Retribution Read Online Free PDF Page A

northward.
    Mack turned back to the others. All of them, including the injured Cantor, were staring in the direction of the ship that had fired the missile. Its bow was turning in their direction.
    “All right, guys, here’s what we’re going to do,” Mack said. “Number one, we get the other raft inflated and lash it to this one. Number two, we find the Abner Read . She’s to the southwest.”
    “Major, that ship has to be fifty or sixty miles from us,” said Dish, glancing at Cantor. “I don’t know.”
    “I do know,” said Mack forcefully. “Let’s get this fucking done. And no more bullshit defeat talk.”
    “I’m not—”
    “No more bullshit, period,” said Mack, fishing for the uninflated raft kit.
    Aboard the Wisconsin,
over the northern Arabian Sea
0752
    D OG COUNTED OFF SIXTY MORE SECONDS BEFORE ALLOWING himself to believe the missile had missed. He turned theMegafortress to the west, now well north of the Chinese and his men.
    “Dreamland Command, this is Wisconsin . I’ve just been fired on by the Chinese frigate. I’m all right,” he added, almost as an afterthought. “What happened to the cease-fire?”
    “We copy, Colonel,” said Major Catsman. “We’re alerting U.S. forces in the area. We’re on the line with the White House,” she told him, pausing. “They’re assuring us a cease-fire has been worked out.”
    “Well assure them a missile just flew by my windshield.”
    “Yes, sir.” Catsman paused once more, apparently relaying the information. “There’s a possibility not all Chinese units got the message,” she told Dog. “It’s being reissued.”
    A handy excuse, thought Dog—and one typically employed by the Chinese.
    “I’m going to go east and circle. Hopefully he’ll think I’m over our guys and he’ll change direction,” said Dog. “I’m not sure what else I can do.”
    “Colonel, be advised that our data on Chinese frigates indicate that it’s carrying HQ-7 antiair missiles similar to Cro-tales. You will be within lethal range of the missiles at seven miles.”
    “I already found that out, Major. But thanks.”
    Aboard the Abner Read,
northern Arabian Sea
0800
    T HE PETTY OFFICER SHOT HIS ARMS INTO THE AIR , SIGNALING to Starship that the Werewolf was clear to launch.
    “Werewolf powering up!” said the pilot, louder than necessary. His adrenaline was getting the better of him.
    “Werewolf is away,” he reported to Tac as the robot leapt into the air. Starship spun his tail, got his nose down and whipped over the waves, racing for the Chinese pilot. The computer marked off his progress in a legend to the right ofthe red crosshair designating the man’s location. He throttled back as he reached the flier. The wash from the blades made the collar at the bottom of the rope dance back and forth. It wasn’t going to be as easy to grab as Starship thought.
    The man in the water bobbed helplessly as Starship approached. He fired off a round of flares, trying to make sure he had the man’s attention, then nudged the Werewolf down until the collar skimmed in the waves. The wash from the rotors beat a circle before him as he worked slowly toward the pilot.
    The pilot disappeared in a swell. Starship pushed forward in a rush, then realized that was the wrong thing to do—he was only roiling the water further. He slid the aircraft into a turn and throttled back as much as possible before trying again after the man’s head reappeared.
    He stopped about four or five feet from the downed pilot.
    “Grab it, damn it,” he said, sliding the collar right in front of his face, but the man still didn’t react.
    He’s dead, he thought.
    Not ready to give up, Starship nudged the stick back gently in the direction of the man. The collar hit the pilot in the chest as a small burst of wind nudged the aircraft downward.
    “Grab it!” urged Starship. He flipped on the Werewolf ’s PA system and told him to take the line. The Chinese pilot still didn’t