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“and onto this ark Noah loaded his animals two by two”

CHAPTER 1

BANDAR ABBAS, IRAN

PRESENT DAY

THE TIRED-LOOKING FREIGHTER HAD LAIN AT ANCHOR off the busy port of Bandar Abbas long enough to arouse the suspicion of the Iranian military An armed patrol boat was dispatched from the nearby naval base and streaked across the shallow azure waters toward the five-hundred-plus-foot ship

The vessel was na hanging from her jack staff was any indication From the look of her, she had been converted to container duty after serving her life as a general cargo vessel Growing up froo boohtly colored containers piled to just below her bridge s Despite the large quantity of containers, she sat high in the water, with at least fifteen feet of red antifouling paint showing below her maximuh she hadn’t seen a new coat of paint in soreen Her twin funnels were so darkened by soot that the original color was indeter over the ship in a pall

Scaffolding of rease-shter’s rudder bearing

As the patrol craft approached, the NCO acting as captain of the nio,” he said in Farsi “Please be advised that we are going to board you” Muhalish, the international language of maritime trade

Aa sweat-stained officer’s shirt appeared at the head of the gangway He nodded to a subaltern, and the boarding stairs began to descend

As they drew nearer, Ghami saw captain’s epaulets on the man’s shoulders and sourly wondered how a o’s ed ten inches over his belt Under his white cap, his hair was greasy black with gray streaks, and his face was covered with stubble He could only iine where the owners of such a decrepit ship would find such a man to command her

With one of his un, Ghaid-hulled inflatable to the gangway Another sailor stood close by, an AK-47 slung across his shoulder Ghami checked that the flap over his holster was secured and leapt onto the boarding stairs with his second-in-command at his heels As he climbed, he observed the captain try to shten his filthy shirt They were futile gestures

Gha in places and hadn’t seen paint in decades Rust caked nearly every surface except for the shipping containers, which probably hadn’t been on board long enough for the crew’s lack of diligence to affect the that had been repaired with lengths of chain, and corrosion had eaten into the superstructure so much that it looked ready to collapse at any moment

Hiding his disgust, Ghami snapped a crisp salute at the captain The esture at the bill of his cap

“Captain, I an Muhammad Ghami of the Iranian Navy This is Seaman Khatahani”

“Welcohter’s master replied “I am Captain Ernesto Esteban”