The connection clicked. “Linda, I’ve got Max here with me. What’s the latest?”
“Li Quon has been spilling his guts, and he told us something that I thought might be useful.”
“That the Portland has some critical weakness we can target?” Max asked. “Like an exhaust port two meters across that will let us blow up his whole ship with one shot?”
“I wish,” she said. “But Li did mention that Tate has been monitoring the webcams that the Deepwater set up to watch the penguin rookeries. He even saw the Deepwater in the background of one of the videos.”
“One of those webcams is in this fjord, isn’t it?” Juan asked, turning toward the long canyon. “I can see penguins on the beach about a
half mile away.” The recent explosions hadn’t seemed to bother them at all. They were probably accustomed to the sound of cracking ice and calving glaciers.
“Not sure how that can help us,” Max said, “but it certainly doesn’t hurt us. I checked, and the camera is facing the opposite direction. He can’t see us right now.”
“I was just thinking about that deepfake technology,” Linda said. “Captain Jefferson said the webcams are designed to be updated remotely. If I gave the access code to Eric and Hali, do you think they could install some software to make it look like the Oregon is in the frame? It might buy you a few critical seconds if Tate thinks you’re somewhere that you’re not.”
Max looked at Juan and made a face like it could work. “I do have some footage of the Oregon that we could use.”
“It would have to be subtle. If it’s too obvious, Tate will know it’s a fake.”
“I’ll get Eric and Hali to work on it right away,” Max said. He took out his own phone and began texting.
“Okay,” Linda said. “I’ll give Hali the access codes.”
“Before you go,” Juan said, “did Li tell you anything about the state of the Portland?”
“He claims everything was in working condition when he left. But he did say that Tate would be broken up about the death of Catherine Ballard. He thought they were in love.”
“Thanks, Linda, that helps. I’m passing you back to Hali.”
Max put away his phone and said, “Eric thinks he can do it in the next hour before Tate gets here.” He looked skeptical about its effectiveness, though. “I’m not sure how much of a difference it will make. We’re still at a huge disadvantage.”
Juan looked again at the tight walls of the gap that the carved out glacier had left behind. Linda’s idea made his mad plan seem a bit less crazy.
“Even a little edge might help,” he said. “It might be the difference between life and death.”
66
The Portland was half an hour away from intercepting the Oregon, barreling around an island to make a run toward the fjord, but Tate was more concerned that he hadn’t heard back from Ballard. She was supposed to check in after she took the Deepwater, but he’d heard nothing.
“Try her radio again,” he told Farouk.
Farouk made the call, shaking his head after a few moments. “No response.”
Tate stewed about what that might mean. “Could her radio be out?”
“Maybe,” Farouk said, “but I can’t reach the helicopter, either.”
Tate didn’t like it, yet he couldn’t let himself be distracted. He had to prepare for his attack on the Oregon. “You’ve made the changes to the torpedo guidance systems?”
Farouk nodded. “Wire-guided only.”
“I want to use the sonic disruptor again on the Oregon crew.”
“It didn’t seem to affect the ship the last time we saw them. They must have developed a countermeasure.”
“I know that!” Tate spat. “I’ll use it on any lifeboat that makes an escape once we sink her. I want them to suffer.”
“That’s a good idea. I doubt their countermeasure will be installed on small boats.” Farouk suddenly held up the finger of one hand and pressed the other hand to his headset. “I’m getting a call from Ballard’s radio.”