She realized her mistake and turned to Max, who was furiously stabbing at the controls on the command chair’s arm. Many of the ship’s most important functions could be operated from that single seat if needed, including weapons.
It wasn’t Murph who had fired the first missile. It was Max.
The Exocet took the same course, racing out before turning to make its final run on the Oregon.
Linda ran to the weapons console to reactivate the Gatling gun, but she was tackled from behind. She flipped over to see Max holding her legs and babbling nonsensically, which was projected on the Google Glass she was wearing under the mask.
Nothing left who eat. No thing left to heat.
His words brought back the panic she’d felt on the Gator. He thought something was coming to eat them and he didn’t want to leave anything to consume. Linda understood how his thought process seemed crazy to her but logical to him. He was trying to stop her from letting the nonexistent monsters eat everybody aboard.
She glanced at the screen and saw the missile make its final turn and rocket back toward them. If she didn’t stop it, the Exocet could penetrate the ship’s armor and explode in one of the ammo magazines, tearing the ship in half.
Linda tried to kick Max away, but he was still quite strong despite his age and outweighed her two-to-one. He hauled her toward him and slapped her mask, knocking it askew.
Linda couldn’t see, so she flipped the mask off her head, along with the glasses, and held her breath. She got one leg free and jabbed her foot at Max’s face. Her heel smashed into his nose, causing a gush of blood to flow, but he wouldn’t let go of her other boot. She finally had to take a breath, and she could instantly feel a tingling as the tranquilizing gas hit her system. Her tiny frame would absorb a sedating dose of the drug much faster than Max’s would.
The missile was only seconds away from hitting them. Linda angled her foot, and the boot slipped off. Max fell backward, and Linda launched herself at the weapons panel.
She smashed her finger on the GATLING GUN button and it fired on automatic, detonating the Exocet mere yards from the hull. She felt the Oregon rock from the impact.
Linda was now getting woozy from the gas. She collapsed to the floor and felt around until her hand clasped the mask. With her last bit of strength, she pulled it over her head.
She sucked in a few deep breaths, and her mind started to clear. When she was back to normal, she saw Max and Murph lying on the floor, conscious but looking like they were blotto from drinking a fifth of vodka.
Linda got to her feet and staggered over to the command chair. Using the armrest controls, she set course due west and brought the engines up to full speed. The Oregon leaped forward.
She wondered how far she’d have to take the ship to get out of the danger zone. She guessed fifty miles ought to do it, but she’d be ready to re-release the gas just in case.
Once they were in the clear, Linda knew there would be two main priorities. First, get the whole crew back together, including the Chairman. And, second, figure out some way—any way—to defeat the nasty sonic weapon that nearly caused the destruction of her ship.
31
BUENOS AIRES
Juan smiled as he watched the Oregon race toward the horizon.
“That probably didn’t go the way you were expecting,” he said to Tate, who stared at the Portland’s op center view screen in disbelief.
“Get Farouk on the line!” Tate yelled. “I want to know what happened.”
After a minute of no response, the camera switched from the drone to one on board the small fishing vessel. It showed two drenched men, one Middle Eastern, the other Asian, standing on the deck, puddles of water at their feet.
“They got away,” the Middle Eastern man said in what Juan recognized as an Egyptian accent. He had to be Farouk.
“I know they got away, you idiot!” Tate screamed. “How?”
The Asian man shrugged. Farouk shook his head and said, “I don’t know. The sonic disruptor was working.”
“Where’s the helicopter?”
“I told it to turn back,” the Asian man said.
“Well, applause for you, Li,” Tate said, slowly clapping his hands. “That was brilliant not to have the chopper continue out into the ocean for no reason whatsoever. You two get back here as soon as you can. I want to inspect the sonic disruptor myself.”
He slashed across his throat in the universal Hang up gesture. Farouk and Li disappeared from the screen, looking terrified.
“Look at the bright side, Tate,” Juan said. “The Oregon is still around for you to hijack some other time.”