The Ark tl-1

by Boyd Morrison

  Locke gritted his teeth. “Unfortunately.”

  Several years back, Garrett had hired Gordian on the development of a biological laboratory for his main campus in Seattle. The lab was to be state-of-the-art, and Garrett wanted Gordian’s expertise to vet the containment facilities. It was an important project, so Garrett himself had been heavily involved, and Locke had to work with him closely. The project went well, and Garrett seemed to be impressed with Locke and Gordian.

  After the design phase was complete, Gordian’s involvement from that point on was simply to monitor progress during construction, so Locke had moved on to the Whirlwind project. But he still did some work on Garrett’s project, and that’s when the problems started.

  Garrett began to bring up the Hydronastic Church to Locke in friendly conversation, talking about how he had conceived of the church while he was at Yale. At first, in the interest of maintaining the contract, Locke politely rebuffed what he saw as recruitment efforts. Garrett invited Locke out to Hawaii, ostensibly to talk about the lab project, but when he got there, Locke was given the hard sell about the church. Garrett railed about how the condition of the environment was appalling and that humanity was a pockmark on the beauty of the earth. His church was the only answer, to bring in the brightest minds in the world who understood the need for a better tomorrow.

  Garrett thought Locke was just the type of man they were looking for, and even though he found Garrett charming, Locke also thought the man was a certifiable loon. His disdain for those whom he considered beneath his intellectual capability, including Locke, was apparent, and although Locke agreed with much of what he lamented about the state of the world, Garrett’s rants about the need for profound change bordered on the fanatical. Locke made it very clear that he wanted nothing further to do with what he considered a wacky cult and flew back to Seattle on his own dime.

  When he got back and reviewed Garrett’s project, Locke noticed that the construction process was shortcutting permits and flouting the environmental safeguards that Gordian had specified in the design. When Locke brought it up to Garrett, he was immediately fired from the project and told in no uncertain terms that Garrett’s team of lawyers would take Gordian apart if he pursued it further.

  Two weeks later, the Whirlwind contract was abruptly canceled. The one-two punch had been a severe blow to Gordian, but at the time, Locke didn’t see any connection. Now it looked like Garrett was behind Whirlwind, which would explain why it was ripped out from under him.

  “So Sebastian Garrett is involved in this?” Locke said, dreading what that meant.

  “He’s certainly got the billions to pay for Project Whirlwind. And there’s one more interesting tidbit.” It sounded like Aiden was saving the best for last.

  “Spill it, Aiden.”

  “Sebastian Garrett himself has reserved the biggest suite on the Genesis Dawn for the maiden voyage. He’s supposed to make an appearance at the gala Thursday night.”

  “That’s way too many coincidences for me.”

  “I thought so too. And I think I know what you’re going to say next. You want to go to the gala.”

  “Yes. Get me two tickets. I want to talk to Sebastian myself.”

  “And Aiden is right again! Gordian did some key work for the cruise line two years ago, so Miles was able to swing a cabin for you. The tickets are waiting for you at the ship in Miami. Bon voyage!”

  Locke flipped the phone closed and looked at Dilara, who glanced up when she heard him finish.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I think we need to go shopping again. The only problem is, I have no idea where to find an evening gown for you.”

  “An evening gown?”

  Locke nodded. “Want to go to a party?”

  Genesis Dawn

  THIRTY-FOUR

  Through the open balcony door of the suite in the Genesis Dawn, Locke could hear the faint burble of a cigarette boat cruising past the Dodge Island cruise ship terminal. In the distance, the high rises of Miami were ablaze with lights now that the sun had set. He glanced at his watch. 7:30pm. The gala had already started a half-hour ago. No sense arriving early. Not with the impression he wanted to make.

  Locke appraised his tuxedoed form in the mirror of the suite’s living room. Not bad for a scruffy engineer who’d almost been crushed to a pulp by a pile of bricks just two days ago. Someone had recovered his Glock after he’d dropped it during the truck chase. It had been a little battered, but a quick cleaning had returned it to working condition, and since Florida allowed the carrying of concealed weapons, he’d gotten a tux jacket one size too big to allow him to carry the pistol without a bulge in the suit. After that chase in Phoenix, he had a feeling he’d be needing it again, as well as his trusty Leatherman that he kept in a belt holster.

  Once he had heard Sebastian Garrett’s name, Locke knew his previous employer was involved with everything that had happened. There was no doubt in his mind. Now the problem was proving it. Locke had spent the last 24 hours wondering how he was going to get the proof, with no success. It was a lot of coincidences that added up to a hunch. No one would question the word of one of the country’s wealthiest men, even if he was the leader of a shady religious organization.

  Locke knew that Garrett’s combination of wealth and self-righteousness made him a very dangerous enemy. The FBI was already searching the ship and the luggage, so Locke decided to try a different approach. If he could surprise Garrett at the gala, he might be able to throw him off balance, goading him into making a mistake or at the very least into postponing whatever he was planning for the Genesis Dawn.

  For just a moment after he’d decided to come to Miami, Locke had considered leaving Dilara behind. The thought of the two of them on ship where a virulent bioweapon was about to be deployed wasn’t comforting to either of them. But when he’d seen her with that locket and realized how important it was to her to find out who was responsible for her father’s death, he knew coming without her would be impossible. She needed to get to the bottom of this even more than he did.

  “How’s it going in there?” Locke asked through the bedroom door.

  “Almost ready,” Dilara said. “Just a few snags getting it on. It’s a little tight.”

  “Need any help?”

  “I’ll let you know if I do.”

  A moment later, she slid the doors apart. Locke felt his mouth drop open, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

  They had made a foray out of the TEC to an upscale Phoenix clothing store, where Dilara picked out a simple black evening gown and matching high heels. Locke hadn’t seen her try it on, so he was surprised when she revealed herself. Up until this point, Locke had seen her only in work clothes, her hair in a bun or ponytail and no makeup.

  Now she was utterly transformed. Her raven hair fell past her shoulders and complemented the dress, which clung to her lithe torso before it draped to the floor. The front of the dress plunged into a V, showing off the sole piece of jewelry, her father’s locket. Her soft makeup highlighted her high cheekbones and chocolate brown eyes.

  She gave a slight curtsy and said, “Well?”

  Locke shook off his shock. “You look absolutely stunning.”

  She smiled, looking both embarrassed and flattered by the compliment. “In my line of work, I don’t get to dress up often.”

  “Well, let’s show everyone what they’ve been missing,” he said. He held out his arm. “Shall we?”

  With the heels, she stood almost as tall as Locke. She took his arm and looked directly in his eyes, transfixing him. “I have to say that I never expected an engineer who looked so dashing in a tux.”

  “Maybe I should wear one more often.”

  “I think you should,” she said appreciatively. Then her voice turned businesslike. “Now let’s go see if we can get some answers.”

  They exited the cabin onto a hallway that overlooked the center mall of the Genesis Dawn. The open atrium was the length of two football fiel
ds and nine decks high. The top seven decks held cabins that lined the balconies, while the bottom two decks were crowded with shops, restaurants and bars. At one end, three glass elevators carried the passengers who didn’t want to walk the spiral ramp that wrapped around them. The bottom level, fifty feet wide, had been transformed from a walkway into a grand ballroom for the gala. Thousands of guests jammed the atrium, while white-jacketed waiters cruised through carrying trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres.

  Locke was already scanning, looking for Garrett.

  “Do you see him?” Dilara said as they walked down the hall to the elevator.

  “Not yet,” he said. “With this many people, it might take a while.”

  Locke spied a blond man animatedly holding forth with a group of couples intently focused on what he was saying. Locke stopped, recognizing the arm movements from his days in Hawaii when Garrett had talked his ear off about sin and retribution. The man looked around for just a second, and Locke got a clear view of his face. He was a handsome man, his features not as soft as Locke remembered, and his hair was as perfectly styled as his five-thousand-dollar tux.

  It was Sebastian Garrett. He was accompanied by a slim young woman standing by his side.

  “That’s him,” Locke said, nodding at him.

  He had told Dilara some of his history with Garrett on their flight over from Phoenix.

  “That’s the man who killed my father?” she said.

  “I don’t know. But I’m willing to bet that he’s behind all this. He’s certainly capable of it.”

  “He looks so charming. It’s hard to believe he’s a mass murderer.”

  “We need to be careful with him, Dilara. He’s a dangerous man. Maybe even a sociopath. But he’s extremely intelligent. If we’re going to come away with anything, we’re going to have to play it just right. Follow my lead.”

  He escorted her to the elevator, and when they got to the main floor, one of the ship’s exceptionally perky cruise directors saw them entering the gala.

  “Care to purchase additional tickets for the raffle?” she asked. “Because you’re a guest, you’re automatically entered to win one of the great prizes over there.” She pointed to a platform in the middle of the floor. It was piled with shiny objects: a red Mustang convertible, two Suzuki motorcycles — one red, one black — plasma TVs, computers, and myriad other electronic equipment. The keys to the car and motorcycles, each with a fob matching the vehicle’s color, were displayed in a locked glass case along with the electronics.

  “You increase your chances of us handing you one of those keys at the end of the trip,” the cruise director said, “if you buy additional tickets.”

  “No thanks,” Locke said and grabbed a couple of champagnes for him and Dilara from a passing waiter. It took several minutes for them to wind their way through the crowd to a position behind Garrett. Locke felt Dilara’s grip tighten on his arm.

  “I think I’ve seen that woman before,” she whispered in his ear.

  “The one with Garrett?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where?”

  “In LAX. She’s the businesswoman who dropped her purse.”

  “The one who poisoned Sam Watson?”

  She nodded. “Her hair was different, and I only glimpsed her for a moment, so I can’t be sure. But her profile sent me back to that moment.”

  “Would you remember her voice?”

  “Maybe. The woman at LAX had an accent.”

  “Let me know if you recognize it.”

  Locke moved them closer so they could hear the conversation. Garrett had just finished speaking, and one of the men gathered around him asked him a question.

  “I understand your point,” the portly man said, “but don’t you think it’s important to balance the business perspective with protecting the environment?”

  “What balance can there be?” Garrett said. He spoke with baritone that to others probably sounded stately, but that Locke found flat and chilling. “Humanity is the most rapacious, destructive creature to ever roam the earth, extinguishing more species than any other animal in the planet’s history. I admit that many individuals care deeply for what we are doing to our world, but as a whole…well, I don’t believe the devastation will stop until something drastic occurs.”

  “Something drastic? Like global warming?”

  “I’m afraid climate change is simply a symptom of our efforts to wipe out other species, intentional or not. It might get our attention, but it will only shift our focus momentarily. Then we will go back to eradicating everything that isn’t safeguarded in zoos. No, I imagine it would have to be more extreme.”

  “And God looked upon the earth,” Locke interrupted, “and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Locke had taken time on the flight to Miami to re-read the Bible’s story of Noah.

  Garrett turned to see who had intruded on their conversation. Locke made sure to keep his gaze on Garrett’s eyes. For a split second, Locke could see a combination of surprise and fear contort his face. Then like the consummate actor he was, Garrett immediately regained his composure. His face went neutral before erupting into a smile.

  “Tyler Locke,” he said. “I didn’t know you were a biblical scholar.” He didn’t extend his hand, and neither did Locke.

  “I just dabble,” Locke said. “I’m surprised that a billionaire who can afford his own yachts would lower himself to ride on a ship with the rest of us peons.”

  The other passengers watched the exchange with curiosity.

  “I happen to be a major stakeholder in this cruise line,” Garrett said, “and I thought I’d lend my support for this historic occasion.”

  “What occasion would that be?”

  Garrett paused for a moment, then widened his smile, as if acknowledging Locke’s meaning. “Why, the sailing of the world’s largest passenger vessel, of course. On my left is Svetlana Petrova. And who would your lovely companion be?” Garrett stole a glance at her locket. He knew very well who she was.

  “I’m Dilara Kenner.” With her eyes, she bored a hole into Svetlana Petrova. “Are you originally from Russia?”

  “From the outskirts of Moscow,” Petrova said with a faint Slavic accent. “I moved here when I was thirteen.”

  Dilara nodded. A subtle tightening of her grip told him it was the woman who had poisoned Sam Watson.

  “Are you here for business or pleasure?” Garrett asked.

  “A little of both,” Locke replied. “The cruise line asked me to consult on some engineering plans for their next ship, and they offered me a cabin on this one as part of the deal. I thought, why not?”

  “Are you staying for the entire cruise?”

  “Just to New York. Forty days is too much time on board for me. What about you? What do the next forty days hold for you?”

  “Oh, I’m spending the night on board, but then I must depart. I have a busy agenda.”

  “What do you think about the Rex Hayden plane crash? I understand his brother was involved in your church.”

  “It’s tragic for two brothers to die so young. The media has been somewhat cryptic up to this point as to the cause of the crash.”

  “I’m actually involved in the investigation.”

  Garrett eyes glittered malevolently. “Is that so? What have you determined?”

  “I can’t talk about it. Still ongoing.”

  “Of course. I know you engineers are sticklers for process. And what is your profession, Ms. Kenner?”

  “I’m an archaeologist. My father got me interested. Hasad Arvadi. Maybe you’ve heard of him?”

  “As a matter of fact, I have. I’m something of a Noah’s Ark buff, and I came across the work of your father. Intriguing ideas, if a bit misguided. I understand he’s been missing for quite some time. A shame.” He said it with exaggerated sympathy.

  Garrett was having fun playing with them. Locke could sense Dilara rising to take the bait, so he headed h
er off.

  “So when you were talking about something drastic,” he said, “you meant the Flood. Something to wipe out humanity and start over.”

  “If God were so inclined, that would be His decision. But surely you know His covenant with Noah. God said He would never again send a Flood to destroy us. The Bible was very specific. Instead, God might choose to wipe us out with a rogue asteroid or some other method that we aren’t even aware of. Such a grim outcome, in His view, might be necessary to reset all of the damage we’ve done.”

  “‘To save the village, we had to destroy it,’ as they said in Vietnam.”

  “Do you think humans will change their ways, Tyler? Do you really believe six billion people can make the right choice when it comes to protecting this planet?”

  “If we don’t, who will? A supreme being who believes he is the only one who knows what’s right for everyone else?” Locke made sure Garrett understood that the supreme being he was talking about was Sebastian Garrett.

  “If that’s what it takes, I have faith that God has chosen the best path for humanity. Now, my dear,” Garrett said to Petrova, “I am worn out from this party. I think we should take advantage of our suite amenities. Good evening, everyone. It’s been a wonderful celebration. And Tyler, if we don’t see each other again,” he said pointedly, “enjoy your cruise.”

  He gave a last smile at Locke, then turned. Before he could leave, Locke leaned in and whispered in Garrett’s ear.

  “You’d better pray we don’t see each other again, Sebastian. Because if we do, you’ll know you’ve failed and I’ve won.”

  That finally got the smile to disappear from Garrett’s face. The fear returned for a moment, then he dismissed Locke with a sneer and walked away.

  Dilara watched them leave with a look of pure hatred.

  “It took everything I had not to punch that woman in the face,” she said.

  “I know how you feel. But at least we know one thing.”