Atlantis

Chapter 36

“Kasey’s out of commission for the foreseeable future.” Tam looked around the table at her “Myrmidons,” as they had taken to calling themselves. Everyone appeared shell-shocked. With Joel dead, and Kasey seriously injured, spirits were low. It was up to her to keep them going.

“I won’t pretend to know exactly what each of you is feeling, but I can tell you I’m hurting. I knew Joel longer and better than most of you, and I’ve known Kasey almost as long. I also feel bad about Krueger. Just remember this. We are the last line of defense against the Dominion. Hell, we’re the only line of defense.”

“I take it our tip about an attack on Savannah wasn’t taken very seriously.” Greg sat rigid as a statue. He was taking the failure harder than anyone.

Tam laughed. The only response she’d gotten was, “We’ll give it due consideration and take all precautions we deem necessary.” Translation, “We’ll put it in the file with all the other crackpot tips.” She’d also shared the information with a few trusted contacts, but none of them had the power or the inclination to do anything about it.

“Not a chance. So it’s all on us.” She paused, and began pacing to and fro. Her uncle was a preacher, and he’d taught her a few oratorical tricks to captivate an audience, and the judicious use of silence was one of them. Too little, and you got no effect. Too much and you lost their attention. She watched for the little signs: narrowed eyes, a slight cock of the head, subtle demonstrations of interest. When the time was perfect, she continued. “We’ve got to find this Revelation Machine before the Dominion gets its hands on it. I think it’s pretty clear that they believe it, whatever it might be, will bring about the end of days.” She let that sink in for a long moment.

“I don’t care how much pain we’ve suffered. I don’t care if you’re you don’t approve of the people I’ve brought onto our team. And I really don’t care about your relationships or family issues or your histories together. This is bigger than any of that.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Avery cast an embarrassed glance at Bones, who grinned and winked at her. Jade lowered her head a notch. Only Maddock didn’t react to her words. The man could be hard when he wanted to be, but that wasn’t all bad.

“I need to know right now. Is everyone here still committed to the cause? Because if you’re not, I swear to Jesus I’ll find somebody else who is, and you can put on a skirt and work as my secretary until this is over.”

“Hell yes.” Bones pounded his fist on the table. “I mean, yes we’re committed, not yes to the skirt thing.”

The tension broke. Each person reiterated her or his commitment to bringing down the Dominion and paying them back for Joel and Kasey.

“So, what’s the plan?” Greg asked.

“First of all, I don’t know if there’s anything we can do about Savannah, but we need to try.”

“I think the biggest problem we face is the fact that the Dominion won’t come in a destroyer or any other sort of military vessel,” Maddock said. “They’ll have attached the weapon to an ordinary ship so as not to draw attention.”

“I agree, and that’s both good and bad. Bad because it’s difficult to spot; good because it’s easier to sink.” She looked Maddock in the eye. “Can we use your boat?”

“I won’t be with it?” he asked.

“I need you somewhere else. Besides, it’s Matt and Corey who make her go, right?” When Maddock didn’t argue, Tam turned to Greg. “Take Matt and Corey and Willis. And take Remora. That way, you can patrol above and below the waterline. Maybe we’ll get lucky.”

She dismissed the four men with a jerk of her head.

“I want my archaeologists in Egypt. Maddock, Bones, Jade, and Sofia — I want you to take the information Krueger provided and find this Hall of Records, if it exists.”

“I’m going too,” Avery protested. “Sofia and I are the ones who who’ve been working on…”

“You’re not an archaeologist. I want you here. He gave you more information than just the Hall of Records research. Follow up on it. Besides, I need at least a couple of people to watch my back in case something comes up. If I send all of you across the Atlantic, I’ve got no one.”

A touch of the Maddock obstinance flashed in her eyes, but she didn’t argue.

Relieved, Tam dismissed the rest of the team, but grabbed Maddock by the arm as he walked by. He stopped and waited until the others left.

“I want to tell you,” Tam began, “that no matter how much the things I do piss you off, I need you and I’m glad you’re on my team.”

“Same here.” Maddock’s eyes softened. “Like you said, I don’t always love the way you operate, but you’re on the right side.”

Tam gave his shoulders a squeeze.

“Good luck,” she whispered. “And try to bring them all back alive.”