Chapter 37: Confession

The bridge was still crowded, even though it had been over two hours since the foundering USS Freeman Gosden had been lost from view. We were continuing our southwest trek towards Freeport, Bahamas at almost twenty knots, thanks to new winds from the northeast.

Captain Alfred had been hovering over the radar system, with manuals pulled out and lying opened on his lap. “There!” he finally said. “That’s the best I can do. It should give us warning if another missile is launched in our direction.”

“What will that help?” asked Charlotte.

“It will give Daniel time to do his thing,” replied her dad.

“Oh.”

“The way I figure it, they will eventually repair or rig some kind of radio and get word to Washington. The US could still track us by satellite, but it would have to acquire us first. And since we’re not running with our AIS on, that may take some time. Besides, I’m not sure they have full Atlantic coverage anymore. The last briefs we had speculated that they were pretty much focused on the coast.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Carina asked.

“Well, I sent out an encrypted cipher to a buddy of mine in Brest (French Naval Headquarters). We’ll see where that leads,” said Captain Alfred. “I’m bushed. I think I’m going downstairs and grab a short nap. Walt? Would you and Roland stay close to the bridge and keep an eye on the radar. I’ve set it to buzz if something is incoming. I think it best if Daniel stays close by as well. We’re still nine days out of Freeport, so everyone needs to just carry on as usual.”

Boredom quickly replaced the tension as the waves rolled by. I had just settled on my mat in the corner with Maggie for a short nap when I felt her slip in behind me.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” I whispered without turning to look.

“I just wanted to be near you,” Mischa said in my ear. I turned over to spoon up to her backside and placing my hand on her breast, squeezed her to me snugly. We both drifted off to sleep. I’ll admit I had the most pleasant dream.

When I awoke, she was gone. “Oh, well...” I thought.

When I went down to the galley to scrounge up something to eat, it occurred to me how screwed up my sleep cycle had become. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be helped. Besides, I had bigger problems. The US Government would soon figure out where we were. The question is, what would they do?

As I was mulling that over, I had a sudden thought and bolted for the bridge.

“Roland? Don’t you think we should notify my family in Georgia and warn them?” I asked.

“Already taken care of,” he told me. “The Foundation contacted the Consulate General of France in Atlanta, and they sent a car and an armed escort to pick up your mom and sisters this morning. Your Dad was just arriving in Munich and has been taken to the French Embassy in Berlin. They are safe for the moment.”

Okay, thanks,” I told him.

“Ah, Daniel? Could you do me a favor and look in on Carina? She was pretty upset after what happened this morning,” Roland asked.

Carina was in the lounge pit on the bow, wrapped in a big blanket against the winds. The pit offered some protection, but not like the rear cockpit. But it did offer that rare commodity on a boat this size with fifteen people, privacy.

“Bonjour, mon ami,” she said with a slight smile. “Come join me?” she offered as she opened the blanket so I could slide in.

“Bonjour, Madam Rappeneau,” I replied. “Sorry, I don’t know the French word for doctor yet.”

“Its ‘Docteur’.” She replied.

“Then, Bonjour, Docteur Rappeneau,” I tried again.

“Very good, Daniel.”

“Why are you hiding?” I asked.

“I’m not hiding. I am thinking. I thought we were going to lose you and I realized that regardless of what happens with your government, one day soon you will be gone. And that makes me very sad.”