The Ship Finder Page 18

"Do they still plan to attack the water system on Triod next week?"

  "It's still a go," Wilson said. He paused and added, "Maybe I can convince Rachel to let me know what's in the package."

  "She could lie to you," Black commented. "So, you'll need to actually see what's inside it. And don't forget, she'll do her best to check you out. I might send someone to contact you, so be on the alert."

  "How'll I know who my contact is?"

  "Keep your special cell phone with you. We'll call," he said. "It'll work on Earth, too."

  "Okay," Wilson said.

  "I've got to go now, Bill. Take care."

  "Bye," Wilson said.

  Just minutes before The Ghost Liner was to jump to Earth at 2 p.m., a locked briefcase containing a secret package for Rachel was delivered to the ship. Raven did not have a key for the case. Meanwhile, he contrived a simple plan to drop off Rachel and Wilson near car rental agencies by Honolulu's airport. Sometime later, a courier would contact her to arrange for the pickup of the briefcase.

  Chapter 23 – Oahu and a Girl's Best Friends

  After the vibration of the jump ceased, The Ghost Liner cloaked near Honolulu International Airport. Wilson and Rachel exited through one of the ship's small doorways, which poked into Earth's realm from a place between dimensions. Most of the ship lay just outside of Earth's bounds.

  The small exit looked like a tool shed near a thick grove of trees and bushes. Its appearance would fool onlookers if they happened to see Wilson and Rachel as they got out of the semi-cloaked ship.

  Rachel carried a locked leather briefcase, which Raven had instructed her to deliver to a male courier, who was thirtyish with black hair. He was supposed to phone Rachel to set up a meeting location and time. During their rendezvous he was to use the password, "palm." Rachel was to reply to the password with, "reader," and give him the case.

  Emerging from behind the leaves of a tree at the edge of a blacktop road, Wilson and Rachel crossed the street and approached several car rental agencies. The pair wore straw hats and carried backpacks with enough clothes for three days. The sky was deep blue, and the colors of the vegetation were vivid in the tropical sunlight. The afternoon temperature was in the upper seventies, but it was on the rise. Forecasters had predicted an unusual heat wave.

  "Let's rent a car," Wilson said, and they walked hand-in-hand towards a chain link fence that protected fleets of rental autos.

  "Anything you say, Bill."

  "We'll get a luxury electric vehicle, so we can tour this island in style," he said. Rachel nodded yes, closed her eyes, and sucked clean air into her lungs.

  He, too, inhaled the fresh sea air from a soft but humid breeze. He was relieved to be away from the terrible cyborg war that was invisible from Earth. He asked himself, Why should we return to the ship's rendezvous point? Wilson had plenty of cash. He and Rachel could drop out of sight and enjoy life for a few months or forever.

  Maybe I should say the hell with it all. He tucked those thoughts away for the moment, as he and Rachel approached the closest automobile leasing company building that housed Jolt Electric Cars.

  The duo strolled into the rental office. The air conditioning was on, and it was cold inside. They stood in line behind people waiting to be served at the counter.

  "Why don't you get a smart looking sports car?" Rachel said. She looked up at Wilson as if she were an excited teenager. He noticed her perfect teeth, as white and fresh as those in a tooth paste commercial. She was thrilled to be in Hawaii.

  "The Great Leader can afford it," Wilson whispered. "He makes great fake currency even though Sunev has banned money."

  Rachel smiled and said, "The cash is real." He was surprised the money was genuine. Yarnell had given them twenty thousand dollars each in cash as well as credit cards and fake IDs. The two were now Mr. and Mrs. William Smith of White Plains, New York.

  "How can I help you?" asked the car rental agent, a young, attractive brunette.

  "I'd like to lease a nice, fast sports car," Wilson said. "What do you recommend?"

  "I have three beautiful electric-powered Blackstone Bullets," she said. "They're two-seaters, but the trunk is big enough to hold three large suitcases. The range is 400 miles on a full charge. They also have a new option, the chameleon switch. You can press the color-coded buttons, and the car will change its color. Cost is eighty-seven dollars per day."

  "I've never heard of the chameleon switch," Wilson said.

  "That's because the option is still being tested. In fact, we're one of three rental agencies in the U.S. that are beta test centers for this new option. The manufacturer wants to know if there are any problems with it before it's put into general production."

  "That's going to be a big seller," Wilson commented. "How does it work?"

  "I'm not quite sure of the details," the brunette admitted. "But an engineer from the car company told me that scientists were able to mimic how a chameleon works, and with a special electrical current, they can change the color of the car."

  "I'll take one," Wilson said.

  "You can set it to red, green, blue, white, or black," the brunette said. "Would you like me to preset the color so you can see it quicker? We have them all set to white to reduce the inside temperature because they're sitting in the sun."

  "How about fire engine red," he said.

  "You'll love it," the young rental agent replied.

  In ten minutes Wilson and Rachel were on their way, guided by a map of Oahu that the young lady had supplied. It was mid-afternoon, and Wilson figured that by nightfall they could find a nice hotel along Waikiki Beach in sight of Diamond Head. He decided that they also would do a little touring before it got dark.

  "I wonder when the courier's going to call," Rachel said. "It's a good thing we have a car. We should be able to meet him soon after he contacts me. This island isn't that big."

  "I wouldn't stress about it," Wilson said. "But I'd feel a lot better if we knew what's in the case."

  "Are you suggesting we pick the lock to see what's inside so you can report it to the rebels?" she asked.

  "I don't know how to pick a lock," he replied. "And if I were a rebel and I dared to tell the rebels what's inside, wouldn't that put you in danger?"

  "That depends on what's inside," said Rachel. "I'm going to take a look. Please stop the car."

  He pulled off the road near a park, and stopped the car in a public parking lot.

  "I carry a couple of small burglar's tools in my purse," Rachel said, as she unsnapped her handbag. She removed a small tension wrench and a lock pick and then quickly opened the briefcase without damaging the lock.

  "Where did you learn how to do that?" he asked.

  "In spy school," she said. "Wow! This case is loaded with carbon crystals. They're very pretty."

  "What?" Wilson asked. He peeked into the case, which was jam-packed with beautifully cut diamonds, many of them very large. "Those diamonds must be worth a lot of money."

  "They're actually dirt cheap," said Rachel. "We make them from carbon using nanotechnology. Carbon is abundant, and we assemble diamonds atom by atom to make perfect crystals."

  "So, what will the Sunevian team do with the diamonds here on Earth?"

  "My guess is that our people will trade them for gold," said Rachel. "These carbon crystals are as cheap as plastic for us, so we can give people who have gold to trade a very good deal. Also, our team can exchange diamonds for money."

  She snapped the case shut and reengaged its lock. "We might as well have a good time touring while we wait for the courier's call," she said, and she seemed to be relieved.

  "Let's do a little planning as long as we're stopped," Wilson said. He unfolded the colorful map the woman at the car rental agency had given to him. "Let's take a quick look to see what we could do for a couple of hours before we check into a decent hotel."

  Rachel leaned on his right shoulder and peered at the map. He inhaled her exotic perfume and felt her soft hair against
his neck. She pointed to a spot on the map. "We're next to Pearl Harbor. What's that?"

  "It's a naval base that the Japanese attacked in 1941, which brought the United States into World War II," Wilson said. "Many of our ships sank, others sustained heavy damage, and thousands of sailors died. The public can visit it, but it's a sad place because of all those who died there."

  "If you don't mind, let's skip it," she said. "I've had enough of war for now."

  "Me, too," Wilson said. "We can make our way east towards Waikiki Beach and its hotels and tourist attractions."

  "Good idea," Rachel said as she continued to examine the map. "Let's find a nice place to park by the beach, and then we can walk on the sand."

  "That's a plan I like. I want to see the ocean and feel the warm water and sand ooze between my toes," he said. "I'll follow H1 and go south to Yacht Harbor. Lots of hotels are around there. We can check in and park." He glanced up from the map.

  "We might as well splurge, Mr. Smith," she said. "Why not check into a honeymoon suite?"

  "We'll see if any are available," Wilson said. "Quite a few people get married here." He began to think more about a stay in a honeymoon suite with Rachel than about places to visit. He fantasized, picturing her in the nude as he drove towards the beach on Ala Moana Boulevard. Then Wilson saw an impressive hotel on his right, the Blue Wave Resort.

  "That place is pretty," Rachel said.

  "I agree," he replied. He turned into the circular drive in front of the hotel's main entry. "We should check it out."

  A valet came forward. "Do you want me to park your car?"

  "Not yet," Wilson said. "We'd like to look around to see if we want to stay here."

  "That's okay," he said. "Pull into a half hour slot up ahead. We'll keep an eye on your car."

  "Thanks," Wilson said, and he gave the valet a five dollar tip.

  Wilson and Rachel walked into the plush lobby, which was carpeted in thick, maroon rugs. Beautiful furniture, paintings, and shiny brass hardware made the place look better than any hotel Wilson had ever seen before. A man in tails played a grand piano while a small audience listened and drank cocktails. A few couples danced on a parquet floor that was surrounded by small, round tables.

  Wilson and Rachel walked to the hotel's check-in desk where a young man was on duty.

  "How much is a room?" Wilson asked.

  "Our standard room is $250 per night."

  "Do you have a honeymoon suite available?"

  The young man blushed as he glanced at Rachel. "I'll check." He began to type on his computer keyboard, and then he looked up. "We do. We had a cancellation. There's a special rate because of the last minute change. The suite is $950 per night, a $500 savings. Here are some pictures." He handed Wilson a set of large color photos in a binder. The room was first-rate.

  "It's nice," Rachel said.

  "We'll take it," Wilson said. He used a credit card to secure the room and asked the young man to have a valet park the rental car.

  Wilson and Rachel took the elevator up to the suite.

  "It's beautiful," she said, as they entered their small apartment. She sat on the big, heart-shaped bed and bounced. "Don't get any ideas. I want to go to the beach right away."

  She teased him, and he liked it. He reflected, what would Lena think if she ever found out about Rachel? Do clones "connect" like identical twins?

  Rachel sprang up from the mattress, and smiled.

  "When we get back, we can try out the bed," he said.

  "We'll be back sooner than you think," she said.

  Wilson stepped into the bathroom and examined the marble tub that was big enough for two or more people. He wandered out of the bathroom and watched Rachel as she changed into a bikini. "It's a shame that the hotel will be cheated out of their money with the phony credit card," he said.

  Rachel looked back at him as she fastened her swimsuit bra. "The card isn't a fake, either," she said. "Sunev has made some large gold investments on Earth to fund research here. Just the ID's are bogus."

  "So, Sunev is in business on Earth. Every so often I've been surprised by what I learn about your planet and its government's activities," Wilson said. "This is one of those times."

  "It makes sense not to upset the authorities," Rachel said. "Our people want to stay low key."

  "I bet you didn't hear how Raven and Yarnell burglarized a display in Gold Country and stole historic gold nuggets worth millions during our recent visit there," Wilson said.

  "Wow! They took a big chance."

  "That's for sure," Wilson said. He got into his swim trunks. "I think those two guys have a criminal streak in them, or at least they're thrill seekers."

  "I wonder what's next," she said.

  Wilson slipped on his flip-flop sandals and rubbed sun block lotion on his arms, body, and face. "They're going to Gold Country to look for more gold," he said.

  "I predict they won't find much because the easy-to-find California gold has already been found."

  "Good point," Wilson said. "Maybe they'll steal more gold."

  "We'll have to wait to find out," she said. "Let's go. I want to get to the beach."

  She shoved the briefcase of diamonds into Wilson's backpack, and he slung it over his shoulder. They rode the elevator to the lobby, left the hotel, and began to walk the two blocks to the beach. Crowds of people dressed in swimsuits also strolled towards shore.

  Wilson saw a blond man in the throng across the street, walking towards the beach. He reminded Wilson of Art Terac, the man who had broken Lena out of prison.

  "Don't stare, but see that fair-haired man across the street?" Wilson asked as he nudged Rachel. "I've seen him before."

  The man turned his head away and walked on. Wilson instantly regretted that he had said anything because the guy may have been Terac. Rachel could have identified him and passed the intel to her people, if she was still loyal to the Great Leader.

  "He looks nice, like a clone companion," she said. "But there are countless men who look kind of like him." Wilson was relieved that she didn't seem to know the blond man who was now out of sight.

  It was about half past four when they stepped onto the sand of a topless beach near the U.S. Army Museum. Rachel's eyes opened wide when she saw crowds of naked men and women. "I thought your society was more reserved," she said.

  "It used to be a lot more Puritan, but during the last twenty years the second sexual revolution happened after scientists developed the AIDS vaccine."

  Rachel glanced at a young woman with large breasts who also had a tall, thin body. A man with too much belly fat walked hand-in-hand with her.

  "I haven't heard of a disease called AIDS," she said. "Perhaps you should request that our scientists add the AIDS vaccine to our nano meds."

  "Good idea. I could work with scientists to put more vaccines into nano medicine to fight viruses that could travel from Earth to Sunev."

  They began to walk along the beach again. Rachel took another quick look at the woman with the big bosom and her older boyfriend with the pot belly. "Now that we're in the second sexual revolution, should I take off my bra?" Rachel asked, and she chuckled.

  "You don't have to," Wilson said. "I won't take off my trunks. I might get sunburned."

  "I wouldn't want that to happen," she said as she snatched his hand.

  They strolled along the beach towards Diamond Head, an extinct volcanic cone east of Waikiki Beach. The pair walked into the waves and let wet sand and salt water flow between their toes. Then they strode on the warm, golden sand, which clung to their feet. The odors of fancy meals drifted to them from a waterfront restaurant fifty feet away. Wilson smelled charcoaled steak, roasted fish, and other foods. People sat outside around patio tables and feasted.

  "That looks good," he said. He gestured towards the eatery. "The aroma tempts me. I'm hungry as a lion on a desert island."

  "Let's go," Rachel said. They walked to the restaurant, and a Hawaiian waitress dressed in a gr
ass skirt and nothing more seated them. Wilson tried to ignore her bare breasts.

  "You can roast your meal if you choose," the waitress said. "Our menu indicates what you can cook at the grill. It's fun to do." She handed menus to them.

  Wilson chose to roast a fish steak – mahi mahi, also called dorado, a tasty fish. Rachel chose a sirloin steak. Before the waitress brought their raw steaks to them, Wilson noticed a news bulletin on a nearby TV screen mounted high on the wall: "Fort Knox Gold Heist Nets a Ton of Gold."

  He stood and walked closer to the screen so he could hear the news report.

  "What's up?" Rachel asked.

  "There's been a gold robbery." He pointed to the TV screen.

  "Oh," she whispered, and they both thought the same thing. The culprits were Raven and Yarnell.

  Wilson heard the sound much better after he stood under the TV monitor. "Earlier today thieves took gold worth more that forty-seven-million dollars from The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky. About a ton of gold was taken at 2 a.m. from the depository's high security vault.

  "A government employee, who declined to be identified, said two masked burglars dressed in black were caught on camera while they loaded gold bars onto dollies. Security cameras in the area were disabled moments later. So how the thieves got away is a mystery. Our source also told us that all employees are being questioned. The depository's fortified vault is considered impregnable.

  "A twenty-two ton, blast-proof door protects the vault. Two or more staff members at a time must use separate combinations to open the door. The United States Mint Police guard more than 5,000 tons of gold. The vault is located at Fort Knox, which has more than 30,000 soldiers, aircraft, and heavy weaponry that includes tanks. Stand by for further reports as we learn more about this breaking story. Jeff MacDonald, World Wide News, reporting from Fort Knox, Kentucky."

  The TV broadcast switched to regular programming. Rachel stood beside Wilson and stared at the screen.

  "There's no doubt Raven and Yarnell did it," she whispered. "They just needed the right coordinates to beam into the vault from between dimensions. They got enough gold to enable us to build many ships. I'll wager the two of them took more than they'll turn over to the Great Leader. They'll probably cash in some gold and hide money in a bank on Earth so they can live here if they get in trouble."