Her Lieutenant Protector

by Lara Lacombe

  “Oh?”

  “The ship’s doctor thinks there’s some kind of toxic material in the communication hubs mounted throughout the ship.” The idea was so far-fetched he felt a little foolish even suggesting it, but if the woman turned out to be a problem, he didn’t want to be accused of concealing information from his contact.

  “What?” The man’s voice sharpened with interest, and Wesley realized the idea maybe wasn’t so silly after all.

  “What does she know?”

  “I’m not sure,” Wesley replied. “I was only able to hear bits and pieces of their conversation, but from what I gathered, she thinks the communication hubs contain some kind of dangerous substance. I think I heard the word radioactive, but I’m not confident about that.”

  The man cursed softly, and a chill slid down Wesley’s spine. Was the doctor actually right?

  “This woman sounds like a problem. Can you handle her?”

  There was only one acceptable response. “Yes.” He paused, then decided to throw caution to the wind. “I take it her speculations have merit?”

  His contact laughed softly, the sound surprisingly sinister. “Do you really want to know?”

  “I do.” Wesley was tired of operating in the dark. He was risking a lot, both personally and professionally. He had a right to know exactly what was going on.

  “Very well. Yes, the doctor is correct. The ship was modified during construction. Small parcels of semienriched uranium were distributed throughout the vessel.”

  “Ah,” Wesley said, the pieces clicking into place as the man spoke. “So after I distribute the explosive charges, the ship will be a floating dirty bomb.”

  “Indeed,” the man confirmed. “And when the ship docks in New York Harbor to receive her distinguished guests...” He trailed off, and Wesley filled in the blanks.

  “It will be the most memorable Fourth of July in history.” A thrill shot through him, burning away his fears of discovery and energizing him for the task ahead.

  “Do you see now why you were chosen for this mission?”

  “I do.” It was perfect, and he felt a bit humbled by the opportunity they had given him. “Thank you.”

  “You can show your gratitude by doing your job,” the man replied. “I trust you will do your part to ensure things go off without a hitch?”

  “Oh, yes,” Wesley said, nodding even though the man couldn’t see him. “I will.”

  He hung up and tucked the phone into his pocket, unable to keep the smile off his face. The Organization’s plan was perfect, beyond his wildest imaginings. Justice was finally going to be served, and he was going to be a part of it.

  He’d been fifteen when the planes had hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. A bout of flu had kept him home from school, and he’d been stretched out on the sofa, eyes glued to the television. At the time, he’d thought he was experiencing some kind of fever dream. The events were simply too terrifying to actually be real. But then his mother had called, her voice thick with tears.

  “I just want to check on you,” she’d said. “I love you very much.”

  “Love you, too,” he’d replied automatically. “Is this really happening?”

  “I’m afraid so. I’m going to pick up your brother from school and come home. Your father should be on his way there now.”

  And so the family had gathered, huddling together to watch history unfold. Ryan hadn’t even complained about being forced to leave his car at school overnight. In fact, his older brother had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the day and the remainder of the week. At first, Wesley had thought Ryan was simply trying to come to terms with what had happened. They hadn’t known anyone who lived in New York or Washington, DC, but Ryan’s class had gone on a school trip to New York City the year before, and he’d loved it so much he’d decided he wanted to go to college there.

  Wesley had tried to talk to his brother, but Ryan had rebuffed his attempts at conversation. It was clear Ryan was planning something, but he kept telling Wesley to wait. “I’m going to tell everyone at once,” he’d said.

  And two weeks later, on his eighteenth birthday, Ryan did.

  They had just finished singing “Happy Birthday,” everyone seated around the table to watch Ryan blow out the candles on his cake. “I joined the Marines,” he said, without preamble. He leaned forward with an impatient huff, and the tiny flames snuffed out, sending slender pillars of smoke rising into the air.

  A shock had rippled through Wesley, followed quickly by an intense burst of jealousy. He’d tuned out his parents’ stunned objections and begun to daydream about ways he could join his brother. It would be so cool to fight side by side—they could watch each other’s backs, and they could keep each other from getting too homesick. He’d be sixteen in a few weeks, and if he could figure out a way to take the GED test soon, he might be able to ship out to basic training with Ryan.

  Provided his parents approved.

  “I want to join, too,” he’d said.

  “Absolutely not,” his father had said.

  “No.” His mother’s voice had been tight with fear. “You’re going to finish high school.”

  “I can get a GED,” he began, but his father had cut him off.

  “No. This isn’t up for discussion. Go to your room, please.”

  “But—”

  “Now.”

  Ryan had caught his eye as he’d left, and Wesley knew they’d talk later. So he’d retreated to his room and spent the rest of the evening online, researching his options. Maybe he could get a fake ID, or try to get emancipated from his parents...

  It was almost two hours before Ryan came upstairs and knocked softly on his door. “Are they gonna let you go?” Wesley had asked.

  “They don’t have a choice,” Ryan responded. He sounded tired, and there were lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there before. Wesley studied his brother’s face, noting with surprise that Ryan looked much older than his eighteen years.

  “I’m an adult,” he continued. “And I’m graduating high school in May. Legally, Mom and Dad can’t stop my enlistment. That’s why I waited until today to sign the papers.”

  “I’m coming with you.” Wesley had expected Ryan would be happy about his determination to join him, but his brother shook his head.

  “No. You need to stay and finish school. Wait until you’re eighteen and join up then.”

  “But I want to go with you now.”

  Ryan smiled at him, and in that moment he looked more like their father than his brother. “I need you to stay here and take care of Mom. She’s taking this pretty hard.”

  Wesley couldn’t argue with that. But he hated the idea of being stuck at home while Ryan was off in some foreign land, defending their country.

  “Those two years will go by faster than you think, and then you’ll be able to join me,” Ryan had said. “Just please do me this favor now.”

  Wesley had agreed, knowing he didn’t have much of a choice. Ryan had shipped off to basic training just a few days after his graduation, and Wesley had begun to count the days until he’d be able to join his brother.

  A little over a year later, Ryan had been sent to Iraq. Six weeks into his tour, he was dead.

  At first, the military had provided very little information regarding the circumstances surrounding Ryan’s death. His mother had been nearly catatonic with grief, but his father had grown angry and refused to accept the paltry facts thrown their way. He’d started digging, writing letters to senators and congressmen, anyone he thought could help. After several months, it was finally revealed Ryan had been killed by friendly fire.

  The news had broken Wesley, shattering his illusions. He’d dreamed about following in Ryan’s footsteps and serving alongside him. But he couldn’t stomach the though
t of putting his life on the line for a country that had failed his brother in such spectacular fashion and then tried to cover it up in an attempt to save face. It was a transgression he could neither forgive nor forget.

  As his mother shrank into herself, Wesley’s bitterness grew, threatening to overtake him. Until one day three years ago when he’d been contacted by a man who said he could help.

  And now here he was, on the verge of finally avenging his brother.

  For the first time since Ryan’s death, Wesley felt hopeful. He wanted to call his parents and share the news, to let them know that even though he couldn’t bring Ryan back, he was going to make this country pay for the way it had betrayed them all. But he knew better than to reveal any hint of what was to come. Soon enough, his family would hear the news. And then he could reveal his part in the operation, so they would know that he had never stopped fighting for justice for Ryan.

  “I’ve still got your back, Ryan,” he whispered. “I will make this right.”

  Chapter 10

  It seemed to take forever to find the captain.

  Mallory and Everest went straight to the bridge, but he wasn’t there. “He received a personal call,” said one of the officers on duty. “He’s in his cabin right now.”

  “Damn,” muttered Everest.

  “Should we go wait outside his door?” Mallory asked, only half joking. With everything going on right now, they needed to talk to him right away. Every minute that ticked by resulted in passengers being further exposed to the material in the communication hubs...

  Everest shook his head. “No. At least not yet. He’s bound to come back here once he finishes his call. If we head for his cabin we might miss him, and then we’d waste too much time tracking him down. Better to wait here.”

  Mallory sighed, but she knew he was right. It was hard to tamp down her impatience, though, especially now that she and Everest had come up with the beginnings of a plan to address the problems on board.

  If the captain agreed, the ship would dock in Charleston as scheduled. The police would come on board and begin their investigation concerning the body, and the passengers would be taken off the ship. Once that occurred, Everest could coordinate a hazmat team to collect and identify the mysterious substance while Mallory conducted exit screenings to determine if any of the passengers were experiencing symptoms that might be due to exposure to the material.

  It wasn’t a perfect plan, and it would take a lot of effort and participation from the staff to pull it off. But it was a good start, and Mallory knew she’d feel better once she started doing something concrete to address the problem.

  But as the minutes ticked by with no sign of the captain, her nerves began to fray. She glanced over at Everest, who was staring intently at the doorway, as if he could cause the captain to appear by sheer force of will alone.

  “Still think we should wait here?” she murmured.

  His jaw clenched and he glanced at her. “Maybe we should go check on him.” He turned and took a step, his lower right leg hitting the bottom edge of a desk as he moved.

  A loud metallic clang rang out, and Everest froze. He closed his eyes, and Mallory got the distinct impression he was silently wishing the ground would swallow him whole. Then he swallowed and looked at her. “Ready?”

  Mallory nodded. Whatever had just happened here, it was clear Everest didn’t want to talk about it. Unless she missed her guess, he was wearing some kind of leg prosthesis, which would explain the subtle hitch she’d noticed in his gait.

  He probably lost his leg in the war, she thought. Which explained the hesitation he’d displayed when she’d asked him about his service during lunch. He’d answered her questions, but she had gotten the impression he wasn’t being entirely forthcoming with his responses. Not that she blamed him. She had her own secrets, and while she was growing to trust Everest more and more, she wasn’t excited by the prospect of telling him about the assault she’d suffered in college.

  They set off down the hallway, walking side by side. Mallory could practically feel the waves of discomfort emanating off Everest, and she wished there was something she could say to let him know that she didn’t want to pry into his personal life or force him to talk about things he didn’t want to share. She respected him too much for that. She was curious to know more, of course, but if she did find out the details of his situation, she wanted it to be because he’d felt comfortable enough to tell her, not because she’d pried the information out of him.

  “Do you think the captain will accept our recommendations?” She was genuinely curious to know his thoughts on the matter, but she also hoped he’d view the question for what it was: a conversational olive branch, a sign she was willing to ignore the strange moment that had just happened on the bridge until he was ready to talk about it on his own terms.

  Everest nodded. “I don’t know him that well, but he seems like a reasonable man. I made a few recommendations before we got under way, and he was receptive to my suggestions. I’m hoping he’ll do the same now.”

  “He didn’t hesitate to start decontamination procedures when I told him about the suspected norovirus patients,” Mallory said. “It seems like he has the safety of the passengers and crew as a priority. Maybe that will make it easier to convince him to cut the cruise short.” She made a mental note to check on Avery and Olivia and warn them of the potential danger in their cabins. There wasn’t another place for her friends to sleep tonight, but perhaps they could put some kind of makeshift shield over the boxes on the wall to limit their exposure to the toxic material inside.

  “Let’s hope you’re right,” Everest said, letting out a small sigh. He shook his head. “I just can’t get over how badly things have gone on this voyage. I’ve never had so many problems all at once.”

  “Me neither,” Mallory said. “I once worked on a boat that had a huge outbreak of norovirus. It swept through everyone—even the captain fell ill. It was terrible, but at least I knew what I was dealing with and how to handle it.” She bit her lip. “I wish I could say the same right now.”

  Everest placed his hand on her shoulder. His touch was warm and reassuring, and her anxieties dimmed a bit at the reminder that she wasn’t alone. “We’ll get some answers soon,” he said. “As soon as my friends respond to my message, I’ll ask them to compare the photos I sent to a database of images of known materials. That will tell us something in a few hours at the latest.”

  “That’s encouraging,” Mallory replied. They stopped in front of the captain’s door, and Everest lifted his hand to knock. But Mallory stopped him with a hand on his arm.

  He turned to look at her quizzically, and she took a deep breath. There was something she wanted to do, and she needed to gather her courage. “I want to thank you,” she said softly.

  “For what?” His bright blue eyes were kind as he tilted his head to the side.

  “For listening to me. For actually taking my crazy idea seriously and not laughing me off the ship. For lunch today. For all your help last night.” She shrugged and smiled. “Take your pick.”

  Everest stepped toward her, until he was standing only inches away. Mallory braced herself for the familiar jolt of panic that came whenever she got too close to a man, but it didn’t happen. Instead, a frisson of excitement tingled down her spine, making the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. This close, she could see the darker blue rings rimming Everest’s pupils, and the small freckle on the lower right side of his neck, just above the collar of his shirt. He smelled of soap and sunscreen, and Mallory found herself leaning toward him, her body drawn to him with a yearning that surprised her.

  Everest lifted his hand and brushed a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “It’s my pleasure,” he said, his voice husky. “I’d say I was just doing my job, but, well...” He ducked his head, seeming suddenly shy. Then he m
et her eyes, a hint of vulnerability in his gaze. “I like you,” he said simply.

  A thrill shot through her at his words, followed quickly by a hint of sadness. “I like you, too,” she replied.

  “Don’t sound so happy about it,” Everest joked.

  She smiled sadly at him. “It’s not you. It’s me.” She shook her head. “I know that sounds like a cliché, but I have a lot of trouble trusting men.”

  “Bad breakup?”

  If you only knew. A shudder ran through her at the reminder of the assault. “Something like that.”

  Everest was quiet a moment, studying her. “We all have our secrets,” he said gently. “And I’m not going to pressure you to talk to me. But if you want to, I’m here.”

  Gratitude welled in her chest. Seized by impulse, Mallory rose onto her toes and pressed a kiss to Everest’s cheek. “Thank you,” she said. “Same goes for you.”

  A look of shock crossed his face, followed by a flare of heat in his eyes. He lowered his head, and for a thrilling second, Mallory thought he was going to kiss her.

  His breath was warm against her lips and smelled faintly of mint. She leaned toward him, a subtle pull drawing her closer until she could feel the heat from his body. Her breath caught in her throat, and for a second, the time seemed to stop as the moment stretched between them.

  A noise from inside the captain’s cabin startled them both. Mallory jumped and Everest jerked his head back, his eyes growing wide. They stared at each other for a second, and Mallory was suddenly very aware of their surroundings. She had almost kissed him while standing in the hall, in full view of any staff who happened to wander by. They were here to talk to the captain about a serious matter, and yet their intentions had very nearly been derailed by temptation.

  Everest smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “Um, maybe we should knock.”

  “Yes,” she said, nodding vigorously. She swallowed, trying to push down the unfamiliar feelings and urges Everest had stirred up inside her. “Let’s get back on track here.”