by Rob Carnell
"Look you never told me about a nuke, I have a wife and kids. I want out" explained Greg.
" I wasn’t able to share that before. Now that you know, I can’t let you leave. This is Top Secret."
"Your secret is safe with me."
"Look, if this bomb happens to detonate, you are already too close to get away. You are in the fallout zone, so you may as well help us find Pashwari. If it’s a wild goose chase, at least you will find out if the pills work. Who knows, you might just become a sailor."
"Great! What a choice, seasick or toast. Let me think that one out for a moment!"
"Come on Greg, let’s go find this bastard. Are you in?"
"I can’t believe I am doing this" announced Greg as he opened the cabin door and they rejoined the others.
"Let’s get moving. Where do we start?" asked Bob.
"We think the Golden Gate is the actual target, and that the weapon is actually stowed on a small sailboat. We have a time frame of 4pm today. What do you suggest Commander?"
"In that case we should begin at the bridge and start to clear all craft away. We can start searching boats if we know what to look for."
"We have organized to get a hi-tech navy chopper up here from San Diego. It has specialized scanning equipment. They should be able to pick up alpha radiation waves emitted from the weapon. They should be here any minute. Their call sign is Tango Three" explained Natasha.
The commander picked up a radio microphone "Tango Three this is Coast Guard cutter Invicta."
A few seconds later came the reply deep in background noise "Invicta this is Tango Three. We will be on station in twenty eight minutes. We have just picked up fuel and will have endurance for five hours of operations."
The commander looked at his watch.
"Roger Tango Three, five hours will be fine. Begin to scan all vessels as soon as you arrive on station. Report anything that looks suspicious. Start at the bridge and fan out both sides."
"Will do. Tango Three out."
"Bob, can you co-ordinate the movement of the other coastguard vessels from here?" asked Natasha with an idea.
"Of course, what do you need?"
"I saw something at CIA headquarters. They had lots of video feeds all projected on the same computer screen. Could you get all the coast guard ships to each send us a video feed? They could relay the signals back to us and we could take a look at every boat they pass. Maybe we can pickup something. Don’t forget Greg has seen this guy."
"I love it Natasha, great plan. Let me setup your laptop to receive the feeds" said Matt excitedly.
Ten minutes later Matt had Natasha were setup at a workstation below deck. Matt had Natasha’s notebook computer connected via his satellite modem and was receiving the feeds from the six coast guard boats and was displaying them together on a patchwork screen in real time. The videos were also being saved to disk. Natasha was able to zoom in on anything she wanted to see with the click of the mouse.
"Give me a shout if you see anything that might help." Matt went back onto the bridge with Commander Evans and Detective O’Brien.
Suddenly the engines started and Greg started to look a strange shade of green. Before they even left dockside he was violently ill over the side.
He grabbed the bottle of pills and swallowed three more.
Chapter 117
Aboard Surprise
San Francisco Harbor, California
1.35pm
* * *
"KAMAL HAD problems on board the Surprise. The crack in the hull was continuing to admit water. The electric bilge pump had burned out from over work. Kamal had to stop every half hour or so and spend a couple of minutes pumping the handle to get the water out with the manual pump. A sinking vessel would attract attention, and that was the last thing he wanted.
Kamal had his cell phone connected to the charger to ensure it was always fully charged. The cell phone rang. There were only two people who knew this number.
"Hello this is Greg." This was the code for everything is ok to talk, G for good. If there was a problem, he would have announced himself as Ben, B for bad.
"He will be on the bridge at exactly 4pm."
This was music to Kamal’s ears. The information was worth more than the million dollars he had paid for it. The Boston Brotherhood had done it yet again.
He had plenty of time. He was at the other end of the harbor, but a leisurely sail would put him in place at exactly the time the President’s motorcade came across the bridge headed for the meeting in Marin County.
It was a sunny Sunday afternoon and the water was littered with sailing boats just like Surprise. Kamal had researched this extremely well. His sail had a logo for the San Francisco Yacht Club emblazoned and the sail number 79 that he had dreamed up.
The cell phone chirped again. "Hello old friend" said Kamal’s old partner in crime Roy.
"I have the thing you wanted, it took a lot of finding after all these years. Turn around and wave, I am right behind you!"
Kamal turned around and there was a small motor boat with Roy at the wheel. He increased speed and came alongside Surprise. When he was just a few yards away, Roy tossed a small cardboard box to Kamal. No sooner had the box been tossed than Roy sped away. As Kamal was reverently placing the box on the binnacle beside the compass, he noticed a letter taped to the box. He opened it quickly and scanned the short handwritten note.
"Kamal, I know you have been out of contact for quite some time, so it is my sad duty to inform you that our beloved Sheikh has been killed by U.S. forces at his compound in Abbottabad Pakistan. He died bravely, having killed many soldiers in the battle."
Stunned at the loss of his mentor, and with a tear in his eye, Kamal crumpled the page into his fist and angrily threw it overboard, he knew he must steady himself for the task at hand.
Kamal returned to the wheel. He was wearing a captain’s hat and had a day’s stubble on his face, just right for a yachtsman. In his hair was some talcum powder he had rubbed in to make him look a little older and less threatening. In his pocket was a fake U.S. passport in case anyone asked to see it, and he would use his best Bostonian accent if needed.
In a holder attached to the wheel binnacle was a half full Budweiser bottle. On the seat beside him was his backpack. Inside was the old ex Nazi Walther P-38 pistol, just in case it was required.
Kamal had anticipated that radio jamming would happen as the President passed. This was why there was a wire attached to the case bomb directly to a small box beside him on the seat. There was a button and a switch on the waterproof box. All he needed to trigger the device was to flick the switch to arm the weapon at least thirty minutes before detonation. Then a quick press of the red button would cause the mushroom cloud.
Chapter 118
Aboard Coast Guard Cutter Invicta
San Francisco Harbor, California
* * *
"GREG O’BRIEN had been hanging over the side retching for twenty minutes. He had enough and decided to head back to the bridge and ask to be put ashore.
He got up the second step of the ladder when the boat made a turn, and Greg lost his footing. He grabbed for the rail but only caught on one side and he spun around and fell. His forehead struck the stainless rail and unconscious, he somersaulted over the side into the harbor.
Both Matt and Bob Evans spotted Greg fall.
"Man overboard" shouted Commander Evans.
The crew responded instantly, the constant man overboard drills were well rehearsed. The helm spun the stern away from the man in the water, the engines slowed immediately, and a life preserver was launched over the side, but it was of little use to Greg who was already disappearing from sight.
Matt kicked off his shoes and dived over the side without a thought.
Greg had now vanished completely and Matt was diving down until his lungs burned. He surfacing for a couple of breaths and then disappeared again. He found Greg on his third dive and grabbed him by the hair and swam to the
surface.
By the time they bobbed through the waves, there was an inflatable boat right there. Hands pulled them over the side.
Greg was laid with his head lower than his feet and CPR was commenced by a team of two guys who really knew their stuff. Lowering the head however, caused a gush of blood from O’Brien’s wound above his left eye. One of the sailors grabbed a towel and put it over the cut when it was the other guys turn to do the cardiac compressions. There was blood everywhere, but the sailors kept working on the Detective. A couple of minutes later Greg gurgled and vomited water out of his lungs. He coughed deeply and a river of water poured out of his lungs. Eventually the water stopped draining, and Greg regained consciousness.
"Oh my God, is there anything I can do to get you to drop me on dry land?" pleaded Greg O’Brien.
"Relax Greg, calm down, it will all be over soon. You will be ok" urged Matt.
The inflatable charged over the waves and they were soon alongside. Greg was passed over by the sailors and placed on a stretcher and carried below deck.
"Helm, turn us back on to 090. Get that man to the infirmary immediately."
"Matt I think I have something, come quick!" shouted Natasha.
Matt sprinted down the stairs immediately, ignoring the fact that he was dripping water everywhere.
"What have you got?"
Natasha changed a few parameters with the keyboard and some images dropped off the screen until there were just two similar looking boats in view.
Natasha pointed at the monitor "Take a look at these two boats. They both have the same number on their sails!"
Matt took a close look and it did appear that both had the number 79 showing.
"Maybe there is a sail on loan to the other boat, but we do need to check it out."
Matt ran back up to the bridge and explained his conversation with Natasha to Commander Evans.
Bob Evans picked up the microphone of the radio and dialed in the coast guard area frequency.
"All coast guard vessels, this is Commander Evans. We are searching for two boats both carrying sail number 79. Report immediately if you see them, but do not approach. Vessel may be carrying an explosive device and is considered highly dangerous."
From below, Natasha called, "Matt, get back down here!"
Once again, Matt descended the stairs.
"Matt, check your holster."
Matt instantly grabbed for his gun and realized his weapon had a new home in San Francisco Harbor.
"Damn, I must have lost it in the water."
"Here, take mine," Natasha opened her jacket and passed Matt her weapon.
To Matt’s surprise it was a familiar Russian Yarygin.
"Where the hell did you get that?"
"You would be surprised what you can find in a Russian embassy."
Chapter 119
White House
Washington D.C.
* * *
"MATT, THIS is Tom Allinson from White House security. Bill Simpson gave me your number."
"Hi Tom sorry I am on the water and it is a bit noisy. What have you got?" shouted Matt trying to keep the wind out of the microphone with his sleeve.
"We found the White house leak. Her name is Katie Ryan. She is a junior secretary with the vice-president’s office" explained Tom.
"What did she have to say?" screamed Matt.
"She is not talking. I can’t get a word out of her."
"Do you have her White House file? Is there anything in her background?"
"The only thing at all that rings a bell is her husband."
"What about him?" asked Matt.
"He originally studied at M.I.T. and lived at a place called the Boston Muslim Brotherhood" said Tom.
Matt removed his sleeve "Thanks Tom, that’s what I needed, bye."
"Bob, where is the infirmary?" asked Matt.
"It’s at the front of the boat down one level, port side."
"I need to talk to O’Brien, can you clear the way?"
"Head on down, I will fix it."
Chapter 120
Aboard Coast Guard Cutter Invicta
San Francisco Harbor, California
* * *
MATT GOT a bit lost. Port and starboard are for captains and pilots only he thought. Finally he located the infirmary. In truth, it looked more like an office with a couple of cots.
Inside Greg O’Brien was sitting on the bed while a medic was swabbing the cut on Greg’s face.
"How are you feeling Greg?" asked Matt.
"Can you give us a minute?" Greg asked the medic, who beat a hasty retreat out of the room.
"I feel like shit. Next time I look like getting on board a boat, remind me not to" said O’Brien as he turned to his right side and vomited more water into a bucket.
"Greg, do you know anything about some place called the Boston Muslim Brotherhood?" asked Matt.
"Are you kidding? It is a spooky place. That was where I interviewed Kamal Pashwari!"
"Not good. That confirms he has good intel on the President."
"What has this got to do with the President? asked O’Brien.
"The President’s motorcade will be on the bridge at 4pm. We think he is the real target."
"Get out of here. Find the bastard" shouted O’Brien.
Chapter 121
Aboard Surprise
San Francisco Harbor, California
3.05pm
* * *
KAMAL WAS directly under the bridge as the helicopter flew low overhead.
There was no way they could detect any radiation at all with the bomb encased in the lead keel and the boat hidden right underneath the bridge.
With under an hour to go, Kamal decided to drop the sail.
He pressed the starter and the engine sprang to life with a cough. He then turned the wheel to point the boat into the wind. This allowed the sails to flap taking the pressure of the lines so he could pull on the rope that furled the headsail. A drum at the foot of the sail turned and the sail rolled itself up neatly around the forestay wire.
The mainsail was a little harder to stow. He pulled and locked the topping lift which stopped the boom falling to the deck when the sail was down. Then he released the main halyard and the mainsail lowered down the mast. Rather than put it away under its cover, he just tied it in a couple of places with small ropes so it would not flap around too much.
Kamal’s plan was to motor for about thirty minutes upstream, and then come back with the tide to be directly under the bridge at 4pm.
He reached for the control box and flicked the black toggle to arm the weapon. The box beeped in confirmation.
Chapter 122
Aboard Coast Guard Cutter Invicta
San Francisco Harbor, California
3.20pm
* * *
MATT WATCHED through binoculars looking for boat number 79. He could spot the other coast guard boats moving slowly through the fleet also on the lookout.
It was now getting perilously close to show time.
Matt shouted down to Natasha "Is there anything else about the boats we can look for?"
"Well, the feeds from the boats are black and white images, but one of the boats has a dark colored hull, the other looks white."
Matt re-scanned the boats. Most were white, but there were still a few darker colored boats scattered around.
The radio crackled to life.
"Invicta, this is Valiant, I see number 79."
Bill grabbed the microphone "Where is she?"
The commander on the Valiant gave them the GPS co-ordinates and they took off at full speed.
They met the boat about three miles downstream from the bridge.
"Heave to and prepare to be boarded" yelled the skipper through a hailer.
Matt joined three other sailors all with guns drawn aboard the boat called Serenity.
"What the hell is this about?" asked a surprised young man with his arm around a young busty brunette.
"Hand
on your heads now" yelled Matt.
"Get off my boat! I demand an explanation."
Matt pointed his gun at the man’s head.
"Get your hands on your fucking head before I blow it off!"
The man wanted to argue, but the look on Matt’s face convinced him to comply.
It took ten minutes to search the vessel thoroughly. They found nothing and there was not even a murmur on the portable Geiger counter.
"Sorry for the inconvenience folks. Please head on home and don’t go anywhere near the bridge" shouted Matt as he leapt back aboard Invicta.
"Nothing" said Matt to the Commander.
"Where to next?" he asked.
"That boat had a white hull. Let’s start looking for dark hulled boats close to the bridge."
"Aye aye sir" said the commander.
Matt’s felt the vibration of his cell phone in his pocket and noticed a Washington number.
"Hello, Peterson here."
"Pentagon operator, please hold for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs."
A few moments later Admiral Nelson came on the line.
"How is the search going Matt?"
"We have nothing positive yet Sir, but we have lots of teams out here. They are all on the lookout" said Matt truthfully.
"I managed to track down one of our munitions experts. He has seen the plans for the Russian suitcase nuke" explained the Admiral.
"Excellent Sir. Is there anything we need to know?" asked Matt.
"I will read exactly what our man wrote" said Admiral Nelson, "The weapon is the size of a large airline suitcase. The outside is made of dense black plastic. There is a control box attached to the top which can be pulled off. There is about ten feet of wire on a self retracting reel attaching it to the weapon. It can be locked at any length. On the control box there is a toggle switch. Switching this on arms the weapon and must be done at least a half hour before detonation. There is a red button on the control unit that actually causes the bomb to explode. If you find it don’t break the wires as that will cause instant detonation. If the button is not pressed, the weapon automatically disarms itself after two hours."