Honor Under Siege

by Radclyffe

  an image to appear.

  “Cams boat, Blair asked hoarsely. “Cams boat should still

  be there, shouldnt it? Paula?

  For the first time in her life, Paula ignored the first

  daughter. Renée was on the boat that had suddenly

  disappeared. The thought sent a momentary surge of panic

  through her and she went completely blank. Then, as if

  changing a channel in her mind, picture after picture snapped

  into view and came sharply into focus. Beirut, the Cole, the

  World Trade Center, the Pentagon. A field in Pennsylvania.

  Not one life. Not hundreds of lives. Thousands and more to

  come, she knew. And her part to play was here, today, and it

  would never be about one life again. Not even the life of the

  woman she loved.

  “Theyre there, somewhere, and well find them, Paula

  said steadily, because she had to believe it. “Mac, get me a

  picture of

  whats going on out there and an open line to Renée Savard.

  “Yes maam, Mac said, his voice rough with strain. “Ill do

  that.

  * * * * *

  “Theres debris in the water, Savard shouted over the roar of

  the engine.

  Cam leaned over the railing, narrowing her eyes against the

  icy spray and staring at the shiny black surface of the water.

  “Whos got the wheel?

  “Donaldson. I need to be out here. Savard raised the radio

  cradled in her hand. “Ill direct him.

  Cam didnt argue. She doubted she could get Savard to go

  back inside, and she didnt have the time or inclination to

  persuade her. One hundred feet in front of them a geyser of

  flame spouted into the air, the engine fuel from Valeries and

  Henrys boats burning. She should have expected something like

  this. Matheson would be a fool to leave a weak link like Henry

  alive, and Matheson was no fool. Henry had underestimated

  him, and so had she. She would not let Valerie pay for her

  miscalculation. She kicked off her shoes, shrugged out of her

  holster, pulled her badge off her belt, and pushed everything into

  a bench locker.

  “You cant the water is 40 degreesCommander?

  “Tell Donaldson to head for the flames and to get all the

  lights focused off the bow. Move ahead slowly. Christ, we dont

  want to hit her.

  “Commander

  “Shes in the goddamn water, Renée, and Im going to get her out.

  Savard shouted orders into the two-way. As the boat

  corrected

  course, Cam flung her head back, furiously trying to clear

  her vision. Oily smoke roiled from the flaming hulls,

  obscuring the surface of the water. The boats were no longer

  tethered to one another and huge sections wallowed in the

  waves. Burning fragments the size of refrigerators drifted as they

  slowly sank.

  “There! Savard pointed off to their right. “The

  dinghy!

  Cam jerked around and followed Savards arm. A capsized

  inflatable rubber dinghy bobbed on the water.

  “The explosion probably upended it, Savard cursed.

  Cam stepped up onto the railing and dove into the water.

  * * * * *

  “Im getting something now, Chief, Mac said urgently as

  he continued to rapidly type. “Itll just take a second to redirect

  the satel ite focus.

  “Get me in as tight as you can. Paula turned at a sound

  behind them. Hara stood in the doorway. “All clear?

  “Yes maam. Everything is quiet. She glanced toward the

  monitors but said nothing.

  “Run status checks every five with the team leaders, Paula

  directed.

  “Yes maam. Ill take point on the shore.

  “Good. Paula bent forward, peering at the monitor as if that would

  make the fuzzy images clearer. Without warning, the screen cleared

  and a sharp black- and-white image of a burning boat came into view.

  Blair caught her breath, momentarily disoriented by the eerie sensation

  that she was watching news footage, the kind of images that were

  ubiquitous and somehow mind-numbing. But she felt anything but

  numb. Her nerve endings burned, and it felt as if her entire body were

  twitching. A red haze of fury and panic threatened to skew her vision,

  and she had to blink to focus.

  “Can you tel whose boat it is? she

  asked.

  “Not yet, Mac answered. “Wel have a slightly wider field in just here,

  theres another vessel. His voice drifted of as a partial y submerged,

  smoking boat came into view. “Weve got at least two vessels hit. He

  touched his ear and frowned. “Its Tanner requesting permission to

  begin search and rescue.

  Stark shook her head. “No. We dont know that whoever sent the first

  missile doesnt have another one ready to go. The commanders boat

  is out there somewhere. Until we contact her, we keep this locked

  down. Tel Tanner to maintain her position. She is not to pursue any

  unknown vessel.

  Mac relayed the

  order.

  “They might need help, Paula, Blair urged. “What about the Coast

  Guard? “No. This is a Homeland Security operation. We dont

  involve anyone else. “What if Cams boat was hit too?

  “If we confirm that, Paula said, “Il send a team out

  from here.

  “How long can they last out there, if theyre in the water? Diane

  asked.

  Paula didnt answer. Instead she said, “Find them for me,

  Mac.

  * * * * *

  Cam didnt think shed ever been so cold. It was the kind of cold that

  went so deep it was an ache inside of her. She didnt think about the pain

  but just swam arm over arm in the direction where shed seen the

  dinghy. Valerie had been in it, she knew that shed been in it. Henry was

  dead. Shed ordered him shot. Valerie was the only one who could have

  launched the dinghy.

  Her clothes were sheets of ice dragging her down. Her arms and

  legs were heavy. It was hard to move. So much smoke. Black acrid

  stinging smoke that singed her already swol en throat and clouded

  her eyes with tears and salt. Cold.

  Her hand struck an object and she tried to grab it, but it floated

  away. She rubbed her face against her frozen sleeve. The dinghy. A

  wave crashed over her head and she went under. It was a relief to be out

  of the smoke. Her throat felt momentarily soothed until she reflexively

  took a breath and water flooded her lungs. She gagged, vomited, then

  clawed her way to the surface. She broke through and sucked in a

  lungful of tainted air. Coughing, she tried to swim and managed only to

  keep her head above water. Then she saw it again. The dinghy. From

  somewhere deep inside, she found another ounce of energy. Valerie was

  there, she knew she was there. Valerie had launched the dinghy.

  Cam pushed herself toward it. She had sent Valerie out here alone. She

  would not let her die alone. She found the nylon rope that circled the

  dinghy and tried to hold on to it with frozen fingers. When it popped

  away from her she gave up trying and sluggishly circled it, her muscles

  slowly turning to lead.

  For an instant
, she thought she imagined the white form floating next

  to the dinghy. When she reached out, her fingers were too stif to grasp

  the ghostlike figure. Closer now, she could make out Valeries wrist

  wedged underneath the encircling rope on the rubber life raft. She had

  tethered herself to it somehow.

  “Valerie, Cam croaked. She got a mouthful of water and spat it out

  angrily. “Valerie!

  Cam struggled to release Valeries wrist from the twisted lines. The

  instant Valeries arm slid free, she started to sink beneath the surface.

  Cam couldnt grip her clothing, but she managed to get an arm around

  her waist and pul ed her against her body.

  “Valerie, its Cam. Swim. You have to swim.

  Cam couldnt tell if she was breathing or not, and for a fraction of

  a second she felt the way she had when Blair had been exposed

  to a potential y deadly toxin. The floodgates she kept securely

  locked against loss and despair broke open and the pain was so

  crippling she was momentarily paralyzed. They went under

  together, Valerie clasped in Cams arms.

  * * * * *

  “Command One, do you read, Felicias voice fil ed the

  room. “Felicia, Mac cried. “Status. Status report. Are you

  “ engaged in search and rescue. Any sign of

  incoming?

  “Negative. Mac switched channels and the original wide-

  angle view came into focus. “Advise evacuate area as soon as

  possible.

  “Roger, as soon as rescue is complete. Do you have

  visual?

  Mac turned to Paula who was staring at the speakers as if

  she were trying to see through them to Felicia and the others.

  “Felicia, this is Stark. We have debris from two

  vesselsno

  survivors identified.

  “Thermal scans? Felicia asked sharply.

  “Nothing, Mac said, “but if Valeries in the water, shes

  probably too cold already.

  “We have two in the water. Do you read?

  Two. “Who? Paula inquired urgently.

  Blair didnt need to hear the answer. She already knew.

  * * * * *

  Cam didnt have the energy to fight. The cold in her bones

  had dissipated, and so had the pain. Her body was strangely

  heavy, yet weightless at the same time. She couldnt see, but the

  sharp smoky sting in the air was gone. She wasnt in the

  air. She was underwater.

  She was underwater, and Valerie was with her. Valerie

  wasnt moving. What had Blair said to her? Shed made her

  promise something. Cam was so tired and it was so hard to think.

  Promise me. Promise me you wont sacrifice yourself for

  her.

  Thats right. She had promised Blair. Promised her not to die

  for

  Valerie.

  A surge of adrenaline shot through Cam, electrifying her.

  Shed promised not to die for Valerie, but she hadnt promised to

  let her die. What had she said? No one was going to die. She

  tightened her grip on Valerie and kicked. The surface seemed very

  far away.

  And then she felt itValerie was kicking too. Neither one of

  them was going to give up without a fight.

  * * * * *

  “Macs got a thermal body pattern in the water, Felicia announced,

  hurrying from the cabin to join Savard on deck.

  Renée strained to see through the smoke, arcing the floodlights

  back and forth. “Over theretwo in the water, twenty yards off

  to the right. Help me lower the life raft.

  “Im coming with you. Donaldson can handle the

  boat.

  Renée nodded and between the two of them they unlashed the life

  raft from its deck moorings, disengaged the lock on the pul ey,

  and swung the small boat out over the water. Felicia hit the

  switch for the motor and as the inflatable raft lowered

  automatical y, she grabbed two PFDs from a nearby locker. She

  tossed one to Renée and pul ed hers on.

  “There are two more clipped inside the raft for them.

  Felicia swung her leg up and over the railing. “Lets get them the

  hell out of the water.

  “Great idea, Renée shouted and fol owed her over the side

  and down the ladder.

  Felicia started the motor and propel ed the boat toward the area

  of the last sighting. “Do you have them?

  “No! Renée leaned as far over the front of the raft as she

  dared, gripping the handholds. “Head further to your right.

  There wait.

  Yes! There!

  “Be careful, Felicia shouted as Renée braced her legs against

  the side of the raft, released the handholds, and leaned over the

  side. Felicia set the motor to idle and clambered forward, joining

  Renée. Together, they grabbed for Cam, whose head and

  shoulders were just visible above the water next to the raft.

  Even in the flickering red light from the scattered fires still

  burning amongst the debris, her face looked deathly pale.

  “Commander, Renée shouted as she reached down with

  both arms. “Can you grab on to me?

  “No, Cam gasped. She pushed Valerie forward. “Take her first.

  Felicia and Renée grasped Valeries inert body under the arms

  and

  pulled her into the raft. She wasnt moving and appeared

  unresponsive. When Renée looked back into the water she

  saw Cam go under. She dove in, grabbed Cam around the

  waist and pul ed her back to the surface. Shaking water from

  her eyes, she saw Felicia leaning down and pushed Cam into her

  arms. Then she fumbled for the rope around the edge of the

  raft and final y managed to hold onto it. Together she and

  Felicia pushed and pul ed Cam into the raft. Final y, Felicia

  grabbed Renées arm and Renée managed to lever herself up

  and onto the floor of the life raft.

  “Commander, Renée gasped. Cam lay curled up against

  the opposite side of the raft. Valerie was stretched out between

  them.

  “The commanders conscious, but I dont think Valeries

  breathing, Felicia shouted, hurrying back to rev the engine. “We

  need to get them to the boat.

  Renée scarcely noticed as the smal , crowded raft tossed and

  spun from crest to trough and back up again. Kneeling beside

  Valerie, she opened her blouse and pressed an ear to Valeries

  breast. She heard a distant heartbeat but she couldnt detect any

  movement of her chest. Cupping Valeries chin, she tilted her head

  back, covered her nose with her opposite hand, and sealed her

  mouth to Valeries. As she blew into her lungs, all she could think

  was that Valerie was cold. Cold as ice. Cold as death.

  “Come on, Valerie. Come on. Renée blew another

  breath. “Breathe. Goddamn it. Breathe. She felt the barest

  flicker as Valeries chest rose beneath her hand and she hurriedly

  pressed her cheek to Valeries breast again. This time the

  heartbeat was slow and even fainter than before. Far slower

  than it should be. Frantical y, she yel ed over her shoulder,

  “Shes breathing, but Im not sure for how long. Hurry up or were

  going to lose her!

  * * * * *

  “This is Staff Sergeant Donaldson reporting, Donaldsonsr />
  voice announced through the speakers.

  Paula straightened up abruptly. “Where is everyone

  else?

  “The agents are engaged with resuscitation efforts, maam. I

  have the conn, and we are returning to base.

  “Status? Paula snapped.

  “Two casualties.

  “Put that launch right up on the beach below our location. Do

  you copy?

  “Loud and clear.

  Paula signaled to Mac as she spoke and he nodded, murmuring

  instructions into his radio. “DonaldsonETA?

  “Ten minutes.

  “How badly are they hurt? Blair said, standing so close to

  Stark she could hear her rapid breathing. “Are they burned?

  Behind her, she heard Diane groan softly.

  “Whats their condition? Paula asked.

  “Major hypothermia. Thats all I can tell you, maam.

  “Roger that. Bring them home, Donaldson.

  “Yes maam. Ill be pleased to do

  that.

  As Paula instructed Mac to call the marina for

  additional resuscitation equipment, Blair grabbed Dianes arm and

  dragged her toward the door. “Come on. We need to get fires

  going in the bedrooms and fill the bathtubs. Were going to

  have to get them warmed up.

  “Shouldnt we call for an ambulance or something? Diane

  asked, hurrying along beside Blair.

  “No time, Blair said, taking the stairs to the second floor on

  the run. “The most critical thing for an exposure victim is to get

  them warm as quickly as possible. Blair stopped outside

  Dianes bedroom. “Are you okay?

  Diane stared at her as if she were insane. “This is a nightmare

  and

  I keep praying Ill wake up. But until I do, Ill do anything I have

  to. Im not going to let her die.

  “Dont worry, Blair said grimly. “No one is dying

  tonight.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  I t was too dark for Blair to see exactly what was happening on the

  beach, even with the floodlights on the boat spotlighting the people

  swarming al over it. When she had at empted to run down in search of

  Cam, Paula had informed her that both she and Diane were confined to

  the house until further notice. Blair would have argued, but that only

  would have delayed Paula in organizing the teams to get Cam and

  Valerie up to the house. She was acutely aware that Paula was doing

  everything possible to take care of the injured, even though she had to be

  crazy with worry over Renée.

  Despite understanding the reasons behind the protocols, Blair couldnt