Typically, a ship like this, even as huge asit was, would only need ten to twelve crew members, but somethingtold me there would be many more on this ship. Usually only onethird was awake at any given time, which worked to my advantage—atleast I hoped it did. If they doubled the amount of crew members tohelp ensure the arrival of the containers, then I had somewherearound fourteen people I had to avoid in this area alone. With anyluck, there wouldn’t be a shift change as I made my way up.
I very carefully and methodically made myway up, stopping only long enough to look at a clock in anunoccupied room. The clock read five a.m. We had at least an hourand a half of darkness before dawn hit. There was such relief innot being time deficient any longer.
Someone walked out of a room about twentyfeet in front of me. I froze. To my sides were only ship walls, nodoors. I was completely exposed. But he didn’t see me—he was facingthe other way and made his way quickly up the hall and through adoor at the end of it. The door shut with a clang behind him.
I shoved a hard breath out and staredforward again until I heard footsteps. At this point, I was only afew feet from a door. I flung myself inside and readied to fight ifneed be.
I realized someone was behind me onlyseconds before a hand went over my mouth. I twisted, ready tostrike and stopped just in time. It was Jeremy. My legs wobbledslightly, and I covered my mouth with a trembling hand. I fell intohis arms, and he dragged me to the open closet and said, “Shh!” ashe pulled the door silently shut. We heard the click of a dooropening, and light filtered under the door. A person walked acrossthe floor, opened a drawer, shut it, and then walked back out, thedoor clicking shut behind him.
When the coast was clear, I couldn’t helpreleasing a little sigh of a laugh and wrapping my arms tightlyaround Jeremy.
“You’re here! I can’t believe you’re reallyhere.”
“Of course I am,” he said gently, holding meeven closer. “I told you I would find you.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Myinsides sparked with happiness at being with Jeremy, and so closeat that. Everything suddenly looked bright and possible. He smelledof sweat and salty air and water. I never wanted to leave thecloset, but when Jeremy asked if I was ready, I nodded. Jeremyopened the door and stepped out. I followed.
“We’ll deploy a lifeboat to get us all outof here once we’ve found everyone. The trick is getting there. It’slikely that we’ll have to jump a great distance. We’ll take theladders down as far as we can, but there is no guarantee, and thewater…it’s cold. It won’t be easy.” His eyes looked pinched withworry.
“Do you know where Mikado is? He wasn’t inany of the rooms near mine.”
“I didn’t see him on my way down here, so hemust be somewhere else. We’ll find him, and then go get theintended slaves. I sent in an anonymous tip to the FBI about thecars, but I doubt anything will get done, considering they have aman in the field. However, they don’t always make the right calls.We can hope, but that’s about it. Let’s get moving.” His muscleswere tight, and his jerky movements told me he was completelyimmersed in the mission. “There should be a shift change in abouttwenty minutes, so we need to hurry.” He consulted his watch.
“I hope Mikado is okay.” My stomach filledwith squawking birds.
“If they didn’t kill him, he will beokay.”
I was suddenly aware of a sharp chlorinesmell. Bleach of some sort. The captain must require totalcleanliness in the rooms. “Agent Kozlov is onboard, and...”
“I know. I arranged for that.” He headed forthe door without further explanation.
Shock filtered through me. “But he hadCarson killed.”
He stopped his advance on the door. “I don’thave time for you to tell me the details, but I’m sure if he hadsomeone killed, it had to be done to save you or himself.”
“Didn’t you see it happen?”
“No. I got to the pier as quickly as Icould, but when I got there, they had the place completely lockeddown. It took me too long to find a secure way in, and by that timeyou were nowhere to be found. Ace said he hadn’t heard from yousince he walked you through finding the shipping manifest. I knewsomething must have gone wrong, so I snuck onto the ship before itsailed. I’ve been looking for you ever since.”
I nodded my head slowly. It was all startingto make sense. Mikado and I had been completely alone as we enteredthat shipyard.
“I’m sorry about Carson, but we’ve got togo. Now.”
“How are we getting out?”
“We need to find a lifeboat, and get as faraway from the ship as possible. Halluis and Ace are supposed to beworking on our extraction, but with no official sanction forresources from Division, they may not be able to do anything atall. We have to operate as if we’re on our own.”
“All right. We’ll make this work. I think Iknow where the kids are. At least they were there earlier. In therows next to the captain’s deck. Maybe Mikado got put in there withthem.”
“Let’s hope so.”
I nodded, and he led me up to the nextlevel. As we walked down the short hallway on the next level, twomen exited a room to our left. Without a thought, I pulled out oneof my guns and said, “Hands up!” Jeremy rushed forward and pushedthem back into the room they’d come from. The dining room.
I kept my gun pointed at them, and Jeremygrabbed some dishtowels and gagged and tied them up. After takingaway their
