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Rashid surmised it was not improbable for the Russians to think that, with the new North Korean acquisition using an inexperienced crew, it was more than likely the Americans or British would soon sink the vessel anyway if it encroached upon their turf. No one then, apart from the Koreans, would be the wiser. Rashid, however, knew once his task was successfully completed, the submarine would be scuttled. He knew also that the ninety Iranians now crewing the Maru Blue were ready to man the submarine when the time came. As Islamic militants and sleepers, they were now about to glorify Islam, strike a fatal blow to the infidel and, if necessary, die in the process.

Eventually, the Maru Blue sailed past Rogers Head, the bleak promontory dividing Atlas Cove from Corinthian Bay to the east, and finally anchored in the cove several hundred yards from shore. Darkness had almost descended. The weather was unusually good for this time of year with light winds, intermittent rain squalls and moderate seas. The captain and, in particular, Ali bin Rashid hoped it would stay that way, at least until the transfer had been made. Both men also hoped that the submarine was not that far away. They did not relish the thought of waiting too long in these bleak, foreboding surroundings. After shutting down most of the ship’s systems, they could do nothing now but wait for the submarine to arrive.

11

Ryder awoke abruptly, shaken by Chol.

“We have a problem,” he whispered, finger to lips. “Patrol!”

Immediately Ryder reached for his gun and sprang to the cave entrance. He was followed closely by Chol, Song and Grace. Joining Bom in the dense bush outside, they watched in the fading light as a twelve-man patrol traversed a clearing in the shallow valley below and headed up the slope towards them.

Ryder focused his binoculars on the patrol. “We’re lucky, no dogs,” he said calmly. “If we remain in cover here, they might pass without spotting us.”

“Not if they see this cave,” said Grace.

“Then we’ll have to pray they don’t,” hissed Ryder. “They’re too close. If we move now, they’ll see us for sure.”

“We won’t stand a chance if they do, boss,” said Chol, his soft features now taut.

Ryder’s mind raced. If the cave was spotted, then surprise would be their only choice. He whispered to the others. “If they make for the cave, we take them. Make every shot count.” He looked at Grace, who nodded determinedly, but he could see her fear. “Grace, you take the nearest two; Greg, you take the next two; Cam the next pair and Dan the following three. I’ll take the remaining three.”

With guns ready, silencers attached, the group waited.

The patrol wound its way in single-file through the tall pines and scattered bush, and was now less than a hundred yards away.

Suddenly, from between the bush and trees, a large black bear emerged with two cubs and ambled towards the cave.

The group looked aghast at the animal, then back at the oncoming patrol.

Grace was the nearest to the hulking forms. “This must be its lair!” she shot, voice low and urgent as she watched the big mother bear, now only yards away.

“Shoot it!” Ryder hissed between clenched teeth.

The bear caught their scent and rose on its hindquarters.

The patrol saw it and stopped in its tracks.

The throb of a helicopter came on the air, then suddenly flew over the ridge in a crescendo of noise. Moments later, it landed in the clearing below.

The patrol’s attention was immediately diverted, as was the bear’s. Ryder feared more troops were on their way. But he need not have worried; no one emerged from the craft. The patrol promptly turned towards it and scrambled back down the slope, much to Ryder’s relief.

The bear’s attention, however, wavered between looking up through the trees, then at the helicopter, then at the entrance to the cave. It saw the group, roared violently and lunged towards Grace.

Ryder fired at the same time she did. Both their shots hit the target; his neatly penetrated its eye and Grace’s two bullets full into the heart.

The animal crashed heavily to the ground, still alive, and Ryder quickly finished it off with two more bullets to the head.

The cubs scrambled over their mother.

Grace bent down and picked up one of the spitting cubs. “What shall we do with these?”

“Kill’em,” Ryder snapped, wanting to get away quickly.

“Do we have to?” she pleaded.

“They’ll die anyway; it’s more humane this way. They’ll either die slowly from starvation or get eaten by other animals.”

She nodded and put the cub down; the decision was his.

He raised his gun and, without hesitation, put a bullet through the head of each cub and turned away. “Let’s get the shit outta here. I want to be at that lake tomorrow, first light.”

As they headed off into the trees Ryder worried about the patrol. He hoped it had just been a part of an exercise and not specifically on the hunt for them. It could only be the latter if they had discovered the body of the goat herder, the dead truckers, or the soldiers where Grace had been detained. But Ryder knew it would have to be an extraordinary hunt to have tracked them this far from the findings. But somehow the nagging thought would not go away that the patrol was searching for them. They would need to be extra vigilant from now on.

12

Captain Grosky moved towards the periscopes in K449’s control room.

“Periscope depth,” he ordered.

Minutes later he commanded, “Up periscope.” Then swivelled the peaked cap and waited impatiently for the viewer to reach eye level.

When it arrived he lowered the hand pieces, clamped his head to the viewer and swung it around.

Almost immediately, the Maru Blue came into view riding moderate waves in Atlas Cove under a leaden sky. The captain felt a sense of relief, tinged with sadness. He would now have to hand over command to the Korean admiral. “Down periscope. Go to surface.”

On the bridge of the freighter, the duty officer notified the captain as soon as K449 had broken the surface 200 yards out on the starboard beam. Within minutes Captain Moradi, together with Ali bin Rashid, watched the sleek black warship wallow in the swell as men sprang from the aft hatches and began to lower an inflatable into the water. Rope ladders secured, four men clambered down the submarine hull and were transported the short distance to the Maru Blue.

In the freighter’s wardroom, Captain Moradi and Ali bin Rashid formally welcomed Admiral Park Hyok, Captain Grosky, Captain Asad Kamani and Lieutenant Hamid Zaha on board. After introductions were made, all six sat down to enjoy Turkish coffee and sweetmeats. Of the men present, only Captain Grosky and Admiral Park were totally unaware as to the true intentions of the others. Once the small talk had finished, followed by discussions on the technical capabilities of K449 and handing over procedures cleared, both were politely dismissed and both men returned to K449 to prepare for the transfer of command and the crew to the freighter. The remaining four then got down to the real business at hand.