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〃It can be done；〃 said Sayre； a usually taciturn man。 〃As soon as the pilots fire the missiles； they switch guidance control to the ground troops。 Your people； General Higgins； are close enough to the Iowa to lay a Satan within a two…foot diameter。〃
Higgins snatched the phone and stared at the President。 〃If Fawkes maintains his firing schedule； we have less than two minutes。〃
〃Go for it；〃 the President said without hesitation。
While Higgins gave instructions to the forces deployed around the Iowa； Kemper consulted a file on the ship's construction。
〃That turret is protected with steel armor plating seven to seventeen inches thick；〃 said Kemper。 〃We may not destroy it； but we'll sure as hell stun the crew。〃
〃The SEALs；〃 said the President。 〃Can they be warned of our intentions？〃
Kemper looked grim。 〃We would if we could； but there has been no radio contact with them since they took to the water。〃
Fergus could not make contact； because the radio had been shot out of his hands by a machine gun deployed on the Iowa's citadel。 A bullet had neatly amputated the middle finger of his left hand before biting through the transmitter and his right palm。 The backup radio was also gone； strapped to the belt of a team leader who took a hit in the chest and now floated lifelessly somewhere downriver。
Fergus had lost six men out of his original party of thirty while boarding the Iowa。 They had climbed the sides after shooting and then looping small lines from crossbows across the ship's stern。 These were attached to nylon ladders； which in turn were pulled up to the bulwarks。 The SEALs were met with a scathing fire when they reached the main deck。 Individually and in small teams they began pouring a return fire at the ship's defenders。
Fergus became cut off from his mand and was pinned down behind the fantail mounting where the aircraft crane had once stood。 Frustration overrode the pain in his wounded hands。 Time was running out。 His orders were to secure the landing pad before the South Africans could open fire。 He shouted a curse as the burst from the third blast rumbled down the river channel。
Above the bluffs he could see the Marine helicopters hovering； wait…ing impatiently for his signal to land。 Warily he poked his head around the crane mount and peered forward。 The guns perched behind steel…armor plating atop the main bridge temporarily ignored Fergus and concentrat…ed on his men； who had moved forward without him。
Cradling his automatic weapon in one arm； Fergus sprang to his feet and sprinted across the open deck； laying down a curtain fire。 He'd nearly made it to cover beneath the aft turret when Fawkes's men repaid his attention； and a bullet tore through the calf of his left leg。
He stumbled a few steps； fell； and rolled under the bulk of the dummy turret。 The new wound felt as though it were burning every nerve ending in his leg。 He lay on the deck； listening to the gunfire forward； soaking up the pain as two Specter jets screamed out of the morning sun and expelled their lethal cargo。
If it weren't for the dull ache that clutched every inch of his body； Pitt would have sworn he was dead。 Almost regretfully； he pushed the gray from his mind and forced his eyes open。
Then he ran his hands over his legs and body。 The worst he discov…ered； besides a horde of bruises； were two； possibly three cracked ribs。 He probed his head and sighed gratefully when his fingers came back free of blood。 The wooden splinters he found embedded in his right shoulder puzzled him。
He pushed himself to a sitting position and then rolled to his hands and knees。 All muscles were responding to mand。 So far； so good。 He took a deep breath and wove to his feet； no less elated at the ac…plishment than if he'd climbed Mount Everest。 A patch of daylight spilled through a jagged hole several feet away and he stumbled toward it。
His mind slowly began to hit on six of eight cylinders and analyzed why he hadn't been crushed to oatmeal when he smashed into the side of the ship's superstructure。 The quarter…inch plywood panels installed to replace the steel bulkheads had broken his impact。 He'd barreled through one outer partition like a cannonball and made a healthy dent in a second before ing to rest in a passageway outside the officers' wardroom。 So much for the mysterious slivers。
Through the haze he recalled a great booming sound and vibration。 The sixteen…inch guns； he figured。 But how often had they fired？ How long had he been out？ Sounds of small…arms fire rattled from outside。 Who was fighting whom？ He dismissed the thoughts almost as they occurred： they really didn't matter。 He had his own problems to solve。
He moved twenty feet down the passageway； stopped； and pulled a flashlight from one pocket and a folded paper containing the Iowa's deck plans from another。 It took him nearly two full minutes to pinpoint his exact location。 Looking at the maze that made up the internal arrange…ment of a battleship was like looking at a cutaway view of a skyscraper lying on its side。
Tracking out a path to the forward shell magazines； he moved sound…lessly along the passageway。 He had covered but a short distance when the ship rocked under a barrage of solid blows。 Dust accumulated during the Iowa's long years in mothballs erupted in smothering clouds。 Pitt flung out his arms to maintain his balance； lurched； and grabbed the frame of a door that had opportunely swung open。 He stood there choking back the dust while the tremors subsided。
He almost missed it； would have missed it if an indefinable curiosity hadn't tugged at his mind。 Not a curiosity； really； rather an incongruity caught within his peripheral vision。 He beamed the flashlight on a brown shoe…an expensive； handcrafted brown shoe…and saw it was attached to the leg of a black man stylishly attired in a business suit with vest。 His hands were tied wide apart by ropes wrapped to overhead pipes。
61
Hiram Lusana could not distinguish the features of the man standing in the doorway of his prison。 He looked large； but not as large as Fawkes。 That was all Lusana could tell； the flashlight in the stranger's hands blinded him。
〃I take it you lost the ship's popularity contest；〃 came a voice that sounded more friendly than hostile。
The dark form behind the light moved closer and Lusana felt his bonds being loosened。 〃Where are you taking me？〃
〃Nowhere。 But if you value social security in your old age； I suggest you get the hell off this boat before it's blown to pieces。〃
〃Who are you？〃
〃Not that it matters； the name's Pitt。〃
〃Are you part of Captain Fawkes's crew？〃
〃No； I'm free…lance。〃
〃I don't understand。〃
Pitt untied Lusana's left hand and started on the other without answer…ing。
〃You are an American；〃 said Lusana； more confused than ever。 〃Have you taken the ship from the South Africans？〃
〃We're working on it；〃 said Pitt； sorely wishing he'd brought along a knife。
〃Then you don't know who I am。〃
〃Should I？〃
〃My name is Hiram Lusana。 I am the leader of the African Army of Revolution。〃
Pitt finished with the last knot and stood back； aiming the light at Lusana's face。 〃Yes； I see that now。 What's your