Odessa Sea (Dirk Pitt 24)

Vashenko scanned the skies while listening for a motor but saw and heard nothing. Hendriks, meanwhile, used the Peregrine’s high-power camera to target the dais a few feet away. He turned the video screen to show Vashenko.

“We are standing right here.” He pointed to the screen. “If I activate the laser targeting system, which happens to work with your Vikhr antitank missiles, you can see it lock onto our position.”

He typed into a keypad and a flashing red ring appeared on the screen, encircling the image of the men.

“Very impressive,” the president said. “Tell me, from which direction is the drone flying?”

Hendriks ignored the question.

“The Peregrine is armed and ready now,” Hendriks said. “If I wanted to kill you, I would simply press these two red buttons to launch the drone’s missiles.”

As he reached down and pushed the buttons, Vashenko gave a nervous laugh. “Now, why would you want to do that?”

Zakharin pointed to the northern sky. “Is that it? What are those two puffs of smoke?”

As Vashenko turned to look, Hendriks whispered in his ear.

“Mr. President, I am about to kill you in the same manner you killed my family in the skies over Ukraine.”

Hendriks reached into his pocket and retrieved the metal object that never left his side. It was a scarred and melted cross that had once been worn around his wife’s neck. He held the cross in both hands in front of him and squeezed it tightly, then looked up and watched the twin missiles arrive.

90

A cool breeze drifted across the knoll, refreshing the wedding guests gathered around a small gazebo. Fresh flowers and streamers decorated the structure in the traditional Bulgarian wedding colors of red and white. Just beyond, the sparkling Black Sea provided an azure backdrop under a bright September sun.

The bride wore a simple white dress, which ruffled in the sea breeze. The groom was attired in a dark suit with red tie and carried a black cane. After completing their wedding vows, Ana and Petar Ralin turned and kissed in front of the gathered guests, prompting a roar of approval.

The newlyweds mingled with their families as champagne was poured and the younger members of the wedding party began dancing. As they worked their way through the crowd, Ana and Petar reached a tall couple standing near the side.

Ralin shook Pitt’s hand. “We are so happy you could join us today.”

“Wouldn’t have missed it.” He introduced his wife, Loren. A congresswoman from Colorado, she wore a violet dress that matched her eyes.

Ana gave Pitt a hug, then turned to Loren. “Petar and I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for your husband.”

“You’ve all had quite an ordeal,” she said. “I’m just happy it’s led to this special day.”

“Do you have a honeymoon planned?” Pitt asked.

Ana smiled. “We’re going to Chios, in Greece, for a week.”

Ralin shook his head. “She insists on working, even on our honeymoon.”

“We’re going to try and confirm it was the Besso that sank there,” Ana said. “I’ve been in touch with your children about a Russian World War I submarine that was lost in the area and may have drawn the Besso to salvage her.”

“I’ve heard a bit about that,” Pitt said. “Mankedo may have thought he had a hoard of gold there and got tangled up with some Russian agents in the process.”

“He should have quit while he was ahead,” Ana said. “In our investigation of Martin Hendriks, we found a twenty-million-dollar transfer was made to Mankedo at a Cyprus bank, and another five million dollars to his late associate, Ilya Vasko. No one ever collected it.”

“I guess it’s now clear that Hendriks wasn’t supporting the pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine after all.”

“Just the opposite. We were slow to discover that his wife and two children had been killed on Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 when it was shot down near Donetsk in 2014. His actions were all in the name of vengeance against Russia and the rebels.”

“The man nearly started World War III,” Loren said.

“Yes, but, in a sense, he succeeded,” Ana said. “The U.S. is now providing greater support to Ukraine, and the new Russian president has withdrawn all military forces from the region. Violence is waning, and Ukraine might even regain its lost lands.”

“Ana, enough shop talk,” Ralin said. “We are here to celebrate.”