Vendetta

by Iris Johansen

  Van Deek was silent.

  “Don’t fight me,” he said gently. “You don’t want to do this, Van Deek.”

  The captain’s gray eyes were suddenly burning fiercely. “The hell I don’t. There are no free passes in this world. But a child should not have to pay the price. Fahad’s the only person I’ve ever loved. What do I care what happens if I can keep him alive?”

  “You do care. And he won’t have to pay the price. I can send someone to give him that pass. But in order to protect him I’ll have to make certain Huber and Kraus are destroyed. Do you have any objection?” He tilted his head. “No, I can see you don’t. We’re progressing.” He glanced at the door. “But not fast enough. This chat has taken too long. Catherine is impatient, and she’s probably in your communication room securing it right now. She said that was the second area to be taken down, and she won’t wait.”

  “This is the Catherine who wants me to save this ocean for her Luke?”

  “Exactly. And after she secures the communications, she’ll come looking for us. So it’s time for you to contact the rest of your crew and make sure that they don’t try to stop her.”

  “And what if I don’t?”

  “They’ll die,” he said simply. “I told you I don’t negotiate where Catherine’s concerned.”

  “Just like that?”

  “No, depending on how much they try to harm her, it could get much worse.” He held his eyes. “Now do as I say. Tell your crew to go to the bridge, and you’ll talk to them there. You’ll say that there’s no threat, but Homeland Security has requested additional personnel to come on board because they want to make sure the ship is secure. Then you’ll take me to the area where you’ve hidden the explosives and give them to my men for safekeeping. After that, you’ll continue to proceed toward Oakland as if you’re obeying Huber’s orders. Perhaps at a little slower pace than you were told to sail. The rest of your duty will consist of stalling and giving the correct answer when or if Kraus contacts you.”

  “You’re crazy.”

  “On occasion, as we all are.”

  “Or some kind of freak.”

  “I’m probably past that point, but you’ll be glad to know I keep it firmly under control. I’m glad that you no longer believe I’m a spy for Kraus.”

  His gaze was still on Cameron’s face. “No, I don’t believe that, which probably makes me as crazy as you.”

  “We don’t have much time. I can only give you a few more minutes.” And he didn’t want to use any more mental force than he’d already done. There was a slight possibility of damage. “Decide.”

  He moistened his lips. “And my son?”

  “I’ll call my contact in Kuwait, and he’ll find the boy. He’s very efficient and quite lethal. Before the night is over, I guarantee your son will be safe. I keep my promises. You can tell that, can’t you? That’s why it’s necessary that I destroy Red Star. So that no one will be around to countermand that order. Don’t worry, that’s already in the works.”

  Van Deek’s gaze was narrowed, probing. “And I’m supposed to believe you?”

  Cameron did a reinforcement to make certain he did. Then followed with a quick mental scan to verify. “You do believe me. You’re already feeling relieved. You were looking for a way out. You were torn about whether or not you could do it. You hated the idea of being the one to destroy this place you consider your true home. You wanted to kill Kraus when he used your son as a pawn. However, I won’t be relieved until you call your crew. Come on. Do it right now.” He headed for the door. “Because Catherine is definitely on the move.”

  THE KATRINA

  2:40 A.M.

  “Do you intend to do anything but stand there and watch me?” Catherine called to Cameron impatiently from the bridge. She went down the steps and crossed to where he was leaning on the rail. “Not that Manuel or any of your other men would expect you to do anything you don’t want to do. But you’ve been letting me give all the orders since Van Deek handed over those explosives. I expected you to step in and take charge.”

  “Why should I? You’ve been totally faultless. The ship is secure, and the crew knows that they can come to you while Van Deek is temporarily out of commission.” He smiled. “Besides, I like watching you. It always pleases me to see you in action.”

  “No other reason?” She looked out at the Katrina cleaving swiftly through the water and shook her head. “You’re trying to keep me busy. You’re worried because you couldn’t reach Brandon to tell him that we’d taken the Katrina.”

  “Not worried. There could be any number of reasons why communications have broken down. It might be dangerous for Brandon to answer. We don’t know the situation. I’ll try again later.”

  No, she didn’t know the situation, Catherine thought. She didn’t know what Brandon was going through, if he’d been captured or killed.

  And she didn’t know what was happening to Rachel.

  And it was scaring her to death.

  Even if Cameron wasn’t breaking his word about using that damn gift, she knew he was reading her terror. And sharing it with him was easing that fear in some strange way.

  “But you know all this,” he said gently. “Because you’re experienced and intelligent, and you realize it’s just a waiting game now.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “So what do we do, Catherine?”

  She wanted to rub her cheek against his hand. She wanted to step closer and feel that magical comfort that was another part of who he was. She forced herself to step back instead. “Why, we sail along and pretend we’re on our way to blow up a part of this beautiful world.” She turned away and headed back to the bridge. “And I put up with the Guardian lazing around and treating me as if I was just another one of his subjects in front of all his devoted followers.” She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Unless I decide to toss you over the side, Cameron.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “But then you’d have to jump in after me and pull me out. And I’ve already told you how dangerous that could be.”

  “Still, it might be worth it…”

  EAGLES REST

  CANADA

  “Wake up, Dr. Rachel. Why won’t you wake up?”

  Maria, Rachel realized dazedly. She was frightened. Of course, she was frightened. Just a little girl, and she had gone through so much …

  “Please, wake up. I don’t want to be alone here. They … hurt me.”

  Huber. Kraus. She struggled to open her eyes. “Not alone.” She finally managed to lift her lids. “I’m here … Maria.”

  Maria’s face above her. They had hurt her. New bruises. A cut lip, livid marks on her throat. Rachel could only hope for nothing worse. “Hi.” She held out her arms. “Come here.”

  Maria flew into her arms. “Mama. Did Mama come? They could hurt her again. They’re bad people.”

  “No, she didn’t come.” Rachel stroked Maria’s hair. “She’s better, but she sent me instead.” She was looking around her. Bars on the windows. Concrete floors. A jail or dungeon of some sort. An arched door that appeared to lead outside and reminded her of something …

  Sazkar Prison. It was like that sadistic bastard to want to remind her that she had never really escaped him.

  But that door was different. She could see that the ornate arched perforations in the wood showed that it seemed to look out on some kind of huge dirt yard or field.

  Yes that wasn’t the same, and neither was the concrete floor that felt cold against her naked body.

  Naked. She tensed, a preparation for rape? Perhaps. But she could see her boots and other clothes had been stacked neatly on the cot across the room. It was more likely that she had been searched thoroughly both for GPS and weapons. Huber would be wary of her since she’d told him that she’d been the one who had killed his father.

  Or it could be either, but she would be more prepared for anything to come if she was dressed. She needed those boots. She kissed Maria’s forehead. “You’ve been very brave.
You’re going to have to be even braver before we get you back to your mama. Now I have to get dressed.” She pushed her gently away and got to her feet. “How long have I been here?”

  “I don’t know. It seemed a long time.” She was watching Rachel pull on her clothes. “Maybe not so long. But I didn’t know if you were dead. And all those guards came in and were taking off your clothes and looking at them and I didn’t know why. They didn’t do it to me.”

  Relief. Maria hadn’t had to face that particular horror … yet.

  And she wouldn’t, Rachel thought fiercely. “It was just the guards? Not Huber, not that man who hurt you?”

  Maria shook her head. “Just the guards, some I hadn’t seen before.” She frowned. “One of them grabbed your watch right off your wrist. I knew you wouldn’t like that. Mama said you always needed your watch when you were doing stuff for people.”

  “Yes, I do.” She stopped in the middle of pulling on her boots. And Cameron’s messenger might also have been informed about that fact about her. If that messenger had been Brandon, then he would certainly know it.

  New guards Maria hadn’t seen before.

  A turmoil of activity in the cell where a discreet action or a new guard might be overlooked.

  A watch torn from her wrist. “Perhaps I’d better check to make certain it wasn’t stolen.” Because she hadn’t seen it lying on the cot with the rest of her belongings as she’d been dressing.

  But then she saw the gleam of gold and leather half under the bottom of the cot. She slowly reached down and picked it up. “Here it is.”

  “Not stolen?”

  “No.” The watch seemed to be working and read 3:40 A.M. But the alarm had been changed to 4:45 A.M. “And it’s working just fine.”

  Wrong. She felt a bolt of sheer panic. Claire had told her that she would give her only until four thirty to get Maria away before she’d unleash those drones. If any rescue attempt was to be staged at four forty-five, it would be too late.

  And it was now 3:40 A.M. and Huber hadn’t even made his appearance.

  “That’s good, isn’t it?” Maria asked, troubled. “You’re not happy?”

  “It’s very good.” She was off the cot and kneeling beside the little girl. “I guess I’m still a little dizzy.” She cradled Maria’s face in her hands. “But there might still be some bad stuff coming up, and you’ve got to be ready for it. I need you to do exactly as I tell you,” she whispered. “Will you do that, Maria?”

  Maria nodded. “Mama said I always have to do what you say. You saved me.”

  “And I’ll save you this time. But you might not like how I do it. I might get hurt a little.” She shook her head as Maria opened her lips. “Not bad, but you won’t like it. Just know that I won’t really be there. I’ll just go away for a few minutes, the way I told you to do. Your job will be harder. You’ll have to sit there and watch and not do anything. It’s a very important job.”

  Maria was starting to cry.

  “And you mustn’t do that either, bad people like to see tears, it makes them worse.”

  Maria was nodding. “I … know.”

  And it made Rachel furious that she had learned that lesson in this short time. “But it will get better. They will be punished, but you shouldn’t look when that happens, either. Stay very close to me. When I run, you go where I go, do what I do. Okay?”

  Maria’s arms tightened around her. “Okay.”

  She could hear footsteps on tile coming toward the cell. So familiar. So much like Sazkar Prison. She hadn’t the slightest doubt now that that had been Huber’s intention. “I think they’re coming.” She kissed Maria’s forehead. “Be strong.” She released her and pushed her gently toward the far wall. “Be the best you can be.”

  “I see you’ve put your clothes back on.” She whirled to see Max Huber standing in the open doorway. He smiled maliciously. “Such a waste of time. You’ll be kneeling to me naked from now on until the time I choose to put you out of your misery.” He turned to Kraus, who had followed him into the cell, accompanied by two uniformed militia guards. “But that won’t be for a long time, thanks to Kraus. I wanted to have you go up in flames at the same time as the Katrina Notalo, but you’ve cheated me by being such a coward.”

  “What a pity,” Rachel said. She’d never seen either Huber or Kraus before outside of those photos Brandon had shown her, but they’d been such a part of her thoughts and nightmares that they were horribly familiar. “By all means blame Kraus. Heaven forbid, you shoulder the blame for anything. Tell me, which one of you killed Fasrain? That was a terrible mistake.”

  “It was not a mistake.” Kraus said. “Choosing him was the mistake. He was tainted. I knew we should rely on our own men, who are good Aryan stock.”

  “What do you say, Huber?” Rachel said. “How good is your fine Aryan stock? Did it save your father? He died like any other man. Probably faster, who knows better than I how quickly that poison worked.”

  “Bitch!” Huber’s hand shot out and struck her cheek full force.

  Pain!

  She tottered back and fell to the floor.

  Maria screamed.

  “Shut up!” Huber whirled on her and was across the cell. “You want it?” he asked savagely. His hands were on the child’s throat, pressing, bruising. “I’ve been waiting for this, Rachel. Watch as I hurt her. See how her eyes bulge when I—”

  Rachel was on her feet and running to Maria’s side. “I see.” She had to get him away from her. Draw his fire. The edge of her hand came down in a karate slice on his wrist, and she tore Maria out of his grasp. She bent back his fingers. “I see what your men see every day. A coward and a—” She broke off as one of the guards reached her and knocked her away from Huber.

  “A coward?” Huber’s face was flushed with rage. He punched her in the stomach. “Bitch.” He punched her again as she fell to the floor. “Cunt.” He took a step closer and kicked her viciously in the ribs. “Scream, whore.” He kicked her again. “Let me hear you!”

  Go away from it. He’s forgotten Maria now. Don’t scream. Don’t let it touch you. She was vaguely aware of Maria sobbing across the room as he kicked her again.

  “She won’t last any time at all if you keep doing that,” Kraus said without expression. “And then you’ll blame me again.”

  “It is your fault.” Huber was breathing hard, his cheeks flushed. He kicked Rachel one last time and stepped back. “I wanted time to play with her before he blew the Katrina. You promised me.”

  “I gave you more than anyone else could give you.” He nodded at two of the guards, who came forward and lifted Rachel to her feet. She gasped with agony before she could stop herself. “Look at her. I thought you wanted her to see your father’s triumph with the Katrina. She killed him, and you’re wasting her. He deserves better.”

  Rachel was managing to stifle the pain. “I disagree,” she said unevenly. “Your father got exactly what he deserved.”

  Kraus smiled thinly. “And after you witness the show we’ve put on in his honor, I believe I’ll let his son kick you until you bleed out.” He flicked on the TV set on the wall, and the picture of the long, sleek tanker suddenly appeared. “It’s a little after four, Huber. It should be almost dawn soon. Do you want to continue toying with this woman, or are you ready to honor my old friend?”

  “Are you trying to shame me?” But the question was abstracted as his gaze was drawn in fascination to the image of the supertanker on the screen. “I can wait … It’s huge, isn’t it? All that oil … It will smother everything it touches.” He gestured to the guards. “Take her out in the yard. I want to see it blow on the big screen. I want her to see it and know that no matter what she did, she could never stop it.”

  Rachel could still feel the pain and homicidal fury of those few moments with Huber. Kraus had saved her, Rachel thought dazedly. Why? There had to be a reason why he was obviously manipulating Huber. Something to do with what Claire had said…?

/>   But then she forgot him as panic swept through her when she realized that they had left Maria locked in the cell. She watched as one of her guards turned the key in the lock and slipped it into his pocket. She hadn’t counted on Huber’s separating them. She smothered that icy stab of sheer fear. She had known that she had to play this as it was dealt. Survey the situation and look for a way out.

  The yard was just as big as she’d thought, she realized as she was pushed through the arched doorway of the prison out into the dirt yard. No one was locking that outside door. She had only Maria’s cell door to worry about.

  Only? There were at least twenty or thirty men wearing gray-and-taupe militia uniforms and high black boots milling around the area. A boxing ring occupied the center of the yard. To one side of the ring was a huge TV screen that now lit up the darkness.

  The supertanker again, black, sleek, sliding snakelike through the water.

  “Impressed?” Kraus was smiling as he gazed at Rachel’s face. “Huber regards this as his very own coliseum. I don’t believe you’ll want to know what he’ll probably do to you in that ring once he becomes too impatient.”

  “No, you know what a coward I am.” Was that the sound of a rotor in the distance? Helicopter? Drone? Too far away to be sure. “You’ve beaten me, Kraus.”

  “I’m not too sure.” He was studying her face. “You look amazingly calm. A stall? It probably doesn’t matter at this late date, but I’m wondering why—”

  “Why isn’t it happening?” Huber whirled away from the TV screen, his eyes blazing at Kraus. “It should have blown five minutes ago. You told Van Deek that he had to be on time. You promised me, Kraus.”

  “It’s only five minutes. Perhaps there’s something wrong with the charge. Van Deek will fix it. You can see the ship is proceeding as scheduled.”

  “Call Van Deek.” Huber’s voice was almost a screech. “Call him right now. Tell him he can’t disobey my orders. I want that ship to blow now.”

  “Just give him another—”

  “Call him!”

  Chaos. Tension. Huber at his most vicious and irrational. Neither Kraus nor Huber were paying her any attention. The two guards who had been supporting Rachel were now more interested in what was going on with Huber and Kraus. She might not have a better chance than this. She had to get back to Maria. None of this mattered if she lost Maria. She couldn’t wait to see if that had been the sound of a helicopter or a drone.