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By prearrangement, Austin and Phelps entered the hatch on the starboard deck of the giant sail and Zavala used the port hatch Once inside the escape chambers they closed the hatch, puht door and descended the ladder They whipped theirthere with a curious look on his face
The captain had been in the control roo the airlocks were in use The two guards had returned earlier from the lab, so he went to see who had entered his submarine He wasn’t surprised to see Phelps and Zavala, but he raised a bushy eyebrohen he saw the broad-shouldered stranger
Zavala said, “Kurt, this is Captain Mehdev, the commander of this incredible boat and keeper of the vodka cabinet”
Austin extended his uninjured left arm for a handshake
“Kurt Austin I’lance Mehdev shot in Phelps’s direction, he added, “Mr Phelps is no longer working for the people who hijacked your sub He is helping us now”
“Yes, but for how long?” Mehdev asked,no secret of his skepticism
“Good question,” Phelps said “Sorry, can’t answer that But I’uys take your sub back”
Mehdev shrugged
“What can my men and I do?” the captain said “We are sailors, not Marines”
“Start by telling us where the guards are and what they are doing,” Austin said
“Three are asleep in the officers’ quarters in the starboard hull,” Mehdev said, “and the others are ga in the wardrooym and the sauna, which were made off-limits to my men”
“I think it’s time we end their little sojourn at Club Med,” Austin said “Let’s take care of the snoozers first”
Phelps pretended to be guarding Zavala and Austin in case the four encountered a wandering guard They filed through the control room, where Mehdev, who had been in the lead, whispered in Russian to the crewood idea to stay out of sight The captain then picked up some rolls of duct tape froh the labyrinth of pressurized compartments until they came to the first of the officers’ state-rooms
Three off-duty guards awoke in the first roo down the barrel of Austin’s revolver They were trussed up by Zavala, had their mouths taped, and were tucked back in their bunks
The raiding party headed toward the s food Mehdev entered the uards who sat at a table drinking tea while watching Jackie Chan on DVD They glanced at the captain only briefly, then went back to their DVD