Ark Angel - Anthony Horowitz [71]
Tamara swam through the broken door and Alex followed. There was an open hatch and they slipped through it, travelling slowly up. They paused when their gauges showed five metres. This was the safety stop that would allow nitrogen to seep out of their bloodstream and prevent them from getting the bends. Five minutes later they completed their ascent, breaking through the surface into the brilliant afternoon sun.
Alex had no air to inflate his BCD, so he unfastened his weight belt and let it fall. Then he tore off his mask.
“How…?” he began.
“Later,” Tamara said.
It was a long swim back to the island and Tamara wanted to make sure they weren’t seen. They allowed the current to carry them round Little Point, then kicked in for the shore behind the house. Tamara checked there were no guards in sight before they ran across the beach and into the shelter of the palm trees.
Alex heaved off his tank and threw himself down onto the ground. He lay there panting. Tamara was lying next to him. In her wetsuit, with her hair loose and water trickling down her face, she didn’t look anything like a personal secretary … and suddenly Alex realized that she had never really been one.
“That was too close for comfort,” she said.
Alex stared at her. “Who are you?” he asked. But already he knew the answer. “CIA.”
Of course. Joe Byrne had told him he had someone on the island.
“I’m sorry I’ve had to be so unfriendly to you,” Tamara said. She gave him a dazzling smile, as if it was something she had been wanting to do all along. “I’m sure you understand. It was my cover.”
“Sure.” It all made sense. “How did you find me just now?” he asked.
“You’d already told me where you were going,” Tamara explained. “I don’t know why, but I was nervous and I decided to follow you. I went into your room and grabbed the inhaler. I thought it might be useful and I was right. Then I swam out. I was just nearing the site of the wreck, when I saw the boat heading back without you and I guessed what must have happened. So I came down to find you.”
“Thank you.” Alex was feeling drowsy. The late afternoon sun was beating down on him and he was already dry. “So what happens now?” he asked.
“You tell me.”
“I think Drevin may be planning to leave tonight.” Quickly Alex told her about the phone call he had overheard.
But Tamara looked doubtful. “I can’t believe that,” she said. “The launch tomorrow … Ark Angel. It means everything to him. He’s been working on it for months. Why disappear now?”
“I agree. But he definitely mentioned a boat. It’s arriving at eleven o’clock.”
“Then we have to be there. There’s a backup unit waiting in Barbados. If Drevin tries to leave, we can contact them and they’ll be here in minutes.”
“What do we do until then?”
“You’d better wait here. I’ll go back to the house and get you some clothes. And something to eat and drink.” She studied Alex closely. “Are you OK?”
“I’m fine. Thanks, Tamara. You saved my life.”
“It’s great to be working with you, Alex. Joe told me all about you.”
Tamara slipped away, leaving Alex on his own. He watched the waves breaking gently on the white sand. The sun was beginning to set and the first shadows were already stretching out, reaching towards Alex and silently warning him of the dangers of the coming night.
TROPICAL STORM
At ten o’clock that night, Alex and Tamara were waiting on the edge of the rainforest, looking down the track towards the wooden cabins where the guards got washed and changed. Both of them were dressed in dark clothes. Tamara had picked out combat trousers and a long-sleeved black T-shirt for Alex. He was too hot. The night had brought with it a clammy heat that clung to his skin, and he could feel the sweat snaking down his back. But this way there was less chance of being seen,