“A slight deviation in plans,” he said. “We will be making a short stop at your old vessel, the Sargasso Sea
.”
“I may return to the ship?”
Díaz laughed. “No, my dear. I don’t believe you will want to. You shall be joining me instead on the Sea Raker.”
“You don’t know the damage you’ll create by destroying those thermal vents.”
“You don’t know the money and power I’ll forgo if I don’t.” He smiled. “Of course, it may turn out to be a pittance compared with what our Aztec stones are concealing.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“It’s the reason I went to Mexico. Our survey ship discovered the canoe near Jamaica, on which the gold figurine was found. We now know from your codex that the canoe was one of many that sailed from the Aztec empire. Dr. Torres was kind enough to confirm the figurine was of a known Aztec design. There must have been much more on the other canoes.”
“A single gold figurine seems like a leap of faith to me,” Summer said.
“It was the only artifact remaining with the canoe. I believe the canoe sank slowly, allowing the crew to escape to the other canoes with most of their cargo.”
“Perhaps. But you now have the location of the other stone. Why don’t you stop this insane blasting of the thermal vents and go recover the treasure?”
“And let you and your father go?”
Summer looked into the dark, sadistic eyes of Díaz and found anything but sympathy.
“No, I think not,” Díaz said, answering his own question. He rose to his feet. “You see, my brother and I have a larger destiny to fulfill.”
He strode off to the bridge as the Sargasso Sea appeared before them, leaving Summer to wonder the identity of Díaz’s brother.
The twin commando inflatables were still tied alongside the NUMA ship as the crew boat pulled next to a drop-down accommodation ladder. The crates of explosives were transferred aboard first and then Díaz climbed to the Sargasso Sea’s main deck. The commando leader Calzado met him at the rail.
“Any problem with the ship?” Díaz asked.
“No, sir. The prisoners are secure and the ship is quiet. We’ve been awaiting further orders.”
“Molina tells me that no communications were made by the vessel during the assault.”
“We caught the bridge crew unaware, so we believe that is true. A U.S. Coast Guard vessel pestered us on the radio for some time when we relocated the ship, but they were turned away when we alerted a Cuban Navy patrol craft in the area.”
“Very well.”
“Sir, we just received a call from shore ops. They received a report that a helicopter departing the facility earlier this morning went down near Puerto Escondido while en route to Havana.”
“Any survivors?”
“Unknown. Army forces and a dive rescue team have been called to the site. Updates will be provided as they learn more.”
Díaz’s face tightened. Could Pitt have had a hand in the crash? But all was not lost. If Pitt was dead, perhaps he could substitute Pitt’s daughter as a suspect in Raúl’s death.
He turned and pointed to the explosives stacked on the deck. “The general has ordered the destruction of the ship. Where is the American crew?”
“They are being held in two locked laboratories near the stern.”
“Keep them there. Your orders are to scuttle the ship with all hands after nightfall. There are to be no survivors. Do you understand?”
The commando nodded. “It will be done. No survivors.”
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