The 22nd Secret Read online

  “Okay, I’ll tell him when he radios. Then I’ll call you right away.”

  “Thanks. Bye”

  “Goodbye”

  Walker leaned back in his seat and started reading the Navy file on Mitchell. He was an impressive young man, intelligent, handsome, an excellent physical specimen, and an outstanding officer. The Navy did not what to lose him, but according to the file, he had family to take care of and resigned his commission.

  One of the most interesting facts in the file was the extensive psychic testing Mitchell was subjected to while in the Navy. According to the psychiatrist writing the report, Mitchell had scored higher in psychic potential than anyone he had tested. The doctor was convinced that if it wasn’t for Mitchell’s disbelief in the psychic phenomenon, he could actually demonstrate amazing abilities.

  Walker set the file down on the empty seat next to him. He relaxed and thought about Pam. He wondered what was going on in that isolated mountain lodge. He had been a victim of Pam’s predatory sexual nature. He wondered what was going on between two people who seemed to possess supernatural psychic strength.

  What time is it in Alaska? I bet she’s got him in bed by now. Walker looked at his watch. It was 1:40 am, which meant 9:40 in Alaska. He suddenly sat up straight staring at the watch. The jewel by the numbers five and seven were a slightly different color than the rest. He knew Pam was not wearing her security watch. It would not have been worth the risk to take something like that with her into China. It had to be Henry. The five was Henry’s signal and he had activated the seven, Patty’s Level 21 number. He had made contact. Pam was alive.

  This meant there was no doubt that Pam was at that lodge with Mitchell and Henry was in position to get her to the rendezvous point. Tom exhaled with relief as he touched the sides of his watch to reset the jewels to their normal color. One more bit of luck was needed. She would have to get away from Mitchell for Henry to grab her. Otherwise things may get a little messy around 1:00 tomorrow afternoon.

  Three hours later, the radio sitting on the end table next to Pickett crackled to life. “Stray Dog to Alley Cat. Over.” Pickett muted the television and picked up the radio.

  “This is Alley Cat, over.”

  “Objective reached. All’s well. Will be ready for guests by tomorrow. Over.”

  “Ten-four. You are to locate body twenty yards in front of objective and have it ready for guests also. Over.”

  “Copy that. Ten-four and out.”

  The brevity of the conversation on a scrambled radio channel would give anyone trying to eavesdrop little time to locate the team or figure out what they were doing. It was standard operating procedure for Carnes’s group.

  Suddenly, the phone in front of Tom rang.

  “Walker.”

  “This is Colonel Pickett. Good news. Carnes’s team is at the crash site. They should be ready for you by the time you get there. Anything else you need from me, just call.”

  “Thanks, I will. Good night, Colonel.”

  “Good luck.”

  Both men hung up and Tom reclined the seat fully and relaxed and tried to get a little sleep.

  Timing was everything and so far he had managed to keep the Chinese one step ahead of him.

  “Billy, wake up. What do you make of that?” Henry hit Billy in the arm while peering out of the front of the snow cat through his night vision binoculars.

  “What? Where?” Billy focused as quickly as he could. “Looks like a snowmobile.”

  “No head light,” Henry said. “I make out two riders.”

  Billy fumbled to raise his night vision binoculars to his eyes. “That’s what I see. Can’t make out facial features. They both got facemasks on and heavy clothing. My guess is the man is Mitchell and the other’s that dame we saw last night.”

  “I think you’re right. Where do you think they’re going?” Henry looked at his watch and back through his binoculars at the figures on the snowmobile.

  “I have no idea,” said Billy. “There’s nothing in that direction for many miles but the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.”

  “Six in the morning, middle of a blizzard, I doubt they’re going for a joy ride.”

  “Wait a minute. Just hold on. I remember Mitchell has a cabin right at the edge of the refuge. His uncle built it in case one of his hunting parties got stuck out in bad weather. Sometimes Mitchell uses it to base fishing expeditions out of. They could be heading there.”

  They lowered their binoculars as the snowmobile disappeared into the forest.

  “Can we follow them?” Henry asked.

  “Not on the trail they’re on. Tourist and fishing parties pack in by horseback on that trail. Mitchell apparently knows how to get through that way by snowmobile. There’s an old logging road Mitchell uses it to haul supplies there in the summer. It’ll take a little longer, but I can get you there if you think that’s where they’re going?”

  Billy started up the snow cat.

  “You got a better idea?” Henry asked as they started moving.

  Jim and Paula made better time than Jim planned. The snow relented and Jim figured there might even be clear skies by tonight. He carried the backpacks and Paula carried her cosmetics case into the cabin. It was a modest cabin that was sparsely furnished. Six sets of bunk beds covered two of the walls. The wall with the door also had the only window, a gas stove, a wood stove and a small counter. Shelving stocked with supplies covered the fourth wall. A large old dining room table and eight chairs sat in the center of the room. Jim set the backpacks down on the table, took off his facemask and gloves and set them next to the backpack. He lit the wood stove.

  “There’s a shed next to the cabin full of wood. There’s enough for a day or so here.” Jim said, pointing to a large stack of wood next to the door. “You can use the gas stove in a pinch, but you won’t have enough gas for more than a few days if you try and heat with it. So I suggest you try and haul in about this much wood each day. You can cook on the wood stove. Works better than you think. Plenty of everything you need.” Jim pointed toward the shelves. He turned and looked at Paula, who stood hugging her cosmetics case. Jim could see the fear in her eyes through her facemask. He walked over to her and took the cosmetics case out of her hands, setting it on the table. He slowly pulled Paula’s facemask off and her eyes welled up with tears. They held each other quietly for a minute.

  “Everything’s going to be okay. It’s just for a few days. Then we’ll be together forever.” He held her by the shoulders at arms’ length. “We don’t have much time. The weather’s clearing. Walker may show up early. I better go over a few things with you before I have to leave.”

  Paula pulled herself together and Jim showed her how to use the gas stove and where things were around the cabin. He made a pot of coffee on the wood stove and it was quickly time for him to leave. He put on his gloves and kissed Paula goodbye before tugging his facemask over his head.

  Paula spoke softly and gazed deeply into Jim’s eyes. Jim sensed Paula wanted to be intimate. “Jim, before you leave, do me one favor.” She continued without waiting for a response. “Let me in your mind. Let me take control–”

  “Paula, honey we don’t have the time.”

  “No, not that. I want to leave you with something special. Just close your eyes and don’t resist while I kiss you.” Their lips came together. Jim’s mind filled with Paula’s thoughts. No matter what happens always, always, forever remember I love you.

  When their kiss ended, she was not sure if she had been able to completely block Jim’s memories of the special tie that existed between them or of his special powers over her. His thoughts were muddled and he stared distantly. She wasn’t sure if she had been able to free him of her spell, like she had so many of her past lovers. Had she made it easier for him to lose Paula, Tino’s girlfriend, or would he anguish for eternity at the loss of Pam?

  “I better go,” Jim said without emotion as he turned and walked out the door. He started the snowmobil
e and accelerated away from the cabin. After a hundred yards, he turned back around to see the cabin fading from view in the snow. He turned around and felt his thoughts starting to clear. What had happened to him in those last moments with Paula? Something was missing, something very important he couldn’t remember. He remembered the last thing he heard Paula say. He would remember these words as if they had just been spoken for the rest of his life. …always, always, forever remember I love you. The closer he got to the lodge the more he missed Paula. He remembered how much he loved her, needed her, how good it was to be with her. He wondered why he hadn’t tried to tell her when he left.

  Pam collapsed onto one of the dining room chairs. She had to pull herself together. Paula was dead and Patty was 100 miles away from the Chinese. Just 100 miles from something she had planned and worked so hard for. Something that was worth losing Jim for, worth losing her life for. Just 36 hours ago she was the most powerful woman on the planet. She was in control of the destiny of the human race. Now she was struggling to prevent a complete emotional breakdown.

  Billy stopped the snow cat and shut off the engine.

  “Just around that bend and a few yards off the road as I remember, but I could be wrong. I think we better walk up there slowly just in case I’m right.”

  The two men got out of the vehicle and bent over as they slowly headed toward the bend in the road using the forest as cover.

  “There, see the smoke?” Billy held his arm out to stop Henry’s forward progress. He pointed toward smoke from the cabin stove above the trees 100 yards further down the road than he thought.

  “Let’s continue on foot so we don’t spook them,” Henry suggested. When they got close enough to see the cabin, they knelt down and concealed themselves behind some trees.

  “I don’t see the snowmobile,” Henry whispered. “That the only door?”

  “Don’t know, but probably.” Just then Billy felt the muzzle of Henry’s nine-millimeter flush against his neck.

  “What the fuck?” Billy froze. He knew his first impression was right. Henry was not to be trusted.

  “Billy, you’re a fine young man and a skilled agent. Don’t make me kill you. Don’t do anything dumb. Trust me. One wrong move and you’re dead. You understand?”

  “I understand. What do you want?”

  “Let’s walk over to that cabin. Nice and slow. Remember, Billy. I like you. I don’t want to see you killed, but if I have to I will.”

  “You’re not CIA are you?” Billy asked as they started for the cabin. Henry’s silence was all the answer he needed.

  Billy opened the door to the cabin. Patty was sitting at the table drinking a cup of Jim’s coffee. She jumped and gasped.

  “Who are you?” she asked.

  “Get in there,” Henry said, as Billy walked into the cabin in front of Henry.

  “Henry, I am glad to see you.” Patty smiled and relaxed.

  “Henry, who the hell is Henry?” Billy asked, as he turned to look at the man he knew as Tom Walker.

  “Shut up and sit down on one of those beds.” Henry kept the gun pointed at Billy. “You okay?” he asked Patty.

  “Yes, fine. What’s happening? Where’s Tom?”

  “Careful what you say around Billy here. He’s with the FBI. Nice kid, so far he knows nothing. Let’s keep it that way.” Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of pills.

  “Billy, I don’t want to tie you up in case no one comes looking for you for awhile and I don’t want to shoot you. So why don’t you take these sleeping pills.”

  “Yeah right,” Billy brushed off the request.

  “Look, kid if I wanted to kill you I would have done it out there on the road.”

  Patty took the pills out of Henry’s hand and handed them to Billy along with her cup of lukewarm coffee. “Take the damn pills.”

  Billy without knowing why took the pills, laid down on the bed, and passed out within a minute.

  We have to get out of here,” Henry said. “Bradley squealed just like we thought he would, but you were supposed to be in China two days ago. Tom will be here by 1 and is in charge of the official CIA hunt for you. But he’s only going to be able to slow-walk just so long. Then all hell’s going to break loose. If Tom’s plan is on schedule, the Army’s got a special unit at the crash site already and the Coast Guard’s waiting for the Chinese ship to move then they’re going to pounce on it. Ben’s got everything ready to get you out by plane as originally planned but we have to get to the rendezvous sight as soon as possible. This your stuff?” Henry said as he reached for the backpack on the table.

  “No, leave it. This is all I need.” Patty picked up the cosmetics case and started for the door.

  “How about this Mitchell guy? What does he know?” Henry followed Patty out of the door.

  “Nothing.” Henry could hear and feel that Patty did not want to discuss Mitchell, and the subject was never mentioned again.

  Neither spoke during the difficult walk through the deep snow back to the FBI’s snow cat. The wind died down and so had the snow improving visibility. Henry thought this was both a blessing and a curse. He had to find his way to the Chinese through the Alaskan wilderness using maps and luck. It also meant they would become more susceptible to detection.

  “Okay, so where are we and where in the hell are we going?” Patty closed the door to the cat and Henry started the engine.

  “Here’s the map,” Henry said reaching into his coat handing it to Patty. “We look for the Big Bear River just south of Mitchell’s place. We follow it all the way to Otter Bay and the Chinese. It’s frozen over and the terrain gets flatter closer to the coast. We should be able to drive on the frozen river most of the way.”

  The snow cat began moving and there was little conversation between the two of them except for occasionally checking the map and discussions of how to navigate around obstacles they encountered. Henry concentrated on driving trying not to think of the fate that awaited him at the end of the ride. Pam looked at the scenery out of the side window but didn’t really notice it; she tried to get her mind on the tasks ahead of her and off of Jim.

  Sheriff Keller waited in his cat next to the runway as the C140 landed. The shockwave of air shook the cat as the large Air Force cargo plane passed swirling snow behind it. When it came to a stop, Bill drove up to the rear of the plane as the cargo door opened and three figures climbed out dressed in military arctic clothing. They approached the cat. One of them opened the passenger door sticking his head in and extending his gloved hand he said.

  “Sheriff Keller? I’m Tom Walker.”

  They awkwardly shook hands with their heavy gloves on before the other two men climbed in the back seat. Walker got in the front and closed the door.

  “This is Mark Niemer and Bill Gonzo with the FAA.” Bill reached back to shake each of their extended hands in turn. “I suppose you want to see some ID,” Tom said as he began to take off his gloves so he could open his coat.

  “Forget it.” Bill started the cat moving toward Mitchell’s lodge. “National Guard helping to clear that runway and you coming in here on that Air Force cargo plane in the middle of the worst storm in ten years is good enough for me. I figure if you’re not who you say you are you’re somebody.”

  “How long until we get to Mitchell’s?” Tom asked.

  “It’s about 9:00 now. I figure I’ll have you there by 1:00, maybe sooner. Looks like the storm’s going to play itself out a little faster than predicted.”

  “How well do you know Mitchell?” Tom asked.

  “Real well. We’re like brothers. We grew up together, why?”

  “What I’m about to tell you is highly classified. I checked into your background. I know I can trust you to keep this quiet. The missing girl–”

  “Yeah.” Tom had Bill’s attention.

  “She’s our top nuclear missile scientist. We think she’s trying to defect to the Chinese.”

  “No shit, why?”


  “I’m not entirely sure, but you’re a trained investigator. Knowing that fact, why do you think she would just walk away from that plane crash into the Alaskan wilderness in a blizzard? Before you say maybe the Chinese were there and took her, we already know they weren’t. They were and still are 100 miles away at Otter Bay. Your friend Mitchell was the only one near there. In fact he was there.”

  “If you think Jim would have anything to do with something like this your–”

  “Actually, I don’t. He doesn’t fit the profile of someone involved in international espionage. He only got involved because of an accidental plane crash. So obviously he was not part of any plan for this woman to defect. But he could be involved without knowing what’s really happening.”

  “But why? How? It doesn’t make any sense. Why would Jim do anything but tell the truth about the plane crash and the woman? I know him. He just wouldn’t.”

  “You’re 100 percent right. It doesn’t make sense. That’s why I’m here, first to determine which two of the three occupants died in the crash, and if it was the woman who survived, find her before the Chinese do. Regardless, I think Mitchell knows more than he’s telling. I may need your help in getting him to talk.”

  “Hey, I’ll do whatever. I just can’t believe Mitchell’s lying. Maybe this woman was in shock, suffered a head injury or something and wandered off on her own.”

  “Maybe, just don’t tip Jim off, let me handle it, be ready to help if I need it.”

  “No problem.”

  Henry slowed down as a cat came into view through the snow ahead. As they got closer, he could make out four figures standing in front of the cat and a snowmobile. Henry stopped about fifty yards away.