Читать книгу End Game - Dale Brown - Страница 12

Storm took Admiral Johnson’s communication in his cabin. The admiral’s blotchy face was rendered even redder by the LCD screen. Johnson was aboard his flagship, the Nimitz, sailing in the waters north of Taiwan.

‘What’s going on out there, Storm?’

‘Good evening, Admiral. I’m about to send a boarding party over to a boat I suspect is a smuggler.’

‘That’s what you called me about?’

‘No,’ said Storm. ‘About an hour ago we spotted four aircraft flying very low and fast toward northeastern Somalia. We were not able to identify the aircraft. Given the size of the force, they may have been terrorists going ashore to a camp we don’t know about. Since they were flying in the direction of Port Somalia, I tried to contact the Indian force there, but could not. I wanted to send –’

‘Port Somalia? The Indian tanker station? What is your exact location?’

‘We’re about eighty nautical miles –’

‘Exact location.’

Storm looked over to the small computer screen near the video display, then read off the GPS coordinates.

‘What are you doing so close to that end of the gulf?’ said Johnson. ‘You’re supposed to be chasing pirates.’

‘With all due respect, Admiral, that’s what I’m doing. I have a smuggler in sight, and we’re preparing to board her. I called to alert you to these aircraft, so a message could be sent through the normal channels. I don’t know whether their radio –’

‘You know as well as I do that you’re a good deal east of the area we discussed two days ago. A good deal east.’

‘I’m within the parameters of my patrol area. I’m not in coastal waters.’

When Johnson was displeased – as he was just about every time Storm talked to him – his cheeks puffed slightly and his eyes narrowed at the corners, so that he looked like the mask of an Asian sea devil. When he became really angry – which happened often – his forehead grew red and he had difficulty speaking. Storm saw the space above his eyebrows tint, and decided it was time to return the conversation to its point.

‘Should I attempt to contact the Pentagon to alert the Indians at Port Somalia?’ he asked.

‘No, you should not.’ Johnson scowled. ‘We’ll handle that here.’

The screen blanked before Storm could respond.