The Atlantis Stone

CHAPTER 42

"What did you do to their ship?" Sexton asked Selena. "She's down some by the stern. They've got the pumps going."

"We wanted to stop them from harassing us."

"You've changed, Selena. I never would've figured you for something like this."

She shrugged. "Stuff happens."

Sexton looked at her as though she were a stranger.

Nick said, "I'm going to tell you why we're here."

Sexton listened while Nick filled him in.

"I don't believe this. You really think these people had something like antigravity? You're trying to find a record of what it was? What they used to control it?"

"That's about it."

"That's crazy."

"No more crazy than those ruins down there that aren't supposed to exist," Nick said. "The Russians don't think it's crazy. That's one of the reasons we have to follow up. What if it isn't crazy and the Russians find what we're looking for? We have to find it first. It's a matter of national security."

"I'm getting damn tired of hearing that phrase tossed around," Sexton said. "The politicians love it."

"Do I have to point out that I'm not a politician?"

Selena spoke up. "Jeff, I know you want to get out of here and I don't blame you. At least stay until I finish translating what's on those pyramid walls."

"I don't want any more surprises."

Nick held up his hand. "No more surprises. I promise."

"One more day. Then I'm leaving."

Nick went back to his cabin and called Harker to tell her what had happened. He got to the part about disabling the Tolstoy.

"You did what?" Harker said.

"We didn't sink them," Nick said.

The satellite connection was spotty, crackling with atmospherics.

"What didn't you think?"

"I said we didn't sink them."

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better," Harker said. "I can't wait until the president calls me up and asks me why I attacked a peaceful civilian research vessel belonging to the Federation."

"I don't think he's going to hear anything about it," Nick said. "They attacked us, not the other way around. Lamont almost died. One of Sexton's crew is dead and he was a civilian. If they make waves it's going to bounce back on them."

"Two of their people are dead."

Elizabeth thought she could hear Nick shrug on the other end of the connection.

"Like I said, they attacked us. They got more than they bargained for. I can't see how they'd want to turn this into an incident. It's to their advantage to keep quiet."

"You'd better be right."

Nick waited.

Elizabeth said, "All right, we'll move on. What's your plan now?"

"Sexton says there's an alert about seismic activity. The ruins are crawling with vapor columns that indicate something's happening down there. The city sits on the edge of a precipice and an undersea quake might finish the job. Selena wants to take one more look tomorrow for that archive. After that we're heading back to port."

"I don't want any more trouble with the Russians."

"We never wanted trouble in the first place. If they don't provoke us there won't be any more problems. There's one other thing you need to know."

Elizabeth began tapping her fingers on her desktop.

"I had to let Sexton it on what we're looking for. He was pretty ticked off about losing one of his people and ready to haul anchor. I didn't have any other option."

"Right now that's the least of my worries," Elizabeth said. "He signed the secrecy agreement."

"He's okay. You don't have to be concerned."

"Finish up and get out of there. The Russians may not turn it into an incident but they might retaliate. If you end up on the bottom of the ocean there's not much I can do about it."

"Thanks for the encouraging words."

"I want regular updates. That's all, Nick."

Elizabeth broke the connection.

Nick put his phone away and went up on deck. The others were waiting for him.

"I talked to Harker."

"What did she say?" Ronnie asked.

"She wasn't happy. She wants us out of here and she's worried about the Russians."

"She has a point."

"They won't try anything else if they're smart. Selena, where are you with that translation?

"I'm working on the last panel we photographed," Selena said. "I should have it done soon."