THE LAST SHIP 7

HUMAN CARGO

Jolene walked down the hallway to Tom's office and knocked on the door before she entered. He looked up at her and gave a faint smile. "Mr. President..."

"Mrs. Slattery."

"I have news from the USS Chandler."

"What did you find out?"

"The rumor that Americans are illegally extracting Saudi oil turns out to be false. I was informed by Admiral Slattery that the Americans are extracting Saudi oil that is shipped to the United States by a shipping company belonging to king Nasser Noorani."

"Why would he do that? It doesn't make sense."

"Actually it does. The processed oil gets shipped back to Saudi Arabia at a fraction of the price it gets exported for to other countries."

"And where does it go from there?"

"I don't know. That's what we need to find out. I suspect the Saudi king might be involved with some black market deals. I don't know to who yet."

"Can you find out for me and let me know. In the meantime I will get in contact with Admiral Slattery and let him know they should investigate further. We might be onto something."

"That's not all Mr. President. There's more."

"What else did theyfind Jolene?"

"We suspect the king might also be involved in human trafficking?"

"What makes you say that?"

"They found a manifest in another warehouse for shipping containers, but no goods. I mean if there are no goods, why would you ship containers. And from what the USS Chandler found out, there are no containers on the premises. We presume they arrive and depart on the same day."

"Where do they depart to?"

"Some depart to the United States. The majority of them arrive from Europe, South America, the United States and Asia. But very few depart to other middle eastern countries."

"Do you know why they traffic these humans, if it is true they do?"

"I have no idea Mr. President, but we will find out. That I promise you."

**********

Julia was sitting with Connor and her father in his state room. She winced as Connor put rubbed some ointment on her wrists from where the rope burnt her. Mike sat in front of her fuming. "That son of a bitch," Mike hissed.

"He was trying to get intel out of me dad."

"What intel?"

"About our mission here."

"Did you tell him why we were here?"

"No, I pretended not to know what was going on and that only those at the top of the chain of command knows. He was about to torture it out of me. I thought he was going to kill me then you barged in there."

"Cabrera and I got to you just in time."

There came a knock on the door and Mike turned to look at Kara who was standing at the entrance to his quarters. "Admiral, XO and I would like to see you in the ward room."

"Certainly Captain Green." Mike watched as she left again and looked at Julia with a smirk. "I have to go to the principal's office. Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine dad."

"Take care of her will you Connor?"

"Always sir," Connor replied.