Marauder (Oregon Files 15)

“The money is locked away in CroesusCoin cryptocurrency. It will remain there until ten major newspapers from across the globe carry news articles confirming that you have completed your objective. I have designed a software program that scans the news websites and will release the lock on the cryptocurrency once the stories have been verified. To give you an incentive not to dawdle, I have provided a deadline. If you fail to complete the task by the appointed date, the account will be sealed forever. No one will ever get my money. It will simply vanish.” He looked sternly into the camera. “As you know, I am not one to reward failure.”

Lu smiled. “I suppose you may doubt whether my offer is legitimate.”

Polk nodded. “The thought crossed my mind.”

“The code you entered to start this video is also the account number. Look it up.” He told her the login and password. “You may see the current balance, but you will not be able to access the funds in any way until the proper criteria are met.”

With a trembling hand, Jin pushed PAUSE on the remote, freezing Lu’s cadaverous gaze on them. She brought up the website for CroesusCoin on her phone and logged in. Just as Lu said, the balance was more than nine hundred million dollars. But the boxes for inputting wire transfer instructions were inaccessible, and there was a countdown timer.

It gave them just weeks before the account was locked permanently.

She showed the web page to Polk, who sat back in his chair to process what he’d seen.

“I don’t believe it.”

“Believe it,” Jin said. “My ex-stepfather wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble for a prank. He was cruel, but never wasteful with his time. Whatever he’s proposing, he’s serious about it. He has no other heirs, so we are the logical recipients of his estate.”

“But he’s not just giving it to us. We have to earn it.”

“Yes. But knowing how intelligent and precise he was, he will have planned his ‘tasks’ down to the last detail. As you can see, he has no shortage of resources to ensure its success.”

Polk thought a moment. “I hate to say it, but he is correct. We’re both nearing forty, our military careers are over, and we have no legitimate job prospects. We hitched our wagon to Lu Yang and lost everything; our Canberra home and our beach house on Bondi, our cars, even our investment account in Brunei that we thought was untouchable. Now that he’s dead, we don’t even have any contacts in China that could help us. A million dollars is a nice offering, but pales compared to a billion dollars.”

“For this much money, he must be asking a lot. We have to assume it will involve great danger and risk.” She squeezed his hand. “After waiting for you so long, I don’t want anything to happen to us now.”

Polk shrugged. “If we can trust him, we can pull off whatever he wants. And once we do, then we’ll have all the protection money we’ll ever need.”

Jin nodded. “True.”

“The question is, do you trust him?” Polk asked.

Jin thought a moment. “He’s a harsh man, but he never deceived us, or my mother. And he’s right about his ongoing support. We both should have served much longer prison sentences. I think we can believe what he says.”

“We put our lives on the line for him in the past, for much less reward, and we’re still standing. We know what’s at risk, but we’ll now have the resources to protect ourselves.” Polk gazed at Jin with a confident air. “Let’s see what he wants.”

She pressed PLAY on the remote.

Lu Yang leaned toward the camera. “I’m glad you see it my way. Now, here’s what I want you to do.”

THREE

Abdul Tanjung didn’t want to wait on the boat while the others took control of the oil tanker, but he was the newest member of this cell of the terrorist group Indo Jihad, so he was left to ensure the boat was ready for their escape before security forces arrived. Now that the Dahar had come to a stop, there wasn’t much for him to do but keep watch for any crew member who might attempt to escape by climbing down the ladder.

Tanjung had fought for the Islamic State in Syria and returned to Indonesia to help install a caliphate in his home country. With his connections in ISIS, it wasn’t hard to find like-minded comrades in Jakarta. Their first mission appeared to be a complete success, and a second one planned for Bali would convince their enemies that the influence of the hated Americans was at an end in Southeas

t Asia.

Sinking a Kuwaiti oil tanker headed to the United States and causing a massive environmental catastrophe would strike fear into every government in the region. Encouraged by the tanker’s sinking and the Bali operation, more jihadists would flock to their cause, and they would carry out even more headline grabbing attacks until the secular regimes were reduced to shambles.

Tanjung listened eagerly to the reports coming over the walkie-talkie and cheered at every small victory.

“We have all the crew accounted for,” said Commander Kersen. “Bring them to the mess hall. Tanjung, what is your status?”

“Maintaining my position beside the ship. No activity out here.”

“Good. We will lock the crew in the mess hall while we plant the bombs. When we’re done, we’ll bring them down to you.”

“Yes, sir.”