Powerdown (Richard Mariner Series)

by Peter Tonkin

  The dream was not fulfilled — not quite. Instead of the nudity that only cabin fever would have made grown men hope for, they were treated to the sight of a woman clad only in an all-in-one so tight and clinging it might as well have been a slightly ribbed, Chanel-fragrant, white coat of paint.

  Or that’s the way they saw it — until she said in the deepest, most plummy English growl, ‘Why gentlemen. Thank you so much for your help …’ The kids scurried in and, with a breathtaking tensing of long, widely-parted thighs, a deliciously pert twitch of the broad hips, a wonderfully liquid sway of the breasts, the vision in white slammed the door. And the three men returned to the real world.

  Chapter Seven

  At 09.00 on the dot, Kalinin’s Sikorsky lowered itself out of a low grey sky directly onto Armstrong’s landing pad. The side swung open. In full uniform, Captain Irene Ogre, Lieutenant Vasily Varnek and a helicopter pilot descended. Behind them, in their own designer-label equivalent, came T-Shirt and Max. As the Sikorsky courteously lifted off and went to squat beside the crated huts in the dispersal area, the five figures from Kalinin marched to the central Jamesway. Their arrival was so strongly stated that they got quite a following as they marched across the windswept, snowless central area past the flagpole. Amongst this inquisitive group was Robin, Kate and the children, still unaware of exactly what was going on here.

  At the main door into the James way, Colonel Jaeger was waiting. He, too, had with him a group of men expecting to give evidence.

  ‘Well?’ demanded Captain Ogre.

  Before the colonel could make any reply, the exhausted — but well fed — sailors from Erebus arrived, led by Andrew Pitcairn and Colin Ross. Seeing her husband, Kate pushed forward, full of questions. Colin turned aside to talk to her and Andrew Pitcairn found himself confronted with the sparkling eyes of his fantasy woman. They were sparkling with anger and impatience.

  ‘Well?’ she repeated.

  Andrew reached over and opened the door for her. Even his sudden dislike of this imperious, arrogant woman could not stop a tremble of lust as his face came close to the snowy crests of her bosom. But as the door swung wide she rudely shoved him aside and first she, then her command, then the rest of them trooped into the chilly cavern of the James way.

  Helicopters had come and gone all night, most of them up to the moraine and back. Even Colin Ross had lost track of who was where. Such had been the confusion, the lack of routine, this morning that anyone could have been anywhere and no one would have been at all surprised to find the Jamesway empty. But no. There at the table, arranging notes — written, processed and taped — was Jolene DaCosta, as utterly in charge as a school principal in her office.

  Jolene was not alone. As the crowd jostled in through the narrow door, pulling off or opening up their outdoor clothing, they saw Richard slouching solidly in a chair at the back of the room, like a minder in a detective film.

  He watched Robin pushing through the crowd towards him, twins in tow. She would be really angry with him, he knew. And if he had been in any doubt, one glance at her steely eyes would have settled things. But she didn’t know the full story.

  ‘Darling,’ he said quietly as he stood and embraced her, ‘I’ve some very sad news, I’m afraid. Hugo Knowles has been pretty badly hurt in an accident up the valley.’ He checked that the twins weren’t too close. ‘And poor Tony Thompson’s dead.’

  Robin sat down, winded, and he folded himself back down beside her.

  ‘How?’ she asked.

  ‘Caught in an explosion. Maybe an accident. Maybe not. That’s the problem.’

  ‘That’s what this meeting’s about?’

  ‘Yup.’

  ‘Then I’d better get the twins out of here.’

  ‘I agree.’ Richard raised is voice slightly. ‘Andrew.’

  Andrew turned from his rather fearsome contemplation of Captain Ogre. ‘Yes?’

  ‘I think this is going to take some time. Is it OK if Robin and maybe Kate scoot back to Erebus in the Westland?’

  ‘Sure.’

  Half an hour ago Robin would have given almost anything to hear this. Now she wasn’t quite so sure. ‘Wait a moment,’ she said. ‘Just what is going on here?’

  ‘I expect we’ll all be back by lunchtime,’ said Richard easily. ‘I’ll tell you then. But I really don’t think we want the twins finding out about … you know what … like this, do we?’

  Robin might have hesitated still, her danger-antennae suddenly twitching. But William asked at once, ‘What’s you know what? What is Daddy talking about, Mummy?’ And that rather settled matters.

  *

  As Erebus’s helicopter thudded away towards the distant ship, Jolene checked the display on her personal phone and settled it beside her laptop. She eased the laptop’s screen slightly to get the clearest picture and typed in a short code. Then she sat back, quite still. As though her stillness had been a signal as powerful as the rapping of a gavel, silence settled across the room. Even the overwhelming Captain Ogre fell quiet.

  ‘Let us begin,’ said Jolene clearly. As she spoke she leaned forward and began to type a record directly into the machine in front of her. ‘I have very few opening remarks, then I will call for evidence and announce my decision.’

  Irene Ogre was on her feet, mouth open. Jolene’s busy fingers hesitated. ‘In a minute, Captain Ogre. Your people will come and go first, I promise. But there is a form to these things. Due process.’

  Irene sat, defeated for the time being. Jolene proceeded. ‘It is nine oh five local time on the morning of Sunday, twenty-sixth, nineteen ninety-nine. This is a Safety and Mission Assurance report by Inspector Jolene DaCosta …’ Jolene spoke briskly and typed at the same speed, glancing down only occasionally, her eyes on her audience for the majority of the time — and, Robin would have noticed had she been here, on Richard most often.

  ‘I was assigned to investigate the apparent accidental death of Major Bernard U. Schwartz under circumstances I am blocking in now.’ Slight pause as she called up a block of pre-prepared text and pasted it in place.

  ‘Just a minute.’ Colonel Jaeger was on his feet. ‘You could be adding anything in there.’

  ‘You will get a print-out of the whole testimony at the end of the proceedings, Colonel, as will Captains Ogre and Pitcairn. And anyone else who requires one,’ Jolene promised quietly. Then she continued, more loudly and formally, ‘Circumstances have dictated, however, that detailed investigation into this incident should wait. Another incident which I believe is linked to it, throwing a very questionable light on it, has since occurred. I will now call in a block description of the facts of that incident. And yes, Colonel, it will also be on your print-out and you may register disagreement with any section you wish. But this section will be supported by testimony. Now, Captain Ogre, I would like to talk to Mr Thomas S. Maddrell, passenger on the ship Kalinin, and resident … Mr Maddrell, you need not rise or take the oath, just give us your address for the record and tell us about the placing of the Skiddoos …’

  And so the deposition got under way. T-Shirt had his say, then Kalinin’s pilot had his. Finally Irene Ogre confirmed that she had given permission for the whole doomed enterprise, all legal and above board, to satisfy the insurers. Having established that the recreational vehicles were left clear of the moraine, Jolene called for testimony from Andrew Pitcairn’s men to establish whether anyone fit to bear witness had noticed the placing of the Skiddoos nearer the time of the explosion. Only Knowles and the unfortunate Thompson had gone close enough to see anything, apparently; and they had clearly seen too much. Evidence was taken from the men who had heard the explosion, found the bodies, moved Knowles in the hope of helping him and left Thompson who was still burning at that stage and clearly dead.

  Both doctors gave evidence, in widely differing styles and with directly opposing commentary but with basic agreement as to facts. Major Schwartz had probably died of exposure, and was still frozen in the state in whic
h he had been found. Leading Seaman Thompson had suffered a severe blow to the back of the cranium, probably as a result of an explosion, and had died either of shock caused by his injuries or from these injuries themselves. Thompson, like Schwartz, was awaiting detailed post-mortem attention. Lieutenant Knowles was likely to make a full recovery but he was still sedated and in no fit state to give testimony at this time.

  Richard then gave evidence about the placing of the bodies. He was able to place Knowles accurately because his ruined radio had still been on the ground where he had fallen. He also gave evidence about the out-of-place Skiddoo. Jolene then blocked in corroborating evidence of her own and a final deposition about the unaccounted-for movements of at least one John Deere and the missing explosives and detonators.

  ‘My conclusions are as follows,’ said Jolene, typing as she talked. ‘Sufficient doubt hangs over the death of Major Bernard Schwartz to warrant further investigation. Such severe doubt hangs over the death of Leading Seaman Thompson and the wounding of Lieutenant Knowles as to make charges of possible culpable homicide or perhaps even murder seem likely. My position here allows me to investigate and to report, and advise the camp authorities as to the need for detention in any case until higher military or federal authorities can be summoned. I do not have powers of arrest or detention beyond those of the ordinary citizen — unlike Colonel Jaeger or Sergeant Killigan, for example. However, if I deem the situation serious enough, I can summon higher authority. And this is what I have decided to do. Hearing terminated at ten thirty, date as given. Now, if you will wait for a few moments, you may have your print-outs.’

  Richard pulled himself erect and strolled across to the Jamesway’s clear plastic window. The sky looked like dark-banded pewter; the nearby beach and distant cliffs were utter black without any reflected brightness and so the lightest part of the scene was the bright, blue-edged brash ice bobbing in the bay between them. Beyond this, Erebus and Kalinin lay, one dead and dark, with only a glimmer of riding lights, the other bright and bustling, ready to break out of the icebound bay, running lights already up and agleam. It was with a feeling of almost profound sadness that Richard realised he would never get the chance to look around the converted cruise ship after all. And if T-Shirt and Max were anything to go by, he would have enjoyed meeting the passengers — if not the crew, perhaps. He turned and looked across to where Irene Ogre and Vasily Varnek were poring over Jolene’s print-out. Well, that wasn’t quite true. Unlike Andrew Pitcairn, Richard had been more struck by Vivien Agran. He would have enjoyed getting to know the entertainment officer better; she appeared to be an interesting girl. There seemed to be hidden depths to her.

  ‘Right,’ announced Irene Ogre. ‘This will do for us. You summon who you like, Dr DaCosta. Tell them if they want to talk to us we will be somewhere south of here.’

  Jolene gave a half smile from behind her laptop, her fingers still busy. ‘I’ll tell them that, Captain Ogre. And thank you for your patience and co-operation so far.’ She did not rise but dropped her eyes. The captain, her associates, Kalinin herself, were all dismissed.

  Colonel Jaeger dragged himself away from his detailed contemplation of his own print-out to do the gallant thing at the door. ‘Thank you for answering our distress signal so promptly, Captain Ogre,’ he said formally, offering to shake her hand. ‘I am sorry everything went so wrong so quickly.’

  It was a lame speech, made weaker by her failure to take his hand or to answer. He changed the gesture into a salute which she also disregarded. Silently, she looked around the room. Of all the gazes there, only Richard’s met hers. Met it and held it. She nodded an acknowledgement and was gone.

  The silence in the room after her exit made the sound of the departing Sikorsky seem louder, more final. It was as though the last lifeboat had just pulled clear of Titanic.

  Apparently casually, Richard crossed to stand beside Jolene again. He looked down into the screen of her laptop, with its symbols and icons.

  ‘This seems about right to me,’ said Andrew Pitcairn. ‘I’ll add it to my logs and the accident report. Then I’ll want to transfer all my people, living, dead and wounded, back to Erebus. That’ll include you of course, Colin, Kate, Richard. Then I’ll get onto the BAS people at Cambridge direct, I think …’ He tinned away, trying to summon up some decisiveness.

  ‘Are you going to send this as it is?’ demanded Colonel Jaeger at last.

  Jolene looked at him, her fingers still on the keyboard of her laptop. Slowly, being very careful to exert no pressure, she stood. ‘You have a problem with that, Colonel?’

  ‘Sure I do. It makes it look as though some psychopath has been running around here for at least two days and there’s been no security, no records, no leadership —’

  ‘It makes it look as though, in spite of the reasonable precautions normally taken in this kind of place, someone has managed to outwit all of us because we didn’t know what he was up to. It makes it look as though now is the time for leadership and security. A lot of both. And if you can’t supply them, Colonel Jaeger, then Armstrong base is in trouble.’

  That gave Jaeger pause. Jolene gazed at him, her eyes narrow, their pupils gleaming, blue-edged, like the brash ice outside.

  ‘Well, I still don’t like it,’ he huffed.

  ‘You don’t have to like it,’ she pointed out coolly. ‘Are you saying that it is inaccurate in any regard?’

  ‘Well, not really, but —’

  ‘Yes or no, Colonel?’ The voice cracked every bit as authoritatively as Irene Ogre’s at her most officious.

  ‘Well, no.’

  Jolene’s finger fell like the beak of a diving skua. ‘In that case, Colonel, I suggest you start looking for the leadership and security you will need for the immediate future. The Feds will be here within twenty-four hours.’

  ‘What? How?’

  ‘My laptop hooks to the Internet via my personal phone. I’ve just sent that report directly to my office in Washington. I tagged it so that it will transfer automatically to FBI headquarters. The duty office have been waiting for it since I alerted them just after midnight. There will be a team of Special Agents on their way down here before lunchtime. And if you think I travelled fast, you should see those guys move.’

  ‘Hey, now wait just a minute here.’ Colonel Jaeger raised his hand as his mind fought to keep up with her words. ‘You just called who?’ Then the penny dropped. ‘You stupid woman, what have you done? You’d better have booked a pretty good return ticket to that tight-assed little office of yours because I want you the hell off my base now. Killigan? Killigan!’

  ‘Yes, Colonel?’

  ‘Killigan, if that woman is still on my base in five minutes I want you to sling her bureaucratic little heine in the stockade.’

  ‘Well, Colonel —’

  ‘You hear her, Killigan? She called in the Feds on us. Also she does not have the right of arrest whereas I do and she does not have the right of legal detention which you do. Now if she is here in five minutes I will arrest her and I will order you to lock her up.’

  ‘You only have to obey an order if it’s a legal one, Sergeant,’ observed Jolene quietly, apparently unfazed by the turn of events.

  ‘This woman’s presence here is prejudicial to the good order of my command, Sergeant. If she will not get herself out, I will have to move her to secure accommodation. In the cooler. Until her friends from Washington show up at least. And that is all. In four minutes …’

  ‘Andrew,’ said Richard quietly. ‘Have we got a spare berth aboard Erebus?’

  Andrew jerked, as though waking from deep preoccupation. ‘What? Oh, yes, of course. Happy to oblige.’

  ‘Let’s go then.’

  *

  ‘You don’t have to keep putting yourself out for me, you know,’ said Jolene by way of thanks, halfway to Erebus’s Westland.

  ‘Don’t mention it.’

  ‘I’m used to this kind of reaction. I can handle it. And myself, come to t
hat.’

  ‘No. No. It’s no trouble at all. I assure you.’

  ‘Are all Englishmen like you?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘So gallant.’

  ‘Mostly. You mean men aren’t gallant Stateside?’

  ‘Not so much, I guess.’

  ‘I hate to disagree with a lady, but if Kalinin was still here instead of Erebus, you’d have been having this conversation with T-Shirt.’

  ‘T-Shirt? Are you kidding? He would not give one good god damn. And even if he did, Captain Ogre would never have allowed him.’

  ‘Is that what you think? Really? I am surprised. Well, I see you have your laptop and personal phone. Where’s the rest of your kit?’

  ‘Supplies hut by the vehicle disbursement area.’

  ‘Couldn’t be closer or more convenient. We might even make Gene’s deadline.’

  ‘Hate to disappoint you, but this girl has an urgent call to make. Ladies cannot get by with pee bottles alone.’

  ‘Are you sure? The facilities aboard Erebus are far more suitable. Can’t you wait?’ He might almost have been talking to Mary.

  Jolene might almost have been talking to her father. Almost. ‘I don’t think so. And look. I spy with my little eye …’

  Two doctors deep in vitriolic confrontation about the imminent departure of Hugo Knowles. The Westland was not likely to be leaving until they resolved that. Or until Andrew ran out of patience and pulled rank.

  ‘Point taken. I’ll take this stuff now and pick up your kit too. See you back here.’

  OK.’

  ‘Oh, and Jolene?’

  ‘Yup?’

  ‘Watch your back, and even more importantly …’

  ‘Uh-huh?’

  ‘Use the pee bottle and pour it into the funnel. It’s easier. Believe me.’

  A certain amount of Jolene’s conversation had been bravado. She did in fact feel isolated here. Out of her depth and more than a little at risk. Even the bulky cold-weather gear designed to keep her warm and alive seemed to over-swaddle her, choke her, put too many layers between her and the powerful little lightweight Glock pistol which was her insurance, her court of last resort.