Coast Guard Sonar Picked Up Something on the Seafloor — Then Divers Went Down

Seawater streamed from Samira’s dive suit as she hauled herself onto the rear deck of the Vigilant. The damp night air felt icy against her skin, thick with the sharp tang of diesel fumes and the scent of an oncoming Atlantic storm. Mounted near the stern winch was a small, humming black box with blinking LED lights—the signal jammer that had blinded their bridge radar and silenced their radios.

"First thing's first," Samira whispered, reaching out with her dive knife. She jammed the heavy steel blade into the casing, twisting violently until sparks erupted and the hum died instantly. "That clears our local comms channel. Now we take back the ship."

"Keep your head down," Jax whispered, pointing toward two armed men standing guard near the interior deck doors. "Those goons are carrying military-grade carbines. They're guarding the passageways while their leader secures the bridge. I'll draw them away from the armory so you can move up."