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9:00 AM. PRINCE RUPERT, CANADA:
Alex stands at the open railing behind the bridge, watching Harrison and Bartram setting the motorboat into the water. The morning air is cool as he stares at the fishing wharf across the harbor. The warmer temperature of the water is affecting the fish populations, and if something doesn’t change, the industry will collapse. Breeding farms for different species are still experimental and only a few species are hearty enough to live in captivity.
They topped off the Mystic’s fuel tanks two hours ago and Captain Dieter moved her away from the fuel pier into the harbor. The Mystic is maintaining a position two-hundred-feet from the floating dock as if anchored, using the thrusters controlled by the computer. The stores are opening, and they will go ashore when the motorboat is ready.
Alex turns when he hears someone approaching and smiles when Lisa walks up to the railing beside him. “Good morning.”
Lisa smiles and hands Alex a cup of coffee. “I thought you might like something warm.”
He takes a sip, grins, and gives it back to her. “Thanks anyway.”
Lisa frowns. “Okana said you like four spoons of sugar in your coffee.”
“I like it black.”
Lisa grins at the joke. “I’ll get you another one.”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
Lisa looks down at the activity on deck. “You left early last night.”
“It was a long day.”
“When I was on the Discovery yesterday, I recovered some dark material flushed out from the drill. I’m not sure what to make of it, and since you’re the geologist, I thought you might know about it. It’s some type of carbon and incredibly hard. Under the microscope it looks like tiny black diamonds.” She notices his expression suddenly change. “Is something wrong?”
“Did you say diamonds?”
“Kind of. I could break it down into smaller elements if I had a mass spectrometer. I didn’t think we needed one on the ship for the type of research we do.”
Alex thinks about David. “A friend of mine has one of those. His name is David Conway, one of the students at my College. I’m sure he would love to have a sample of that carbon for his analyzer.”
Lisa smiles. “That’s great. You seem to know all the right people. We can send it to him when we go ashore. I’ll go down and get a sample ready.”
Lisa walks away, and Alex looks down at the motorboat tied against the rubber cushion on the back edge of the deck. Okana, Mike, Dieter, and Rita suddenly appear below and he goes down the outside stairs to join them. Alex is suspicious of Harrison and Bartram and convinces Bett and Josh to stay onboard as a precaution.
***
Bartram is sitting behind the steering wheel of the motorboat, thinking about the new situation while waiting for everyone to arrive. The Captain’s plan was to take the Mystic while everyone was ashore. Now that plan is ruined because Cave insists on leaving Josh and Bett on the ship. He knows the Captain is upset he had to change his plans because of Cave. If the captain is so worried about him, he should let me shoot him and toss him over the side.
He smirks to himself. It wouldn’t be the first time the Captain asked him to get rid of someone. When they were attacking and robbing those small cruise ships touring the rivers in northern Europe, I killed lots of people. At least, the ones who tried to fight back. Maybe he’s getting soft in his old age.
***
Bartram waits until everyone but Harrison, Josh, and Bett climb into the motorboat, then starts the engine and backs away from the stern. After a slow, short ride, he maneuvers the boat against the floating dock and everyone climbs out.
He stays with the boat and waits for the first load of supplies being wheeled down the dock by a man with a hand dolly. He stands and grabs the boxes from the man, then stacks them between the bench seats in the motorboat. He starts the engine for the drive to Mystic to unload, and the man shoves the boat away from the dock.
***
Mike leads the way, and the six of them walk along the street past the various stores selling items for the tourists. The ladies want to stop at each one, but Mike insists they purchase the new clothing first. Mike enters a store with winter sports equipment on display in the window, and they follow him inside to the racks of clothing.
Okana notices Dieter doesn’t follow them into the store, and touches Alex on the shoulder. “I’m going to follow Dieter. You know my size.”
“Okay. I’ll meet you back at the ship.”
When Okana looks out the doorway, Dieter is nearly a block away. He glances in the opposite direction to make sure no one is watching, then follows him.
***
Dieter is nervous about his unscheduled meetings. He thinks maybe he’s being paranoid, but he has a feeling someone is watching him. As a precaution, he suddenly turns right onto a side street and stops to look back around the corner for a few moments. When he doesn’t see any unusual activity, he continues down the side street and stops at a store advertising nautical equipment.
He rings the green brass bell hanging from a black wrought iron bracket. A moment later, the door is opened by a short, bald man looking through bifocal glasses. The man steps out of the way and Dieter enters, waiting for the man to close the door.
***
Okana is waiting in a recessed doorway. When the door to the store closes, he hurries to the building and looks through the window. He sees Dieter looking into a thick white envelope before putting it into his pocket.
***
“Here’s the package you wanted, Captain Dieter.”
Dieter spreads the thick envelope apart and sees a bundle of U.S. $100 bills and tucks it into his inside coat pocket. “Did you contact Blacktooth?” The man hands him a small scrap of paper.
“Yes. He’ll meet you at this address. It’s a warehouse up the street. Go right when you step outside.”
“All right.”
“He’s not happy with this sudden change in plans.”
“Neither am I.” He turns and walks out of the store.
***
When the Captain suddenly turns and walks out the door, Okana barely has time to duck around the corner of the building. He thinks Dieter will return to the ship, but he turns right and continues up the narrow street. Fortunately, there are several openings between the buildings on both sides, and he has no trouble staying out of sight.
He follows Dieter four more blocks until he enters a small warehouse. The only window is a small opening in the front door, so he glances around once more, then looks inside. Dieter is talking to a big, rough-looking man. They appear to be arguing, until Dieter holds up the envelope. The man exchanges it for what appears to be a plastic DVD case, and Dieter slips it into his coat pocket.
Okana ducks back behind the corner of the building as Dieter suddenly turns to leave. He waits until the Captain is a good distance away before walking back out onto the street to follow him. Dieter turns the corner at the nautical supply store, so he knows he’s returning to the ship and doesn’t keep up. He wonders what’s in the case worth an envelope of money. Suddenly he feels an object press against the back of his spine between his shoulder blades.
“Stop!”
Okana stops and raises his arms.
“Why are you following Dieter?”
Okana doesn’t turn around to disarm the person. Information is a weapon, and he wants to know what this man’s interest is with Dieter and the plastic case. “We had a deal, and he backed out.”
“Turn around.”
Okana recognizes the Russian accent and slowly does as instructed. It’s the big man from inside the warehouse, and he can tell the man is a brawler by his physical size and facial scars. The black 9mm semi-automatic in his hand shows he means business.
The stranger grins, exposing his black teeth. “That is because I already have a deal.”
Okana notices the man’s expression suddenly become serious and keeps quiet.
“I have never known Dieter to back out of a deal. Why did he not take yours?”
“I have no idea. That’s why I followed him.”
“My deal is not over until I get the rest of my money. I am Blacktooth. Ask around. They tell you not to get in my way.”
Naturally. Okana tries not to grin as he slowly nods his head in understanding. “Not a problem.”
“What is your name?”
“Jamison.”
The stranger laughs and puts the pistol away. “Like the whiskey.”
Okana laughs with him, hoping for more information. He stops smiling and stares at Blacktooth. “I wish you good luck with Dieter.” Blacktooth’s expression becomes serious, just as he hoped.
“Why do you say that?”
Okana shrugs. “He backed out of a deal with me. What makes you think he’ll keep yours?”
“Because I know that ship he is on does not have weapons. Only scientists. He would be a fool to cross me.”
Okana decides not to take any chances by pushing harder. “He’s your problem now. I’m going to get some whiskey. Care to join me?”
“No.”
Blacktooth turns and walks away, and Okana continues down the street. Dieter must have information about his long-lost relative. Somehow, I have to look at what’s in that plastic case.
When he reaches the main street, he continues down to the winter sports store, and looks through the window, but there is no sign of Dieter. He sees the end of the floating dock a few blocks farther down the street, and Dieter is standing on the end next to a stack of supplies, waiting for the next ride back to the ship.
Okana walks into the store and realizes everyone has found what they want to wear. Alex hands him a dark blue winter coat and pants.
“Try these on. They should be close.”
Okana quickly looks around. “Thanks. I just had a conversation with an acquaintance of Dieter’s named Blacktooth. I think Dieter’s after the stash from the U-boat. I was on the way back when Blacktooth stopped me. He knows the Mystic is unarmed.”
Alex grins. “Blacktooth? Really?”
“Yeah, I know, but it’s true.”
“Okay, but why the Mystic?”
“It takes a submarine to find one. The Mystic’s perfect for the job and only has a small crew and untrained scientists on board. At least, that was the original plan, until you showed up.”
“I had a talk with Bett in the helicopter. I think Bartram and Harrison are with Dieter.”
“I suspected as much. I think he’s going to hijack the Mystic from Mike and use it to find the U-boat. What did you bring for a weapon?”
“A thirty-eight caliber air-weight pistol.”
“Good. I have my forty-five and two shotguns stashed on the ship. I had Bett pick them up before she came back. She’s an Army Vet, Alex. She flew helicopters in the Middle East.”
“I should have guessed. Does that mean she and Josh are on our side if Dieter tries to take over the ship?”
“I think their loyalty is to Mike.”
“Good. I think Dieter had this planned from the beginning. He was not happy that I came back to the ship. How do you feel about Rita?”
“I can’t tell if she knows about Dieter’s plans.” He quickly looks around again. “It looks like the women are ready to leave. I’d better go try these on.”
Ten minutes later, they all stroll out of the store and down the street to the pier, then down the ramp to join Dieter at the end of the dock. A moment later, the motorboat pulls alongside, and they hand their packages to Bartram. Mike and Dieter climb in for the ride back to the Mystic, but Alex and Okana are hijacked by Lisa and Rita, who want to walk around town before returning to the Mystic. Bartram tells them they have another load of supplies on the way, so they have some time before leaving the harbor.
After walking out of the third store, Okana demands they stop for iced coffee at a rustic dockside restaurant next door. They find a table near the front window, and it only takes a few moments for the server to return with their order. Alex pays, and raises his mug to the group, casually watching Rita’s reaction. “To fair winds and following seas, and the treasure at the end of a successful quest.” After smiles and a round of toasts, she remains impassive about the mention of a treasure.
Okana taps Alex’s foot under the table and tries to hide his face as he nods to the window. “Blacktooth.”
Alex casually looks at the large man standing outside. When the man turns and walks through the doorway, Alex stands to block his view of Okana. Once he passes by, Okana stands and leaves the restaurant.
“Where’s he going?” Rita asks.
Alex sits down. “He forgot something for the trip.”
Alex keeps an eye on the big man, now standing at the end of the bar. He’s talking with a short man wearing a dirty white boat skipper’s hat with something embroidered on the front, but he cannot read the words from this distance.
Suddenly, the two men decide to leave, and Alex stands just in time to bump into the skipper and smile at him. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t see you.”
The skipper ignores him and follows the big man out of the tavern, and Alex sits down. The embroidered name on the hat is CONDOR.
Lisa gives him a concerned expression. “Is something wrong, Alex?”
“No. What makes you think that?”
“That’s the second time you jumped out of your chair. You tell me?”
“I’m just anxious to get underway, I guess.”
Lisa smiles at him. “I know. Me too. My life is so boring most of the time, but since you joined us, I finally have some excitement in my life.”
“I’m ready to go.” Rita tells them.
They stand, walk out of the restaurant and down to the dock, and find Okana sitting behind the steering wheel of the boat, with Harrison in the passenger seat.
Okana looks up at the group. “Last run of the day, folks.”
Alex helps the women into the boat, and a moment later, they cruise smoothly across the water to the Mystic.
***
Alex hangs his new white cold weather clothing in the small closet, along with the other clothes he unpacked last night. He silently curses there’s no lock on the door as he leaves his cabin and climbs the stairs to the main deck.
There is no one in the lounge, but he hears the hoist growling through the open doors at the end of the walkway and strolls out to the stern to watch the activity. Harrison is controlling the hoist using a small remote control pad, while Bartram is guiding the motorboat onto the storage bracket.
The hoist suddenly shuts down, and Alex hears voices. He turns to look up behind the bridge, and sees Okana leaning back against the railing, talking with Josh, and the three women. He notices Lisa holding a tall glass of Champaign and laughing with the others. Poor Lisa. This may become more exciting than she can possibly imagine.
***
Dieter and Mike are on the bridge, leaning over a chart of the Aleutian Islands, discussing the various routes into the Bering Sea. Dieter points to a narrow gap between two large islands “We will save time if we detour through this area.”
“Are you sure? According to the chart it appears shallow.”
“I checked the tides for our estimated time of arrival, and we will have plenty of water.”
“All right. You’re the Captain.”
Dieter waits until Mike walks down the stairs, then grabs the satellite phone and enters a number. “We will be at the designated pass in five hours. Be ready.”
He grins and sets the phone into its bracket, then leans back in the chair. Last night he received a call from his source of information at the Pentagon. His informant is related to a member of the Russian Mafia. Now he knows Cave’s history with the CIA, and his relationship with the Director of National Security. Your Director Donner will not be able to help you this time, Professor.