His deadline for delivering his mysterious cargo was New Years Eve.
Now that the fuel problem was solved, he was starting to feel hed make the London deadline. Once there, his plan was to make the delivery, drink in the New Year at a waterfront bar, then locate a doctor the following day to look at the rash.
The man had no way of knowing the next doctor hed see would be a coroner.
21
THE VIEW FROMthe front window of the helicopter was a field of lights. On Hanleys orders the crew of the Oregon had lit all the available lights and the ship looked like a Christmas tree against the dark sky. Flying with only instruments was nerve-racking, and Adams was glad they could soon touch down. Lining up behind the stern, he descended and hovered at the rear of the ship then gradually eased forward until the Robinson was over the landing pad.
Then Adams lightly touched down and began the shutdown procedure.
Hard flight, Cabrillo said as he waited for the rotor blade to stop spinning.
It was white knuckle most of the way, Adams admitted.
Hell of a job, George, Cabrillo said.
Before Adams could answer, the Oregon s medical officer, Julia Huxley, raced over and opened the door just as the rotor stopped and Adams engaged the brake. Right behind her was Franklin Lincoln.
Hes
in back, Cabrillo said.
Huxley nodded and opened the rear door and quickly checked Ackermans vital signs. Then she stood back and Lincoln reached in and lifted the archaeologist, sleeping bag and all, into his arms. Carrying Ackerman in front at waist level, he raced for the sick bay with Huxley following closely. Hanley walked over as Cabrillo was climbing from the helicopter. He didnt waste time with pleasantries.
Murph called from the Akbar .
Hes compromised? Cabrillo asked expectantly.
Nope, Hanley said as he steered Cabrillo toward the door leading into the interior of the Oregon, he heard some noises and freed himself. After waiting a safe amount of time, he ventured from the cabin where he was being held and started searching around. The ship was empty and there was no sign where Al-Khalifa and his crew had gone, so he risked a call.
The men had exited the rear deck and were heading down the passageway to the control room.
Did he recover the meteorite? Cabrillo asked.
It was gone, Hanley said as he opened the door to the control room. Were receiving tracking signals from the bugs you left, but theyre intermittent.
The men walked into the control room.
Where are the signals originating from? Cabrillo asked.
Hanley pointed to a monitor. There, he said, the track was heading north but now its heading east in the sea above Iceland.
He switched boats, Cabrillo said, but why?
Thats the question, Hanley said.
How far are we from the Akbar ?
Without replying, Stone entered commands into the computer and an image came onto a monitor on the wall. A video camera that was lit by spotlights on the Oregon s bow was filming.
The Akbar was dead ahead.
THE FREE ENTERPRISE was steaming at full speed through the tossing seas.
Stop at the Faeroe Islands, a man said over a secure link. Ill have someone at the local airport to pick up the package.
Where do you want us after that? the captain asked.
Calais, the man stated, the rest of the team is there.
Very good, sir, the captain said.
The man added, One more thing.
Yes, sir.
Explain to the team they each have a fifty-thousand-dollar bonus coming, he said, and be sure they know that Hughess family will be well compensated for their loss.
Ill do that, sir, the captain said.
The man disconnected then reached for a folder on his desk. He removed the sale document for the British textile firm as well as the authorization for payment. He signed both, then fed them into a fax machine and awaited receipt.
Once he received the confirmation, he stood back for a moment.
The first part of his plan was now in place. Soon it would be time for the payback.
AT THE SAME time the fax was traveling to England over the telephone line, the cargo ship Larissa was rounding Cabo de Finisterre. The captain set a course for Brest, which was located on the point of France that led into the English Channel. The night air was cool and the skies overhead were clear with a blanket of billions of stars.
He watched as a comet streaked across the sky.
Nodding in approval, he lit a cigarette, sipped from a silver flask containing ouzo, and then scratched the itch on his arm. A thin trickle of blood oozed to the surface and he dabbed at it with a rag.
In two more days theyd reach London and then hed have the rash examined.
USING THE COMPUTER-CONTROLLED thrusters, Hanley placed the Oregon directly alongside the Akbar . Cabrillo was the first across, followed by Seng, Jones, Meadows and Linda Ross. Murphy was waiting on the deck. Pieces of his vinyl mask were still visible near his hairline. As soon as Cabrillo was on deck, Murphy motioned to the open door.
Tell me what you heard and what happened afterward, Cabrillo said as he followed Murphy into the main salon.