Chapter 6
PART 6
The fast boat surged closer.
“Range dropping,” someone shouted.
Meera exhaled.
The deck moved beneath her.
The ocean rose.
The boat appeared in the gap between two waves.
She fired.
The Barrett roared across the deck.
The sound hit like thunder.
Several soldiers flinched.
The round cut through the wind and vanished into the distance.
For half a second, nothing happened.
Then the fast craft jerked violently.
A plume of water exploded near the bow.
The boat swerved.
Not enough.
It kept coming.
Raskin shouted, “She missed!”
Meera did not react.
She had not missed.
She had learned what she needed.
She adjusted again.
Smaller this time.
The boat hit another wave and lifted.
Meera fired a second shot.
The ocean swallowed the sound.
This time, sparks flashed on the craft.
The engine coughed black smoke.
The boat spun sideways, losing speed.
A cheer started somewhere on deck.
Too early.
Meera stayed frozen.
Because she saw the second threat.
A small aerial drone lifting from the disabled craft.
Fast.
Low.
Heading toward the ship’s communication mast.
“Drone!” someone screamed.
Chaos erupted.
Raskin backed away.
Mercer grabbed the radio.
“Counter-drone team, engage!”
“No time,” Meera said.
She shifted the Barrett upward.
The drone was small.
Moving fast.
The ship rolled beneath her.
The wind fought her.
Every person on the deck seemed to disappear.
Only the drone remained.
A black dot against gray sky.
Raskin stared in horror.
The man who had mocked dead weight now had no command to give.
No insult.
No plan.
Meera waited one heartbeat.
Then another.
The drone crossed the mast line.
May you like
She fired.
Read Part 7 to find out why the whole deck went silent after Meera’s third shot.
