Chapter 49
The Singapore Strait, Singaporean Territorial Waters, On Board the Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier, Hanjin Sun
November 13, 2006, 03:35 local time
Joe came on the radio. “Sarge, I'm back at the top of the stairs. No sign of any more hijackers. I told the crew to go into the bridge and make sure no one enters. We need to call in reinforcements.”
“I know. One of the terrorists from the bridge is dead. The other is probably dead. I'm going back to confirm.”
“Then I better tell the crew you are coming. They have the hijacker's weapons and are pretty wound up. I don't want them shooting you by mistake.”
“Understood, and thanks, Joe.”
Jackson went cautiously up the stairs, he had ascended five minutes earlier, to the bridge deck. He wanted to make sure he gave Joe enough time to tell the crew he was coming.
When he reached the deck level, several of crew were waiting for him. They waved him forward and all of them wanted to shake his hand.
Jackson said, “Take me to the Captain.”
Someone said, “Follow me.”
When he entered the bridge, cheers and applause went up from the assembled crew, who immediately mobbed him. Jackson pushed his way through the crowd, shaking the hands that grabbed his, and went over to the hijacker lying on the floor. Joe was already standing over him.
“He's dead, Sarge.”
The Captain lowered his radio and addressed Jackson. “I'll thank you properly later. I have stopped the ship and informed the Singaporean authorities what has happened. They say we are all to stay in the bridge until military forces arrive, which will be shortly.
Jackson asked Joe, “Any sign of the other hijackers?”
“No, nothing.”
Jackson turned to the Captain and said, “We believe there are one or two more hijackers with bomb vests on board the ship, but we don't know where they are. You should assign crewmembers to guard all entrances to the bridge. The Corporal here will keep watch on the main deck.”
He then said to Joe, “Corporal, I need to go back out on deck, to your previous position where you can keep the main deck and the stairway up to the bridge level under observation. Remain vigilant for the other hijackers. I'll contact our people to update them what has happened, then I need to go find Anil. He is down on the next deck.”
Joe asked, “What happened with him?”
“I'll tell you when this is over. Now get back to you position, Corporal.”
“I'm on my way, Sergeant.”
Jackson went back out of the door to the bridge and onto the deck. He could hear the sound of approaching helicopters. He looked up and saw the helicopters approaching from the direction of Singapore. They were still too far away to see if they had the Singapore Armed Services insignia on their side, but Jackson assumed they did.
He switched on his radio and said, “Jackson here.”
The response was immediate. “What happened, Sergeant?”
“We took out four of the hijackers. The bridge is now under our control. The Captain has stopped the ship and Singaporean forces are on their way. One or possibly two of the hijackers are still unaccounted for, and presumably still loose on the ship. Repeat, location of one or two hijackers is unknown. The Singaporean forces on their way need to be warned.”
“I'll pass that information on to them.”
While he was talking, Jackson had been walking slowly down the deck in the direction of Anil. He reached the top of the stairs and could see Anil, still standing over the body of the dead hijacker.
Jackson descended the stairs and said to Anil, “We need to go up to the bridge. Singaporean troops will be here shortly.”
***
Joe watched the Blackhawk helicopters sweep out of the semi-darkness and into the bright lights illuminating the deck. Two hovered on either side of the deck and men began fast roping down onto the ship's deck. Joe knew he was watching a well-practiced drill.
A man led a team of eight black-clad men toward the stairs up to the bridge. All had weapons at the ready. The second team went the other way down the ship's deck.
Joe raised his arm to signify he was a friendly.
The lead man ran up the stairs toward him, and when he reached his position, said, “Captain Wee, Singapore Armed Forces, are you US Army Sergeant, Jackson?”
“No. I'm Corporal Bao. Sergeant Jackson is to the right of the bridge taking care of a crewman.”
The Singaporean officer signaled to his men, who fanned out along the deck, either side of the bridge.
“What are the immediate threats, Corporal?”
“We have killed five of the hijackers. We think one or two hijackers are still loose on the ship. We don't know their location. We believe there are explosives attached to the liquefied gas containment equipment somewhere in the middle of the ship. The crewman with Sergeant Jackson can give you a more precise location.”
Captain Wee began speaking into his radio without acknowledging Joe's answer.
Another of the black-clad men said to Joe, “I need to take your weapon.”
Joe handed him the rifle, then took out his pistol and gave it to the Singaporean soldier.
A couple of minutes later, a weaponless Jackson and a subdued Anil, accompanied by one of the black-clad Singaporeans, joined Joe.
Joe said, “Why do I feel like we are under arrest?”
Jackson responded, “They are just being professional. We've done our job. It's up to them now.”
Jackson added, “You did good today, Corporal.”
“Thanks, Sarge. From you that means a lot.”
Joe continued, “I got a clear head shot at the first terrorist. When he went down, the other terrorist didn't really react, like he was drugged or something. He didn't even turn around to see where the shot came from, before I shot him in the upper back. When I went down to the deck, both were dead.
There was a flurry of activity as the black-clad men took up positions along the rail of the deck. Jackson heard the Singaporean Captain shout, “Everyone down on the deck. We have located another of the hijackers.
All three of them dropped to the deck as a volley of gunfire rang out, followed immediately by a massive explosion in the center of the ship. Jackson saw a huge white cloud immediately form and then expand upwards and outwards, unbelievably rapidly. The cloud flickered blue at the edges.
Anil shouted, “Take a deep breath and run to the bridge.”
As Jackson got to his feet, the white cloud enveloped them. It was shockingly cold.
The door to the bridge had been less than five meters away, but had now disappeared in the white cloud. Jackson could see ice crystals drift downward directly in front of his face. Otherwise, everything was uniformly white.
Someone grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. Jackson felt an increasingly urgent need to breath and wished he had taken a deeper breath.
The hand continued pulling him through the freezing white cloud and he found himself in front of the door to the bridge. He saw the door open. An arm came out, grabbed him and pulled him inside. He entered the bridge in a cloud of white.
As Jackson exhaled, someone thrust an oxygen bottle, with a plastic mask attached, in his face and he inhaled deeply. He was about to take his third breath, when the bridge door opened and Anil staggered in, pulling Joe behind him. Anil collapsed on the floor and the crewman who had given Jackson the oxygen bottle pulled it away from him and put it over Anil's face. Someone else brought a second oxygen bottle and gave it to Joe who was kneeling on the deck coughing violently.
Joe and Anil quickly revived.
Anil said to Jackson, “The natural gas is mostly methane and any toxic components have been removed. It's not poisonous, but at high enough concentrations you will suffocate.”
Jackson looked through the frost tinged windows of the bridge at the uniform whiteness. A few minutes later, he thought he could see blue flames flickering through the white cloud.
“The gas is burning.”
Anil responded, “Yes, the gas cloud will burn around the edges where there is sufficient oxygen to sustain combustion. Here inside the gas cloud there is not enough oxygen for combustion. If there were, the gas cloud would explode.”
Chapter 50
November 13, 2006, 03:35 local time
Joe came on the radio. “Sarge, I'm back at the top of the stairs. No sign of any more hijackers. I told the crew to go into the bridge and make sure no one enters. We need to call in reinforcements.”
“I know. One of the terrorists from the bridge is dead. The other is probably dead. I'm going back to confirm.”
“Then I better tell the crew you are coming. They have the hijacker's weapons and are pretty wound up. I don't want them shooting you by mistake.”
“Understood, and thanks, Joe.”
Jackson went cautiously up the stairs, he had ascended five minutes earlier, to the bridge deck. He wanted to make sure he gave Joe enough time to tell the crew he was coming.
When he reached the deck level, several of crew were waiting for him. They waved him forward and all of them wanted to shake his hand.
Jackson said, “Take me to the Captain.”
Someone said, “Follow me.”
When he entered the bridge, cheers and applause went up from the assembled crew, who immediately mobbed him. Jackson pushed his way through the crowd, shaking the hands that grabbed his, and went over to the hijacker lying on the floor. Joe was already standing over him.
“He's dead, Sarge.”
The Captain lowered his radio and addressed Jackson. “I'll thank you properly later. I have stopped the ship and informed the Singaporean authorities what has happened. They say we are all to stay in the bridge until military forces arrive, which will be shortly.
Jackson asked Joe, “Any sign of the other hijackers?”
“No, nothing.”
Jackson turned to the Captain and said, “We believe there are one or two more hijackers with bomb vests on board the ship, but we don't know where they are. You should assign crewmembers to guard all entrances to the bridge. The Corporal here will keep watch on the main deck.”
He then said to Joe, “Corporal, I need to go back out on deck, to your previous position where you can keep the main deck and the stairway up to the bridge level under observation. Remain vigilant for the other hijackers. I'll contact our people to update them what has happened, then I need to go find Anil. He is down on the next deck.”
Joe asked, “What happened with him?”
“I'll tell you when this is over. Now get back to you position, Corporal.”
“I'm on my way, Sergeant.”
Jackson went back out of the door to the bridge and onto the deck. He could hear the sound of approaching helicopters. He looked up and saw the helicopters approaching from the direction of Singapore. They were still too far away to see if they had the Singapore Armed Services insignia on their side, but Jackson assumed they did.
He switched on his radio and said, “Jackson here.”
The response was immediate. “What happened, Sergeant?”
“We took out four of the hijackers. The bridge is now under our control. The Captain has stopped the ship and Singaporean forces are on their way. One or possibly two of the hijackers are still unaccounted for, and presumably still loose on the ship. Repeat, location of one or two hijackers is unknown. The Singaporean forces on their way need to be warned.”
“I'll pass that information on to them.”
While he was talking, Jackson had been walking slowly down the deck in the direction of Anil. He reached the top of the stairs and could see Anil, still standing over the body of the dead hijacker.
Jackson descended the stairs and said to Anil, “We need to go up to the bridge. Singaporean troops will be here shortly.”
***
Joe watched the Blackhawk helicopters sweep out of the semi-darkness and into the bright lights illuminating the deck. Two hovered on either side of the deck and men began fast roping down onto the ship's deck. Joe knew he was watching a well-practiced drill.
A man led a team of eight black-clad men toward the stairs up to the bridge. All had weapons at the ready. The second team went the other way down the ship's deck.
Joe raised his arm to signify he was a friendly.
The lead man ran up the stairs toward him, and when he reached his position, said, “Captain Wee, Singapore Armed Forces, are you US Army Sergeant, Jackson?”
“No. I'm Corporal Bao. Sergeant Jackson is to the right of the bridge taking care of a crewman.”
The Singaporean officer signaled to his men, who fanned out along the deck, either side of the bridge.
“What are the immediate threats, Corporal?”
“We have killed five of the hijackers. We think one or two hijackers are still loose on the ship. We don't know their location. We believe there are explosives attached to the liquefied gas containment equipment somewhere in the middle of the ship. The crewman with Sergeant Jackson can give you a more precise location.”
Captain Wee began speaking into his radio without acknowledging Joe's answer.
Another of the black-clad men said to Joe, “I need to take your weapon.”
Joe handed him the rifle, then took out his pistol and gave it to the Singaporean soldier.
A couple of minutes later, a weaponless Jackson and a subdued Anil, accompanied by one of the black-clad Singaporeans, joined Joe.
Joe said, “Why do I feel like we are under arrest?”
Jackson responded, “They are just being professional. We've done our job. It's up to them now.”
Jackson added, “You did good today, Corporal.”
“Thanks, Sarge. From you that means a lot.”
Joe continued, “I got a clear head shot at the first terrorist. When he went down, the other terrorist didn't really react, like he was drugged or something. He didn't even turn around to see where the shot came from, before I shot him in the upper back. When I went down to the deck, both were dead.
There was a flurry of activity as the black-clad men took up positions along the rail of the deck. Jackson heard the Singaporean Captain shout, “Everyone down on the deck. We have located another of the hijackers.
All three of them dropped to the deck as a volley of gunfire rang out, followed immediately by a massive explosion in the center of the ship. Jackson saw a huge white cloud immediately form and then expand upwards and outwards, unbelievably rapidly. The cloud flickered blue at the edges.
Anil shouted, “Take a deep breath and run to the bridge.”
As Jackson got to his feet, the white cloud enveloped them. It was shockingly cold.
The door to the bridge had been less than five meters away, but had now disappeared in the white cloud. Jackson could see ice crystals drift downward directly in front of his face. Otherwise, everything was uniformly white.
Someone grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. Jackson felt an increasingly urgent need to breath and wished he had taken a deeper breath.
The hand continued pulling him through the freezing white cloud and he found himself in front of the door to the bridge. He saw the door open. An arm came out, grabbed him and pulled him inside. He entered the bridge in a cloud of white.
As Jackson exhaled, someone thrust an oxygen bottle, with a plastic mask attached, in his face and he inhaled deeply. He was about to take his third breath, when the bridge door opened and Anil staggered in, pulling Joe behind him. Anil collapsed on the floor and the crewman who had given Jackson the oxygen bottle pulled it away from him and put it over Anil's face. Someone else brought a second oxygen bottle and gave it to Joe who was kneeling on the deck coughing violently.
Joe and Anil quickly revived.
Anil said to Jackson, “The natural gas is mostly methane and any toxic components have been removed. It's not poisonous, but at high enough concentrations you will suffocate.”
Jackson looked through the frost tinged windows of the bridge at the uniform whiteness. A few minutes later, he thought he could see blue flames flickering through the white cloud.
“The gas is burning.”
Anil responded, “Yes, the gas cloud will burn around the edges where there is sufficient oxygen to sustain combustion. Here inside the gas cloud there is not enough oxygen for combustion. If there were, the gas cloud would explode.”
Chapter 50
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