Anna helped Justin to sit up. Nilak straightened Justin’s pillow and blankets, forming a soft support against the headboard.
“Did you really kiss me?” Justin whispered, reaching for her hand.
“Why? You really don’t remember?” Anna replied, her left fingers toying with a few curls at the back of his head.
“I was going to say ‘get a room,’ but you already have one,” Carrie said, interrupting their ill-timed romance. She stood at the doorway, staring at Justin and Anna, as their fingers parted ways.
“Gentlemen,” Carrie said to Nilak and Iluak. “Thank you for your help. We need the room to go over a few things.”
“We’re at the Health Center to talk to Kiawak,” Iluak said, speaking for himself and his brother. “Call us if you need anything. Mi igloo es su igloo,” he added, the usual smug grin returning to his face.
“Gracias.” Carrie closed the door behind them. She sat on one of the stools. Anna kept standing at the left side of the bed.
“What did Kiawak say?” Justin asked.
“He hasn’t said a single word, other than painful grunts,” Carrie replied. “The two nurses at the Health Center and Emily are doing what they can to detox him. That psychopath shot him with a bunch of ‘truth serums’ as they call them, so Kiawak would do whatever she wanted. The nurses are cleaning him up pretty good. Liver, kidney, blood. When he wakes up, he’ll feel like a new man. What about you?”
Justin smiled. “I’m doing well, just very, very tired. But don’t worry about me. What did you find at the inn?”
“Alisha’s laptop. That traitor kept track of all our moves, but she was vague about the Danish schemes. But we know they’re planning to take over our Northwest Passage.”
Justin nodded as his eyes lost some of their hopeful glare. “As I suspected,” he mumbled.
“D-Day is tomorrow, well, today, April 14, 8:00 a.m.”
“We’re gonna turn it into their Day of Defeat, I promise.” Justin clenched his teeth.
“Calm down, Rambo,” Carrie said. “We don’t know where they’re flying or sailing from, but I’m a hundred percent sure it will be somewhere in west Greenland.”
“It can’t be Thule,” Anna said. “Too close to the Americans for a secret mission.”
“Wherever they’re coming from,” Carrie said, “at least we know where they headed. Nanisivik.”
“Nanisivik?” Justin asked with clear amusement.
“Yes. According to the traitor’s notes, Nanisivik is supposed to be their landing point. It’s far away from Grise Fiord and Pond Inlet, and it has a good deep-water port. And she could have flown there in the blink of an eye.”
“Before we talk about our defense strategy, can you get me some painkillers, please? Whatever they have; my head is exploding.”
“I’ll get you some aspirin,” Anna said, heading for the door.
“Maybe even something stronger,” Justin said.
Once Anna had stepped outside the room, Carrie whispered, “I think she’s in love with you.”
“Puppy love.” Justin shrugged and looked away.
“Listen up.” Carrie leaned closer to his face, so he could not avoid her eyes. “Don’t make the same mistake with her like you did with me.”
“What mistake?”
“Allowing your career to kill your passion. Never underestimate the love of a woman. Learn something from our mistakes.”
“Oh, now they’re ours?”
“Yes, they are. We’re both responsible for our relationship failing. But…”
Carrie heard the door crack open, and Anna entered, so she changed the topic. “Once you start feeling better, we’ll come up with a plan. Oh, you’re back already,” she turned to Anna, who handed Justin his painkillers and a glass of water.
Chapter Twenty
Gunter frowned at the first ring of his BlackBerry. He threw a casual glance at it, annoyed rather than curious to learn the name of the caller. GS were the initials on the screen. Grigori Smirnov of the FSB. What did he want? His office in the Air Force Command Post had suddenly become very small. Before the BlackBerry could chirp its second ring, Gunter reached for it.
“Yes, Smirnov,” he said, leaning back in his chair.
“I believe you and I have some unfinished business,” Smirnov said in an impatient tone.
“As I told you last night, I’ll provide you with timely updates if anything worth mentioning occurs.”
“Patience is not my virtue, Gunter. And rumors travel faster than your reports.”
“What rumors?”
“The US Chief of Mission to Canada, a certain Abraham Locke, is asking questions about our wargame. He’s has been talking to senior Canadian officials. We can’t have anyone stick their nose in our unfinished business.”
Gunter moved the BlackBerry away from his mouth as he muttered a few curse words. He took a deep breath, before asking, “How come the Americans are so suspicious all of a sudden?”
“The US Chief has a deep interest in our activities in the Arctic. That’s because the Commander of the US Air Base in Thule rescued three survivors in international waters by Ellesmere Island. They were Canadians, and they repaid him by stealing one of his aircraft.”
“Really? The Canadian way to say ‘thank you’ for saving us?”
“It’s not funny. You’re really not aware of this?”
“No, I’m not, and I don’t see how it affects our mission.”
Smirnov sighed. “Exposure, Gunter. Unnecessary exposure. The Americans are going to be on very high alert. Their teams may circle the area. And they’re also going to monitor everything that happens in there.”
“You don’t have to worry,” Gunter offered his assurances, while fishing for the other BlackBerry on the inside pocket of his jacket. “We’re going to conduct our wargame as planned. The Americans’ prying eyes are not going to find us. However, if you’re having second thoughts, we’re still on time to cancel our show.” He typed a quick message to Yuliya by using only his left hand. My office, now!
There was a brief but tense pause. Gunter knew Smirnov was not going to back down simply because the Americans had some vague concerns. It was not the Russians’ way.
“No, we’re not going to cancel it, but reduce the force to the bare minimum to finish the job. That’s it.”
“I’ll get it done,” Gunter replied over the knock on his office door. “Come in,” he said, after covering the BlackBerry with his hand to muffle his voice.
Yuliya walked in.
“Great,” Smirnov said. “You should, if you expect to see you wife alive again.”
Gunter sizzled on the inside but did not let his rage show up in his voice. “I’ll keep my end of the deal, and you’ll keep yours.”
“Of course, we will, Gunter. Let me know if you run into any complications.”
“I’ll be in touch.”
Gunter took a deep breath as he ended the call. “That was your fucking boss, Smirnov,” he shouted at Yuliya standing by the door. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me about this call?”
“Mr. Smirnov wanted to inform you personally about the situation,” Yuliya replied calmly.
“I don’t understand this. You know I’m not the only one who’s going to lose if our mission goes to shit. You need to talk with me and tell me everything you know.”
“Smirnov called me five minutes ago. He insisted I didn’t tell you anything until you heard it from him.”
“Well, here’s what I know. The Americans in Thule have lost an aircraft. Justin and his crazy bunch are still alive and causing trouble.”
Yuliya nodded. “Alisha should have followed my clear instructions and killed them. I told the fool not to spare anyone’s life.”