Running Dark by Jamie Freveletti

asked.
    “I may.” Banner wasn’t prepared to tell Rickell everything until he knew what had occurred.
    “You may? If you don’t, I’ll use Synocorp. Your company is far too controversial at the moment. Last thing I need is Cooley questioning my choices.”
    Banner kept his voice neutral. “Why don’t you tell me what’s happening, and I’ll tell you if Darkview can help.”
    Rickell looked annoyed. “Here’s what’s happening: Three hours ago the USS Redoubtable answered a distress signal from a cruise ship headed to the Seychelles Islands. Seems they were under attack by pirates. While we are of course concerned about people on this ship, we are also deeply concerned about the international ramifications of intercepting the pirates without proper authority. As you know, the insurgents control most of Somalia as of last month, and they have instituted patrols along the edge of Somali territorial waters.”
    “Who owns the ship?” Banner asked.
    “It’s registered in Liberia, flies the Liberian flag, is operated by a German shipping conglomerate, and is owned by the Bermudan subsidiary of an American holding company. The passengers are tourists from ten different countries, including the U.S.”
    “So who’s the lucky country that gets to intercept?”
    Rickell shrugged. “None, or all of the above. The UN coalition forces have taken over patrolling the Gulf of Aden trade route, so the UN is first in line.”
    “What have they done?”
    Ms. Plower spoke up. “They’ve sent a strongly worded letter demanding the pirates cease and desist.”
    “That’ll work.” Banner’s voice was dry.
    “CTG 600 is in the area but under attack by another pirate cell, so it will be at least eighteen hours before they can address the problem.”
    “Who insures the ship?” Stromeyer said.
    “A Bermudan insurance company. They’ve indicated that they will pay a ransom immediately should the pirates successfully take the ship and passengers. They feel quite strongly that the pirates should not be provoked into escalating violence. Deaths would only result in lawsuits. But we need to mount some action, because we’re concerned about the cargo they’re carrying.”
    “I thought you said it was a cruise ship, not a cargo ship,” Banner said.
    “It’s both at the moment. It’s carrying both tourists and cargo.”
    Rickell hesitated. Banner could see that he was weighing how much to tell about the incident. Banner decided to nudge him along.
    “So what’s the cargo?”
    Rickell sighed. “It’s carrying pharmaceutical supplies and vaccines.”
    Stromeyer looked up from the paper in front of her. “Sounds harmless enough.”
    Rickell shook his head. “We just received an intelligence reportclaiming that hidden within the boxes marked ‘vaccines’ are two vials of ricin.”
    Banner watched Plower’s mouth drop open.
    “Is that a bomb?” she asked.
    “It’s poison derived from the beans of a castor plant. Introduce it into the food supply and thousands could die.”
    “And the boxes marked ‘pharmaceuticals’?” Stromeyer’s voice was shocked.
    Rickell shifted in his seat. “We’re told they contain something more dangerous than ricin, but we were not informed of the exact nature of what’s inside. Seems no one, not even our source, is sure what’s in there.”
    “Which company manufactured the vaccines?”
    “Price Pharmaceuticals,” Plower said.
    “Can they get us any closer? Is it chemical, mineral, explosive?” Banner asked.
    “We think chemical. After all, chemical weapons are the future—everybody knows this.”
    Banner was already planning the rescue. “You said the Redoubtable received the call. Can they intervene?”
    Rickell shook his head. “They’re under attack from a small group of militants. I say small, but they’re well armed. The Redoubtable is holding its own, of course, but there’s no time to fight this battle and then get to the cruise ship.”
    “Don’t you have