by Alex Siegel
He sprinted forward and quickly found the source of the noise. Two soldiers were sprawled on the dirt. Their radio headsets had exploded, blowing their brains out.
Ipo heard a rustling. With his gun in hand, he slipped from shadow to shadow as he made his way towards the sound. The source turned out to be Yang. He was holding a gun in his left hand while blood dripped down his right arm.
Ipo stepped into the open. "Are you OK?"
"Sure," Yang said. "It was a small bullet. I've been shot with worse. I was really lucky. If I had seen the guy a millisecond later, I'd be dead. I don't think I've ever moved that fast."
"You're feeling stronger and sharper than ever before?"
Yang nodded. "I feel amazing. Even the bullet wound doesn't hurt much."
"Good. We'll get you to a doctor soon, but come look at this first."
Ipo guided Yang to the dead soldiers, and Yang stared at them with a thoughtful expression.
"What do you think?" Ipo said.
"I bet they were sent to the woods to see if anybody was following them. As soon as we engaged, their boss killed them so they would never talk."
"That's a reasonable conclusion."
"And it means the rest are dead, too," Yang said.
Ipo took a closer look at Yang's injury. It was fairly ugly and leaking plenty of blood. Ipo tore some strips from his shirt and bound the wound to slow the bleeding.
"We'll have to assume that's the case," he said, "because I'm taking you to a doctor now. Come on."
They headed back to the car.
Ipo took out his phone and called Marina.
"Yes?" the commander said.
Ipo described the engagement.
"The enemy is trying to block our investigation," she said. "It's a good thing Katie found this yacht."
"What's your status, ma'am?"
"Still waiting for the 'king' to appear. Make sure Yang gets the best treatment. It sounds like he did well."
"Yes, ma'am," he said. "Be careful."
"Bye."
Ipo put away his phone and picked up the pace. "Hurry. It would be embarrassing for both of us if you bled to death."
* * *
Marina was staring at the ocean through a set of binoculars. The view was nice enough, but she was getting tired of it. She was ready for some action.
The sun was beating down on her bare shoulders. She and Katie had changed into swimsuits taken from Sheila's cabin. Marina had a belt with a few basic weapons and her phone attached to it, but that was all. She didn't want to be weighed down when she was in the water, so she had chosen the bare minimum of equipment, and the rest was hidden away on the yacht.
Two boats emerged from the haze, and they were coming straight at the yacht with impressive rooster tails in their wakes. They had white paint jobs, but their speed and design suggested they were military attack craft. Little radar dishes were spinning on top of both boats.
"I see them," Marina said, "finally. Get ready to jump in."
She turned to Katie. Their swimsuits looked like they came from the same era as everything else on the yacht. They were basically short, red dresses which covered everything from the thighs up to the breasts.
Katie grimaced. "The water looks cold, ma'am."
"The Lord's wrath will keep us warm. Let's go."
Both women were carrying a diving mask, a short piece of rubber hose, and some blue cloth. Marina fitted her mask over her face and pulled the straps tight.
She jumped into the Bay on the side of the yacht facing away from the enemy. Even though it was August, the water felt like ice, and the shock stunned her. She forced herself to move around to keep her blood flowing. She used the rubber hose like a snorkel and allowed herself to sink until her eyes were just above the surface. The blue cloth went over the top of her head. From a distance, she would just look like a bump in the water.
Marina stayed in the shadows cast by the yacht. She worked her way around until she could just see the attack boats.
One was coming forward while the other stayed well back. She guessed the king was in the second boat. He wouldn't risk his neck until the yacht was deemed completely safe and secure.
The first attack boat made a big circle around the Lover's Roost. Marina kept extremely still and allowed the water to wash her around. She wasn't very familiar with military watercraft, but this one looked like it meant business. I'll have to get one of those, she thought.
She knew the enemy wouldn't see anything noteworthy on the yacht. Every corpse had been dumped overboard, and all traces of battle had been swept away. Marina had even sent the powerboat off. Sheila was still tied to her bed, and she was the lone passenger.
Eventually, the first attack boat came up to the yacht. Marina and Katie stayed on the other side, out of sight, but Marina could hear men's voices. They were climbing onboard and beginning their search.
She was shivering in the cold water. She reached down deep and drew upon God's breath, and the shivering stopped.
Katie had a miserable expression on her face, but she didn't appear to be in physical distress. Marina smiled encouragingly.
She peeked around the bow of the yacht. A man wearing full-length black body armor was standing on the attack boat while his friends searched the yacht. The man was carrying an array of weaponry including a Beretta ARX 160 assault rifle. It was a very modern, compact gun. He had a big, muscular body and the stance of a professional soldier. Part of his ear was missing.
We have found the enemy, Marina thought.
* * *
Vulture watched from a distance as the Lover's Roost was searched. Aside from the crew being missing, he didn't see any indication of trouble. The magnificent yacht was as pristine as ever. The red speedboat used to shuttle people and supplies was still tied to the yacht.
He leaned into the cockpit of his own boat. "Anything on radar or sonar?"
"No, sir," one of his bodyguards replied. "All the screens are clear."
Vulture used his binoculars to scan the area. He didn't see anything besides blue water out to the horizon, and the skies were clear of aircraft. He was still nervous though. It smelled like a trap. He certainly didn't understand why anybody would attack the yacht, remove the crew, and then leave.
After a few minutes, he heard a report over the radio. "The yacht is secure," a man with a deep voice said. "We only found the girl. Everybody else is missing."
Vulture leaned down and grabbed the radio microphone. "What is her condition?"
"Scared and confused but apparently uninjured, sir. She is tied to her bed."
He felt somewhat relieved. His relationship with the young woman was mostly physical, but he still had some affection for her. She was very pleasant company.
"Untie her," Vulture said, "but keep her under guard. Sweep the yacht with a detector, and inspect every nook and cranny. Make sure there are no bombs or bugs."
"Yes, sir."
What strange game is being played here? he wondered.
* * *
Marina was bobbing up and down in the water like a cork. She was stoically watching the second attack boat in the distance. Patience was the key in this game.
She knew the king would come for his girl eventually. He would want to appear like a heroic knight rescuing his damsel in distress. Men were very predictable when beautiful, young women were involved. Marina merely had to wait for nature to take its course.
The only problem was the cold water sucking the heat out of her body. She took another dose of God's breath to stay warm. The Lord was angry at the moment, so plenty of energy was available.
* * *
"We checked the yacht from top to bottom twice, sir," one of Vulture's bodyguards said through the radio. "It's secure. We scanned everything for bugs, including the girl."
"OK," Vulture said. "I'm coming over there to pick her up."
"Yes, sir."
Vulture gave instructions to the pilot of his own boat. The vessel began to move towards the yacht at a
cautious pace.
Vulture kept his eyes open for trouble, and so did the bodyguards with him. They were all facing outwards with their rifles ready, but despite the shield made of armed men, he didn't feel safe.
Chapter Eleven
"The king is finally coming," Marina whispered to Katie. "Follow me."
Katie nodded.
Marina wasn't exactly sure how she would deal with so many armed men. She was packing just two light pistols and two knives. Any more weight would've made it difficult to stay afloat. Katie didn't even have a knife. Despite the lopsided situation, Marina was confident she would figure out a plan. She could always just wait for the enemy to leave and follow them. A red speedboat was conveniently tied to the yacht, and the keys were in the ignition.
Before the enemy had arrived, Marina had tied knotted ropes to the railing of the yacht to create simple ladders. She chose the rope she judged was the safest and climbed, making sure not to splash. She peeked over the main deck.
Ten alert, well-armed men were guarding the deck. Marina immediately dropped out of sight. She gestured for silence, and Katie nodded. The legionnaire was hanging on the rope, halfway out of the water.
Marina heard the second assault boat approach on the other side of the yacht. Boots thumped on the wooden deck as men moved around.
Eventually, a man said, "Bring Sheila up. Let me talk to her."
Marina assumed he was the "king." His voice had the deep timbre of a kettle drum, and it was silky smooth. It was a voice that belonged on an opera stage.
There was more commotion.
A woman said, "Oh, Edward! You finally came for me!" Marina recognized Sheila's breathy voice.
"Of course," the king said. "Why would you ever doubt it? What happened here?"
"Two strange women came onto the yacht. They said the most confusing things."
"Such as?"
"That the year is 2014," Sheila said, "and we're not in the English Channel! They even told me you're not a king! Of course, it was all nonsense, but it made me think..."
"What else did they say?"
"Nothing. There was a redhead and a brunette. They left me tied to my bed for at least an hour."
"You have no idea what they wanted," the king said.
"No. Oh, Edward, it was awful! What happened to the crew? Where did they go?"
"I wish I knew. I have another yacht, a much bigger one. I'll take you there so you'll be safe, but first, I have to speak with you privately. Everybody else, get off the yacht. Leave us alone for a moment."
Marina heard many footsteps. She became excited as she realized the king was sending his protection away. She could kill him easily if she wanted, although capturing him would be better. She decided she would knock him into the red speedboat, put him to sleep with her venom, and drive off with her captive. She had reasonable confidence the speedboat was faster than the attack boats.
Marina risked another quick peek over the edge of the deck. The king was tall and exceptionally handsome. His perfectly groomed, brown beard just covered his chin. He had a long, straight nose with a scar across the bridge. He was wearing black body armor over a reddish brown business suit.
She ducked down and mouthed the words "get ready" to Katie. Katie nodded.
"Listen carefully," the king said. "The year is 1936."
His voice had a different cadence now. It echoed inside Marina's skull in a way she had never experienced before. The buttery smooth words slid past her mental defenses and took root deep in her mind. Her muscles tensed as she tried to resist, but it was already too late.
He continued, "I'm King Edward of England, and you're Sheila, my secret consort. We're in love. OK?"
"Yes," Sheila said in a dreamy voice.
"You'll see strange things on the other yacht, but you won't forget my words, right?"
"Yes, my king."
"Good." There was a kissing noise. "Let's go."
"What about this yacht?" Sheila said.
"It must be abandoned for now. It's not safe."
Marina heard footsteps.
She was paralyzed by confusion. She didn't doubt the year was 1936, and she had just heard the King of England speak, but everything else was up in the air. She wasn't even sure what she was doing here. She remembered a sketchy plan to kidnap the king, but that didn't make any sense. Why would she assault the ruler of the British Empire and the man she loved?
What's my name? she thought. Marina or Sheila?
She heard boats driving away.
She raised her head and saw nobody on the deck. She wasn't sure what to do. After a few minutes, she climbed up and stood on the yacht.
Marina's head was swimming. Incompatible beliefs and memories were fighting for dominance. The more she tried to resolve the conflict, the more jumbled her thoughts became. She was losing track of her own identity.
She looked down at her clothing and noticed she was wearing a bathing suit. She was dripping wet and cold. Two guns, two knives, and a gray, metallic device were attached to her belt. She grabbed the device, opened the cover, and discovered a little display. The word "LOCKED" glowed in red letters.
They don't have these in 1936, she thought. She tossed the disturbing device into the water.
Another woman climbed onto the deck, and she was also wearing a wet bathing suit.
"Who are you?" Marina said.
"Sheila," the other woman replied hesitantly. She had brown hair.
"I think that's my name, too."
Marina looked out in the direction the king had gone. Two rooster tails from fast boats were just visible, but they were quickly fading into the haze.
I need to go after him, she thought. I love him.
A red speedboat was tied to the yacht. The contraption didn't exist in 1936, but her desperate love for her king overcame that consideration. She untied the boat, jumped in, and started the engine. The king's boats had already disappeared, but she knew which direction they had gone. She drove after them.
* * *
Hanley was getting bored of waiting for the enemy to arrive. Four more SAS operatives were supposed to show up at Golden Palace Discount Furniture, but they were very late.
He looked across the roof to flashing red and blue lights in the distance. Some kind of serious traffic accident had happened fifteen minutes ago about a block away. He was starting to think it had something to do with the missing operatives. He decided to check it out.
Getting off the roof of the furniture building turned out to be somewhat difficult. It was too high to jump. He eventually leapt over to a tree branch and shimmied down. His heart was beating fast when he finally put his feet on solid ground.
He was still wearing the green camouflage and weapons from the operation early that morning. It seemed like a long time ago. The sun would set soon, and he was getting very hungry. He couldn't go out in public dressed for battle, so he hid most of his weapons behind a dumpster. He did his best to conceal the rest under his fatigues.
He jogged towards the traffic accident, and it felt good to move around. He had been stuck on the roof all day with his palms against air-conditioning ducts. As he approached the accident, he saw more activity than he expected. Four police officers and two detectives were on the scene.
A black Humvee had driven off the road and had crashed into a building. It was exactly the type of vehicle the SAS operatives were driving. Blood had splattered all over the insides of the windows, much more than one would expect under the circumstances. It looked like a blood bomb had exploded.
A crowd of curiosity seekers had gathered, and the police were forcing them back. Hanley worked his way around until he had a better view of the interior of the Humvee. There were no bodies, but there was plenty of blood, and lumps of gray matter were on the dashboard.
"What happened to the people in the car?" Hanley asked a female bystander.
She turned to him. "An ambulance took them away, but they were already dead. Their brains were blown out
."
"How many?"
"Four."
Hanley nodded with understanding. Ipo had called earlier to tell him about the short battle in the hills above Oakland. Clearly, the four remaining SAS operatives had died the same way as their comrades.
Hanley headed back to the furniture building at a leisurely pace. The stakeout was officially done because all the subjects were dead.
When he was safely away from the crowd, he took out his phone and called Marina. Instead of ringing, he heard an ugly buzzing noise. He checked the display on his phone and saw the words, "Number Unavailable."
Hanley furrowed his brow. He had never seen that before. He immediately called Min Ho.
"Sir?" the hacker answered.
"I'm having trouble reaching Marina."
"She warned me that she and Katie might be swimming in the Bay. The signal can't get through seawater." Hanley heard typing on a keyboard. "It looks like Katie's phone is online. Maybe you should call her, sir."
"I'll try that."
Hanley hung up and dialed Katie's number. The phone rang this time, but it kept ringing. She wasn't answering.
Not good, he thought.
He knew the women had prepared some kind of trap on a yacht, but he hadn't heard any details about it. Marina never shied away from danger though, and it was safe to assume the plan involved some serious risks.
Hanley called Ipo.
"Yes?" Ipo said.
"Katie isn't answering her phone, and Marina's is offline. They could be in trouble. Where are you?"
"With Yang in the emergency room. Get to the yacht as fast as you can. I'll catch up with you."
"OK." Hanley hung up.
Finding the yacht wouldn't be hard. He just needed to follow the signal coming from Katie's phone, assuming she was still on the yacht. He didn't let himself speculate any further. He had lost too many good friends in his life, and he refused to accept the possibility of losing any more.
He first ran back to where he had stowed his weapons. He gathered them in his arms but he didn't strap them on. He might still need to be seen in public.
Hanley ran next door to an old warehouse made of white cinderblocks. The Spears had parked their vehicles behind it, and one car was supposed to be left. He was glad to see the blue Mustang he was expecting.
