"Package?" Paul said.
"I'll tell you everything I know on the way. Shall we?"
They climbed into the chopper and took their seats in the spacious cabin. The engines revved up, and minutes later the Sikorsky S-76C lifted rapidly into the sky. The sprawling lights of Istanbul straddling the Bosporus on two continents spread below them like a sequined tapestry. Powered by its twin Arriel engines, the helicopter headed north at a cruising speed of one hundred seventy-five miles per hour.
The pilot's voice came over their earphones in a lazy, slightly western Chuck Yeager drawl.
"Hi, folks. My name is Mike. Make yourselves comfortable. Should be plenty of room to stretch. They designed this chopper for oil-rig support, so it's pretty much a flying bus. We can take twelve passengers. You're lucky to be going on this leg. We expect to be pretty crowded on the return trip. There's a thermos of hot coffee up near the bulkhead. Help yourselves. Please let me know if you need anything. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the flight."
Gunn poured the coffee and passed the steaming cups around. "Good to see you both. Sorry your sabbaticals were cut short. Officially speaking, you're still on leave, I'm sitting in an auditorium at the Greek National Archaeological Museum, and this meeting is not taking place."
"What's been going on, Rudi?" Paul said. "We've only heard bits and pieces."
"I'm not sure what the total picture looks like, but here's what we do know. Several days ago, Admiral Sandecker was invited to a White House meeting with the president and his advisors. The White House was worried about the deteriorating political situation in Russia. Some of the president's men scolded Sandecker for allowing Kurt to violate Russian sovereign territory at the abandoned Soviet submarine base. They were worried that it would give Russian opposition forces ammunition to use against the government, which is already fighting for its life. The admiral apologized, said it was an accident and offered to talk directly to the Russians. His offer was rejected. Then he asked what the White House was doing about the NR-1. Strangely, the president and his people had forgotten to tell Sandecker the sub was missing."
Paul grinned and said, "Assuming the admiral wouldn't know was pretty dumb on their part."
Gamay shook her head. "It's unbelievable that the NR-1 could vanish with no trace, as if it had been swallowed by a sea monster."
"You're not far off the mark. The NR-1 was hijacked and transported on the deck of a submarine."
"That's more far-fetched than the sea monster theory," Gamay said.
"We were trying to figure things out, when Kurt called and said a source had told him that a mining tycoon named Mikhail Razov is behind the political unrest in Russia. According to the White House, there's a tie between the NR-1's disappearance and the mess in Moscow. In addition, Razov's company, Ataman Enterprises, has leased the sub base from the Russian government."
Gamay said, "That's why Kurt asked us to look into Razov's operation at Novorossiysk."
"You think the NR-J was taken to this old sub base?"
Paul said. "We thought that was a possibility. But we were more worried about something else Kurt's source said, that Razov was connected to a plot against the United States."
"What sort of plot?" Paul asked.
"We don't know. Sandecker considered the tip serious. When Kurt said he was assembling the Special Assignments Team and planned to go back to the base, the admiral gave his unofficial blessing. Kurt must have mentioned that his mission was, uh, unofficial."
"He put it quite colorfully," Gamay said, laughingly.
"I won't even ask," said Rudi, imagining Austin's report. "The White House specifically warned Admiral Sandecker to stay clear of the NR-1 investigation. I'm sure it won't surprise you to know he managed to get around that warning by a technicality. He agreed not to search for the sub, but said nothing about the sub base."
"I'm shocked, shocked," Gamay said with mock horror, echoing Casablanca.
"Me, too," said Paul. "Who would have thought such a thing?"
"Your sarcasm is dutifully noted and ignored. But you get the point. We had to keep the admiral insulated to give him room to maneuver.
"Risky," Paul said. "The whole thing could blow up in NUMA's face."
"Sandecker was well aware of that possibility, but the gods who watch over the Black Sea were in a benevolent mood."
"You look like the cat who swallowed the canary," Gamay said, noting Gunn's enigmatic smile. "Apparently, Kurt has some good news."
"Very good. He and Joe found the NR-1's crew - the package I mentioned. They were being held captive at the Russian base. They're on the Argo now."
"That's great, but I don't understand," Paul said, furrowing his brow. "The Russians were holding them prisoner?"
"It's more complicated than that, from what I gather. The captain and pilot are still missing, along with the sub itself. Kurt wanted us all to be at the crew's debriefing."
"Finding these guys is quite a coup for NUMA and the admiral," Paul observed.
"Unfortunately, we can't claim credit for the rescue. I'm not sure how it will be announced, since no one has ever told the public of the hijacking. The top brass has been keeping the sub's hijacking a secret."
"Hard to keep a secret in Washington," Paul said. "The story is bound to get out."
"I agree. We've notified the navy that we found the sub's crew, but we've deliberately been short on details. We won't be able to get away with that strategy forever. Which is why this brainstorming session with the crew is so important. We've got to get to the bottom of this. Why don't we help ourselves to more coffee while you fill me in on your encounter with Ataman?"
Gamay volunteered to refill their coffee mugs. "I'll let Paul do the play-by-play and I'll add the color," she said.
Gunn listened to their story without interrupting. From experience, they knew that Gunn would absorb every detail; his analytical skills were legendary. He had been the first in his class at the U.S. Naval Academy, had formerly held the rank of commander and before he became second-in-command to Sandecker, had overseen logistics and oceanographic projects for NUMA.
Gunn peppered them with questions after they finished their tale. He was particularly interested in Boris, the "mad monk," and in Yuri's comment about the absence of the big drilling ships. Ataman's violent reaction was simple to explain. Razov had something to hide and didn't like people snooping around. But Boris and the missing drilling ships didn't fit into any equation he could formulate. He sat back in his seat, adjusted the horn-rimmed glasses on his hawkish nose and tented his fingers, much as Sherlock Holmes would have looked, absorbed by a puzzle. All he needed to complete the picture was a pipe and a deerstalker's cap.
The pilot's voice broke Gunn's concentration. "We're coming up on the Argo, folks. If you look off to the right, you'll see the ship."
The Argo had switched on every light in greeting and looked look like a giant floating Christmas tree against the inky darkness of the sea. The helicopter hovered over the ship and slowly descended onto the large, blinking X that marked the landing pad. The touchdown was nearly perfect, marked by a slight thump of the wheels on the deck. The rotors spun to a stop, and the copilot came back to open the door. The passengers thanked the crew for a smooth flight and descended the boarding steps, eyes blinking against the brilliant floodlights that turned the night into day.
Austin's broad shoulders and pale hair were easy to spot among the crowd that had gathered to greet the arrivals. He strode over, shook hands with Gunn and put his arms around the Trouts.
"Hope you had time for your martinis," Austin said.
Gamay smiled and pecked his cheek. "We squeezed in two drinks apiece, thank you."
"Sorry to drag you out here so soon after your Novorossiysk trip." He guided them to the mess hall and brought them three tinkling glasses of fresh-squeezed lemonade. "Joe's baby-sitting the crew in the conference room. We're meeting with them in fifteen minutes to hear their story. The crew is anxious to get home, and I've asked them to give us an hour while the chopper fuels up."
Gunn puckered his lips in amusement as Austin filled them in on the crew's rescue. "I don't mean to demean the dangers you described, Kurt, but it sounds like a Pink Panther movie, with all those people running around."
"I was thinking more of the Keystone Kops," Austin said. "Someday I'll look back and chuckle over the whole crazy episode." He brushed his head lightly with his fingers. "But if my hair could have gotten any whiter, it would have."
"I'm intrigued by this Russian you call Ivan," Gunn said. "How do you know him?"
"Our paths crossed when I was working for the CIA."
"Is he a friend or foe?"
"I'd call him a friend for the moment. I suspect that he'll do pretty much what he thinks is in the best interests of Russia. He is devious and shrewd - and he didn't survive all those purges in Russian intelligence by being a choirboy."
"That's quite a resume. Despite his checkered background, you think we should trust him?"
"For now. And for one very good reason."
"What's that?" Gunn said. "He's all we've got."
-19- TH E SOGGY BUNCH Captain Kemal had rescued from the sea and transferred to the Argo was gone. In their place was a happy band of submariners who could laugh about their ordeal, which was what they were doing when Austin and the others arrived at the conference room.
After boarding the Argo, the NR-1 crew had been checked out by the ship's medical technician, filled with extraordinary meals from the galley and given the loan of NUMA work coveralls. Except for scratches and bruises, the men in the conference room showed few visible effects from their ordeal. Sitting at the metal table that occupied center place were Captain Atwood, Ensign Kreisman and Joe Zavala. Joe smiled broadly when he saw his NUMA colleagues come through the door. He rose and went over to shake hands with Gunn and Trout. Ever the ladies' man, he gave Gamay a kiss on the cheek.
After a quick round of introductions, Austin announced, to claps and whistles, "In a few hours you'll be back in Istanbul, where a jet is waiting to fly you home. Your relatives have been notified that you're safe." More applause. "You must be anxious to be on your way, but I've got a favor to ask. We've only heard parts of your remarkable story. While the chopper is fueling up for the return trip, I'm hoping you can tell us what happened from start to finish."
Ensign Kreisman stood and said, "It's the least we can do. I'm sure I speak for the crew when I say thanks to you and Joe for getting us out of that place in one piece."
"Remind us to bring a Bradley fighting vehicle the next time," Austin said. He waited for the laughter to die down. "If you don't mind, Ensign, I'll play Perry Mason. I think it will go faster that way."
"No problem, sir."
"Good. Why don't you start from the beginning?"
Kreisman took a position in front of a wall chart that showed the eastern Aegean. "Our mission was to dive on underwater archaeological sites off the Turkish coast. Here." He tapped the map. "In addition to our regular crew under the command of Captain Logan, we carried a guest scientist who called himself Dr. Josef Pulaski, supposedly from MIT."
Gunn raised his hand. "Point of information. After we learned the sub was hijacked, we went over the roster and found Pulaski's name. When we checked with MIT, they said they'd never heard of him."
"Too bad we didn't check before he came on board," the ensign said, with a shake of his head. "In any event, the mission was an unqualified success. We retrieved some artifacts with our manipulator capacity. We were preparing to surface, when Pulaski pulled a gun. Most of the crew was aft of the control room and didn't see it happen. The captain in- formed us over the intercom. He ordered us to stay put.or Pulaski would shoot us. The sub went up a few hundred feet and hovered."
"For how long?" Austin said.
"About twenty-five minutes. Then a huge shadow appeared in the monitors. It looked like a whale or shark coming up under the sub, and then there was a horrendous clang. The sub shook so hard, anyone who wasn't holding on was thrown to the floor. Next we heard a scraping and clawing, as if big metal beetles were crawling around on the outside of the hull. Divers. We could see them on the monitors. One clown even waved at the camera! Next thing we knew, the divers were gone and we were flying through the ocean."
Where were the captain and pilot and the other scientist during all of this?" Austin asked.
"In the control room."
"Did the captain say anything more?"
"Yes, sir. He said to send coffee and sandwiches forward."
"What was the support ship doing at this time?"
"We heard them calling on the radio until Pulaski ordered all communications shut down. I assume they tracked us until we were out of range."