by Rich Johnson
Deadly Cargo
Rich Johnson
© Rich Johnson 2017
|Rich Johnson has asserted his rights under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
First published by Endeavour Press Ltd in 2017.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-two
Chapter Thirty-three
Chapter Thirty-four
Chapter Thirty-five
Chapter Thirty-six
Chapter Thirty-seven
Chapter Thirty-eight
Chapter Thirty-nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-one
Chapter Forty-two
Chapter Forty-three
Chapter Forty-four
Chapter Forty-five
Epilogue
Prologue
October 1571
A cloud of dust lifted suddenly off the Saharan floor, stirred by the spin of a small whirlwind that seemed to come out of nowhere. Nothing else moved. Every creature that lived in this desert had long since heeded powerful survival instincts, taking shelter from blistering sun, hiding under rocks, down holes in the soil or in whatever shade it could find. Heat waves shimmered, creating a wavy distortion above the sun-tortured earth.
Far away beyond the edge of the land, the cool blue of the Atlantic offered visual relief. Or it would have if anyone had been there to see it. But on this day, in late summer of the year 1571, there was no one on this unsettled coast of northwest Africa to feel the stifling heat or hear the wind or see dust rise in a whirling shaft.
A thousand miles south, in the Gulf of Guinea, monsoon rains fell as if the belly of the clouds had been slit. A torrent poured from the sky, washing the coastal jungle, filling rivers to flood stage and beyond. Humid air hung like a wet sheet of gauze, waiting for the afternoon’s rising convection currents to carry the moisture aloft. Eighteen thousand feet up, the tropical jet stream steered the moist air of Guinea to the north, where it collided with the hot Saharan air mass, and a meteorological bomb started to tick. Hot updrafts and cold downdrafts began a cyclonic dance, whirling to the screaming music of an ever-increasing symphony of violent wind.
Every year, during the heat of late summer, this was where some of the world’s most serious weather was born. It began as a tropical wave in the atmosphere, evolved into a tropical depression, then to a storm – then, if all the conditions were just right, it became a hurricane. This time, all the conditions were in balance. Seventeen days later, a powerful hurricane carved its way across the north Atlantic, ripping trees off the Windward Islands of the Caribbean, slashing the southern edge of Cuba, and slamming into the east coast of Guatemala. It was an era before government weather agencies existed and attached names to storms, but in legends created by early explorers, this storm was known by the name of ‘O Gigante’.
For the ancient mariners, there was little warning of ‘O Gigante’s’ coming. In native villages along the Rio Dulce, though, it was different. Tribal elders who could read the signs of the sky and understood the queer behaviours of birds, insects and forest animals, quietly gathered their clans and moved inland to higher ground away from the river and its tributaries. But they did not say a word to the white men from the large ships. Those men had come peacefully enough, a full cycle of the seasons before, but were now wearing out their welcome. They took unwanted liberties with the women of the villages and took unfair advantage of the natives’ generosity. They hunted game that was needed for food for the villagers, killing too many animals and driving away those that weren’t killed. The white men were vulgar, dirty and loud. They had no reverence for the land or regard for the people. It was clear that these men did not want to learn the native ways; they wanted only to learn about the gold that came from the high mountains far inland.
Guillermo Ascente, the Portuguese captain of the brigantine Tesoro do Rei, awoke to find the bay gently rolling and the breeze fresh. Broken clouds specked the eastern sky. The ship’s launch had just come alongside and the coxswain brought a strange report that the river villages were empty of people. A puzzled expression spread across Ascente’s face, and in his momentary confusion he reverted to his native tongue. “A onde forem?” he asked, then realising that his men didn’t understand, he translated for his rough British crewman – “Where have they gone?”
The coxswain shook his head slowly and held out open hands below shrugged shoulders. This needed no translation.
Ascente turned and looked over the rail toward the distant jungle. “We have been here long enough – perhaps too long. We have what we came for,” he said slowly. “There is nothing more for us here. Prepare the crew to get underway. We will take what we have and go home.”
In the cargo hold of the massive wooden brigantine there was gold enough to satisfy the profiteers who financed this voyage of plunder. Guillermo was smooth of tongue, as well when promoting his business in the streets, shops and banks of Europe as when meeting with native elders. He knew when to bow and when to stand tall, when to avert his eyes and when to bore through the gaze of his opponent. He understood when to play the humble role and when to wield the sword to get what he wanted. He was good at this game – some said he was the best there ever was.
The call went out across the decks, and men scrambled. No one wanted to stay here any longer than it took to ensure their share of a fine take. There was plenty of treasure in the hold and to a man they were satisfied with the loot and ready to make sail toward home, especially now that the villages were strangely empty and there was no more entertainment for them ashore. Under the best conditions, the voyage back to Europe would take months, so Guillermo Ascente made the decision – today was as good a time as any to get started.
Three days later, in the wide waters of the Caribbean Sea, ‘O Gigante’ bore down on the Tesoro do Rei. A month after the storm passed and the villagers had returned to the Rio Dulce, the ship’s name-board drifted onto the beach near the mouth of the river. The elders convened a conference and all agreed that their God had heard their prayers.
Chapter One
September 2007 – Northern Afghanistan
A fiery late September wind picked up brittle grains of sand and shot them across the lifeless desert floor like so many shards of glass. Two human forms, one wearing desert camouflage and the other an ankle-length black robe, pushed slowly through the blowing sand towards a large military-style tent. The woman’s head was covered by a large black shawl. In a storm like this, it was nearly impossible to breathe without inhaling tiny fragments of sand dust. If viewed t
hrough a microscope, these seemingly harmless bits of soil would show razor edges. Instant blindness and the agonising pain of eyes lacerated by tiny silica knives awaited anyone unlucky enough to be caught without eye protection. The man wore desert combat goggles and held a cloth across his mouth. The sandstorm was nature’s relentless weapon in this war.
Howling wind thrummed the taut fabric of the camouflage-coloured tent, cancelling any hope of hearing someone approach. The first indication that anyone approached was when the tent wall parted and an old woman stepped inside the 12x20-foot enclosure. Her shawl was wrapped tightly around her covered head and face, and her shapeless black dress hung to her shoe tops. She turned her back on the two men who sat at the table, just long enough to re-tie the tent flap that served as a door. Then she slowly turned around to face them, and removed the shawl from her face.
“You have him?” Husam al Din asked.
She nodded, “He is outside.”
“Are you sure about him?”
“I am sure,” she answered, keeping her eyes low. “Love and hate are only a heartbeat apart, and when the one turns to the other, the heart is ready to find a new reason to live.”
“And his reason now?”
“It is beyond hate: it is revenge. I am sure about matters of the heart,” she said, “and his heart is ready.”
Husam al Din stood. “You have done your part, old woman. May you now die in peace.”
“That is my prayer,” she said, backing away from the young man’s path as he strode toward the tent flap.
“Show him in,” al Din commanded. “Then go.”
The old woman wrapped the long shawl around her face once again, untied the tent flap and went out. A hand reached through the opening, then an arm covered by US military desert camouflage clothing. Josh Adams stepped inside and removed his goggles.
“Please,” Husam al Din said, “take a seat over there.” He motioned to a folding chair on the opposite side of the small table. He tied the tent flap and returned to his own chair.
Adams stood, his hands on the chair back, waiting for his host to complete the introductions. Al Din stared at him for a moment, then realised why the soldier was still standing. “Ah, yes,” he said, “western customs. Let me introduce everyone. Staff Sergeant Josh Adams, this is Sorgei Groschenko. Sorgei, Josh Adams,” motioning from one to the other.
The two men each searched the eyes of the other, then reached across the table and shook hands. They bowed ever so slightly as was done in formal company, but their eyes never left the eyes of the other, almost like the beginning of a martial arts battle.
“Mr Groschenko,” Josh said.
“Staff Sergeant Adams,” the Russian said slowly.
“You can call me Josh.”
“Call me Sorgei,” the Russian said without emotion.
Josh turned to look directly at Husam al Din. “But I don’t know you. All I know is that the old woman said she knew someone I should meet. Someone who can help me with a certain personal problem I have.”
“And you trust her?” the Arab asked.
“No reason not to. Not yet anyway,” Josh replied.
“You Americans are such—” he stopped himself in mid-sentence, catching the bitter hatred before it spilled from his lips.
“Such what?” Josh asked.
Husam al Din coughed. “I was just going to say that you Americans are such trusting people.” He forced a cold smile, even though he would rather have drawn the dagger that was in his waistband and plunged it through the American’s heart. He coughed again. “Ach, this dust … it is enough to choke a Saudi lizard.” The comment broke the tension and all three men chuckled politely at the joke. “Now, let us sit.” The Arab motioned to the chairs and the two men took their seats at the table.
Josh did not move. “I will sit at your table only after I know who you are.”
“So perhaps you do not trust the old woman?”
“No reason to,” Josh said. “At least not yet.”
“Very well. I am Husam al Din.” His black eyes stared hard at Josh Adams.
“Sword of the faith,” Josh translated.
“You know the Arabic language,” al Din smiled. “It is one of the reasons we chose you.”
“You chose me?” Josh asked.
“Yes. You are not here by accident, or by mere circumstance. Now, please sit down. We have much to discuss.”
While the sandstorm raged outside, the three men talked and listened and watched each other’s expressions and mannerisms. It was like the first round of a prizefight, when the combatants feel each other out before committing to a personal fighting style. Josh watched the eyes, looking for hints of deception. Both Husam al Din and Sorgei Groschenko studied Josh as if they were examining an expensive item before handing over the cash.
It began slowly, but over the next few hours, each got to know a little bit about the other – at least as much as they were willing to reveal. It was quickly obvious that much was being left unsaid, as each man strained to conceal deep personal motives. It was a dance of lies mixed with truth, but behind each man’s story were secrets that would not be revealed. Some of the secrets, in fact, were hidden even from the men themselves, as is true of everyone. A man knows only what he remembers or has been told, even though there is much more to a personal history than is openly recognized. For Sorgei Groschenko and Husam al Din, pieces of the unseen past had been laid together as paving stones to create a path that led to this desert tent. For Josh Adams, most of his life had been wrapped up in a lie. Between the lies and the truth, destiny had thrown these three together as comrades in an horrific plot against the United States.
Husam al Din began, “Just so we are all clear about who we are, why we are here and what we are going to be doing, I want us to tell each other about ourselves. Sorgei, you go first, please.” He nodded toward the Russian. “We are all in this together and we must be able to …” he looked at Josh and flashed a cold smile, “… to trust each other. Right?”
Chapter Two
Late December 1991 – Yakutsk, Siberia
A dim bulb gently swung from a pair of twisted wires that hung from the high ceiling and flickered in the cold room. Outside the frosted window, wind howled and snow flew sideways. The wind was so strong that it shook the building, setting the light bulb into motion. The light flickered again, and Sorgei Groschenko looked up at the bulb, muttered something under his breath and wrapped the woolen blanket more tightly around his shoulders. Then he bent over the table once again and studied the figures he had been calculating.
It’s insane, he thought, that the government expects me to do my best work under these terrible conditions. At least they could have the decency to provide enough heat so he didn’t have to huddle beneath a blanket to work. How did the military expect him to develop a new strain of bacteria when he was freezing to death?
His thought faded away to the time he spent on the beach along the Black Sea two summers ago. Oh, that was pleasant! The sun was warm in Sochi. Even the water was warm enough for swimming. The city was like a garden of subtropical trees and plants, and the sun shone 200 days each year. It was like heaven, to his mind … the closest thing to heaven he could imagine right now. He wanted to be back there, baking under the August sunshine, not holed up in this Siberian no-man’s land, trapped in a frozen hellish exile working on a secret new form of germ warfare.
Of course, if he succeeded, all this misery was worth it. He stared at the lightbulb for a moment, and the dream came alive in his mind. He would be lauded by his peers, praised by the government, and undoubtedly be rewarded with a vacation in Sochi again. Food … good food, lots of food. Women to entertain him. The warmth of the sun. Ah yes, for all that, he worked his heart out in this lonely dungeon in the depths of the frozen wasteland. The dream was strong. It was the dream of every Soviet military scientist. He knew that if he developed the breakthrough, there would be missile warheads named after him. Generations of school
children would learn his name. Maybe even a monument to his honour in Red Square. The thought brought a smile to his face.
His reverie was cut short by the sudden jangle of the telephone. It was an old phone, black and heavy, with a rotary dial and an annoying bell that scared the mice right out of the building, even on a horrid night such as this. The phone rang again before he was able to reach it and pick up the handset.
“Alo?” he half yelled into the mouthpiece. This piece of junk telephone was so bad that he and whoever was on the other end of the call had to shout to be heard.
“Da, this is Sorgei Groschenko. Da. I will bring them and come.” He rested the handset back on the cradle, but his mind was troubled. What now? What could they possibly want with all these papers at this time of night?
He scooped his papers into a ragged satchel, then went to a cabinet and removed all the files. Those, too, were stuffed into the fat satchel. He pulled the blanket from his shoulders, folded it double and tossed it over the back of the chair, struggled into a huge winter coat. Beside the door, he kicked off his shoes and stepped into tall mukluks, blew hot breath into his hands and then pulled on a pair of mittens. He flipped the fur-lined hood over his head, grabbed the satchel and went out the door into the blizzard.
It seemed to Sorgei that it was always winter in Yakutsk, and always night. He could not remember ever being at this military research outpost under any other conditions. Or maybe it just seemed that way to him. This past few months were so long and slow-moving. And at this high latitude, the winter nights were endless and the days … well, he didn’t know what happened to the days. Right now he remembered no days, only nights, only cold, only blizzards.
Against the merciless Siberian wind, he pulled the side of his hood close to his face and crossed the frozen pavement through ankle-deep snow that swirled around his feet. A single bulb beneath a rattling metal shield lighted the door that led into the other building. He wrapped his mittened hand around the knob, turned and pulled the door open. A flood of light made him squint, and his face felt welcome warmth. It was another world in here, with far more light and more heat than in the place they had given him as his office. I should have become an officer, he thought, instead of being a scientist.