Catalyst (Breakthrough Book 3)(115)

Clay stopped at the curtain of vegetation and separated several vines. There wasn’t much to see. Just a narrow path outside, almost entirely reclaimed by the forest.

Clay powered off the flashlight, tucking both it and the phone into the pocket on the leg of his pants.

“Stay close.”

He unslung his HK in a smooth motion, raising it to his cheek. He then took a step forward and let the rifle slowly emerge from between the vines. His eyes searching left, then right.

He stepped out onto the dry groundcover, crunching under his feet, and listened carefully. Clay continued slowly and had made it less than ten feet when he froze, causing Li Na to bump into him.

“What is it?”

Clay didn’t answer. Instead, he turned carefully around and stopped, staring over Li Na’s head.

Lining the tiny hill above them were over a dozen soldiers, all with their rifles raised and aimed directly at Clay. Off to the side stood Li Qin, with a bandaged right hand, and before him, the terrified teenage boy who had shown them the tunnel.

Clay didn’t move. Instead, he stared up as Qin smiled and laid his good hand reassuringly over the young boy’s shoulder.

“Drop your gun.”

Clay felt Li Na press in behind him as he studied the other soldiers. Very slowly, he lowered his HK to the ground.

Qin motioned to one of the men next to him, who then lowered his own rifle. It was at that moment that Clay removed the phone from his pocket and held it up.

The approaching soldier stopped and studied the phone curiously. He glanced back to Qin, who was doing the same. Together they watched as Clay turned the unit in his hand and began typing a message with his thumb.

Qin’s eyes opened wide. He screamed at the soldier who was now within twenty feet. “STOP HIM!”

The man exploded into a run, quickly reaching the end of the incline and launching himself forward.

Clay took the full impact and was thrown to the ground while the phone tumbled out of his reach. The soldier reached it first and brought down the full weight of his boot, smashing the device into several pieces.





73





In Washington, D.C., Wil Borger’s heart nearly stopped when he read the single word message from Clay on his own phone. He stared, disbelieving, at each of the nine letters displayed on the tiny screen.

“Oh no.”

He suddenly jumped when his desk phone rang. He leaned over his desk and looked at the incoming number.

“You have got to be kidding.”





Upstairs, Admiral Langford turned away from his window when his office door opened and Wil Borger was shown in by his secretary. She closed it behind him, leaving him standing awkwardly and facing Langford.

“You wanted to see me, Admiral.”

“I did.”

Langford walked back to his desk and sat on the edge, studying Borger. He motioned to a chair. “Have a seat.”

Borger nervously stepped forward and eased himself down.

Langford folded his arms. “Anything you’d like to tell me, Wil?”

“Um…what do you mean?”

Langford scratched his temple, thinking. “I just had a very interesting conversation. Care to guess with who?”

Borger tried to smile. “Not my mother, I hope.”

“Very funny.”

Borger’s smile disappeared. “Sorry.”

“As insightful as a call with your mother might actually be, the person I just hung up with was Alison Shaw.”

Borger stared back with genuine surprise. “Alison?”

“Yes. Do you know why?”

“Uh…no, sir.”

Langford continued studying Borger. “Do you know where she is?”

“Puerto Rico?”

“She’s aboard the Pathfinder. Anchored not far from Trinidad.”

“I didn’t know that.”

Langford nodded. “What’s surprising to me, however, is why Ms. Shaw called me…asking about you.”

“Me?”

“That’s right.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Well, that makes two of us. You see, not only is Ms. Shaw in the Caribbean on a very important mission, but now she’s calling me…and asking that I put you on a flight to Trinidad.”

“Trinidad? What for?”

Langford stared down at Borger with steely eyes. “I thought you might tell me.”

“I don’t know why, sir.”

“I see.” Langford sighed and stood up. He rounded his desk and sat down heavily in his chair. After some consideration, he pressed his hands together in front of his face. “Ms. Shaw is with Commander Lawton on the Pathfinder investigating what they believe could be a second location for our mysterious plants. Like those found by Clay and Caesare in Guyana.”

“What?!” Borger leaned forward in his seat.