Some of the playing cards had spilled on the floor, and Aaron considered picking them up; then he figured the museum had placed them there to add authenticity, so he left them alone.
Katya returned from the gift shop and made her way back down the ladder to the Control Room.
She ducked through the hatch leading to Compartment Two, looking for the Captain’s Cabin, but there was no Captain’s Cabin…
In her confusion, Katya had gotten completely turned around, and instead of Compartment Two, she was in Compartment Four, and she had run out of cabins. The only room left in the compartment was the galley, and beyond that a dark space that led to the Engine Room.
She tried calling Aaron on her cell phone, but there was no service, so she turned and headed back down the corridor toward the Control Room.
When she came to the door with the small sign that read MIDSHIPMEN’S CABIN, she stopped, thinking maybe Aaron had gotten the cabin name wrong. But as she went to knock, she overheard two men talking inside — and neither of them sounded like Aaron.
Either he’s being really quiet, or he’s not in there, she thought. Then she held her head up to the door and listened…
“I met with Commander Fagan and Captain Zaane today,” Jason said. “The President’s VIP cruise is all set. The USS Hampton will head out at 9:00 p.m. tonight as scheduled. The Neau Islander will depart the dock at 8:15, and hit the main channel by 8:30. By 8:35 Cobra should be beneath her wake as she escorts us to Ballast Point before heading out to sea.”
“That’s great news,” Uri said. “We should be hiding under the bait barges no later than 8:55.”
“Fagan told me you were in charge of Cobra’s weaponry,” Jason said. “Can you tell me what type of bomb we’re packing?”
“I’ve armed Cobra with a conventional, high-explosive torpedo with enough fire power to cut the Hampton in half,” Uri said. “The President will never know what hit him.”
Katya clutched the front of her dress. Oh my God, she thought. She had heard rumors of a Presidential visit to San Diego, but this plot to assassinate him sounded too absurd to be true.
“I wish we could nuke the bastards,” Jason said. “Just to be sure. But I suppose the collateral damage would be unacceptable — not to mention suicidal.”
“You’re right,” Uri said. “It would be suicidal.”
Katya suddenly felt an urgent need to find Aaron. She headed back to the Control Room to try again.
Chapter 43
Katya managed to find her way back to the Control Room, but as she looked around at the confusing array of hardware, she feared that she may still be lost.
Just then a woman with long red hair appeared in the hatch Katya had just come through. The woman was clutching a paper cup in each hand, spilling most of their contents while ducking through the low opening.
“Oh, hi,” the woman said, seeing Katya. “Who are you?”
“Uh — my name is Ekatarina,” Katya said, a little off guard. The woman was very pretty. “Who are you?”
“I’m Brandy,” she said, glancing down at her alcohol soaked fingers. “I’d shake your hand, but —”
“That’s okay,” Katya said quickly. “I was looking for my date. His name is Aaron and I really need to find him.”
“Aaron Quinn?” Brandy said, surprised.
“You know him?” Katya said.
“We’ve met,” Brandy said curtly, still harboring a grudge for what happened in Panama. “But I haven’t seen him.” She gave Katya a quick look up and down, as if to determine whether or not she was worthy of him.
“I’m here with Jason Beckham,” she boasted, as if he were a famous celebrity. “He’s currently in a meeting, but I expect him back soon.”
“You’ll have to excuse me, Brandy, but I —”
“Looking for me?” a man’s voice said from behind.
Katya whirled around and swallowed hard, certain she was facing one of the men plotting the assassination.
“Oh, hi, Jason,” Brandy said. “We were just talking about you.” She handed him the remains of one of the paper-cup cocktails and gestured toward Katya. “This is Ekatarina. She’s looking for Aaron.”
Jason was struck by Katya’s rare beauty. “Jason Beckham,” he said, offering her his hand. “You must be Captain Pankov’s daughter.”
Katya hesitated, and then shook Jason’s hand quickly, as if he were a leper. There was no doubt he was one of them. I can’t believe I’m touching one of the men plotting to kill the President of the United States! She shuddered and glanced around for a good place to throw up.
Jason was accustomed to women being uncomfortable in his presence, and normally it was due to his irresistible charm and powerful, animal magnetism. However, Ekatarina clearly found him repulsive, and this was new to him, and he didn’t appreciate it.
Suddenly Katya spotted the hatch near the helm controls, and kicked herself, thinking, That’s that hatch leading to the Captain’s Cabin, you idiot! Not the other one! If only she hadn’t blundered into Compartment Four. Life would have been a whole lot simpler!
She looked at Jason and Brandy and forced herself to be polite. “I-it was nice meeting you,” she said. “But if you will excuse me, I have to go find my date. Maybe we’ll see you at the party.”
“What party?” Brandy said sarcastically, gesturing to the vacant space surrounding them.
Katya laughed nervously then waved a quick goodbye and ducked through the hatch in search of Aaron.
Jason was shocked to hear that Aaron was Ekatarina’s date. The very idea of a punk like him being with a woman of her caliber, a woman he would clearly never have, turned him to stone. He made a mental note to rectify the situation as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
Chapter 44
Finally, Katya was in Compartment Two. She made her way down the corridor to the Captain’s Cabin and was relieved to see that the door was open. She peeked inside and saw Aaron seated on the bunk reading something tacked to the wall. At his feet were a few playing cards, scattered randomly about.
She tapped on the doorframe.
“Oh — hi, Katya,” Aaron said. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming back. Did you get everything locked up?”
“I need to talk to you,” Katya whispered quickly.
Aaron stood up from the bunk. “Is everything all right?”
“I’m not sure,” Katya said, gesturing for him to keep his voice down. She glanced down the corridor toward the Control Room where she’d left Jason and Brandy.
“Come in and shut the door,” Aaron said.
“Somewhere more private,” Katya said.
Aaron could tell by the look in Katya’s eyes that she had something very serious to tell him. He thought of the Forward Torpedo Room next door. It was tucked deep into the bow of the boat, and he doubted there was anywhere more private.
“Follow me,” he said.
He took her hand and led her through the watertight hatch leading next door to Compartment One. He swung the hatch cover shut and cranked the locking handle tight.
Katya’s brain hurt. She pressed her fingers to her temples and took a moment to collect herself. “I got lost, and I ended up in the wrong end of this stupid submarine. So I was heading back and I overheard two men talking in the Midshipman’s Cabin, with door closed… a-and I swear on my mother’s grave, Aaron, they were talking about a plot to kill the President of the United States.”