“Two things,” Philby corrected. “We went over this. I’m counting on you, Finn.”
You and everybody else, Finn thought.
“We want to look like two kids pretending to be radio dudes. You know: kidding around. So we’re going to jump from talking to each other across the interview desk to me at the controls. Kids playing around.”
“I got it.”
“And in the meantime—”
“You’re going to work your magic,” Finn said.
“You look terrified.”
“I am terrified,” Finn said. “We get kicked off the ship in the first hour we’re aboard, we’re not exactly making things better.”
“This stuff has to get tested while we’re still tied to shore.”
“Yeah, yeah. The hard link to our land-based server.” Finn had been told of the requirement twice.
“Yes. I need to establish a land-linked Ethernet handshake with our DHI server to assign a static IP address. It’s how the server works. Once I’ve got that address established, it can be reassigned to the wireless system on board. But it’s not easy. It’s not quick. And don’t forget your call to Wayne.”
Three times. “But it’s not a call.”
“Radio, whatever.”
“But why not just call me on my cell?”
“Wayne does stuff…his way.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” He didn’t like having to listen to Philby telling him about Wayne. It made him uneasy. Jealous, if he was being truthful.
“There’s got to be a reason,” Philby said. “Doesn’t matter.” He checked his watch. “Transmission’s in ten…nine minutes.”
“So shouldn’t we get in there?” Finn asked. “Get started?”
“Do you see a key anywhere?”
“No.”
“We need a key.”
For Finn the next minute was very long. Knowing nothing of what the Radio Studio looked like, he tried to rehearse the next few steps in his head. Tried to see himself and Philby in there so it wouldn’t seem so foreign when the time came.
They stood in front of the glass door etched RADIO STUDIO in smoky lettering. The studio interior was dark.
Finn caught movement to his left, down the stairs. A swish of reddish-black hair, olive skin. The flutter of footsteps racing away from them. Instinctively, he moved toward the activity.
Looking down at the next landing, he saw a colorful card the size of a credit card on the carpet.
A ship ID and room key.
Philby saw it too. He waved the key card.
“The old goat delivered!”
Finn didn’t appreciate Wayne being called an old goat. He was about to protest as Philby hurried past him and waved the key in front of the door. It unlocked.
Finn glanced back down the stairs, wondering who their ally was. “Let me see that card,” he said.
Philby pocketed it. “No time.”
They entered, quickly shutting the door behind them.
Finn slid into a seat in front of one of three microphones. Philby took the engineer’s chair.
“How do you even know what you’re doing?”
Philby shot him a look as if to say, Who says I do? He threw several switches, put on a set of headphones, pushed some buttons, then adjusted a tuner. He worked some faders on the soundboard in front of him and stabbed some buttons there as well. Finn also donned a pair of headphones; suddenly there was a deafening voice.
“This is Lou Mongello, calling for the Dream Radio Studio.”
Philby spoke to Finn. “Lou Mongello runs WDW Radio on the web. Wayne used his station as the go-between to make the contact with us. Less chance of being discovered. Basically it’s like this: Wayne will pretend to be interviewing you for Lou’s show.”
“Got it.” Why did Philby know all this stuff?
“You may need to ask him questions as well.”
“Sure.”
“This is the Studio,” Philby said into a microphone. “We’ve got you, Lou.”
“Ready for the interview?” Lou Mongello said.
“We’re ready on this end.”
“I’m busy today, so I’m going to turn this over to one of my reporters.”
“No problem,” said Philby. He covered up his microphone and spoke to Finn. “He’s putting Wayne on.”
Finn gave him the thumbs-up.
“This is Mr. Alcott,” Wayne said, using his daughter’s surname. “Mr. Lawrence?”
“I’m on,” Finn said. The interview was under way. Philby left the chair and got busy with other machinery. Finn watched Philby while speaking to Wayne.
The Radio Studio was aft-facing with a spectacular view of the back half of the ship and the Inland Waterway beyond.