Клайв Касслер - Typhoon Fury

Cates and the other man took a seat opposite him. The two men who had led them in stood behind them in the aisle.

“It’s much better than my Mandarin,” Cates said.

“Interesting. I thought they would have sent someone who knew my language to make the transaction.”

Cates shrugged and grinned, showing off bright white teeth. “I was the lucky guy available. So, can we take a look at the merchandise?”

“You know that attempting to open or copy the file will erase the whole drive?”

The other man, apparently the technical analyst, nodded. “But I need to verify that the flash drive actually originates from the MSS. I won’t be able to see the data, but I can check the code on top of it without triggering an erasure. MSS code has a very distinctive signature.”

“You understand that we can’t hand over fifty million dollars for an empty drive,” Cates said coolly. “We need confirmation.”

“Are you accusing me of trying to swindle you?” The triad soldiers and bodyguards tensed at Su’s sharp tone.

Cates smiled again and put his hands up to calm the situation. “Not at all. But I’m sure you understand that we have to inspect the drive.”

Su looked at his men, indicating they should ease up. He withdrew the USB drive from his jacket pocket, brushing the holstered machine pistol under his armpit.

Before handing it over, he said, “If you erase this, you will still owe us fifty million dollars.”

Cates nodded. “And if we don’t get off this train with the flash drive, you won’t make it off, either.”

Su sat up straighter. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that a Predator drone is circling over us at fifteen thousand feet armed with a Hellfire missile. It will blow this train to splinters if we don’t get off at our rendezvous point.”

Cates’s poker face was good. Su couldn’t tell whether he was bluffing or not.

He stared at the American for a moment, expressionless, then turned to his men and smiled, speaking in Mandarin. “This guy has a set on him, doesn’t he?”

That brought a chorus of laughter from them.

“All right, Mr. Cates,” Su said. “We have mutually assured destruction on the table if this doesn’t work out. I hope you’re willing to die, because I am.”

“Willing,” Cates said, “but not eager.”

Su held out the flash drive. “Do what you need to do.”

Cates took it and gave it to his analyst, who removed the laptop from his satchel and plugged in the flash drive. He peered intently at the screen as he typed.

While he waited for his analyst to confirm that the USB drive was the real thing, Cates nonchalantly watched the passing scenery as the train wound along the curving mountain track. Su had no idea what the analyst was doing to verify its provenance, but he didn’t care as long as he got his fifty million.

Behind Su, the door to the passenger car banged open. He turned to see one of his men charge through, breathless and pointing back toward the way he came.

“They’re here!” he shouted in Mandarin. “The MSS found us!”

Su felt the blood drain from his face. He’d been so careful in his planning that he couldn’t believe they’d figured out where he was selling the drive. “What are you talking about?”

“While we were rounding the curve, I was looking out the window at the front of the train and saw them climbing into the first passenger car from on top. They’ll be here any second.”

The panicked face of his soldier made Su a believer, and his men drew their weapons. He swung around to get the flash drive from the Americans and ready his men to repel the attackers. But he hesitated when he saw the Americans’ bizarre reaction to the commotion.

Both of them were hunched over and had the heels of their palms against their eyes with their mouths hanging open.

In quick succession two of the dining car’s windows shattered as small objects broke through and bounced onto the floor at either end. The other men were as surprised as he was and whirled around in confusion.

In horror Su realized what the objects were. He yelled, “Get down!”

But none of the men had even begun to drop when the flashbang grenades went off.

The searing bright light and concussion of the dual blasts incapacitated Su instantly. He toppled over in his seat, disoriented and pawing at his eyes, his eardrums traumatized by the sudden change in pressure.

He couldn’t even hear his own screams.

7

Despite shielding his eyes and opening his mouth to equalize the overpressure in his ears, Juan was still partially dazed from the effects of the flashbang grenades. With the USB drive gripped firmly in his hand, he staggered to his feet, then collapsed back into the seat.

His vision cleared quickly enough to see Jimmy Su and his men crawling around as if they were drunks trying to stand up after a bender. Next to him, Eric looked as out of it as Juan felt.

Juan attempted to get up again, and this time he flew out of his seat as a huge hand grasped his arm and yanked him up. Franklin Lincoln’s grinning face met his.

“Let’s get you two out of here before they recover,” Linc said, picking up Eric, too. He virtually dragged Juan and Eric with him to the sixth car, where they had waited to enter the dining car.

Once Linc closed the door behind them, they both leaned against the wall and got their bearings.

“You guys okay?” Linc asked as he covered the door with his P90 submachine gun.

“I feel like someone smacked me in the head with a frying pan,” Juan said, although he was quickly regaining his senses.

“Let’s not ever do that again,” Eric said.

“Just be glad we had some warning. A few of those guys probably won’t be able to hear for weeks.”

“I brought you some presents,” Linc said, handing them a couple of ballistic vests. “Your guns are on the seats back there.”

Juan and Eric strapped on the vests and picked up their weapons.

MacD came jogging in with the grenade launcher hanging from his shoulder.

“Y’all don’t look too bad,” he said. “My aim must have been pretty good.”

“Right on target,” Juan said, yawning to clear his ears.

Using precise maps of the train’s route, this section of track had been selected for launching the stun grenades because of the extreme curve of the track. MacD could open a window three cars away, lean out, and have a perfect view of the dining car. Juan and Eric had used a peculiarly shaped rock outcropping that they passed to cue them when to cover their eyes.

“Did you get the Chinese agents, too?” Juan asked.

“Harder shot because they were farther away,” MacD said proudly, “but I planted two in the third car where they were.”

“Good, that should give us some extra time. Eric, set up the trip mines while they cover you. I’ve got a delivery to make.”

Eric, who seemed to be back to normal, nodded and took a bag from Linc. He opened it and removed the first of a dozen laser-activated flashbang grenades. They’d place them at random intervals to cover their retreat. When either the MSS or the Ghost Dragons tried to come through, they’d trip the invisible sensors, setting off the grenades.

Juan got on his phone and called the Oregon . Hali Kasim, the ship’s communications officer, answered.

“Are you all right, Chairman?” he asked. “We saw the explosions but couldn’t see much inside the train.”

“No casualties,” Juan replied. “The first phase is complete. I’m heading to the window now. Have Gomez get the drone over here for pickup.”

Gomez Adams, the Oregon ’s helicopter pilot, was also the resident expert in flying its complement of drones.