Laura 01 The Jaguar Prophecy (5 page)

“Captain, we could bring the sub next to the ship, match her speed then hook a grappling rope on to the tower and the ship’s railing. Comrade Russtoff could board with the rope.”

“Comrade Russtoff?”

“Risky Comrade Captain, but sounds like the only way.”

Bladimere looks concerned as he speaks again. “Number One, make it so.”

“Aye aye sir.”

With military precision and ignorance to danger, the submarine is maneuvered 30 feet from the ship’s port side, matching her in speed. Bladimere has the crew bring her as high out of the water as possible to help keep the conning tower out of the waves. Still water comes crashing down relentlessly over the tower.

Agent Russtoff kits out in scuba gear with a 30 cubic feet air bottle strapped to his side, just enough air for the transfer in case waves roll over him.

He fits the mouthpiece as he takes one last look at Bladimere, salutes, and then expertly throws himself over the side of the tower, hanging on the rope the crew has secured for him for the transfer. The rope is a standard grappling rope used to scale buildings on attacks. It has a four leg anchor at the end that is shot with a special air powered device to its target where it hooks. The line that is attached to it can then be used to climb with.

Russtoff’s body is hanging in mid air being slapped around by hungry waves and the wind playing tag with him. The submarine itself rolls dangerously in the water, adding to the fun. As the submarine rolls from side to side, Russtoff is repeatedly thrown into the dark sea just to be ripped out again.

Slowly, he makes progress, inch by inch. The second officer thinks it is an impossible maneuver and comments, “Captain, this is madness.”

“Number Two, you will hold your remarks.”

Agent Russtoff is now half way. 15 feet from the ship’s railing. Suddenly a shudder goes through the submarine and she starts to lose speed.

“Number One, what’s happening?”

“Captain, engine room reports loss in power, sir.”

Bladimere watches Russtoff being pulled from the water as the rope goes tight. Russtoff senses the danger of the rope snapping between him and the ship, making it impossible for him to get to the ship. In one swift movement he draws a knife from its place on his hip and cuts the rope just behind him. At that moment the rope is so tight that the knife has to just touch it and it snaps.

Bladimere watches transfixed as the rope whiplashes and comes straight for him. Before he can react, the rope hits him across the left cheek, cutting the flesh open to the bone.

Russtoff is pulled forward with such force that he loses his grip on the knife, which remains hanging from its secure line attached to his belt. The force with which he crashes into the side of the ship’s hull almost knocks him unconscious. Waves crash over him, ripping the mouthpiece from his mouth. Fighting with all his might he slowly drags himself up to the railing, with wave after wave crashing over him.

With effort he manages to pull himself within a foot of the railing. Russtoff grips the rope as tight as he can with his left hand and lets go with his right.

Stretching as far as he can with his right arm, his fingers grip the railing but then slip. Again Russtoff reaches as far up as he can with his right arm, and again his fingers touch the bottom railing allowing him to get a grip, this time more securely.

Russtoff smiles as he pulls himself up with the rope in his left hand and the railing in his right hand. Mmm, a warm meal and a bath is what are needed now. He looks back to see if the submarine has descended already. A wall of water fills his view as a massive wave comes crashing down over him. It seems as if time slows down for Russtoff and everything happens in slow motion.

He hangs on as tightly as he can, but the force of the water is too much for him and he loses his grip on the railing and the rope.

The receding water sweeps Russtoff away, and he frantically grabs aimlessly around in the hope of finding something to grip on to.

He is so close to the stern of the ship that if he gets washed away now, he will get sucked in by the propellers and chopped up. The side of the ocean liner scrapes against Russtoff’s body as he slides away into the watery grave, eagerly accepting him. This is it, I am fish food, chopped up into little pieces.

If only the submarine had tried to transfer him more to the front, then he would not have been sucked in by the propellers, and he could have activated his emergency beacon and been rescued. Russtoff closes his eyes. He does not want to see what is going to happen next. Suddenly something rubs against his chest, it’s the rope. Frantically he grabs it with both hands and holds on. The wave passes and the receding water tugs at his body, wanting to take him with, beckoning for him to let go and follow the darkness.

When the swell passes, he opens his eyes and looks at the rope in his hands. There is only two inches of rope left below his hands, a split second slower reaction, and he would have missed it totally.

With new fury he pulls himself up the rope towards the railing. Finally he manages to reach the railing again, and grabs it with both hands, pulling his chest and then the rest of his body over the railing, he rolls over, falling down on the other side, safe for now. Russtoff is now on the lowest open deck of the cruise liner. Out of strength and air he lies in a wet helpless heap, fighting the blackness that wants to take over his mind.

After ten minutes Russtoff slowly gets up, pain ripping through his entire body. Unzipping the wetsuit he withdraws a waterproof map of the ship from an inside pocket. He had studied the ship’s layout before, but wants to refresh his memory; it also keeps his mind off the pain. Slowly he unslings his watertight rucksack from his back and lets it drop on the floor. Opening it up, he retrieves fresh dry clothes from it. Looking around him to make sure no one is on deck he quickly changes, and then takes a knife, pistol and spare rounds from the rucksack, plus a smaller sealed bag containing ID documentation, a stack of cards showing a more detailed blueprint for each deck of the ship, some money, and explosives.

With his documentation is a photo of a passenger who closely resembles him. Russtoff will find the passenger, kill him and dispose of the body, allowing him to assume the dead man’s identity. Stuffing the wetsuit into the rucksack, he zips it closed and throws it overboard. The waves are lapping just below the railing, and every now and again he is hit in the face with cold sea water. The rucksack disappears into the deadly cold darkness below.

Russtoff turns around and walks to the nearest door, while slinging the smaller dry bag over his shoulder. A drink and a warm meal are high on his agenda, as soon as he finds and kills the passenger that looks like him.

Chapter 5

Laura takes a long warm shower, letting her muscles relax and her nerves calm down a bit. She barely even watched action movies, and now she is part of one. Why would people be after her? Why do they have the idea that she has a disc worth killing for? It must be a case of mistaken identity, maybe there is another Laura or person that looks like her on the ship and they made a mistake.

Maybe Victor can help? Maybe he will talk to Special Agent Williams and suggest they investigate a mistaken identity possibility. Special Agent Williams did say that Victor is some important person. Maybe Victor is a government secret agent or something? Then he will really be able to help her sort out this mistaken identity, and it is so cool, her very own secret agent. Yes, it is all just a big mistake. It is sad about the people that have died, but Special Agent Williams did say that they were dangerous men who had done bad things. Maybe the world will be a better place without them in it.

Laura gets renewed zest for the trip and even feels like wearing a bit of a daring outfit to dinner. She really likes Victor, and wow, how long has it been since she has been with a man. Who knows, maybe there is a silver lining to all of this.

Laura looks at the time. O no, she has only 10 minutes left to get dressed and to get to the dining room, she is running late.

Hope Victor will not be mad at her for arriving late. Quickly Laura gets dressed and then runs out of the room, shoes in hand, towards the dining room.

The main entrance leading to the dining room is in the main lobby, three decks below Laura’s cabin. Laura uses the stairs as she has never liked using elevators unless she had to. To try and save time, she jump skips down the stairs taking them two and three steps at a time.

Laura is making good time, and she is filled with excitement, both of going on a date with Victor and of running down the stairs barefoot. She jumps down the last two steps and runs into the main lobby, turning sharply left towards the dining room entrance.

She enters the room so fast and unexpectedly, that neither she nor the elderly lady crossing her path can do anything to avoid crashing into each other. Laura is still in full flight as they collide, and her right leg accidently kicks the lady’s cane out of her hand, sending it flying across the room where it trips a waiter carrying a birthday cake. The waiter comes crashing down onto several guests who are standing nearby talking. One of the guests, a snobistic upper class lady, is just bragging to her friends about the expensive new dress she has on and her newly styled hair. The cake catches the lady full in her face, breaking apart and landing on her friends. The cake that is left on her face starts to slide down over her bosom and new dress.

Laura and the elderly lady fall to the floor together with Laura landing on top of the lady.

She jumps up almost immediately as she hits the ground, apologizing profusely.

Laura suddenly stops apologizing when she noticed the lady’s false teeth lying at her feet, having been knocked out of the lady’s mouth from the fall.

Laura cannot contain herself and bursts out laughing. She tries to smother her laughter by placing her hands over her mouth.

“What do you think you are doing child, running around like a little school girl?” the old lady mumbles while looking up at Laura.

“My apologies, I’m late for a dinner date,” Laura blurts out, still giggling. The old lady tries to stand up but is struggling. Laura jumps forward to help her, but slips on the false teeth and lands on top of the old lady, again.

“Oh dear,” is all Laura can get out when she gets up for the second time, while the old lady puts her teeth back in before replying.

“Child, do me a favor and please go get laid, it will be safer for all of us,” the lady says as soon as Laura gets off of her. Laura blushes and wants to say how could she when she just met Victor, but all that comes out is “How…” before she is cut off by the waiter who has dropped the cake, now fuming.

“What do you think you are doing, you will pay for…”

“Shut up.” The elderly lady cuts him short, now getting up with Laura’s help, and then she turns her attention back to Laura.

“How?, Honey with that dress, if you are not in bed by 10 tonight, go home because you are wasting your time.” Laura did not think she could blush any more than she already is. She can feel herself glowing red.

“Who do you think you are telling me to shut up?” The angry waiter continues, forgetting that the guests always come first. Suddenly a firm hand is placed on his shoulder, and someone speaks from behind.

“Is there a problem Mother?” The waiter freezes from shock when he hears the Captain’s voice behind him.

“Just an accident dear, this lovely lady is late for a dinner date. We should not hold her up any more.” The elderly lady winks at Laura, then turns to face her son.

“I’m sure you have enough people working for you on this ship to clean things up here, now escort your mother to the billiard tables will you?”

Captain Steel nods and takes his mother by the arm, helping her to where her cane is lying on the floor. As soon as he has picked up the cane and given it to his mother, he turns to the still shocked waiter and says, “Make sure you have this cleaned up immediately, then join my mother by the billiard table so that she can teach you some manners towards guests.”

Captain Steel knows from experience that this punishment will be far more severe and effective than anything he can think of.

Laura had already made her way to the Blue Diamond dining room. The dining room has several small doors, allowing one to enter from various outside balconies and a pool deck, or from the main lobby. Laura is now standing in front of two massive glass doors with oak wood frames. Each door has a blue piece of glass in the center, the shape of a diamond.

There are two men outside the door, dressed in black suits, white shirts and red ties. As Laura comes close to the doors, they politely open the doors for her, admiring her body as she passes.

“Wow,” says the one doorman to the other as soon as they close the doors behind her. The second doorman is about to reply when more guests arrive.

Laura is taken aback by the beauty of the place. The room is massive according to Laura, easily able to seat 200 people. There are two small reception desks, one at each door. The main area has several rows of tables, each able to seat four people. To the far left corner is a large teak wood bar with matching teak wood bar stools, that has room for several people to wait for a table to open. Directly opposite the large glass doors are two entrances to the kitchen. One entrance is used for exiting the kitchen, while the other one is used to enter the kitchen, ensuring that the waiters do not collide with each other trying to use the same door. To the far right of the dining room is a small dance floor with space for 20 people, and a stage behind it were a live jazz band is busy playing music.

“Can I help you madam?” Laura is so busy admiring the place that she forgot she is standing in the doorway.

“Yes, you should have a reservation for two under the name Victor?” O no, I do have his last name. I hope he made the booking under his first name. And where is he? I thought that Victor would be waiting for me by the door.

Looking at her watch, she realizes she is 15 minutes late. She hopes that he has not left already, thinking her to be a no-show. Nice going Laura, she mumbles to herself.