Chapter 30

I struggled through the mounting surf, and walked over to the H2. After depositing the DPV in the trunk, I grabbed some towels and began putting the M200 together. I double checked all four clips of .408 ammunition. I was done playing around with these assholes.

"Why did you let her go out in the woods, Io?"

And just how could Io have stopped her? Martinez said.

"I did remind her to be careful, that she had no backup," Io replied. "It was my fault that the IR camera didn't pickup two sources. It was a blurry picture and it only showed one, at a distance. I should have..."

"No, Io. It was NOT your fault. It was mine. She is not 'a backup.' She's my willing accomplice, and she's just a girl. She is NOT an operative," I said morosely.

Better not let her hear you say that, L.T.

I was finished with the rifle, checked my sidearm and hideout gun, though it wasn't hiding much on the outside of the wetsuit. As I tied my boots, I tried to clear my thoughts. I couldn't formulate any plan but get her back.

That's not a plan. I knew it would get us both killed. But you can't make a plan when you have no information. I got in the Hummer and said to Io, "Where is she at the moment?"

"She ... or rather the earbud ... is at 'The Fisherman's Motel.' It is just off Front Street. It's near the waterfront, and the police have just issued an evacuation order for everybody within five hundred feet of the water. They're going to have to move," Io said. "Being on the outskirts of a storm this big apparently means very bad weather, although it will be instructive to sense nature's power directly."

"All I know, Io, is that when something that won't make landfall for another day produces conditions like this, you should get away from the ocean. Nothing can stand up to the ocean when she's angry ... Io, turn on her device, but make it so that she can't hear our chatter among ourselves ... Arti, we're working on how to get you out. How many are with you right now?" I was whispering, hoping she could hear. The wind and rain beating down on the H2 we making a lot of noise.

One click.

"I may be able to turn up the gain on what I can hear, Zeus," said Io. "There's something going on ... the phone rang ... a mumbled conversation. I can't really make it out."

"Arti, is something going on?"

One click.

"Did you hear what they're planning?"

One click.

"Have they hurt you? Are you in any pain?"

Two clicks. Then a pause, then four clicks.

"Four?" I said to Martinez and Io. "I don't know what that means."

"Maybe it means 'sort of' ... maybe she's in distress but not hurt," said Martinez through the computer's avatar.

"Concentrate your questions on what is going to happen. I'll bet she knows," Io said, refocusing us on the task at hand.

"Wait," I said. "The evacuation order.

"Arti, was the phone call about the evacuation?"

Three clicks.

"Must mean 'I don't know, ' I guess ... Arti, there is an evacuation order they have to move you. Are there any plans to recall the other two operators?"

One click.

"Back to you soon ... Io, cut the feed to Arti, but keep listening."

"Zeus, if I don't activate it to send a message it's the same as if it was cut off. Is that good enough?"

"Yes, Io, that'll be fine. I keep forgetting about your capabilities."

"That's all right, Zeus. I understand that my capabilities are not of..."

"Can we get back to the problem at hand?" interrupted Martinez.

"Io, get us started moving toward the motel."

We drove at a slow speed down Shell Path, toward the original pickup point, wipers trying to keep pace with the pelting rain, and not succeeding. There ahead of us, was a large SUV, with two men just getting in. It was headed in the same direction, and took off almost before the doors closed.

I wished that we could speed up and overtake them, but I knew that it was impossible to see the road, beyond a few feet ahead, let alone do anything fancy.

It was a little caravan, the bad guys and us. They must have seen us.

"Io, drop back a little. At the first turn, put on a turn signal, make the turn, then kill the lights and backup and resume the surveillance. If we can't see them, they can't see us, either. We know where they're going ... Io, would it be easier if I was driving?"

"No need Zeus. I'm not relying on the satellites for now. The infrared and the cameras on the vehicle are adequate."

She turned at the intersection, then proceeded with the rest of the maneuver.

My mind is a tricky thing. I flashed on a memory from Afghanistan.

I shook my head to clear the image. We'll recover Arti, too. And she damn well better be alive.

Eventually they got to the motel, with us silently some distance behind.

"Io, keep the engine running. I'm going after Arti," I said, perhaps sounding a bit more grim than I intended. I intended mayhem, that's pretty grim. Getting out of the car, I was immediately drenched by the rain, again. I slung the rifle over my back, and drew the silenced Glock.

"Be careful, Zeus. I know you'll do the best you can and bring her back in good condition."

I'll take alive, Martinez said quietly in my head.

Me, too, Master chief. Me too, I echoed in my synapses.

I exited the car, knowing that I couldn't be seen at more than a few paces. I was in a black wetsuit, black boots and gloves, only my face made any contrast. The rain, driven by wind gusts, was coming down continuously, and though it was nominally daylight, it was very dark. I couldn't see any farther than ten feet, but the light of the covered walkway outside the rooms let me know what was going on there. There was the flash of a door opening.