Ghost Ship (NUMA Files 12)

“That alone has to be worth all the trouble,” Joe said.

Kurt nodded and told Joe the memories he’d finally recalled. “Some of it’s still fuzzy,” he added, “but Calista was definitely there. They had Sienna. They had her husband and her children, which makes me wonder what he’s doing back in the States.”

“You mean . . .”

“I mean if they’re forcing her to do something by holding the children hostage, what are they forcing him to do?”

“You didn’t hear it from me,” Joe said, “but I’m told the CIA is already wondering the same thing. Supposedly Westgate’s about to get the chance to explain himself in person.”

Kurt considered that progress. He sat up and pulled the pulse meter off of his finger, causing the monitor to flatline. An alarm sounded, bringing a nurse. She shut off the chirping, checked Kurt’s vitals, and called a report into the nursing station.

As she left, new visitors arrived: Hale from the CIA with his ever-present partner, Col. Lee.

“You’re lucky to be in a hospital,” Hale said, “and not in a North Korean prison camp.”

“Or one of ours, for that matter,” Col. Lee added. “You two almost caused a second Korean War.”

“Technically,” Joe said, “the first one never actually ended. There was no peace treaty, only a cease-fire. So it would really be a continuation of the first war.”

“You think this is funny?” Col. Lee asked.

“No,” Joe said. “But I think the fact that Kurt and I discovered a threat to South Korean security in the form of a secret tunnel from the North has to count for something.”

Hale gave Col. Lee a look that said He has a point.

“You’re both very lucky,” Col. Lee said. “Lucky you didn’t end up dead or in a North Korean gulag. Lucky that Kim Jongun is denying any such tunnel exists and claiming these are all imperialist lies rather than admitting two dozen of his men were killed in the skirmish. Lucky that calmer heads prevailed. It’s taken three days for the sides to calm down. But tensions are almost back to normal.”

Kurt was glad to hear that. “Maybe we went too far,” he said. “We’ll definitely be more careful next time.”

“Sorry, Kurt, but there’s not going to be a next time,” Hale said. The words were delivered with a tinge of regret, even sadness.

“What are you talking about?” Kurt said. “We’ve proved Sienna is alive. We know these people have her and the other hackers on that list. We have to go after them before they do something terrible.”

“The trail’s gone cold,” Hale explained. “There are no leads left to follow. Than Rang is locked up in a maximum security prison, surrounded by guards and lawyers, and he’s not talking to anyone. Your mystery woman and the hackers have vanished without a trace.”

“What about Acosta?” Kurt said. “He took our tracking device. You should be able to activate it and find him.”

“We tried that,” Hale said. “No luck.”

“This country is a peninsula,” Kurt pointed out. “Considering the roadblock to the north, it might as well be an island. They can’t just drive off into the sunset, especially when they’re supposed to be under surveillance.”

“We’re watching the airports and all the major harbors,” Hale said, “but we’ve seen nothing so far.”

Acosta wouldn’t be fool enough to book a commercial flight. There were too many other ways to get out. Hundreds of merchant vessels steaming in and out of Korean ports every day. Beyond that, there were thousands of small watercraft or privately owned jets.

“And even if something does turn up,” Hale added, “it won’t be your job to follow up.”

Kurt narrowed his gaze, all but burning holes in Hale with his eyes.

“I’ve been on the phone with your boss back in D.C.,” Hale said. “He agrees with me that NUMA’s involvement in this situation has run its course and is now at an end. If any other leads do surface, they’ll be followed up on by Central Intelligence or Special Forces personnel under the direction of the NSA.”

Kurt knew the sound of a dismissal when he heard it. It sucked the air right out of him. He glanced over at Joe.

“I spoke with Dirk too,” Joe said. “He wanted you to know, ‘It’s time to let this go.’ ”

Kurt leaned back against the bed. If there was an emptier feeling on Earth, Kurt hadn’t felt it. They’d been so close. He’d finally found Sienna. He’d actually had her in his arms. Now she was gone . . . again.

“The doctors insist you’re ready to be discharged,” Hale said. “We’re going to move you immediately, since we have reason to believe that Than Rang or even Acosta may have agents hanging around who’d like to kill you both. You’ll be flown out of here at dusk on a military C-17 headed for Guam. From there, it’s on to Hawaii and some R & R. Enjoy it, if you can.”