A few seconds later, he was chewing out an admiral who had previously outranked him. He slammed down the receiver and returned to the table. “The Navy’s search has been extended three more days.”
“Thank you, Mr. Vice President.”
“What about that ship you told me about?” Sandecker asked.
“The Salzburg?” Gunn said. “She was last reported in New Orleans. Homeland Security’s checking with the local port authority to see if she’s still there.”
“What’s the connection?” Fowler asked.
“Mostly circumstantial,” Gunn said. “The Salzburg appears to have been in the vicinity of the Adelaide when she disappeared with Pitt aboard. Just one of the straws we’re grasping at in a mystery with few clues.”
“We know the feeling,” Meyers said.
“Sorry?” Gunn said.
“Rudi,” Sandecker explained, “before Pitt disappeared, he was involved in the recovery of some highly classified plans related to a submarine project called Sea Arrow.”
“The Sea Arrow. Isn’t that a concept for a high-speed attack sub?”
“There is nothing conceptual about it. At least there wasn’t until now.”
“I’m guessing,” Gunn said, “that this relates to the recovery of that boat off San Diego, the Cuttlefish?”
“Exactly,” Sandecker said. “Only things have escalated into a full-blown national security disaster. Elizabeth, why don’t you fill him in?”
The FBI woman cleared her throat. “I should caution you this is classified information. Four days ago, an advanced propulsion motor built for the Sea Arrow was hijacked during transport from the Navy’s research lab at Chesapeake, Maryland.”
“Is that why a recent Homeland Security alert was issued?” Gunn asked.
“It was,” Meyers said. “Our agency has been working around the clock, examining every airport, shipping terminal, and truck stop in the country. I can’t begin to tell you the amount of resources assigned to the case.”
“And still no leads?” Sandecker asked.
“Plenty that have been false or dead ends. The best we have is a description of a Latino male who purchased a derelict Toyota, which was later involved in the hijacking. Beyond that, we’re still grasping for clues.”
“Do you think it’s still in the country?” Gunn asked.
“We’d like to think so,” Meyers said, uncertainty evident in her voice.
“That’s part of the reason you’re here, Rudi,” Sandecker said. “The FBI’s looking at all available resources and would like the NUMA fleet to help. Since your ships are often stationed in out-of-the-way places, they want to be made aware of any unusual behavior that might be seen concerning domestic shipping.”
“We’ve made the same request to the Navy, Coast Guard, and some of the major port operators,” Meyers added.
“Absolutely,” Gunn said. “I’ll pass the word immediately.”
Sandecker turned to Fowler. “Dan, do you have anything to add?”
“No, sir. Just that we’ve confirmed that Ann went missing shortly before the hijacking. We, along with the FBI, suspect that she was either killed or abducted by the same perpetrators.”
“Ann Bennett?” Gunn asked. “She was abducted?”
“Yes, and we fear the worst,” Meyers said. “She’s been missing for five days now.”
Gunn nearly fell off his chair. The garbled e-mail Yaeger had shown him clicked in his head. “Ann’s alive,” he said, “and I know where she is. Or, rather, where she was a few days ago. Lexington, Kentucky.”
“She’s still alive?” Fowler asked.
“Yes. It was a cryptic e-mail we received at NUMA. It must have been a warning or a plea for help. We don’t understand the full text, but I think part of it indicates she was abducted with the Sea Arrow motor.”