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t； you can lend a hand at damage control。 And you can bet there will be plenty of damage to go around。〃
〃Will it be absolutely necessary to shoot down the boarding party without warning？〃 asked Linda Ross。
〃Keep in mind；〃 Cabrillo said to her bluntly； 〃these people do not intend to allow anybody on board this ship to reach port。 Because they are no doubt aware of our involvement with the underwater search of the United States； there is not the slightest doubt they mean for all of us to sleep with fishes before morning。〃
Pitt's eyes raked Cabrillo's； searching for a tinge of regret； a sign that he thought that what they were about to do was a colossal mistake； but there was none of it。 〃Does it bother you that we might be mistaken about their intentions and mit an act of war？〃
Cabrillo pulled his pipe out of a breast pocket and scraped the bowl。 Then he said； 〃I don't mind admitting that I'm a bit worried on that score； but we can't run from then air force； so we have no option but to bluff our way out； and if that fails； we must fight。〃
Like a gray ghost gliding over a black sea streaked by the full moon； the big Chinese destroyer overhauled the slow…moving Oregon with the malevolence of an Orca killer whale stalking a friendly manatee。 But for its ungainly array of navigation； surface… and air…search detection and countermeasure systems that were perched above ugly towers； the ship might have had a sleek appearance。 As it was； it looked like it was glued together by a small child who wasn't sure where all the pieces went。
Hali Kasim； the Oregon's vice president in charge of munications； called through the speakerphone on the bridge wing to Cabrillo； who now stood observing the destroyer through night glasses。
〃Mr。 Cabrillo； they've ordered us to heave to。〃
〃In what language？〃
〃English；〃 answered Kasim。
〃An amateurish attempt to get us to tip our hand。 Answer them in Arabic。〃
There was a short pause。 〃They called our bluff； sir。 They have someone on board who can speak Arabic。〃
〃String them along for a little while。 We don't want to appear too anxious to appease。 Ask why we should obey their orders in international waters。〃
Cabrillo lit his pipe and waited。 He looked down on the deck where Pitt； Giordino and three of his crew had assembled； all armed for a knock…down； drag…out fight。
〃They're not buying it；〃 came Hali Kasim's voice again。 〃They say if we don't stop immediately； they will blow us out of the water。〃
〃Are they jamming in anticipation of us sending out a distress signal？〃
〃You can make book on it。 Any message we transmit outside the immediate area will be received garbled。〃
〃What are the chances of a friendly warship cruising in the neighborhood； like a nuclear submarine？〃
〃None；〃 came the voice of Linda Ross in the countermea…sures and surveillance room。 〃The only vessel within a hundred miles is a Japanese auto transporter。〃
〃All right；〃 Cabrillo sighed。 〃Signal them that we will ply and heave to。 But inform them that we will protest this outrage to the World Board of Trade and International Maritime Council。〃
Cabrillo could then do nothing but wait and watch the Chinese destroyer emerge from the gloom。 Besides his pair of unblinking eyes； the big warship was covered by the two concealed Harpoon missiles mounted in the center of the Oregon's hull； the two Mark 46 torpedoes in their underwater tubes and the muzzles of twin Oerlikon thirty…millimeter guns that could spit seven hundred rounds per minute out of each barrel。
All that could be done in preparation had been done。 Cabrillo was proud of his corporate team。 If there was unease； none of them showed it。 What was visible was a determination； a grim satisfaction； that they were going to tackle an opponent twice their size and ten times as powerful and see it through to the end。 There would be no turning of the cheek after a slap。 The point of no return had been passed； and it was they who were going to slap first。
The destroyer came to a stop and drifted no more than two hundred yards away from the Oregon。 Through his night glasses； Cabrillo could read the big white numbers painted near the bow。 He called down to Ross； 〃Can you give me an ID on Chinese destroyer number one hundred sixteen？ I repeat； one sixteen。〃
He waited for a reply as he watched a boat being lowered from the destroyer's midships and clearing her davits。 The boarding operation went smoothly； and the boat pushed off from the destroyer and headed across the gap between the two ships； ing alongside the hull of the simple…looking old freighter within twelve minutes。 He noted with no little satisfaction that the turreted twin one…hundred…millimeter guns on the bow were the only weapons trained on the Oregon。 The missile launchers appeared deserted and secured。 The thirty…seven millimeter gun mounts had their barrels trained fore and aft。
〃I have your ED；〃 came back Ross。 〃Number one sixteen is called the Chengdo。 She's the biggest and the best the Chinese Navy has to offer。 She is captained by mander Yu Tien。 With enough time I could get you his bio。〃
〃Thank you； Ross； don't bother。 It's always nice to know the name of your enemy。 Please stand by to fire all weapons。〃 〃All weapons ready to fire when you are； Mr。 Chairman；〃 Ross answered； cool and unruffled。
The boarding ladder was thrown over the side； and the Chinese marines； led by a naval lieutenant and a captain of the marine contingent； quickly scrambled from their boat onto the deck。 There was an almost festive air about the boarders； a placency bordering more on a Boy Scout camping trip than an operation conducted by tough fighting men。
〃Damn！〃 Cabrillo cursed。 There were more than twice as many of them as he figured； and all armed to the teeth。 He agonized over not being able to spare any more men for the approaching fight on the main deck。 He looked down at Pete James and Bob Meadows； the ship's divers and former Navy SEALs； and at Eddie Seng； all three of them standing at the railing； their machine pistols held under their coats。 Then he spotted Pitt and Giordino standing squarely in front of the Chinese officers； their hands held high in the air。
Cabrillo's immediate reaction was one of infuriation。 With Pitt and Giordino surrendering without a fight； the other three crewman wouldn't stand a prayer against over twenty bat…trained marines。 The Chinese would brush them aside and be all over the ship in a matter of minutes。 〃You yellow…bellied wimps！〃 he exploded； shaking his fist at Pitt and Giordino。 〃You dirty traitors。〃
〃What's your count？〃 Pitt asked Giordino as the last of the Chinese marines came over the railing。
〃Twenty…one；〃 Giordino answered placently。 〃Four to one against us。 Not exactly what I'd call 'slightly outnumbered。' 〃
〃I make the same odds。〃
They stood awkwardly； wearing long winter coats； their hands raised over their heads in apparent surrender。 Eddie Seng； James and Meadows stared at the boarding Chinese sullenly； like crewmen irritated by any interruption of their normal shipboard routine。 The effect had the results Pitt counted on。 The Chinese marines； seeing the feeble reception； relaxed and held their weapons loosely； not expecting any resistance from a disreputable crew on a shabby ship。
The naval officer； arrogant and staring as if in disgust at the motley crew that greeted him； strutted up to Pitt and demanded to know in English where he could find the ship's captain。
Without the slightest indication of malice as he looked from the naval lieutenant to the marine captain； Pitt purred politely； 〃Which of you is Beavis and which is Butt…head？〃
〃What was that you said？〃 demanded the lieutenant。 〃If you don't want to get shot； lead me to your captain。〃
Pitt's expression took on a mask of pure fright。 〃Heh？ You want captain？ You should say so。〃 He turned slightly and made a production of tilting his head toward Cabrillo on the bridge wing； who was cursing a blue streak in anger。
In a moment of sheer reflex； all heads and every eye followed Pitt's gesture toward the shouting man。
Then from the bridge； with sudden； startling clarity； Cabrillo understood what the two NUMA men were up to and gazed hypnotized at the bloody fight that erupted before his eyes。 He watched in dazed astonishment as Pitt and Giordino suddenly sprouted another pair of hands from under their coats； each hand gripping a machine pistol； fingers locked on the triggers。 They cut a deadly swath through the Chinese marines； who were caught totally off balance。 The two officers were the first to fall； followed by the next six men behind them。 They could never； never have been prepared for such a vicious onslaught； certainly not from men who appeared frightened and cowering。 In a fraction of a minute the unexpected assault had cut the odds from four to a little more than two to one。 An arrogant confrontation quickly turned into a gory rampage of chaos。
Aware in advance of the phony…arms deception； Seng； James and Meadows instantly leveled their weapons and opened fire less than a second after Pitt and Giordino。 It was bedlam。 Men falling； scattering； frantically trying to cut each other down。 The Chinese marines were professional fighting men and a brave lot。 They recovered quickly and stood their ground on the deck； now heaped with their fallen rades； and fired back。 In a lightning stroke of time every clip in every gun had gone empty in almost the same instant。 Seng was hit and down on one knee。 Meadows had taken a bullet in one shoulder but was swinging his gun like a club。 With no time to reload； Pitt and Giordino threw their weapons at the eight Chinese marines still fighting and waded in slugging。 Yet even during that raging flash when the two forces fell on each other in a cursing； punching horde of twisting bodies； Pitt was aware of Cabrillo's cry from the bridge。
〃Fire； for God's sake； fire！〃
A section of the Oregon's hull snapped open in the blink of an eye and the two Harpoon missiles burst from their launchers in almost the same instant as the Mark 46 torpedoes shot from their tubes。 A second later the twin Oerlikons opened up； aimed and fired by mand from the bat control center； spitting a hail of shells against the Chengdo's missile launchers； that knocked their systems out of action before they could be activated and launched against the unarmored freighter。 Time froze to a stop as the Oregon's first missile tore into the big destroyer's hull below the large single funnel and burst into the engine room。 The second Harpoon struck the tower mounting the Chengdo's munications systems； effectively silencing any transmission to her fleet mand。
The slower torpedoes came next； exploding as one no more than thirty feet apart； throwing up a tremendous pair of geysers beside the Chengdo； rocking it nearly over on its beam ends。 It settled back on an even keel for a moment； and then began to list to starboard as the water rushed in through two holes as large as barn doors。
Captain Yu Tien of the Chengdo； normally a cautious man； fell for the sleight of hand as he peered through binoculars at the seemingly innocent old ship； observing his marines board without the slightest show of resistance。 He watched as the green； white and red Iranian national flag was lowered and replaced with the red ensign of the People's Republic of China； with its five gold stars。 Then suddenly Captain Yu Tien was paralyzed in disbelieving shock。 One minute his seemingly invincible ship was calmly overhauling what appeared to be a rusty old tramp steamer； the next the helpless tramp had inflicted a horrifying amount of damage to his vessel with sophisticated precision。 Struck by missiles； torpedoes and a hail of small…weapons fire almost simultaneously； his ship was instantaneously mortally wounded。 He thought it outrageous that such an innocent mercial vessel could possess so much ftrepower。
Yu Tien stiffened as he saw death and dishonor creeping out of the ventilators； hatches and panionways leading down to the bowels of his ship。 What began as white puffs and orange flickers quickly became a torrent of red fire and black smoke from the shambles that had been an engine room but ha