Zero Hour (NUMA Files 11)

“Alive, thanks to you. They had him in surgery.”

Joe was glad to hear that. “Did you find your scientist down there?”

“Her and another diver from the ASIO. They were basically strapped to a bomb. We escaped, but the station imploded.”

“Are they all right?”

“As far as I know,” Kurt said. “I lost track of them for a moment when the station blew. When I found them, both were unconscious. But thanks to the gripper claws you put on the front of the speeder, I was able to grab them and bring them slowly to the surface.”

Joe smiled with pride. “So the speeder performed like a champ. I knew it would.”

“You may have a future in this submarine business,” Kurt said. “That is, if you can give up your dreams of middle management and off-road racing.”

Joe laughed and took a seat at the desk between the two bunks. He rapped his knuckles against the cinder-block wall. “So are we in prison or protective custody?”

“No idea,” Kurt replied. “Nor do I have any idea what I’ve gotten us into. But if they ever let me talk to someone, I’m damned well determined to find out.”

“Or,” Joe said, “just go with me on this — we could pretend it was all a big misunderstanding and be about our business.”

The furrow in Kurt’s brow showed his feelings on that idea. “What fun would that be?”

Joe knew Kurt so well, he could have predicted that answer. Once his friend sunk his teeth into a mystery, there was no turning back, not until he found what he was looking for.

Unfortunately, no answers would come for the next few hours. In fact, no one bothered them until well past midnight, when the door was unlatched and a pair of Australian military personnel came in. MPs, or the Aussie equivalent, dressed in fatigues. One male, one female.

“Mr. Austin?” the male soldier said. “Please come with me.”

Kurt stood wearily. Joe did the same.

“Not you, Mr. Zavala,” the female guard said. “You stay here.”

Joe feigne

d great indignation. “What? Nobody wants to interrogate me? I might know a thing or two.”

Kurt moved to the door. “I’m sure they’ll bring you in when I’m done. Don’t wait up.”

The male guard allowed Kurt to pass by and then escorted him down the hall.

Joe lost sight of him and leaned stoically against the wall. To his surprise, the female guard remained behind even as the door was shut.

Joe studied her. She was pretty, despite the lack of makeup and the baggy uniform. It occurred to Joe that she might be there to conduct a surreptitious interrogation. He figured he’d make it easy on her and attempt to find out what she might know in the process.

“Here to keep an eye on me?” he asked.

No reply.

“You know,” he said more smoothly, “there’s something I love about a woman in uniform.”

Still nothing. If she was supposed to charm him, the statue routine was not going over with high marks.

“Not a people person, are you?” Joe said. “So how do you feel about… UFOs?”

She still didn’t speak, but this time the corners of her mouth curled into a slight but apparently irrepressible smile. Joe smiled back. Now he was getting somewhere.

* * *

While Joe attempted to charm his guard, Kurt was led on a hike across what seemed like half the military base. They passed the infirmary and continued on until they reached a long hallway. Additional guards or MPs stood at the far end.