Rogue Angel - Polar Quest Part 33

"Dangerous game," Garin said. "We're trapped here until the thaw. And now we've got a killer on the loose? Talk about playing with fire."

"What's the mood in camp?"

Garin sighed. "Well, a lot of them want your head. Can't say I blame them. Thomson was the kind of officer who seemed to engender a lot of respect from his troops. Some of them have been with him for years."

Annja frowned. "Would that give him the time to plan something this elaborate?"

"I don't know. He's only a colonel, after all. But then again, there really is no way of accurately gauging the extent people will go to do what they feel they have to do."

"So you think he could be behind it?" Annja asked.

"I don't know what I think," Garin said. "But if there's no value to the relics, then there's got to be something else of value here that we haven't looked at yet. After all, whoever is behind this is apparently perfectly willing to kill."

"Scary thought."

Garin smiled. "At least you've got the sword to protect you."

Annja frowned. "Well, yeah. If my instincts are right."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm more than a little concerned that my gut didn't tell me that d.a.m.ned laptop was about to explode. I've been in plenty of hairy situations and known that trouble was coming."

"All the time?" Garin asked.

"Well, maybe not all the time..."

He shrugged. "Maybe your instincts knew that the laptop was only going to take out the good colonel."

"How is that possible?"

Garin smirked. "Annja, how is you having a sword that once belonged to Joan of Arc possible? And how is it possible that you apparently carry it everywhere but aren't weighed down by it? How many other things in your life right now border on the unexplainable?"

"Plenty," Annja admitted.

"But they're still a part of your life. My advice is to make peace with the fact that you may never be able to explain everything, and just move on from there. We've obviously got a lot more to worry about right now."

Annja sighed. "You're right."

Garin stood and began pacing. "Who would have had access to your stuff?"

"Anyone. I don't think we're walking around locking our doors. Well, except for the colonel. His place and yours were the only ones that I've tried and found locked. Our door has always been unlocked."

"That doesn't exactly limit our suspects."

"No." Annja frowned. "But I suppose we would have to start with my roommates."

"You've known Zach for a long time?"

"Long enough. I trust him, if that's what you're getting at. I've never had reason not to."

"He's going through a horrible time right now, yes?"

"Divorce, separation from his children. It's one of the reasons he took this job. He said the paycheck would enable him to get himself out from under a mountain of debt."

"Motivation?" Garin asked.

"For what, though? So the relics aren't real. He'll probably be the one who is most devastated by that news. I think part of him dearly wants them to be real. It might restore his faith in the mysteries of life."

Garin sighed. "G.o.d, another dreamer."

"You're just a five-hundred-year-old cynic."

He smiled. "I am at that."

"Not everyone is," Annja reminded him.

"What about the other guy-Dave?"

Annja shook her head. "He's something of a mystery. He claims to be a geologist, but there's a part of him that seems to be anything but a scientist. I get the feeling he's worked in covert operations before."

"He's a spy?"

"Maybe not a spy, but he knows that world. I'm pretty sure of it," Annja said.

Garin crossed his arms. "So why's he here?"

"He told me his job was to look after Zach. Help him out on the dig site and make sure that things got on okay."

"You believe him?"

"He was the first person I met when I got down here. Picked me up at the landing strip."

"You didn't have the typical in-briefing with the marshal like I did?"

Annja shook her head. "Dave told me Zach asked him to pick me up and get me squared away before we saw the marshal. As it turned out, I met the marshal that night anyway after my near-death encounter with the Sno-Cat."

"Dave seems a bit off the mark. I don't know what he would be up to, though. That's the thing. If we can figure out why there'd be such an interest in being down here, we could reverse engineer the plot and find out who is in command."

Annja pointed outside. "What about the mountain itself?"

"What about it?"

"Is there anything of value to it? I saw large chunks of coal. Lots of fool's gold, as well. Are there any other mineral deposits there that could make someone rich?"

Garin frowned. "Does it make sense for all of this to be about a mountain of rocks? I just think there's got to be something else. Something probably right in front of us. We just aren't seeing it."

"We're too close," Annja said.

"Undoubtedly."

"So what's our next step?"

Garin sat down and ran his hand through his hair. "All right, let's a.s.sume for a moment that everything is proceeding according to whatever plan is in place. That means that someone wanted Thomson dead for some reason. I say we sit back and wait and see what happens next."

"Sit back?" Annja was appalled.

"Think about it. If they wanted Thomson out of the way, they must be getting ready to put another part of the plan into action. That's the only way we'll know what they're up to."

Annja shook her head. "Yeah, but what if the next part of their plan involves killing everyone else who isn't in on it? Or Thomson wasn't the target?"

Garin smiled. "Well, I'd suggest sleeping with your sword. I know I'll have my gun under my pillow-that's for sure."

Annja sighed. "It's not much of a plan, Garin."

"I'm open to suggestions, Annja. I just don't think we have very many of them at this point. We can do nothing and see what transpires. Or we can try to force their hand by doing something drastic."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. How about announcing to the entire camp that Thomson was murdered by someone who is, as of yet, unknown?" Garin said.

"Yeah, that would just spread paranoia throughout the entire camp. I might end up dead anyway."

Garin nodded. "Hence my suggestion that we keep quiet for now."

"What about my role as the terrorist? I can't very well stay in the shelter here and not get any food or water."

"I'll pa.s.s the order that you're to be allowed access and without hara.s.sment. I don't think anyone will mess around with you."

Annja nodded. It wasn't a good plan, but it was the only plan that seemed open to them at the moment. And perhaps Garin was right. Maybe the people behind this would make their next move and reveal themselves when they did.

"How much longer do you think your cover will hold up?" she asked.

Garin shrugged. "Thomson's last order was that the camp go into blackout mode. No communications in or out. So we're pretty isolated right now."

"That could work to our favor."

"For right now. But it could also work to the enemy's benefit, as well. They'll know we don't have any help coming."

"Great."

"Our job," Garin said, "is to keep our eyes and ears open and see who makes the first move. As soon as we see that, we'll need a plan of action."

"How about stopping them from destroying the camp and everyone in it?" Annja said.

Garin shook his head. "You're a.s.suming that's their goal. It might not be. We need to keep ourselves open to the possibility that there could be something else at play here. Otherwise, we'll miss seeing it when it happens."

"You're right."

Garin headed to the door. "I should get going. People will expect me to be visible for the next few hours at least. I'll let the camp know you're free to move about. Let me know immediately if you learn anything new."

"Okay, good luck."

"You, too."

Garin pushed his way out of the door and Annja leaned back on her bed. She hated waiting. But Garin's plan seemed most logical. At least for right now.

The door opened and Zach and Dave rushed in. Zach was covered in dirt and grime. Dave looked less harsh for the day's work.

"Are you okay?" Zach asked. "We just heard."

Dave smiled. "You look okay for having been in a bomb blast."

"Shaped charge, apparently," Annja said. "But I could have easily been killed. And given everything that's gone on so far on this trip, I'm a little amazed I wasn't."

Dave smiled. "Well, we're glad you're okay."

Annja nodded.

But inside, she wondered if that was true.

33.

The next couple of hours pa.s.sed uneventfully. Annja could see that the camp was in a bit of turmoil with a lot of soldiers wondering whether they should call in for help or stay where they were. Garin was quite visible, rea.s.suring the soldiers that he had the situation well in hand. He played the part well, and Annja found herself admiring his leaders.h.i.+p skills.

She went to dinner with Zach and Dave. The mood in the mess hall was grim. Annja got a lot of nasty looks. It was all she could do to not stand on the table and scream her innocence. Garin sat with them toward the end of the meal, asked a few questions and then left them alone.

For his part, Zach still seemed convinced that there were more relics to be found in Horlick Mountain. Annja watched him going on and on about where he wanted to dig next and felt pity.

Look at how devoted he is, she thought. This dig is a life raft for him. It's the only thing keeping him above water and I know that it's all fake. When he finds out, it's going to devastate him.

"And, Annja, if the major will let you come with us, Dave and I were talking about trying a new spot tomorrow, once the blasting is done," Zach said.

"I thought the blasting was scheduled for this morning?" Annja said.

Dave frowned. "Well, it was. Until the colonel ordered everything put on hold while he solved the mystery of who broke into the communications systems yesterday."

Annja frowned. "So the other team hasn't broken through the granite yet?"

"Nope."

"Do you know what they expect to find on the other side of that wall?"