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“What is it?” Juan asked

“It’s not roaned “Rasul lied to me He told le to Jhootha Island”

Juan and Eddie approached the open door cautiously, crouched with pistols ready to fire When they were able to see what Tao was gawking at, they stood up and lowered their guns

The entire forty-foot-long container was completely empty

SIX

Max Hanley took advantage of the high vantage point on the Oregon’s bridge wing to watch as she edged close to the stationary Triton Star The captured crew on’s deck below him There was no breeze, and the sun’s rays were e, littered with used coffee cups and cigarette butts, was empty as usual Max was alone, and all his attention was focused on the cargo ship nearing their port side Norether at sea was extreon wasn’t like most ships In fact, she wasn’t like any other ship

Max should know since he was her chief engineer and president of the Corporation, as well as Juan Cabrillo’s best friend and right-hand man A Vietnam Swift Boat veteran, he was the oldest crewhis bald head, deep sut that Jolly Saint Nick would envy He’d been the first person Juan had recruited when he created the Corporation because Max had the engineering expertise to draft the plans for a ship as unusual as the Oregon

When the two ships were thirty feet apart, Max spoke into his radio

“Hold it there, Linda”

“Holding,” ca

“Lock in that distance”

“Locked in”

Now the Oregon and the Triton Star would maintain that precise separation indefinitely Multiple lidar sensors ee the exact distance between the ships and autoon’s thrusters to keep her steady

“We’re ready to lower the gangway,” Max said

“Murph was on his way up to you to do that Isn’t he there yet?”