Shadow Zone (21 page)

“How can they do that?”

“Oh, they can do it. I was working for AquaCorp when I designed it. They put up the big bucks.” Hannah cursed. “AquaCorp’s point man, Ebersole, alluded to this the other night. They must need me for something, and they knew I’d be furious when I found out what they had done.”

“What do they need you for?”

“I don’t know. Ebersole has been trying to reach me since we left. He left this message on my e-mail. I guess he figured the only way he could get a response from me was to show me this.”

Eugenia pointed to the laptop. “I hope you didn’t access e-mail from here.”

“No, I had Kirov stop at a hot spot so that I could retrieve it all without giving away our position.” Hannah pulled out her disposable phone. “And now I need to call Ebersole. But if someone is monitoring his phone lines, looking for me, I’d rather be hitting a different cell tower. I’ll call from someplace else.”

Eugenia grabbed her jacket. “I’ll go with you.”

She frowned. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”

“That’s not why I’m going.” Eugenia picked up Hannah’s jacket and tossed it to her. “Dublin is a great city. We need to see more of it.”

They caught a cab to the Temple Bar area, a popular neighborhood jam-packed with bars and restaurants. It took only a few minutes to find a pub that did not seem to be overrun with tourists. Eugenia went inside to get a table while Hannah found a quiet area outside to make her telephone call.

Ebersole’s assistant put her through immediately.

“A less secure man might think you were avoiding his calls,” Ebersole said calmly.

“What in the hell were you thinking?”

“Ah, I see you got the photo.”

“Please tell me that was something your art department guys mocked up.”

“Nope. It’s the real deal. That picture was taken at our machine shop in Norfolk. Where are you, Hannah? Let’s discuss this in person.”

“Not possible. I can’t believe you would modify my design without consulting me.”

“It wasn’t our call.”

“Whose call was it?”

“Who do you think? You saw the photo. Who do you think paid for the modifications?”

Hannah knew. She had known since she had spotted small missile tubes in the place where she had specified a gentle curve of the hull. “The U.S. Navy.”

“They wanted their own design team to do the modifications. They said it was a security matter.”

“That’s ridiculous. I do a lot of work on military projects.”

“I know. But they had some specific ideas about what they wanted, and I think they didn’t want a fight from you.”

“The only reason I would fight them is if I saw they were screwing it up.”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What a shock.”

“The Navy-modified vessels aren’t performing up to snuff. They have nowhere near the mobility of the subs you used in Marinth.”

“Funny,” she said sarcastically. “Isn’t mobility usually a requirement for military applications?”

“The Navy doesn’t think this is such a laughing matter. We’re sitting on a fleet of attack minisubs that—”

Her hand tightened on the phone. “What do you mean ‘a fleet’?”

“Seven have been completed. Six more are still under construction, but we’ve ceased work on them until we can figure out what needs to be done.”

“Seven?” Hannah’s voice was shaking with anger. “You screwed up my design and repeated your mistakes seven times? Are you serious?”

“Hannah, please. Calm down.”

“How can I? I can’t believe you blundered into this.”

“The Navy was in a hurry to get these vessels up and running.”

“Why didn’t AquaCorp stand up to them? There’s a magic word I use when someone tries to talk me into something I know is not a good idea. You know what it is? I’ll tell you. The word is no.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Yes, it is. I say it all the time.”

“It was a multimillion-dollar contract. We have a responsibility to our stockholders.”

“And I have a responsibility to the bank that holds the mortgage on my condo. And I have a responsibility to my niece and nephew to make sure they can go to college. But I still know when to say no.”

“It’s a mess, Hannah. I’ll be the first to admit that. But we need your help to fix it.”

“Unbelievable. Between the Navy’s stupidity and AquaCorp’s greed, I don’t know who to be more furious with . . .”

“Hannah, please. We need your help.”

Hannah took a few deep breaths before continuing. “I’ll say this for your people, they sure earned their security clearances. Not one of them said a word about this to me.”

“They probably didn’t want to be anywhere near you when you found out. I know I didn’t.”

“So the subs are a complete disaster?”

“Actually, no. They handle fairly well, even with the increased weight from the weapons systems. They’re just a bit sluggish on certain types of turns. The Navy engineers have tried to lick it, but they’re having problems. We just got approval to bring you into the project.”

“Approval from the Navy, not from me.”

“Come on, Hannah . . .”

“If the Navy didn’t have enough faith to include me from the beginning, I don’t see why I should have to clean up their mistakes.”

“Do it for AquaCorp, Hannah. We bankrolled the Marinth expedition for you.”

“Only because you knew the military project wasn’t working out, and you thought you might need me.”

“That was a consideration, yes.”

“But it’s the Navy that’s out all those millions on this stupid project, and I’m perfectly happy to let them twist in the wind.”

“Wherever you are, Hannah, let me send a private jet for you. We’ve brought the subs to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, so they’ll be convenient for you. Since the
Copernicus
is still there, I assume you’re going to return there. Come and take a look at the subs in action.”

“That’s just not possible right now.”

“When will it be possible?”

“Maybe never.”

“Please, Hannah. We’ll work with you. Anything you want.”

“Even if I wanted to help, which I don’t, I’m tied up right now. I’m not available.”

“What if I sent you a packet with all the information on the subs and where we’re at so far?”

“Go ahead. I can’t guarantee I’ll look at it.”

“I’ll have a courier bring it to you.”

“No. E-mail it to me.”

“It’s a fairly extensive packet. Blueprints, reports, videos of the subs in action . . . It will be easier to just send someone out with it.”

“Nothing’s easier than an e-mail. Scan it all, compress it, and send it to me.”

“It’s not the most secure method of transit. This is classified, remember?”

“Then encrypt it. Use the same key we used before the Marinth expedition.”

“Hannah, why be difficult about such a simple thing?”

“It’s the only chance you have of my even
possibly
helping you. I’d take it if I were you.”

Ebersole was cursing under his breath. “If I do this, when will I hear back from you?”

“I can’t promise you ever will. But it’s your only shot, Ebersole.” Hannah cut the connection.

Damn him, damn AquaCorp, damn the U.S. Navy. She shouldn’t have called. She knew it would only annoy her, but Ebersole had reeled her in with that photo of her mangled creation.

Eugenia poked her head out of the bar. She studied Hannah’s upset expression and slowly nodded. “Hannah, get in here. You have to start drinking. Immediately!”

A half hour later, Hannah was still nursing her first beer while she watched Eugenia down her third beer-and-whiskey-shot combo. A folk trio was performing in the wood-paneled bar, almost completely drowned out by the boisterous local crowd.

“You seriously need to catch up.” Eugenia wiped the foam off her upper lip.

“It wouldn’t matter,” Hannah said. “Alcohol doesn’t work on me when I’m angry. I’m lucky that way. Or unlucky, depending how you look at it.”

“Definitely unlucky. So what are you going to do about those subs?”

Hannah leaned back in her chair. “Ignore it for now. It’s the Navy’s problem, not mine. We have to stay focused on what’s happening here.”

“You’re going to help them, Hannah. You know it, and I know it.”

“Why do you say that? They betrayed me. They hung me out to dry.”

“Ah, but those vessels are still your children. Bastard children, perhaps, but they’re still mostly yours. I don’t believe you’ll turn your back on them.”

She scowled as she took another drink. “Well, maybe not. But I’ll still make the Navy and AquaCorp sweat a little.”

“Good. I approve.” She leaned back in the booth. “The decision is made. Now relax and enjoy yourself for a little while before we go back to the house.” She studied Hannah. “This episode has given me a new viewpoint on you. I’ve thought of you as an explorer and inventor. I always knew you were a powerhouse, but it never occurred to me that you could be very important to the military.”

“I try not to be. I’ve worked for them before. Hell, they’re an important factor in my profession. But I try to avoid it whenever possible.” Her lips tightened. “Because of stupid mistakes like this.”

“No idealistic attitude about military use?”

“It’s my country. The military protect my country. If they start going down a path I think is wrong, then I’ll have to think again.” She shook her head. “Though the military have their own bureaucracy that’s positively maddening. But it’s not as bad as the government red tape.”

“Still, you put up with it. You could go anywhere in the world and write your own ticket. I do believe you may be a patriot.”

She shrugged. “We make mistakes, but we have a fine, basic structure to correct them. That gives us a better chance than any other country in the world.” She paused. “And that’s worth fighting for. Yes, I’m a patriot.” She glanced at Eugenia. “You live and work in the U.S. You must think we’re okay.”

Eugenia nodded. “I’ve always liked your country. It’s dynamic. I envy you. Kirov and I really no longer have a country. I wasn’t wanted in the country after I left the KGB. He was on the run for so long that when he could return to Russia, there was nothing left there for him.”

“Kirov can take care of himself.” She smiled at Eugenia. “And I refuse to feel sorry for you. No one is more successful or has a better time than you.”

“Oh, yes.” She took another sip of beer. “I like my life very much indeed. I’m . . . settled. Kirov, on the other hand, is still searching. Who knows where he will end up?”

“Who knows? I can’t imagine anyone more capable of carving out a place for himself wherever he decides to land,” Hannah said. “Good luck to him.”

“That sounds final.”

“I have my own problems. Kirov wants to deal with things in his own way and could step out of the picture at any time. If I can’t depend on him being there, I won’t let myself become involved. It would be stupid. I don’t need him.”

“Ah, but do you want him?”

She looked down into the foam on her drink. Did she want him?

Charisma, magnetism, the heat she felt when she looked at him.

Oh, yes, there was no question that she wanted Kirov sexually. That didn’t mean she would toss wisdom to the winds and take him.

She finished her drink. “Drink your beer, Eugenia. It’s time we got back to the house.”

At ten the next morning, Kirov entered the apartment and was surprised to see Driscoll and Charlie, each wearing a brown uniform, standing in front of a full-length mirror.

Kirov smiled. “You’re working for UPS now?”

Driscoll adjusted his right pant leg. “Actually, these are the uniforms worn by the people who service Gadaire’s refrigeration unit. A ninety-year-old woman in Dundrum made them for us. She’s a wizard at this sort of thing. I showed her a photograph, gave her our sizes, and she turned these around in less than sixteen hours.”

“Sounds like Hong Kong service. Another handy person to know,” Kirov said.

Driscoll shrugged. “You don’t survive in my business without having a large network of talented people in your circle.” He flexed his arms. “It’s a good fit, and she found just the right material. We could walk through the service center’s front doors, and no one would look at us twice.”

Charlie struck a variety of poses in front of the mirror. “I have to say, I look damned good. Not all men could pull this off, but I most certainly do.” He lifted the collar of his uniform shirt and spoke in a seductive growl. “At your service, Miss Anna. And is there anything else I can help you with?”

“That settles it. I do all the talking,” Driscoll said. “You sound like a bad porn film actor.”

Charlie laughed. “Aren’t they all bad?”

“Not as bad as you just sounded. But you definitely look the part.” He motioned toward a set of schematics pinned to the wall. “Now get back to work studying the refrigeration unit.”

Charlie made a face. “But we’re only
pretending
to be repairmen.”

“We’ll have to fix the compressor while we’re there, remember? We’ll practice on one very similar to it.”

Charlie shook his head. “More homework . . .”

“That’s ninety percent of any job, my boy. Particularly my job. Now get to it.”

While Charlie studied the schematic, Driscoll and Kirov stepped out onto the balcony and looked at the Aviva Stadium. It sparkled in the morning sun, reflecting intense rays of light onto several neighboring buildings.

Driscoll reached into his back pocket and produced an envelope. “This came this morning. Thank you.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s my offier letter from Dennison Security. A very generous salary, plus the responsibility for hiring a five-person staff.”

“Congratulations.”

“You’re the one who made it happen, Kirov. I’m grateful.”

“It wasn’t difficult. The owner and I were in the Russian Navy together.”

“Ah. Your connections at work.”

“That didn’t really matter. He was already aware of you and your reputation. He’s thrilled to have you on his staff, keeping his clients from getting robbed by people like—”

“People like me.” Driscoll smiled.

“Exactly.”

“However it happened, I’m grateful. I can bring my son along and put him on a good path. That’s something I couldn’t have done in my younger days.” Driscoll looked at Charlie through the closed glass door. “His mother was right to keep him from me all these years. I would have just screwed him up.”