Page 189 of Broken Oath

“Target secured. Leg wound. He’s alive.”

They finally had someone connected to the attack on the evidence ship.

“Bring him out.”

Cutter helped Elias toward the tug.

“What about the cargo?” Rook asked.

“We unloaded seventeen containers before the attack. Moved them into the underground storage rooms.”

“The hidden compartment?”

Elias shook his head.

“Those records were still onboard.”

Rook looked toward the ship.

Financial files.

Personnel reports.

Original manifests.

Evidence tying the network to Alan Madow and the mountain.

Fathom had copied the encrypted drives and photographed much of the material, but the physical documents remained important.

A digital file could be dismissed as manipulated.

Original records were harder to bury.

Cobra studied the flames.

“The engine-room fire hasn’t reached the hidden compartment yet.”

“Can we get inside?”

“Probably.”

Cutter looked at him. “Probably?”

“The optimistic answer is yes.”

“What’s the honest answer?”

Cobra smiled. “You wouldn’t like it.”

Rook removed his jacket and pulled on breathing equipment.

Sarah reached for a second set.

“No.”

She stared at him. “We already discussed this.”

“We discussed you coming to the inlet. We didn’t discuss entering a burning ship.”