“That would suggest well-organized assassins with extensive resources,” said Gunn, who had once served as director of logistics at NUMA and was well acquainted with the difficulties in pulling together any operation.
“We came to the same conclusion,
” Austin agreed. “It was the kind of organization and resources that could be provided by a big corporation so motivated.”
“Gogstad?”
Austin nodded.
“I’m not sure I understand the significance of the name Gogstad,” Gunn said.
“The only connection I could find was the company logo. It shows the Gogstad Viking ship that was discovered back in the 1800s. I asked Hiram to see what he could dig up on the company. There isn’t a lot. Even Max had problems finding information, but basically it’s a huge conglomerate with holdings worldwide. It’s run by a woman named Brynhild Sigurd.”
“A woman,” Gunn noted with surprise. “Interesting name. Brynhild was a Valkyrie, one of the Norse maidens who carry the fallen heroes from the battlefield to Valhalla. Sigurd was her lover. You don’t suppose that was her real name, do you?”
“We don’t know much about the woman.”
“I know megacorporations can be ruthless in their business dealings,” Gunn said with a shake of his head, “but we’re talking about gangland methods here.”
“That’s the way it seems,” Austin said. He turned to Zavala. “Joe, could you fill Rudi in on your findings?”
“Kurt called me in California with the Gogstad lead,” Zavala said. “I talked to a newspaper reporter from the Los Angeles Times. He knew Gogstad quite well. In fact, he was heading an investigative team looking into the corporation. He told me they were doing a story on what he called the water pirates. It would reveal how Gogstad is cornering the world’s supply of water.”
“I can’t believe it’s possible for one company to control the world’s water,” Gunn said.
“I was pretty skeptical, too,” Zavala replied. “But from what the reporter told me it’s not that far-fetched. Gogstad’s companies have legally taken over the privatization of the Colorado River. Water is going from public to private ownership on every continent. Gogstad has muscled out the competition. The reporter said that there have been deaths and disappearances worldwide over the past several years. The missing or dead were all people who competed with Gogstad or opposed Gogstad takeovers.”
Gunn whistled softly. “That story should cause quite a stir when it hits the headlines.”
“That won’t happen any time soon. The paper killed the Gogstad story for no reason. The other three members of the investigative team have disappeared, and my friend has gone into hiding.”
“You’re sure there’s no mistake,” Gunn said with alarm.
Zavala slowly shook his head. There was silence in the room, then Gunn spoke.
“There’s obviously a pattern, then,” he said. “Let me think about this.” Gunn’s unprepossessing appearance was misleading. His graduation at the top of his class in the Naval Academy was no accident. He was a sheer genius, and his analytical skills were uncanny. He cradled his chin between his thumb and forefinger and lost himself in deep thought for a moment. “Something has changed,” he said abruptly.
“What do you mean, Rudi?” Sandecker said.
“Their methodology has shifted gears. Let’s assume that our basic premise is right and Gogstad is behind all this murder and mayhem. According to Joe, they have acted quietly. People quite simply vanished or were killed in so-called accidents. This changed with the murders of the Mexican and the crooked lawyer. I believe the word the admiral used to describe them was spectacular.”
Austin chuckled. “Those were love pats compared with the attack in Alaska. Joe and I had to contend with an all-out military assault.”
“The attack on my house was on the heavy-handed side, too,” Trout added.
“I think I see where you’re headed with this, Rudi,” Sandecker said. “Paul, how soon did word get out that Dr. Cabral was alive?”
“Almost immediately,” Trout said. “Dr. Ramirez called Caracas from the helicopter that rescued us. The Venezuelan government lost no time making the news public. I would guess that CNN was broadcasting the story around the globe while we were still in the rain forest.”
“Events accelerated shortly thereafter,” Sandecker said. “The situation is clear to me. The catalyst was the news that Francesca Cabral was alive. Her emergence from the grave meant that her water-desalting process was again within the realm of possibility. With her expertise once more available, all that was needed was the rare substance that makes her process work. Dr. Cabral again planned to give her discovery to the world. The people who opposed this simply picked up where they left off ten years ago.”
“Only this time they succeeded,” Austin said.
“Okay, that explains Francesca’s kidnapping,” Trout said. “But why did they take Gamay?”
“This outfit does nothing at random,” Austin replied. “Gamay may have been lucky. She might have been killed if they didn’t have need of her. Is there anything else you can remember about the kidnapping, Paul?”
“I didn’t see much after the first few minutes they were in the house. The leader, the guy in black leather, spoke with an accent I can’t place. His pals had heavier accents.”