again!” Gray hollered into his sat-phone, trying to hear over the blasts and roar of the jet’s engines.
Commander Pullman reported, “Sorry for the late save. Target’s running AIP engines.”
Gray understood. Submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion swam even stealthier than nuclear versions. Some had even slipped through antisubmarine defenses during U.S. Navy war games.
“Boat kept ghosting on us. Probably Russian Lada-class. Only got a firm lock when it fired off the first torpedo.”
Gray felt the roll of the Explorer under him as it settled crookedly in the water. Luckily, the ship had only been hit by a single torpedo. The cruise ship continued to list as it took on more water. Prior to the attack, most of the Explorer had quietly been evacuated. With a majority of the cruise ship’s passengers already on tours, it had been easy enough to get the remaining travelers offloaded, along with most of the crew, using a gas leak as an excuse.
Last night, well before dawn, Commander Pullman’s plane had dropped a ring of sonobuoys around the port, prior to the cruise ship’s arrival. Gray knew their tormentors would attempt another attack, especially after his team had broken radio silence. In addition to the air-and-sea support, a Spanish military team had been covertly stationed at the dock entrance in case of a land assault.
But Gray knew any attack would likely come from the sea.
He lifted his phone. “Hold off any more charges.”
“Understood. You want survivors to question. Dive and rescue teams are en route.”
Gray hoped there were survivors, but his main ambition had been to send the enemy a message. You will not catch us by surprise again.
As Gray headed back inside, the ship lurched and tilted even more to starboard.
“We need to get off this boat,” Kowalski warned.
Gray doubted the Explorer would sink, but Kowalski was right. He crossed to the toppled gold map, knelt down, and with a grunt, flipped it right-side up. He then grabbed a section of the gold map, and with some tugging and effort, pried it away. He straightened with the piece in his hands.
“Let’s go,” he ordered the others.
Father Bailey looked down at the ruin of the Da Vinci treasure. “Shouldn’t we take the rest?”
“I’ll let the authorities know to secure it and get it returned to Italy. But we don’t need it anymore.”
Kowalski dogged his footsteps. “Why?”
Gray headed to the doors, hoping the enemy had gotten his message loud and clear, that it would make the bastards more cautious. He turned to Kowalski and explained why.
“Because I know where we need to go.”
27
June 25, 3:08 P.M. CEST
Off the coast of Tunisia
Who’s teaching who a lesson?
Elena wanted to laugh out loud, but she bottled up her jubilation. She and the two old men had been marched from the library to the superyacht’s communications room. A line of monitors displayed live feeds from multiple cameras set up around Palma’s port.
She had cringed when an underwater camera from a submerged submarine—likely the same one she had traveled aboard—showed a sleek torpedo sailing out into the water, then vanishing into the distance. Another monitor showed its impact into the stern of a docked cruise ship. The liner jolted hard, its stern bumped high by the blast.
Her heart clenched in her throat as she thought about Joe aboard that ship.
All around her, cheers rose from those gathered in the communication room. Fists were pumped in the air. Nehir stood next to Elena, wearing a savage grin.
Then everything changed.
The row of monitors showed different views of a jet flying past, then depth charges being dropped, followed by a cascade of blasts. The underwater view bobbled amid flashes of fire and huge explosive bubbles—then canted wildly until finally going dark.
A dead silence followed.
On Elena’s other side, her father swore sharply.
So much for today’s lesson, Dad.
Her father turned to Firat. “If they apprehend any of the crew, we risk being compromised.”
The ambassador scowled. “Those aboard don’t know enough to do lasting damage. A nuisance at best. And they are most loyal. They will not allow themselves to be taken alive.”
These assurances did little to drain the flush from her father’s face. He turned to Elena, his words stiff as if he had trouble unclenching his jaw. “It seems our timetable must be accelerated. You will cooperate fully to make sure that happens.”
She gave the smallest shake of her head.
I’m done playing this game.
Her father must have noted her determination. “Sadly, as this lesson failed, clearly another is needed.”
He snatched a pistol from the holster