Murmansk

Chapters 26, 27, and 28

Chapter 26

December 10, 2000

 

Something was wrong.

Worry etched on his features, McGruder clicked his way around his data center aimlessly, unable to sit even in the face of his advancing pain and exhaustion.

Savior was overdue to check in.

In point of fact, they should be well on their way back by now, but he had not heard from them since shortly after they took to the air yesterday.

Although he had been in communication with the pilot until just before they had landed, he too had now gone silent.

Adding to his worries, he had just gotten off of the phone with the charter company he had used for the jet. Although they wouldn't admit that anything was wrong, McGruder could now sense the tension in the voice of his contact there.

"Such a simple mission," McGruder mumbled to himself. "What the hell could have gone wrong?"

He gave a quick thought to contacting May Celtic to see if she had heard from Gabriel, but dismissed the thought immediately. If she hadn't heard from him, it would only lead to more worry.

Right now, this was his worry alone, and he would keep it that way for as long as he could.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden buzzing in his pocket. Pulling out the secure cell phone, his heart dropped when he recognized the number.

Frank Rascoff...the girl's father.

"I'm afraid I don't have any news for you yet Frank," McGruder spoke when he connected the call. "I should know something soon though."

Silence greeted him for a few seconds before the other man spoke.

"I have received a text," the other man finally uttered sadly; "They have taken your operatives."

Shock coursed through McGruder's veins, his exhaustion forgotten.

"What do they want now?" he asked immediately, his years of working in this field taking over his actions.

"They want you," the man finally uttered, fear making his voice croak. "They have given you forty-eight hours to fly to Murmansk, or they will kill everyone!"

Chapter 27

December 10, 2000

I woke up shivering and in total blackness, feeling cold to my very core.

I could feel my foggy mind trying to make sense of the frigid darkness surrounding me with little success.

Someone moaned a few feet away.

Not thinking about any danger that may be lurking in the inky blackness, not thinking of much of anything really, I rolled onto my belly and started crawling toward the noise. Something rolled off my stomach when I turned over, but I let it lay where it fell as I made my way numbly toward the repeated moaning sound.

I jerked my hand back quickly when it brushed against something ahead of me on the floor. Sliding it slowly forward again, I stopped when the object again touched my hand.

Nothing happened when I touched it...no alarms sounded...no animals with snarling teeth attacked.

Since there had been no negative reaction, I started running my fingers up it, trying to identify what was blocking my path.