“Don’t fret, Chloe,” Blain said. “We may have found a wrecked lifeboat, but the hyperbaric one that the divers would be using must still be around here somewhere. I’ll bet you a surf and turf dinner back in LA that we’ll find him inside of it—safe and sound.”
Chloe let out another sigh as she leaned back in the chair and tried to relax. “Thanks, guys. I need all the encouragement I can—”
The intercom speakers suddenly came to life, and Captain Owens’s voice was heard. “Chloe, Ethan, you there?”
Blain’s pudgy finger stabbed the reply button. “I’m here too, Deke, thank you very much. What’s up?”
“There’s another vessel coming into the area,” Owens said. “She’s identified herself as the Queequeg, and her captain says they represent Morgenstern Oceanic.”
38
STANDING JUST BEHIND the front windows of the Queequeg’s wheelhouse, Clive Liger frowned while staring at the other ship out in the distance. This whole bloody thing’s getting out of hand, he thought.
Captain Rudenkov stood beside him, using his binoculars to scan the other ship. “Looks like a research vessel, but she is well-equipped. I can see a winch at her stern, so it could mean a towed sonar array. And it looks like she has a submersible too. Most impressive.”
Liger cursed. “How the bloody hell did she get here so fast? How could they have known about the sinking?”
“Someone must have said something over the radio, obviously.”
Liger shook his head. “That can’t be. Sandor assured me the Aurora’s captain made sure nobody sent any calls for help.”
“Did Sandor not contact you using an unsecured channel to tell you what happened a few days ago?”
Liger grumbled. “You’re right. He was the idiot who leaked it. I’m going to have a talk with the big boss about him.”
“Fine, you do that.”
“But how the hell did this other boat know about the exact location? Not even Sandor was dumb enough to say it over the air.”
Rudenkov gave a dismissive shrug. “Who knows? But they are here now, so we have to deal with them. We could wait till night, then my men could sneak aboard that vessel and…” He let his voice trail off.
“No. Too bloody risky. That other ship is also in continuous contact with the American Navy, so this makes things even more complicated.”
“Okay, since this is your operation, I will do as you wish.”
Liger gave him a sideways glance before returning his attention to the other ship. He said that in order to let me know that I’m the one who’ll be ultimately responsible for everything, the Russian bastard. If I don’t do this right, I’ll be the one hung out to dry.
The radio operator stationed at the right side of the room looked towards the two of them. “Captain, she has identified herself as the Wanderer. She says she is part of the search and rescue operation for a lost American submarine, but changed her course when she heard a distress call.”
Rudenkov started chuckling. “So it seems we both play the liar’s game now, da?”
Liger narrowed his eyes. I’m sure I’ve heard that ship’s name before, but where?
“We had better tell them something or they will get even more suspicious and pass it on to the Americans,” Rudenkov said.
“Let’s play their game then,” Liger said as he turned towards the radioman. “Tell them we’re here to secure the underwater habitat. All survivors of the Aurora have been transferred to our work barge, and their assistance is no longer needed.”
Rudenkov raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure it is wise to inform them about the undersea base down there? They might not even know it exists.”
Liger pointed towards the other ship. “Look at their boat. You yourself said they’ve got towed sonar and a submersible, so it’s obvious they know already.” He switched his attention back to the radio operator. “Tell them what I told you.”
CHLOE AND ETHAN STOOD near the door leading into the Wanderer’s radio room as they listened to the incoming messages from the other boat. Rob the radio operator kept the speakers on high volume, and both business partners gave each other suspicious glances as the return message came over the channel.
The voice over the loudspeakers spoke English with a thick Eastern European accent. “Wanderer, I can inform you the survivors from the Aurora have been transferred to our construction barge. We are here to secure the underwater habitat and no longer need any further assistance, over.”
“They’re full of crap!” Chloe hissed. “There’s a half sunken lifeboat out there, and there’s over a dozen torn life vests and other clothing we found floating on the water.”
Ethan held his palms up calmingly. “Easy, Chloe. They know that we know about their underwater base, so they’re hinting at us to just go.”
Chloe rubbed her forehead before leaning further into the radio room. “Rob, tell them to give us a list of the Aurora survivors, please.”
Rob nodded in acknowledgement. “You got it, Chloe.”
Ethan crossed his arms as he leaned on the wall. “I doubt they’ll tell us anything.”
Chloe drew in a sharp breath. Maybe Gordon’s over at that work barge. Oh God, please keep him alive and safe.
“Wanderer, I am sorry, but we don’t have that information yet, over,” the voice at the speakers said.
Chloe tapped Rob on his shoulder. A part of her still had a feeling that Gordon was somehow inside the underwater structure. “Request more information about the undersea habitat.”
“I doubt they’ll tell us anything about that either,” Ethan said as Rob spoke into the microphone.
“Wanderer, I am sorry but that habitat is private property. You are not to approach it or make any attempts at entry, over,” the voice over the radio said.
“Private property my ass!” Chloe snapped. “We’re out here in international waters for chrissakes.”
“We can’t get in there anyway,” Ethan said softly. “We don’t have the proper gear.”
Chloe placed her hands over her eyes and did her best to stifle the tears that were threatening to burst forth. “What about Gordy?”
“They said there are survivors from the wreck on their work barge,” Ethan said. “Why not check out that place first? Gordon might already be there, waiting for you.”
“If they’ll let us,” Chloe whispered.
HIDEKI YAMAMOTO MADE his way up into the Queequeg’s wheelhouse and walked over to the two men who were continuing to observe the other ship. “Are there any updates on the equipment that I requested?”
Rudenkov glanced back towards the Japanese scientist. “Da. It is being flown in by helicopter to the work barge. Perhaps in a few hours time.”
“What are we waiting for? We need those things if we are to recapture the kaiju.”
Liger gave him an irritated look as he pointed towards the other ship. “In case you can’t see through those thick glasses of yours, there’s another boat out there, and we have to keep her in our sights.”
Yamamoto gave him a confused look. “What for? They are nothing compared to the work we are doing.”
Liger stared at him, dumbfounded. “Are you so bloody engrossed in your stupid research that you can’t see that the other boat over there might happen upon our little secret?”