Odessa Sea (Dirk Pitt 24)

“No, I have a different target in mind.” He described his design for deploying the vintage atomic bomb.

Vasko had an inkling that the billionaire was mentally unstable, and his plan confirmed it. He stared at his drink, then took a sip. “That’s liable to cause quite a reaction.”

Hendriks stared out at the ocean. “Yes, it is my intent. You and I are not strong enough to purge the separatists and Russians from Ukraine, but others are. If we are successful, a wrath of fury will rain down upon the invaders in response to our actions.”

“I can see that,” Vasko said with a nod, “but why not use your own men?”

“Because I see no fear in you,” Hendriks said. “My staff people are scientists and engineers. They might be able to construct weapons of death, but they don’t have the mettle to use them. I need someone who is not afraid to pull the trigger.”

“There will be great risks involved.”

“Risks that can be mitigated with a direct and simple plan of deployment. Ten million dollars, I should think, will also buy you a great deal of security.”

Vasko thought of Mankedo and the search for the submarine. Maybe he could pull off the job alone. If things went awry, he could still join Mankedo in the Aegean.

“I want half the money up front,” Vasko said. “There’s to be no mention to Valentin. And I’ll call the shots on final deployment, since my neck will be on the line.”

“Agreed,” Hendriks said. “But first I will need for you to go to Ukraine.”

Vasko didn’t relish a return flight so soon. “For what purpose?”

“For an important delivery,” Hendriks said. “And for the plan’s ultimate success.”

61

Ana awoke with a shiver, the cold stone floor sapping her body heat. The headache that had rattled her skull was back, now at exponential strength. Even opening her eyes caused a stab of pain.

But the light was different, much brighter. She looked up at a string of overhead bulbs. She heard a murmur of voices and slowly leaned up on her elbows. The movement sent a spasm of pain and a curtain of black spots before her eyes. When her vision returned, she saw a haggard group of people climbing out through a tunnel-like opening in a side rock wall. It was the crew of the Macedonia.

Ana watched as the crewmen and scientists emerged from the cavern one at a time. Her colleague Mikel lay nearby. She saw the ship’s third officer, Chavez, crawl out, but there was no sign of Pitt and Giordino. Finally, when it seemed there was nobody left, the two NUMA men exited the smoke of the smaller cavern, carrying the limp body of Captain Stenseth. The captain’s eyes were open, and he winced as they lay him beside her. Pitt and Giordino smiled at seeing she was now alert.

“Well, Sleeping Beauty has awoken,” Giordino said.

“What happened?” she asked.

“You nearly slept the big sleep,” Pitt said.

Giordino motioned a thumb toward Pitt. “His Boy Scout fire gave us all a good dose of carbon monoxide poisoning. A tanker full of aspirin would definitely be in order.”

Ana glanced at the opening in the wall, where a tumble of rocks were piled at its base.

“The fire broke the boulder?”

“Not as fast as I would have liked,” Pitt said, “but Hannibal didn’t let us down.”

She moved to a sitting position. “Is everyone okay?”

“Seems to be,” Pitt said. “I think you took the worst of it, hanging close to the fire with us.”

“Are Mankedo and his men gone?”

Before Pitt could reply, a sharp cry came from the cavern’s main entrance. “Nobody move!”

Two uniformed men carrying automatic rifles stepped into the room, their weapons held high.

“Put those guns down,” Ana yelled back, then winced. “I’m Agent Belova.”

She slowly raised her hand and pulled out an identification badge from a front pocket. The two Bulgarian police officers approached close enough to read her badge, then noted the weary appearance of everyone in the cavern. They looked at each other and lowered their guns. “Are you safe?” one of them asked.