“Salkukoff and others believe the Americans are on the same trail for the same technology. You are correct in one regard — he knew your group would be coming to the North Atlantic when the Simbirsk mysteriously arrived out of nowhere.”
“And his plan is to…?” Jenks persisted.
“His plan is to discover what you know and then to make assurances you never get back home.”
“What assets from your nation are here?” Charlie asked.
“I don’t know. They don’t take me into their confidence. The two times I came, I was blindfolded and kept in isolation. It seems we were transported by ship, but every time I was allowed to depart, again I was blindfolded. I do know it was a ship, as I am prone to seasickness. That fact they couldn’t hide from me. I am also aware that with the original transport to this world by Simbirsk, she had a well-equipped library. One of the books in that library was one Dr. Ellenshaw mentioned in passing yesterday. It was Treasure Island. Somehow, Salkukoff uses that book, which was found by our aquatic friends, and used it to his advantage. He interfered most assuredly in the development of this species toward an aggressive nature. He uses that pirate nature to secure the diamonds.”
“Come on, Dr. Zhivago, we figured that out when we saw the damn pirate flags on those boats. Now tell us something useful before that maniac kills more innocent people,” Jenks said angrily.
“All I do know is that Salkukoff and his higher management use one species against the other. That they use the indigenous life-forms here to gather the diamonds for transport back to our dimension. One group gathers; the other group secures and then transfers the diamonds to their new masters.”
“So, you people have enslaved one group and given power over them to another. Do you ever stop and think before you do something as shameful as slavery, no matter what the cause is?” Charlie looked at Gervais, and Jenks could see that the kind and gentle cryptozoologist was furious. “All of this for gathering the science to kill your fellow man?” Charlie said with indignant outrage.
“Professor, why do you suppose the villagers greeted us with caution but not outright fear?”
“Because they are your slaves, and they were used to seeing men from our world in theirs,” Charlie said as things started to fit. “They dig the diamonds, and the aquatic species keeps them in line. Amazing inhumanity.”
Gervais hung his head. His shame was apparent. “I believe the mission here is coming to an end. Salkukoff and his people have grown paranoid that their mission has been compromised. They are still far short of acquiring enough of the diamonds for any extensive weaponization purposes, but they have decided the risk of exposure is now too great to continue. Now, that’s all I know, gentlemen.”
Jenks looked at Charlie. “That’s all we’re going to get from Mr. Wizard here.” Jenks slapped the small man on the back hard. “Thanks, you sniveling little coward.”
Gervais now knew he had been ambushed by the Americans. Once more he looked up, and he saw that the Russian commando had vanished.
“Looks like the cat will be out of the bag soon enough, Doc.” Jenks also saw that their guard had vanished. It was obvious the Russian commando had more important things to report to Salkukoff. “I hope you have a good reason ready as to why you spilled your guts.”
Charlie paused and looked down at Gervais.
“You make me ashamed of being a scientist. Our jobs are to explain and teach the rest of the world to everyone. Here you have enslaved a gorgeous people and raped their land so you can possibly kill other innocents.” He slammed his hands down on the table. “You deserve what’s coming to you.”
Jenks puffed on his cigar and then paused at the spot the commando had occupied moments earlier.
“You have an offer of sanctuary aboard the Shiloh. I suggest you make use of it.”
Jenks and Ellenshaw left the professor alone to contemplate his future.
Jenks and Charlie reported to Jack and Carl. His suspicions were confirmed, and as he looked out over the violet seas, he knew the Russians had an unknown phase shift asset out there somewhere. He turned and faced his two intrepid interrogators.
“So, these sea creatures are attacking us and the villagers in support of the Russian game here? And you are convinced the Russians already have what amounts to an occupation force? And he now has a suspicion that Salkukoff is finished with this little experiment and is packing it in?”
“According to Gervais,” Jenks offered.
“Radar from neither Shiloh nor Peter the Great has shown anything that could be considered an asset here, Jack — no ships, no aircraft,” Carl reminded him.
“A nearby island?” he asked.
“Not that shows up on radar. Compton’s Reef is the only substantial island for seven hundred miles that our limited resources can tell,” Carl explained. “There is an above-water reef thirty miles to the southwest. Coral mostly. We’ll get the drone to overfly it as soon as we can. That may well be a place for our Russians to hide. Now we know why Salkukoff wants the Simbirsk back so badly. They need it for this occupation force to get home with their plunder.”
“Could they be hidden on the island we just visited?”
“Possible, but improbable,” Charlie said. “Those people were not concerned about us because they were used to seeing men of our dimension because of the Russian incursion. They would have guided us to that element if they had them there, thinking at the very least we were together. They are too innocent to be any sort of ally in this.”
“I agree,” Jack said, lightly hitting Ellenshaw on the arm as he moved past him. “Okay, we have some time to track this Russian element down. Until then, we have two problems. One, how can we defend these ships against the force of aquatic attackers we faced last night? Two, can we discover if Kreshenko and his crew are a part of this? If not, do they have an inkling of what is really happening not only here but in their own country?”
“My suspicion is that no one in the Russian military is aware of this secret society that runs things over there. Kreshenko believes his orders still originate in Moscow. We know that they don’t, but do he and his crew?”
They turned and saw Henri Farbeaux as he stepped in from the shadows.
“Can Kreshenko and his men be convinced that he is on the wrong side of this?” Jack asked the only man in the world who knew this form of criminality.
“My honest evaluation?” Henri asked as he looked at the strange sea surrounding Simbirsk.
“If that’s possible,” Carl said as he jabbed Farbeaux one more time.
“Sometimes it is, Captain, but rarely,” the Frenchman said as he turned back to face the group of Americans. “I must stay true to form, at least in Captain Everett’s opinion, and say we cannot take that chance. Peter the Great and her crew are now the enemy no matter which way you play this. Kreshenko will follow his orders. The same orders I have for Colonel Salkukoff must apply to all Russian military personnel from this point on.”
“What are you saying?” Charlie asked, almost afraid of the answer.
“What he’s saying, Doc, is that Peter the Great and her entire crew have to meet the same fate as the man they answer to, and that is to eliminate them all if possible,” Jack answered for Henri. “See what you can do, Henri. I don’t relish the thought of a sea battle here and now. We have to find a way to convince the Russian Navy of our intent to save their lives.”