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The submarine’s background hum remained ever-present. Behind Doc, Alkina laid out the man’s medical kit, placed several more tools within reach, then silently glided away as he was concentrating on his patient. Taking a roundabout way, PW5 in one hand, trank in the other, she knocked out two more groggy crewmen before she found the compartment she was looking for. She stared at the executive officer’s safe for only a moment before going to work.
Her protective earbud came out; another device went in, connected to a sonic amplifier specially made for this kind of work. Placing the conductive pickup of the sensor next to the combination lock, she spun the dial. Two minutes and fifty seconds later it came open. The key hanging on the chain inside went immediately around her neck. The nuclear launch binders, with their codes printed on tough plastic sheets, went into her tunic next to her heart.
Closing the door and spinning the dial to lock it, she moved silently down to the next compartment. The captain’s safe. She repeated the procedure, listening for the faintest of sounds that told her just where the dial should rest on each rotation. This time she was even faster; the door opened in less than two and a half minutes.
She stared at an empty cavity.
“Looking for this?”
She froze, turning slowly to see Colonel Nguyen, the sub captain’s launch key swinging in one hand, his P90 in the other. Its muzzle pointed unwaveringly at Alkina’s chest.
“What are you doing, Colonel?”
“I’m wondering why you just tried to get control of both sets of launch keys.”
“Merely securing them. In case one of the crew got by us.”
“We have the captain and the exec. No one else on the boat knows the combinations. Or has our skills.”
“Are you sure? What if they change procedures? All of our information is over a year old – since the last defection. What if they gave the combinations out to two officers each?”
“You can give up the smoke and mirrors. There’s something you’re not telling me. I think there are many things you are not telling me.”
The corners of Alkina’s mouth quirked upward. “The feeling is mutual. I’m just the liaison. You’re the team leader. You have me outnumbered seven to one.”
“But we’re heading for your country. For Australia.”
“Because we’re the most competent maritime nation in the FC. No one else could put this boat to use like we can.”
“That’s the party line. And once we get to Garden Island sub base intact, if everything goes according to plan, I’ll be happy to turn over everything that’s left of this boat to the legitimate government of the Free Community of Australia. But that is certainly not you. You’re no more a naval commander than I am a kangaroo. You’re a field operative.”
Alkina shrugged. “Certain skills were needed. It’s easier for someone like me to wear this uniform than for a naval officer to be trained the way I am.”
“I’m glad you did not lie to me. We are on the same side, aren’t we? But let me be perfectly clear. If after this, even one thing goes wrong without a superb explanation – anything odd at all – I will lock you in a cabin and you can spend the next two weeks squatting in the corner eating dry breakfast cereal. And if that doesn’t work, I will cut off your hands and feet and have Doc strap you to your bunk with an IV in your arm.”
Color drained from Alkina’s milk-chocolate face, leaving her a kind of pasty grey. She cocked her head, snakelike. “You can’t. You have been infected for ten years. You couldn’t do something so evil.” Her eyes narrowed. “Have you found a way around the virtue effect?”
“No need. I’ll let you in on a little secret – which you probably know anyway. The virtue effect doesn’t stop someone from doing what he believes won’t cause permanent harm. You would eventually regrow your extremities.”
“It would cause me permanent psychological harm.”
“You? Are you certain?” Spooky just smiled, teeth bared. “I suppose I’d just have to steel myself against that possibility. Perhaps you should not test me.”
Nostrils flaring, she slowly lifted the key on its chain toward the colonel.
“No, you keep it. That way we both know nobody will be launching missiles unexpectedly.”
