sumner hid his surprise at Block’s cynical question. Something told him to lay it out plain.
    “Only about the rifle. The rest you can shout to the world. Preferably the military world. Maybe they’ll send a destroyer to help us.”
    Block snorted. “They’d better do it fast. Those pirates are coming back.”
    The bartender stopped in front of Sumner. She was an attractive blonde, with green eyes, and even under the plain black-and-white uniform Sumner could see that she had a perfect figure.
    She put a cocktail napkin on the bar in front of him and gave him a professional smile. “What can I get you?”
    Sumner didn’t want a drink, but he ordered one anyway. “Maker’s Mark, neat.”
    The bartender set the drink on the table, and Block raised his in a toast. “To killing the bastards.”
    Sumner held his glass in the air. “To winning.”
    Block paused, the rim of his tumbler at his lips. He lowered it a fraction. “Ain’t that the same thing?”
    “Not if you’re bleeding out while you kill the last one,” Sumner said.
    Block shook his head. “Jesus, Sumner, what the hell kinda comment is that? Aren’t you a little young to be so jaded?”
    Sumner took a swallow of