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The three of them climbed into the lifeboat equipped with a motor that Matt used to navigate toward the trawler. He had to slow down almost immediately to avoid a rock just under the surface. The waves pushed them up and down, up and down. Kara thanked whatever angel was watching out for her that she hadn’t eaten anything in the last six hours.
Matt clearly had done something like this before, Kara thought, as he adeptly brought the motorboat alongside the anchored boat.
Michael climbed out first, elegantly for a large man, and reached down to help Kara out. He practically pulled her straight up into the bigger boat.
“Do what I say,” Michael instructed her. “If I tell you to run, get off the boat. Follow directly behind me.”
Matt maneuvered the skiff away from the trawler. Kara could still see him off the bow.
Michael took a bright light from his utility belt. The SEALs really were always prepared, Kara thought. He inspected the deck, then the small cabin, for explosives. “Clear.”
A large hatch went down below—where the fish were stored, Kara figured—and that’s where the heat sensor had indicated Jamie was being held.
Michael got down on all fours to inspect the seams of the hatch. Kara held on to the metal railing to prevent herself from falling. How the hell did Michael have such great balance when the boat was continually bobbing in the waves? There were beams all over the place, a hook hanging from the cabin. She had no idea what the equipment did or how it was used, but everything looked dangerous.
“Clear,” he said and opened the door. He secured it with a chain that was already there. “Stay until I call you.”
“Roger that, GQ.”
He glanced at her and gave her a reassuring smile.
She held on because otherwise she would be staggering around like a drunk and probably fall overboard. Michael disappeared into the hull. Kara couldn’t hear anything but waves splashing against the side. She was already soaked wet and the cold gusts of wind made her shiver.
“Kara!” Michael’s booming voice called.
She let go of the railing and scrambled down the ladder into the hull that smelled like rotten fish. Michael was shining his light in the cavernous space, which wasn’t much taller than she was, though long and wide, going the entire length of the boat.
Jamie was tied to the center post, just under the ladder, her hands suspended to a thick pipe that ran along the ceiling. She was unconscious but breathing.
Then Kara noticed what Michael was shining his light toward.
A wire went all around the edge of the hull, and chunks of C-4 were attached in three corners.
“It’s on a timer,” he said. “We have twenty minutes—I’m going to try to defuse. I need you to get Jamie out. Now.”
That was all the motivation Kara needed. She pulled her knife out of her boot and cut the ropes holding Jamie to the pipe.
Michael swore. “What the fuck?”
“I just cut the rope like you said!”
“A wire was embedded in the rope! I didn’t fucking see it! Shit! Get out, Quinn! Go, go, go! Matt!” he said into his comm. “We have two minutes, get your ass here!”
Michael picked Jamie up and threw her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing. Kara was already up the ladder.
Matt was approaching the trawler fast in the orange rescue boat. Kara held on to the railing with both hands as the waves rocked them up and down. Michael swung himself over the railing and held on with one hand like Tarzan, still holding Jamie on his shoulder, while Matt maneuvered the boat underneath them. Matt, who like Michael seemed to be able to balance even on the water, reached up as Michael lowered Jamie to him. Matt grabbed her and set her on the bottom of the boat.
She was safe. She was alive. Kara breathed a bit easier.
Michael reached out for Kara’s hand. “Take it,” he said.
She did. Michael’s large hand grasped her wrist and they were almost out of this.
“Okay, let go. I’ll lower you down.”
She let go, lost her balance, but Michael held tight.
“You got this, KQ,” Michael said with a wink.
