Chapter 8 - The Silent Boarding
Jax drove the truck at dangerous speeds toward the heavily guarded naval shipyard.
We parked two miles out and approached the perimeter through the dense, marshy shoreline.
The massive destroyer loomed in the dark harbor, a towering fortress of gray steel and lethal weaponry.
Searchlights swept across the water, making a direct approach completely impossible.
"We go through the drainage pipes and climb the anchor chain," Jax whispered, handing me a pair of tactical gloves.
We slipped into the freezing water, swimming silently beneath the pier.
The deafening hum of the ship's massive engines masked the sound of our movements.
We reached the colossal iron links of the anchor chain and began the grueling climb upward.
My muscles burned, but the image of my brother's beaten face kept me pulling myself higher.
We slipped through a maintenance hatch near the bow, stepping dripping wet into the dimly lit corridors.
Miller led the way, using a stolen maintenance keycard to bypass the lower deck security doors.
We moved like ghosts, avoiding two different armed patrols of Adrian's loyal men.
We finally reached the heavy steel door of the captain's quarters.
Jax bypassed the electronic lock with a splicing tool, and the door hissed open.
The room was lavish for a warship, featuring mahogany accents and a large, reinforced steel safe bolted to the floor.
"The biometric scanner requires a pulse and Adrian's specific thumbprint," Miller said, inspecting the safe.
"I can bypass the biometrics, but I need three minutes," Jax said, pulling out a bundle of wires.
I stood guard by the door, watching the hallway through the small porthole window.
Suddenly, the ship's horn blasted a deafening warning signal, vibrating the deck beneath our feet.
"We are detaching from the pier," Miller warned, looking out the window at the receding city lights.
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The heavy thud of combat boots echoed loudly down the corridor, heading straight for us.
The door burst open, and Adrian stood in the threshold, flanked by six armed mercenaries with their rifles raised.
