Cloud Invasion: R-D 2 (R-D #2)(36)

"We suspected as much," Nick grinned. "We just don't know who."

"I'll tell you someday. I promised Leo I would."

"See, you can call them by their first names. I say Colonel Hunter and Dr. Shaw."

"Rafe does the same."

"They won't allow anyone else to do it. From a military standpoint, it's disrespectful. From you, well, they know you care. If you started calling Colonel Hunter Colonel Hunter, he'd wonder what he did to piss you off. Leo Shaw doesn't let anyone else get away with calling him Leo."

"I feel special," I said.

"It's a compliment. They respect you more than anybody I know."

"Uh-huh. That's why Auggie told Maye to order me around."

"You scare Maye witless," Nick said, leaning forward in his chair. "She has no idea how to deal with what you can do. One minute you're in view-the next, you could be on the other side of the planet. She doesn't know how to protect that."

"Great-now you're making me feel bad."

"That's not my intention," he leaned back again, causing the wooden chair he sat on to creak as he shifted. "I'm just telling you that we're not doing any of this to make you miserable. We do it because we're worried. Colonel Hunter freaks whenever you show your independence by going off on a whim."

"You're right-I wasn't military." I turned away from him then, to check the door into the bar. She still in there? I asked Maye.

Yes, and still drinking.

She has to be back on the boat in half an hour, if she's going.

Copy that. Wait, she's handing the bartender cash. Get ready.

Nick and I rose after Mary walked down the street, ambling past more businesses. Following her at a discreet distance while Maye and Opal followed us, we made our way toward the line of people waiting to get back on the boat.

Everybody had to pass through a checkpoint and their belongings and purchases went through X-ray machines. I figured there wasn't anything on Mary's new phone to set it off.

Honey, she's getting back on the boat, I informed Rafe.

It'll be a while-the agents just got here, he replied. I'll let you know when we get through the checkpoint.

Thanks. We'll keep following her from a distance-unless she heads for her cabin.

Good. Keep me updated.

Will do.

Nick and I had little on us when we went through the checkpoint before boarding-our phones and his wallet went through the machine. Mary, still walking ahead of us, went straight to the bar on deck three.

Why wasn't I surprised?

She's in the main bar on the ship, I sent to Maye and Rafe. Nick and I took a table near the windows, where a waiter sidled up to us and took our drink orders.

"Maye and Opal are across the bar," Nick informed me when the waiter left.

"Sounds good." I didn't turn to look. Instead, I glanced briefly at Mary, who checked her watch again.

What did that mean? Honey, you'd better hurry, it's ten till four, I sent.

We're close, he replied.

Ten minutes passed and I hadn't heard from Rafe. I worried that he and Jeff would be left behind in Ketchikan. Sure, I could go get them, but that could cause problems later.

Mary checked her watch again before pulling out her cell phone. Fear washed over me then and I wanted to scream. I didn't. Instead, I had to act as quickly as I could to gather the four of us and transport us off the boat. It and the three ships docked behind it blew up simultaneously.





Chapter 8

Ilya

Jeff and I had to run to get up the gangway to the checkpoint. Tossing my cell phone into the tub, it was sent through while I walked through the metal detector.

Jeff, who'd been sprinting behind me, had to take time to remove his wallet, cell phone and change from his pocket. I walked into the ship, expecting him to be behind me shortly.

I only had enough range to shield myself when the ship exploded around us. Jeff-and the crewmembers behind me-didn't make it.

*

Notes-Colonel Hunter

At least Corinne had the presence of mind to get the three others back to Seattle. She was so terrified that Rafe was dead that Shaw had to sedate her. Maye heard from Rafe half an hour after the explosions, sending a wave of relief through the facility.

Jeff was the one who didn't make it. Rafe had gone through the checkpoint ahead of Jeff, which meant that his shield wouldn't reach. Matt was receiving continuous reports on the devastation while I instructed Rafe to get to the airport where my agents were ready to take off with Marcus in tow.

We understood now that the cell phone Marcus passed to the clone had been rigged as a detonator. Somehow, divers had gotten to the hulls of four ships and planted enough explosives there to destroy all of them twice over.

Initially, Rafe asked that Corinne come for him. I'd had to tell him she was unconscious-that she was terrified he was dead so Shaw had to give her something. I think he was grateful for that, at least, although he didn't appreciate a ride in a small plane with Marcus-he wanted to break Marcus' neck for killing Jeff.

I wanted to break Marcus' neck for killing Jeff and thousands of tourists on those ships, not to mention their crews. Word was only a few were found alive-most were dead; their body parts were floating in the waters surrounding the dock, waiting for recovery teams to pick them up.