“The Canadians discovered one of the depots set up by the Siriuspatruljen.”
“What?” Yuliya’s hand trembled. A droplet of red wine trickled down the glass, staining the crispy white tablecloth. “How the hell did that happen?”
“Here’s the condensed version. Some of the locals found and looted all the weapons and began selling them. Soon enough, word got around, and Justin heard about it. He tracked down two of the locals, and a member of his team killed them in a shootout. But one of the looters didn’t die instantly, but was able to cough up the truth and led Justin to the depot, despite my constant stalling tactics. So, I had to come out in the open, and I left three members of the team, Justin included, stranded about one hundred and some miles northeast of Grise Fiord.”
“You left them alive?” Yuliya struggled to keep her voice a quiet hush. She gulped down the contents of her glass. “What about the fourth member?”
“I needed someone to fly me back out of that freezing hellhole. Plus, it would be difficult for me to explain a bullet in their head if it ever came to—”
“Nobody will be asking questions once our plans succeed,” Yuliya interrupted her. She snapped her fingers to call the waiter. The impolite gesture was out of place in the posh restaurant but in sync with her feelings.
“If it does succeed. One depot has been discovered and, who knows, the security of the others may have been compromised. The weapon depots were supposed to have been hidden exceptionally well.”
“Are you having second thoughts?” Yuliya covered her cellphone with her hands and ordered another glass of wine. The waiter disappeared very quietly, in the same manner in which he had materialized at her table.
“No, but I have a few concerns about the implementation of your plan. We need to be even more careful, especially in light of these events.”
“Do you have any actual suggestions?”
“Yes, I do. I will stall the RCMP investigation and the spreading of the news about the casualties in Grise Fiord and the lost members of the recon team. You need to speed up the planned landing. I suggest a change in the landing coordinates. Ellesmere Island is too hot for action. There’s a very high probability of unnecessary exposure.”
“I’ll talk to the boss about it, but you know how much he hates last minute changes.”
“In that case, let’s not call this a change of plans, but an improvement to an already excellent plan. Nanisivik has a good airstrip and very few residents at this time of year. It will be a great place for landing your troops.”
“Nanisivik? Isn’t that on Baffin Island?”
“Yes, but still far away from civilization. Once you control both sides of the Northwest Passage, you’ll practically be invincible.”
“All right, I’ll talk this over with the boss, and I’ll inform you of his decision. Where will you be over the next two hours?”
“I’m going to spend the rest of the day in Arctic Bay. Once I know of the improvements to your plan, I’ll adapt my travels accordingly.”
“OK. Talk to you very soon.”
Yuliya flipped her cellphone shut and looked up. Grigori Smirnov, her boss, entered the Confession Room. Smirnov was widely known as an oil tycoon. Very few people knew he was also a Deputy Director of Operations with the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. He marched with long steps toward her table at the end of the hall, paying extra attention not to disturb the other patrons or the hovering waiters.
“I have some bad news about our Arctic operation,” Yuliya said, “but nothing that can’t be fixed.”
Smirnov frowned. “How bad?”
“One of our depots has been compromised, so we’ll have to make some improvements to our initial plan. I’m afraid our transportation will have to be aerial, since the naval option, seemingly, is no longer on the table.”
Smirnov’s frown covered his entire forehead. He leaned forward and whispered to Yuliya, “Give me everything you have.”
“Distress signal? What distress signal, Constable?” Alisha asked, her sweaty palms as slippery as the tone of her voice.
“One of the geologists in your team, Ms. Anna Worthley, initiated a dire emergency SOS signal this morning at 11:30 a.m.,” Constable John Bylot of the Grise Fiord RCMP detachment said.
Alisha bit her lip.
“The MCC, that is the Mission Control Center in Trenton, received this signal, and they’re preparing a rescue team,” the constable said, “which should be dispatched… hmmm… as soon as the weather conditions improve, hopefully as early as tomorrow morning. Do you know anything about this incident?”
“Oh, yes, Constable Bylot, now that you mentioned the right word, incident, it was an incident. A mistake, I mean. Ms. Worthley accidentally pressed the button on her PLB while unloading her backpack and her personal effects.” She bit her fingernails. C’mon sucker, buy it.
“A mistake you say,” the constable replied. “The signal, according to the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton, came from Cape Combermere. The beacon transmitted for a few seconds and then disappeared.”
“Shit,” Alisha swore under her breath. I should have kept the beacon going, but it would have pinpointed the chopper’s location.
“Yes, we deactivated the beacon, in order to interrupt the signal, since, like I said, it was a big mistake. We didn’t want to bother the rescuers with a false alarm, you see?”
“Well, once the signal is emitted, the rescue team will have to go ahead with their mission.”
“By all means, Constable. I’m not trying to stop anyone from doing their job. I’m just reassuring you and your colleagues that Ms. Worthley is safe and sound.” Alisha stood up from her chair and looked out the small window of her hotel room.
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes. We gathered our data and completed our trip. Everyone’s doing well.”
“Where are you right now?”
“Arctic Bay. Hunters and Trappers Lodge.”
“May I talk to Mr. Hall?”
You don’t believe me? Alisha reined in her thoughts. She stood up and paced around the room. “Sure. As soon as he returns.”
“Where did he go?”
“I think he went out with his friend, Kiawak,” she said, staring at the bathroom door.
“Oh, yeah, Kiawak,” John let out a quiet laugh. “He’s got a couple of friends there, even a girlfriend I hear, although he’ll never admit it.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah. So, they’ll be out for a while, I guess.”
“They said something about coming back in the evening. But you can try Justin’s cellphone, if you want.” Alisha tapped the side of the table, where she had locked all personal belongings of her team members in two of the upper drawers.
“I may do that. I’ll contact the Trenton Base and see if I can get the rescue mission cancelled, especially since they haven’t dispatched it yet.”
“OK, thanks,” Alisha said.
“On another issue, my partner, Heidi, told me Kiawak is requesting that we wait for a while before we release the news about the deaths of Nuqatlak and Levinia. Strange, don’t you think?”
“Well, I recall Kiawak talking about potential accomplices that the victims may have had relationships with. Releasing the news may damage further investigations.”
“I understand. I will use ultimate discretion in this case.”
“Thank you. Anything else, Constable?”
“No, that will be all. Thank you for your help, Ms. Gunn.”
“It was a pleasure. If you need anything else, call me.”
“I will. Good bye.”
“Bye.”
Before Alisha even closed her cellphone, a low vibration came from the drawer where she had placed Justin’s phone. “Son of a bitch,” she blurted. “That constable is a real pain in the ass.”