Hijack, page 16
Only as she was retrieving her notepad did she notice the peculiar shape of the pen. The tip itself was a long sharp needle, far too thin for writing. In the split second that she registered this oddity, the point sank into the soft flesh of her neck. A liquid fire coursed through her veins, the agonizing shock smothering all attempts to cry out. The lurid graffiti of the tunnel swirled rapidly into blackness and she slumped to the floor, followed by the soft jangle of keys.
45
“The fault lay with a distorted gasket in the fuel system,” explained Amir, his face bright on the screen of Connor’s laptop.
“Well, that makes me rest easier at night!” replied Ling, who sat on the bed with Connor for the morning’s video briefing with Alpha team. “I have literally no idea what you’re talking about.”
“A gasket is a mechanical seal that prevents leakage while under compression—”
“Thanks, Amir, but such detail isn’t required,” Charley cut in, appearing on the screen beside him. “The important point is that the Seychelles coast guard discovered the cause of the Jet Ski explosion.”
“We saw the pictures,” said Richie, his grinning face butting in front of Amir’s. “That Jet Ski was totaled! Luckily it wasn’t one of the sisters riding it. That could have been disastrous—”
“Hang on: I was on it!” exclaimed Ling, her expression indignant.
“Yeah, I know, but you’re tough enough,” replied Richie.
He was suddenly yanked out of the frame and Jason’s bulk appeared. “Ignore that Irish idiot. How are you doing, Ling?”
“Fine,” she replied, clearly pleased to see him. “To be honest, my Principal’s more of a pain than the burn.”
Jason laughed. “I’m afraid that goes with the territory of being a guardian. On my last assignment, I could’ve throttled my Principal!”
“Sorry to break up the happy reunion,” said Charley, “but we need to focus on this Jet Ski situation.”
Jason nodded. “Stay cool, Ling,” he said, giving her a wink before slipping out of view.
“Joking aside, Ling, you were extremely lucky to have survived the explosion,” continued Charley. “Without your protective clothing, you could have been seriously injured or even killed.”
Ling nonchalantly lay back on one of the pillows. “All part of the job, isn’t it?”
“No, it isn’t,” said Charley firmly, shifting in her wheelchair. “Or at least with the right security in place, it shouldn’t be.”
Connor sensed Charley’s own experience in that statement, but this wasn’t the time or place to delve into her past. “So the explosion was just an accident?” he asked.
Charley pensively bit her lower lip. “That’s one way of looking at it. Brad’s report, however, said that the Orchid’s engineer had checked the other Jet Ski and discovered a similar issue with its fuel-filler inlet. It too could have very easily exploded.”
Connor and Ling exchanged uneasy glances. Connor turned back to the laptop’s webcam. “Are you suggesting sabotage?”
“We can’t rule that possibility out. It may just be a manufacturing defect. It does happen. But on both Jet Skis? That’s why we must assume this was an attempt on the lives of the Sterling family, designed to look like an accident.”
“So, who might have done it?” asked Ling.
“Your guess is as good as ours at this time. The last person known to have touched the Jet Skis was the engineer, but Brad questioned him and vouches for his integrity. So it remains to be seen . . .” Charley looked offscreen. “Hang on, Colonel Black’s here.”
Charley and Amir moved aside so the colonel could sit in front of the webcam. His jaw was set, and his gray eyes were hard as flint.
“I’ve just been speaking with Mr. Sterling. Ling, you’re being pulled off Operation Gemini, effective immediately.”
46
“Why am I taking the flak for something she did wrong?” Ling asked, shoving her clothes into her bag with such force, the seams threatened to split.
Connor stood by her cabin door, arms crossed, as Ling vented her fury on her packing.
“I mean, I was just trying to protect her. And what thanks do I get? None. I might as well walk the plank.”
“You made Matt do that,” Connor remarked.
Pausing a moment, Ling smirked. “Yeah, I suppose I did. Well, he shouldn’t have been on board anyway.” She resumed her fierce packing. “Now the colonel won’t trust me on another operation for months!”
“The colonel’s not stupid. He knows the score. Don’t forget, I was thrown off my first operation.”
Ling glanced up and gave a halfhearted laugh. “I forgot about that, hotshot. Maybe I’ll get to save the day too. Know any terrorists or presidents’ daughters in the Seychelles?”
Connor gently shook his head. “Look, what I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t matter.”
“Not to you maybe, but I have to go back to Alpha team with my tail between my legs.”
Brad stuck his head into the cabin. “The tender’s ready.”
“Good,” said Ling as she grabbed the last of her stuff. “I can’t wait to get off this stinking ship.”
“Hey! Lightning Ling,” said Brad, clamping a hand on her shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “For what it’s worth, I think you were doing a stellar job.”
Ling looked up into Brad’s craggy face. “Then why am I being dismissed?”
“Bodyguards and their Principals can be as close as bread and butter . . . or fight like cats and dogs. Sometimes there’s simply a clash of personalities. I’ve had such moments in my career. You just need to roll with the punches.”
“I’ll roll her with a punch,” muttered Ling, sealing up the bag and heading for the door.
Brad raised his eyebrows at Connor, and the two of them followed Ling up to the main deck.
“Aren’t we risking the girls’ safety by losing Ling?” asked Connor quietly.
“The colonel and I both voiced our concerns to Mr. Sterling,” replied Brad. “But he’s adamant Ling must go. I’m not happy with it. But, since the girls won’t be leaving the yacht before Ling’s replacement arrives, I can’t foresee any real problems. You’ll just have to work double shifts!” he added with a wink.
At the top of the lowered gangway, Ling stopped. “Well, Connor, it’s been a blast.”
“Literally,” said Connor, thinking of the Jet Ski.
Ling laughed. “How are you ever going to survive without me?”
Connor shrugged. “It’s only four days. And we’re at sea the whole time. Besides, the colonel’s sending Luciana from Bravo team to join me in the Maldives.”
“Good luck to her! She’ll need it.”
“What do you mean by that? Protecting Chloe or working with me?” said Connor, feigning offense.
Ling punched him on the arm. “You’re all right, Connor. If a little jumpy.” She started down the steps to the tender. “I’ll catch you back at HQ. Just don’t strain yourself putting too much suntan lotion on the girls.”
Brad started the engine. He was to drop off Ling in Baie Sainte Anne, where she would take a catamaran to the main island and catch a plane home. However, as they were about to leave, Mr. Sterling appeared.
“Hold up, Brad. Change of plan.”
They all turned to him in surprise. Was Ling getting a last-minute reprieve? But Mr. Sterling’s expression was too grave for that hope.
47
“I can’t believe our father just up and left like that!” said Chloe, perched on the edge of the hot tub, her legs dangling in the bubbling water.
“We haven’t seen much of him anyway,” Emily muttered as she took a photo of Mahé Island receding into the distance.
Chloe glanced over the rail at the occupied sun bed in the sky lounge below. “I just wish he’d taken Amanda with him.”
Connor sat quietly at the dining table on the sundeck. It wasn’t his place to voice his opinion. Mr. Sterling had informed his daughters that Ruth McArthur, his editor in chief, had been killed in a suspected mugging incident and that he had to interrupt his vacation to manage the fallout at the newspaper. The yacht had been rerouted via the main island to drop off Mr. Sterling and his bodyguard, along with the disgraced Ling, at the airport. Captain Locke had then set a course for the Maldives, where Mr. Sterling hoped to rejoin them in a week’s time.
“I wouldn’t worry,” said Emily, pocketing her phone. “This boat’s big enough for all of us. And she’ll probably sunbathe the entire time.” She screwed her eyes shut and rubbed her temples.
“Are you all right?” asked Connor.
“Yeah, it’s just a headache. I get them a lot. I think it’s my medication.” Emily headed over to the stairs. “I’m going to take a nap. See you at dinner.”
Connor offered her a sympathetic smile but remained at the table. There was no reason to shadow her while on board. They were in coastal waters, the yacht was cruising at a sedate speed, and he and Brad had performed a security sweep before departing Mahé. The threat level was low.
Reaching into his polo-shirt pocket, Connor pulled out his phone. Its orange neoprene cover was still annoyingly bulky, but the waterproofing had been a godsend when he’d dived into the sea to rescue Ling after the Jet-Ski explosion. Unlocking the screen, he messaged his mum and gran to let them know everything was okay, taking the opportunity before the Orchid entered the open ocean and they lost the signal altogether. Then he reached for his book and settled back into his chair.
“Come and join me,” said Chloe as she immersed herself fully in the hot tub.
Connor glanced over. He was more wary of her since Ling’s unwarranted dismissal. “Thank you, but no.”
Chloe sighed. “Don’t be angry with me. I realize Ling was your friend, but she was really getting on my nerves.”
“She was just doing her job,” Connor replied, not wanting to get into a discussion.
“I realize that, but I couldn’t do a single thing without her intervening or making some comment. It was suffocating. It’s my sister who needs the protection, not me.”
Connor shook his head. He recognized that Ling’s manner might have been abrasive and heavy-handed, but there were genuine threats to the girls’ lives. “I’m afraid you’re wrong. Both of you are potential targets.”
“That’s my sister’s fault,” muttered Chloe. “I can’t have any fun because of her. Ever since she was kidnapped, my dad has virtually grounded me. I haven’t been able to hang out alone with friends or go to the beach or even shop on my own. Do you know how claustrophobic that feels? This vacation is the first time I’ve been allowed any freedom in over a year.”
“Your father only wants to protect you,” responded Connor. “That intruder last night could have been a kidnapper, an assassin or worse.”
“But it was only Matt,” said Chloe, dismissing the suggestion with a wave of her hand. “The point is, my father allows me no freedom at home, and puts me under so much pressure to succeed at school that I need to let off some steam. Otherwise I’ll go stir-crazy.”
Connor noticed tears of frustration welling up in Chloe’s eyes and felt a touch of sympathy for her situation. It wasn’t her choice to have twenty-four-hour security.
“Fair enough,” he relented. “Look, when we get to the Maldives, I’ll speak with Luciana and we’ll work out a way to give you some freedom without compromising your safety.”
Chloe’s face lit up. “Thanks, you’re a star. Now are you going to join me or not?”
“Best not,” replied Connor. “I’m on duty.”
“You’re always on duty.” She crossed her arms on the side of the hot tub and stared at him. “As I understand, you’re now my guardian until the Maldives. So, as your Principal, I say you need to relax. That was Ling’s problem; don’t make it yours.”
Connor inwardly sighed. He knew he was being manipulated, but he didn’t want to upset her either. An uncooperative Principal was a liability. Putting down his book, he took off his polo shirt and then thought better of it.
Chloe’s hopeful smile waned as he pulled the shirt back over his head. “What’s the problem?”
“Nothing,” he replied. Although he guessed a dip in the hot tub wouldn’t be crossing any lines as a guardian, his actions could be easily misinterpreted, and he didn’t want to have to explain himself to Charley a second time.
As he put his arm through the sleeve, Chloe spotted the slim white scar on his left shoulder. “What happened there?”
“Knife wound,” he said, pulling up the collar.
Her eyes widened with a mix of concern and fascination. “Did you get that while protecting someone?”
Connor nodded.
“Did it hurt?”
“Yes, but I didn’t have much time to think about it. I was in the middle of a fight, trying to escape.”
Chloe sat up, studying his face with admiration. “You must have been really brave.”
Connor shook his head. “I didn’t have much choice in the matter.”
“So . . . do you like my sister?” she asked.
Caught completely off guard, Connor replied, “Yes, of course”—then he saw Chloe frown—“but not that way. As guardians, we have to remain strictly friends with any Principal.”
“Really?” Biting at her lower lip, Chloe gazed intently at him. “That must be very difficult at times, I mean, to remain just friends. Haven’t you ever—”
“No,” Connor lied, and buried his nose back in his book.
48
“The investor sent another update,” said Mr. Wi-Fi, presenting Oracle with his laptop.
Lifting the silver-mirrored aviator sunglasses from his nose, the pirate leader peered at the digital photo displayed on the laptop screen. A wash of turquoise-blue waters kissed the white sands of a palm-fringed bay, behind which rose a mist-shrouded peak.
“What island is that?”
“Mahé,” replied Mr. Wi-Fi.
Oracle raised a dubious eyebrow. “There are countless islands that look the same. How can you be so certain?”
Mr. Wi-Fi right-clicked on the image, opening up its EXIF metadata file. “Because the photo has the exact geo-location embedded within it. Along with a time stamp indicating the precise moment it was taken—14:32 today.”
Oracle reclined against his gold-tasseled bolster in the shaded living room and laughed. “Oh, the benefits of modern technology and the naiveté of young people. They’re almost inviting us to join them!”
Reaching across to a cup on an inlaid ivory tray, he took a sip of spiced black tea. He savored the taste a moment before asking, “What other information has the investor provided?”
Sitting cross-legged on the crimson rug before his boss, Mr. Wi-Fi tugged casually at his goatee. “The Orchid is on a northeast bearing, headed for the Maldives. Estimated voyage time four days.”
“And where are my men now?”
Mr. Wi-Fi brought up an electronic chart of the Indian Ocean on his laptop. Zooming in, he pointed to a cluster of tiny green dots visible amid a vast swath of blue.
“They’re seventy-five nautical miles northwest of the target.”
“Then tell Spearhead to stop playing with small fry,” said Oracle, putting down his tea. “It’s time to reel in the big fish.”
49
Leaning against the Orchid’s stern rail, Connor watched Praslin Island slowly shrink toward the darkening horizon. Mahé had long since disappeared from view, and soon they’d be leaving the territorial waters of the Seychelles for the open ocean. With his cell-phone signal down to a single bar, Connor checked in with Alpha team one last time. Charley answered in two rings.
“So how are you coping solo?” she asked.
“Fine,” replied Connor, not wanting to admit that he’d spent most of the afternoon evading Chloe’s advances. With nothing else to do on board except read, relax and sunbathe, Chloe seemed to want to let off steam by flirting with him—a fact that hadn’t gone unnoticed by her sister.
Not that Connor didn’t appreciate such attention. But he knew any such lapse of judgment would finish his role as a guardian for good and bring an end to the paid-for nursing care his mum and gran so critically needed.
“Well, Luciana’s on schedule to rendezvous with you in the Maldives,” advised Charley. “Ling’s on her way back home, but before boarding, she mentioned that you thought you’d spotted the two muggers on Praslin Island.”
“I thought so, but I was wrong,” admitted Connor.
“Well, there’s a strong chance you may have been right.”
Connor went rigid at the news. “How come?”
“The two suspects were pinged getting on a flight to Dubai the same day the Sterlings departed for their vacation. They were using false passports, so their trail went dead after that, but Dubai is a natural stopover en route to the Seychelles.”
Connor tightened his grip on the phone. So his eyes hadn’t deceived him that day.
“They seem a little persistent for muggers, and too well resourced,” Charley continued. “Because they’re heavies-for-hire, we can only assume someone has paid them to do a job on the Sterlings.”
“Who?”
“It could be any one of Mr. Sterling’s enemies. Amir’s going through his threat report to see if there are any obvious links.”
“Well, they’ve missed their opportunity here,” said Connor, watching Mahé retreat into the distance.
“Unless they were responsible for the Jet-Ski incident.”
Connor thought this over. “I don’t see how they could have gotten on board the yacht without being noticed. Brad’s run an almost constant watch since the Sterlings’ arrival.”
