Free Deadly Coast by R. E. McDermott Page A

palm.”
    Dugan scoffed. “Which means there were a few more layers and some fancy bookkeeping involved before the money got in some minister’s pocket. The US probably paid about a hundred times what we did, so there’d be a bit left to spread around to make the common folk happy. I think you’re just pissed because we’re better at this than you bureaucrats.”
    “Dammit! You’re jeopardizing an ongoing operation.”
    “Am I?” Dugan asked. “As I see it, our failure won’t hurt you a bit, but if we’re successful, it will damn sure help you. On the other hand, a rescue op on the Luther Hurd alone, followed by the continuation of the ban on ransoms, leaves over three hundred seamen in the hands of very pissed-off pirates. Isn’t that about the size of it?”
    Ward didn’t answer, and the silence built.
    “Look, Jesse,” Dugan said, “I know you’re doing what you have to do, and no one wants to see you get Luther Hurd back more than I do. But what I’m proposing won’t hinder that at all. And as I see it, it’s our only chance at getting everyone back. All I’m asking is that you provide us as much intel as possible.”
    Ward still didn’t speak, and Dugan began to think he’d hung up.
    “Anna?” Ward said, at last.
    “Here,” Anna said.
    “What’s your take on this?” Ward asked.
    Anna sighed. “My take is that Tom and Alex are both certifiable, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong. I can’t see any other solution.”
    “All right,” Ward said. “I guess when you get right down to it, everything they’re proposing occurs well beyond the jurisdiction of either the US or UK anyway, so there’s not a damn thing we can do about it. I’ll tell you what I know, such as it is.”
    “Great,” Dugan said. “We can start now. What can you tell us about their organizational structure?”
    “Best we can tell,” Ward said, “there are between fifteen hundred to two thousand active pirates, divided into gangs, roughly along clan lines. The gangs form alliances and work together as necessary, but that changes relatively frequently. For your plan to work, you’ll have to spread your net pretty wide. I have a chart that shows the various clan relationships. I’ll email it to you.”
    “Thanks,” Dugan said.
    Alex spoke for the first time. “Agent Ward? Did I understand you to say there may be as many as two thousand pirates at sea?”
    “No, two thousand total,” Ward said. “And I emphasize that’s an estimate . Ninety percent of those guys are holders, with the rest attackers. They’re sort of the rock stars of pirates, for want of a better term. They’ve had some military training. They take all the risks and get much larger cuts of the ransom. Also, each group has a first-boarder, the first one aboard the ship. He gets an even bigger cut of the ransom, and sometimes a bonus.”
    “Basically, the varsity,” Dugan said.
    “Yeah,” Ward said. “Evidently they’re arrogant pricks. They’re excused from holding duty and spend their off time ashore, chewing khat and bragging. A lot of them have escaped from Kenyan prisons or been caught at sea and disarmed and released. They’re pretty contemptuous of the Western navies, but seem terrified of the Russians.”
    “Understandable,” Dugan said. “I doubt the Russians worry overly much about due process.”
    “They don’t care about bad press, either,” Ward said. “That’s pretty much the sum of my intel on the pirates.”
    “You left out the most important point,” Dugan said. “Time?”
    “Honestly? Not a clue. But as long as al-Shabaab isn’t murdering people, the navy’s holding off to refine rescue plans. The more complacent and sloppy the pirates get, the better for us.” Ward paused. “But understand this, Tom. If an opportunity presents itself, we’ll take it. In two minutes or two months, and regardless of what’s going on with your plan.”
    “I wouldn’t expect anything else. Thanks for the