Page 97 of An Epic Voyage

Van Houten’s fingers were digging into Indigo’s arms.There was no easy way to reach back and relieve him of the DMS.If she made a move, there was a genuine possibility that Abdullahi’s bodyguards would shoot her.

“I came here in good faith,” Abdullahi growled.“I do not tolerate double-crossers.”

Van Houten insisted, “I’m a victim, too.I was told it was legitimate and shown the proper paperwork.”

“Where is it?”Abdullahi wanted to know.

“Right there.”

Abdullahi was losing his patience.“The paperwork.Where is it?”

“I didn’t bring it with me.”

“Convenient.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“I don’t believe you, and if you think using this woman will protect you, you are sadly mistaken.We will shoot her too.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The door from the wheelhouseto the conference room had been left open, so Griffin was close enough to listen to the conversation but hidden from view.He peeked around the corner every so often to monitor the situation.Van Houten’s group stood on one side of the table and Abdullahi’s the other.They weren’t facing him, so they wouldn’t see him unless they glanced his way.

He’d been surprised to hear Indigo converse with the doctor in Chinese.How many languages did she speak?There were so many layers to her, and he wanted to discover each one.He had a working knowledge of the dialect.Hearing the doctor say the nuke was fake should’ve been a shock, but it wasn’t.

Red hazed his vision when Van Houten thrust Indigo in front of him.It’d taken every ounce of restraint he had not to put a bullet in his right ear.

In the chaos, no one noticed the doctor slip the case off the table and slowly creep out of the room.When he was within range, Griffin snagged him and slapped a hand over his mouth when he squealed.

Panicked eyes pleaded with him.Griffin removed his hand.

“Please, you must let me go.I am holding a nuclear weapon.”

“You told them it was a fake.”

“It is real.I said that to get away.It should not be in the hands of a monster like Abdullahi.Many people will die.”