Page 241 of Hidden Tide

The confidence in his voice is for Ivy.

But I hold on to it too.

The Coast Guard boat reaches the damaged side of the Argent Star.

Scott, Mark, John and Piers stand near the bow while the tactical commander shows them a diagram of the lower decks.

Marcus’s voice comes through the radio.

“The cargo deck is behind the breach. The center passage leads to the engine room.”

“Where was Ben when the explosion happened?” Scott asks.

“Inside the diving chamber,” Keating answers.

Piers studies the ship’s position.

“If the inner hatch was open, the blast could have thrown him into the cargo passage.”

“And if it was closed?” Mark asks.

No one answers.

If the inner hatch was closed, Ben was inside the section of the ship now scattered across the bay.

“Open,” I whisper.

Marquez looks at me.

“The hatch was open. It had to be.”

She doesn’t tell me I’m right.

She doesn’t tell me I’m wrong.

Scott points toward the tear in the hull.

“We enter there.”

The tactical commander shakes his head. “The Coast Guard engineer gives that ship less than fifteen minutes before it rolls.”

“Then we’ll be out in ten.”

“You have hostages aboard, an armed crew, and an unstable vessel.”

“We know.”

“Your orders are to wait for the boarding team.”

Scott turns toward him.

“Our SEAL brother is inside.”

“And if that ship rolls while you’re below deck, we lose five men instead of one.”

Scott’s expression becomes cold.

“You haven’t lost anyone.”