The Forever Spy

by Jeffrey Layton

  What struck Elena was Laura’s sorrowful downward gaze.

  Elena met Kwan’s eyes. “This will work.”

  * * *

  Where did they take Maddy?

  After the male guard used a cell phone to take several photos of Laura and Maddy and the newspaper, he and the female watcher moved Laura onto the chair where they bound her arms, torso, and legs to its frame with rope. Laura protested but the strip of duct tape muffled her demands. When they opened the door and walked out, the female carrying Maddy away in her arms, Laura struggled with the bindings but gained nothing.

  And what happened to Sarah?

  So worried about her daughter, Laura had forgotten about the bodyguard. She must be around here somewhere, too!

  Laura again surveyed her habitat.

  What is this place?

  And then she felt it, a slight tremor in her bare feet on the teak flooring. Earlier, while lying in the bunk, she’d felt a similar shudder. It was a familiar sensation to Laura.

  This is a boat!

  The wake of a watercraft passing by had just bounced off the superyacht, rocking the hull with a tiny tremor.

  As Laura thought about the situation, she was sure the boat was not under way or anchored but instead tied to a pier or dock. But moored where?

  Laura once again arched her spine, testing the restraints but soon relaxed her strained muscles, frustrated. Her captors were efficient with the lashings, leaving nothing for her to work.

  Stay focused—there’s got to be a way out of here.

  Bound and gagged was not a new ordeal for Laura. A year had passed since her last confinement, which led to three weeks of tribulations that forever changed her—and Yuri. But Laura set aside those trials. She now faced the current crisis head-on.

  Elena’s behind this—I just know it.

  This is exactly what Yuri feared. She’s using me to get to him.

  I should have listened to him and left as he asked.

  And where is Maddy—and Sarah?

  Guilt racked Laura’s spirit. She closed her eyes, seeking solace.

  “Dear Lord,” she whispered, “please protect Maddy and Sarah—and me.”

  * * *

  Yuri sat inside the SUV at Sea-Tac Airport’s cell phone parking lot. It was 8:05 P.M. Nick Orlov’s flight from San Francisco was due to land in seven minutes.

  It was a tumultuous afternoon. After bolting from Anacortes aboard the chartered seaplane, Yuri landed in Lake Union. He took a short cab ride to the downtown Seattle branch of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, where he rented a Ford Expedition.

  During the southbound flight, he’d churned through half a dozen action plans. Yuri’s first impulse was to return to Sammamish to check the house for any clues about what happened to Laura and her bodyguard. But he nixed that plan. The SVR might be waiting for him to make an idiotic move like that, same for visiting NSD’s office. He even thought of calling the lawyer who had assisted him with his immigration status—that is, his lack of any status whatsoever. He punted on that plan, too, knowing there was nothing the attorney could do to help. In the end, Yuri settled on the security company.

  He drove to the company headquarters on Mercer Island unannounced and requested a briefing. The CEO and two senior case officers met with Yuri for over half an hour. There were no new developments. Laura, Maddy, and Sarah remained missing and there’d been no sign of the Yukon. The company continued its search, initiating an All Hands On Deck response. The CEO urged Yuri to notify the City of Sammamish Police and maybe the FBI if they did not turn up soon. Yuri agreed that notifying the local police made sense but was fuzzy on just when that would occur. But talking to the FBI, how he could ever do that?

  At the end of the meeting, Yuri requested the use of a room with a phone. He had kept his cell turned off all afternoon and continued that practice. From the privacy of the office, Yuri called Nick on a landline and briefed him. Nick insisted on the face-to-face.

  Yuri checked the wristwatch. He should be landing now.

  He reached into a jacket pocket and removed his cell phone. He needed a new mobile ASAP but for now risked using it. Nick would be calling soon to let him know he’d arrived.

  Yuri turned on the cell and scanned through the stack of calls and voice mails but chose not to listen to them. However, there was one text that caught his immediate attention. The thread display read LAURA. He tapped on the thread. An instant later, a color photograph flashed onto the screen.

  Dread gripped Yuri as he stared at Laura’s forlorn image.

  My God—this is my fault!

  CHAPTER 43

  Nicolai Orlov studied the photograph of Laura and Madelyn. “Is that today’s paper?”

  “Yes,” answered Yuri.

  Nick and Yuri sat inside the rented Ford SUV in a Denny’s Restaurant parking lot north of the airport.

  “Did you call yet?” Nick asked, still peering at the cell phone screen. Embedded at the bottom of the texted photo was a ten-digit telephone number.

  “No. I wanted you here first.” Yuri shifted in his seat. “I also need to get another phone. They’re probably trying to track this one.”

  “Is it live now?”

  “No. It’s on airplane mode.”

  Nick returned the phone to Yuri.

  “There might be a pay phone in there,” Yuri said, gesturing with his head.

  “Don’t bother. I’ve got one you can use.”

  “No, I can’t use your cell. That would implicate you.”

  “No problem.” Nick turned to his left and reached into the backseat, pulling up his carry-on bag. He unzipped a pocket, slipped a hand inside, and removed a small plastic container. He opened it and held up the cell phone. “Throwaway. Activated with a thousand minutes of airtime. Untraceable. I never leave home without one.” He grinned. “Everyone in my group at the consulate uses them as backups.”

  Nick handed over the disposable phone.

  Yuri flipped it open, turning on the screen. “Does it have speaker mode? I want you to listen in.”

  “Should be there. Scroll down the screen.”

  “There it is.”

  Yuri next glanced at the display on his own phone. He entered a number on the throwaway’s keypad and tapped the Dial icon.

  Elena Krestyanova answered on the third ring. “Allo?”

  “Where are Laura and Madelyn?” Yuri demanded in Russian.

  “Yuri, you finally decided to call.”

  “I want to speak with Laura right now.”

  “Just calm down. She’s fine. And yes, you will get to speak to her soon. But we have business first.”

  “What business?”

  “First, I want you to know that I had nothing to do with their abduction. It was carried out by others without my knowledge or approval.”

  “Who took her?”

  “The FSB.”

  “Fignjá!”—Bullshit.

  “It was not the SVR. I’m just the messenger here. The FSB is running the op, assisted by the GRU. Your Navy wants those recording pods back at all costs.”

  “Why do they want them now—what’s so important?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Yuri turned to face Nick, looking for a response. Nick held up his palms.

  “I want to speak to Laura now.”

  “Hold on—not quite yet. We need to get something straight first.”

  Yuri took a deep breath, trying to retain control. “What?”

  “Our Chinese allies are convinced that you are stalling the recovery process. They tell me that there is nothing wrong with your underwater machine and that the mission should have been completed by now.”

  “They don’t know what they’re talking about. That bearing was worn and—”

  “Yuri, stop it. I don’t care about the details. It doesn’t matter. The Chinese have convinced the Ministry of Defense that you are dragging your feet. The FSB took Laura to motivate you, nothing more, nothing less.”

  Yu
ri closed his eyes. “The upgrades have been made and the new bearing will arrive in the morning.”

  “Excellent. So when will you proceed?”

  “Are you in communication with Wang?”

  “I should be able to contact him.”

  “All right, here’s want I want you to do.”

  * * *

  Yuri and Nick remained in the Ford, still parked at the Denny’s. The conversation with Elena just ended.

  “I don’t trust her,” Yuri announced. “I think she’s behind this whole thing.”

  Still digesting Elena’s comments, Nick took his time before commenting. “It doesn’t make sense to me that she’s calling the shots. Other than her connection with the Neva, she’s never been involved in military ops before—why now?”

  “To get to me, of course.”

  “Obviously, the GRU and the FSB would both enlist her help, but that would be only to contact you—because of the personal connection. She wouldn’t run the mission. That would be someone senior.”

  “It’s a foreign intelligence op, right?”

  “Of course.”

  “So, shouldn’t the SVR be involved, at least on a consultation basis?”

  “Not necessarily. If the GRU has control they would run it solo.”

  “What did the GRU liaison at the consulate have to say?”

  “I inquired discreetly, as you asked. He indicated that they have nothing going on in the Pacific Northwest at this time, only in California.”

  “Well, isn’t that interesting.”

  “I know what you’re getting at, but he may not be in the loop or was ordered not to share. You know how it is with our system.”

  Yuri did, and that knowledge continued to haunt him. “There’s something else that’s really been bothering me.”

  “What?” Nick said, taking the bait.

  “Shouldn’t you as the deputy rezident for the consulate—our only official outpost on the West Coast of the U.S.—have knowledge of the new mission? The GRU and FSB both know that you and I were involved together with the Neva. Why would they use an underling like Elena for such a vital mission? If anyone, it should have been you that contacted me.”

  Yuri’s bombshell hit home with the impact of a Category-5 hurricane. Nick said, “You’re right. We—I—have been left totally in the dark about this whole affair.”

  “Are you somehow compromised—under suspicion for something that would make them gun-shy about using you?”

  “No, of course not. In fact, my section is coordinating joint intelligence ops with the PRC’s MSS, targeting both the U.S. and Canada.”

  “Kind of like what’s going on up here, but you’ve been kept in the black, right?”

  Yuri let Nick ponder the latest revelation. “Here’s something else to think about. How would the GRU or FSB know about me now? Earlier, you told me there was nothing in your system about my ‘resurrection,’ as I recall you phrasing it. Remember?”

  “Yes, but—”

  Yuri interrupted, “Am I still off the official radar?”

  “I checked this morning—there’s nothing new in the system about you.”

  “Don’t you think that’s odd? That YouTube video went public three weeks ago. If someone other than you or Elena made the connection, it would have leaked by now.”

  “Maybe.”

  “And Elena, what about her? Didn’t you say she was supposed to be in Asia someplace?”

  “I did get an update. She returned to Vancouver for meetings with the trade mission.”

  “How convenient. So why is she down here threatening me through Laura? If this were a GRU or FSB, or even an SVR operation, Elena would be the last person to use. A trained intimidator would be hounding me, not a honeypot temptress like Elena.”

  Nick just nodded. Elena’s initial SVR training had focused on using her looks to steal secrets.

  “I think this entire operation has not been sanctioned by the GRU or FSB, let alone the SVR,” surmised Yuri.

  “What are you getting at?”

  “Elena’s been turned, she’s working for the Chinese.”

  “Chërt voz’mí!”—Dammit.

  CHAPTER 44

  Laura remained locked inside the cabin, confined to the chair but now clothed in cobalt blue coveralls—the same type the crew wore.

  An hour earlier, a masked male guard joined the female watcher. They untied Laura’s chair lashings, allowing her to use the cabin’s compact bathroom and change her clothing. During the changeover, Laura asked several times about Maddy but was ignored. After retying Laura to the chair and taping her mouth, both guards exited the cabin.

  Her isolation had lasted about forty-five minutes when a new player entered the cabin.

  Laura turned toward the door as it opened.

  Like her counterparts, the female visitor wore a balaclava, which concealed most of her face and all of her hair. About the same height as Laura, the woman had a bulky frame and at least thirty pounds on Laura.

  The new woman stepped to Laura’s side and peeled the duct tape from her lips.

  Laura took a deep breath and ran her tongue over dried lips.

  The visitor produced a cell phone. “You are going to make a call to verify that you and your daughter are well and—”

  “Where’s Maddy!” Laura demanded.

  The woman tilted her head to the side, meeting Laura’s eyes. “Your lovely daughter is nearby. She’s asleep. When it’s time for another feeding I will bring her to you.” Her English was perfect, without a hint of accent. And through the slits, Laura noted the oval eyes—kind eyes, Laura hoped.

  The visitor punched a speed dial number on the phone and engaged the speakerphone mode. She then held the cell next to Laura’s head. The call rang for just one ring.

  “Hello.”

  “It’s me, honey,” Laura said, energized by Yuri’s voice.

  “Are you okay?”

  “They’ve got me tied up, but I’m okay.”

  “Where’s Maddy?”

  “Here someplace.”

  “She’s not with you?”

  “No, not at the moment.”

  “I’m going to get you and Maddy out of this situation. Just be patient. I will do what they want and then they will release both of you.”

  “Do what?”

  “A search using the Deep Adventurer.”

  “Be careful on the water—it’s not safe.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be all right.”

  “You should get to Dan Miller and the Hercules to help.”

  There was a slight hesitation before Yuri replied, “I’ll have plenty of help so don’t—”

  The female guard started to pull the phone away when Laura shouted, “I love you. Be safe!”

  After switching off the phone, the visitor resealed Laura’s mouth and left.

  Laura gambled with the call; it was all she could think to do. The code was subtle and she hoped her captors wouldn’t notice.

  She was certain, however, that Yuri would pick it up. They both knew full well that Dan Miller was dead.

  * * *

  After Laura’s call, Yuri and Nick relocated from the Ford to a quiet booth in the back section of the Denny’s. Both sipped coffee. Their isolation allowed them to speak in Russian.

  “What do you think she was hinting at?” Nicolai asked.

  “I’m not sure.”

  Laura’s clue perplexed both men.

  Nick said, “It must have something to do with the water.”

  “Or boats?”

  “Right.”

  They speculated for a few more minutes before switching emphasis.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Nick offered.

  “But I don’t have any choice. I’ve got to buy time and that’s the only option.”

  Nick took another sip from his mug. “Who knows what they’re really up to with that underwater gear?”

  “They obviously want the intel on the American
submarines—that was the focus of my mission last year.”

  “Just what does that stuff you planted on the bottom really do?”

  “They’re acoustic recording devices. They record just about every underwater sound within their particular monitoring zone. From whales and fornicating shrimp to tankers, fishing boats, and military craft.”

  “So they record the submarines that pass by?”

  “Yes, and because the Ohios are incredibly quiet, anything that can be recorded helps with detection.”

  “What do you mean by ‘Ohio’?”

  “That’s a classification the U.S. Navy uses. They’re also referred to as Trident subs, for the ballistic missiles they carry.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard that name before.” Nick shifted position on the bench seat. “So the Chinese must be trying to come up with a way to detect the Tridents.”

  “That’s right, but they’ve been going at it backward as far as I can tell.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “The PLAN contact, Wang, insisted that we first recover the listening pod that was placed the farthest inside, not in the deeper waters. That’s backward to me.”

  Nick’s eyebrows narrowed.

  Yuri continued, “The problem with the Ohios is that they’re like a hole in the water sound-wise. We’ve never really been able to track them while they’re on patrol, so any type of recording while they’re submerged is gold.”

  “So, what’s wrong with the area you mentioned?”

  “The Ohios run on the surface there. They don’t submerge until much farther into the Strait.”

  “They make different sounds on the surface?”

  “They’re still quiet, but they’re not running on ultra-quiet deepwater conditions. There’s turbulence noise generated by the sea surface interaction with the hull and racket generated by the wake.”

  Nick mulled Yuri’s comments. “So why did you place a pod there if it’s not of use?”

  “It adds to our overall acoustic profile on the submarines, and there’s always a chance they might try to sneak one out by submerging much closer to the base. We’ve heard rumors to that effect but no evidence yet.”

  “I see what you are getting at. They should be going after the listening pods where the submarines would normally be submerged.”