The Storm (NUMA Files 10)

“That’s a good question,” Kurt said. The fact that Paul, Gamay and Marchetti had remained under lock and key rather than being rescued by some American Special Forces team told Kurt Joe wasn’t out of the woods yet. He knew Joe could take care of himself and though he’d feel better when he knew for certain that Joe was okay, there was little he could do about it now.

“What’s our situation?” he asked, focusing on the present.

“We took one guard out,” Paul said. “He’s locked in our cell now.”

“We took out the guy up here,” Kurt said.

“Who are your friends?” Gamay asked.

“I’m Leilani Tanner,” Leilani said. “The real one.”

Gamay smiled. “And the rest of the cavalry?”

“Pleased to meet you,” Tautog said. “I am the eighteenth Roosevelt of—”

“Save it for later,” he said. “Someone’s coming.”

The footsteps approached more casually this time. It was another guard, who Kurt realized must have been sent to check on the other prisoners. The guard rounded the corner, came face-to-face with several rifles and froze.

Kurt grabbed the man’s card key and his pistol.

“What now?” Paul asked. “Do we leave?”

“No,” Kurt said. “When the moment of victory appears, it must be seized.”

They stared at him.

“Sun Tzu,” Leilani told them as if she were an old hand.

“So what does that mean in English?” Gamay asked.

“It means now that we’re on board, we’re not going anywhere except to find Jinn, Zarrina and Otero. Once we have them, this thing is over.”

He turned to Marchetti. “Are your crewmen down here?”

“Most of them.”

“You and Paul take this guy and get your crew out. Lock him in the cell when you come out.”

Paul nodded and went to work.

Kurt turned to Tautog. “Let’s tie up the boats, get the rest of your men aboard. At this point we need all hands on deck.”

Moments later, with the prisoners and guards having traded places and the small flotilla tied up to a water pipe in the cabin with the broken window, Kurt commanded a force of thirty-seven armed men and women—Marchetti’s men knowing the island, Tautog’s trained in using the rifles and the Pain Makers.

Kurt had two of the machines brought aboard and found a pair of dollies to mount them on. One went with the group who was heading for the crew quarters, the other stayed with Kurt, Leilani and the Trouts. The four of them, along with Tautog and Varu, wheeled the bulky machine into the elevator like roadies moving amps backstage.

As the bulk of their force headed for the crew quarters, Kurt planned to find Jinn al-Khalif.

“Which floor for the Presidential Suite?” he asked.

“You mean my quarters?” Marchetti said.

“If yours are the most luxurious on the island, then yes, that’s exactly what I mean.”

“Top floor of course,” Marchetti said, pressing the button.

As the elevator doors closed, Kurt patted the sound box and smiled a roughish grin.