〃Well； Captain； I am Sergeant William Powers of the Maryland State Police； and I have some questions for you。〃
〃You have no authority on my ship！〃 Frenza answered。 His accent was a mixture of Greek and some other tongue。 〃I will talk to the Coast Guard and no one else。〃
〃I want to make this real clear。〃 Powers walked the fifteen feet to the Captain； his hands tight around the Ithaca 12…gauge shotgun。 〃That shore you're tied to is the State of Maryland； and this shotgun says I got all the authority I need。 Now we have information that a boatload of terrorists is ing here； and the word is they've killed a bunch of people； including three state troopers。〃 He planted the muzzle against Frenza's chest。 〃Captain； if they do e here； or if you fuck with me any more tonight； you are in a whole shitpot full of trouble do you understand me！〃
The man wilted before his eyes。 Powers saw。 So the information is correct。 Good。
〃You would be well advised to cooperate； 'cause pretty soon we're going to have more cops here 'n you ever saw。 You just might need some friends； mister。 If you have something to tell me； I want to hear it right now。〃
Frenza hesitated； his eyes shifting toward the bow and back。 He was in deep trouble； more than his advance payment would ever cover。 〃There are four of them aboard。 They are forward； starboard side； near the bow。 We didn't know 〃
〃Shut up。〃 Powers nodded to a corporal； who got on his portable radio。 〃What about your crew？〃
〃The crew is below； preparing to take the ship to sea。〃
〃Sarge； the Coast Guard says they're three miles off and heading in。〃
〃All right。〃 Powers pulled a set of handcuffs from his belt。 He and his men took the four men standing bridge watch and secured them to the ship's wheel and two other fittings。 〃Captain； if you or your people make any noise at all； I'll e back here and splatter you all over this ship。 I am not kidding。〃
Powers took his men down to the main deck and forward on the port side。 The Costanza's superstructure was all aft。 Forward of it； the deck was a mass of cargo containers； each the size of a truck…trailer； piled three… and four…high。 Between each pile was an artificial alleyway； perhaps three feet wide； which allowed them to approach the bow unobserved。 The Sergeant had no SWAT experience； but all of his men had shotguns and he did know something of infantry tactics。
It was like walking alongside a building； except that the street was made of rusty steel。 The rain had abated； finally； but it still made noise； clattering on the metal container boxes。 They passed the last of these to find that the ship's forward hold was open and a crane was hanging over the starboard side。 Powers peeked around the corner and saw two men standing at the far side of the deck。 They appeared to be looking southeast； toward the entrance to the harbor。 There was no easy way to approach。 He and his men crouched and went straight toward them。 They'd gotten halfway when one turned。
〃Who are you？〃
〃State Police！〃 Powers noted the accent and brought his gun up； but he tripped on a deck fitting and his first shot went into the air。 The man on the starboard side came up with a pistol and fired； also missing； then ducked behind the container。 The fourth state trooper went forward around the deck hatch and fired at the container edge； covering his rades。 Powers heard a flurry of conversation and the sound of running feet。 He took a deep breath and ran to the starboard side。
No one was in sight。 The men who'd run aft were nowhere to be seen。 There was an acmodation ladder leading from an opening in the rail down to the water； and nothing else but a radio that someone had dropped。
〃Oh； shit。〃 The tactical situation was lousy。 He had armed criminals close by but out of sight and a boatload of others on the way。 He sent one of his men to the port side to watch that line of approach； and another to train his shotgun down the starboard side。 Then he got on the radio and learned that plenty more help was on the way。 Powers decided to sit tight and take his chances。 He'd known Larry Fontana； helped carry his coffin out of the church； and he was damned if he'd pass up the chance to get the people who'd killed him。
A State Police car had taken the lead。 The FBI was now on the Francis Scott Key Bridge； crossing over Baltimore Harbor。 The next trick was to get from the expressway to the marine terminal。 A trooper said he knew a shortcut； and he led the procession of three cars。 A twenty…foot boat was going under the bridge at that very moment。
〃Target ing right； appears to be heading towards a ship tied to the quay； bearing three…five…two；〃 His Highness reported。
〃That's it；〃 Ryan said。 〃We got 'em。〃
〃Chief； let's close up some；〃 Jackson ordered。
〃They might spot us； sir the rain's slacking off。 If they're heading to the north； I can close up on their port side。 They're heading for that ship you want us to hit them right when they get there？〃 Chief Znamirowski asked。
〃That's right。〃
〃Okay。 I'll get somebody on the searchlight。 Captain Peters； you'll want to get your Marines on the starboard side。 Looks like surface action starboard；〃 Chief Z noted。 Navy regulations prohibited her from serving on a batant ship； but she'd beaten the game after all！
〃Right。〃 Peters gave the order and Breckenridge got the Marines in place。 Ryan left the pilothouse and went to the main deck aft。 He had already e to his decision。 Sean Miller was out there。
〃I hear a boat；〃 one of the troopers said quietly。
〃Yeah。〃 Powers fed a round into his shotgun。 He looked aft。 There were people there with guns。 He heard footsteps behind him more police！
〃Who's in charge here？〃 a corporal asked。
〃I am；〃 Powers replied。 〃You stay here。 You two； move aft。 If you see a head e out from behind a container； blow it the hell off。〃
〃I see it！〃 So did Powers。 A white fiberglass boat appeared a hundred yards off； ing slowly up to the ship's ladder。
〃Jesus。〃 It seemed full of people； and every one； he'd been told； had an automatic weapon。 Unconsciously he felt the steel plating on the ship's side。 He wondered if it would stop a bullet。 Most troopers now wore protective body armor； but Powers didn't。 The Sergeant flipped off the safety on his shotgun。 It was just about time。
The boat approached like a car edging into a parking space。 The helmsman nosed the boat to the bottom of the acmodation ladder and someone in the bow tied it off。 Two men got out onto the small lower platform。 They helped someone off the boat； then started to carry him up the metal staircase。 Powers let them get halfway。
〃Freeze！ State Police！〃 He and two others pointed shotguns straight down at the boat。 〃Move and you're dead；〃 he added； and was sorry for it。 It sounded too much like TV。
He saw heads turn upward； a few mouths open in surprise。 A few hands moved； too； but before anything that looked like a weapon moved in his direction； a two…foot searchlight blazed down on the boat from seaward。
Powers was thankful for the light。 He saw their heads snap around； then up at him。 He could see their expressions now。 They were trapped and knew it。
〃Hi； there。〃 A voice came across the water。 It was a woman's voice on a loudspeaker。 〃If anybody moves； I have ten Marines to blow you to hell…and…gone。 Make my day；〃 the voice concluded。 Sergeant Powers winced at that。
Then another light came on。 〃This is the U。S。 Coast Guard。 You are all under arrest。〃
〃Like hell！〃 Powers screamed。 〃I got 'em！〃 It took another minute to establish what was going on to everyone's satisfaction。 The big； gray Navy patrol boat came right alongside the smaller boat； and Powers was relieved to see ten rifles pointed at his prisoners。
〃Okay； let's put all the guns down； people； and e up one at a time。〃 His head jerked around as a single pistol shot rang out； followed by a pair of shotgun blasts。 The Sergeant winced； but ignored it as best he could and kept his gun zeroed on the boat。
〃I seen one！〃 a trooper said。 〃About a hundred feet back of us！〃
〃Cover it；〃 Powers ordered。 〃Okay； you people get the hell up here