"Yes, sir. But it was worth it."

"I agree," added Diaz. "In more ways than one." She pursed her lips and nodded at Mitchell.

"Captain, I can see the patrol boat," said Jenkins. "And I'm not sure, but I think she sees us."

"Get up close to that pier!" shouted Mitchell. "Now!"

Mitchell brought up his tactical map and studied the patrol boat, red diamonds flashing over its dark outline displayed in his HUD.

A flickering light emanated from the end of the pier, and Mitchell zoomed in on that area, even as Jenkins said, "Fire on the pier, Captain."

"All right, everybody. Stand by. Let's see if they take the bait."

SAND SPIT PIER
XIAMEN HARBOR, CHINA
APRIL 2012

Tanner and Phillips had used a small amount of C-4 to set off one of the fuel pallets on the pier before dropping back into the murky water. Tanner swam toward the crane, while Phillips worked his way around to the fuel barge.

The patrol boat was already en route to investigate. If Tanner were the captain of that Shanghai, he, too, would want to know why his gas station was on fire.

Tanner swam around the crane's floating platform, keeping the crane between him and the oncoming patrol boat. The crane operator and his assistant had run down to the edge of the barge for a better look at the fire, allowing Tanner to climb up onto the platform and race across it to the crane's cabin, where he placed his C-4 then dove into the water, swimming hard and fast back toward the pier.

A minute later he came up under one of the pilings and stole a breath.

He waited another thirty seconds, then began to grow tense. Abruptly, Phillips's head popped up a few meters behind him. "We're all set. Come on!"

Together they swam along the pier, and by the time they reached the shore and huddled beside the first pair of pilings, the patrol boat was drawing up on the crane and barge.

"Ghost Lead, this is SEAL support. Get ready for a big salute to the Chinese who invented gunpowder!"

Tanner knew he'd catch hell for his glib remark over the radio, but he didn't care. He glanced over at Phillips, who was studying the patrol boat through his binoculars.

"They're almost lined up," said Phillips.

"Good."

"Don't move," screamed someone in Mandarin.

Tanner glanced directly up into the eyes of a man, presumably a member of the fuel barge crew, who was pointing a pistol down at them. Where the hell had he come from? How had he been so quiet?

Though his Mandarin was rudimentary, Tanner knew enough to get by. "All right, we will come with you."