Tom Clancy's op-center_ acts of war - Tom Clancy [42]
"This is the mobile archaeological research center," he said.
"Benedict, it's Carlton Kuhnigit."
Lowell wasn't fully awake. But he was awake enough to recognize Mike Rodgers's voice and to know that his own name wasn't Benedict. In fact, the only Benedict he knew of was Benedict Arnold the traitor, who'd plotted to surrender West Point to the British during the American Revolution. Since Mike Rodgers had zero sense of humor, there had to be a reason he'd referred to him as Benedict. There also had to be a reason that Rodgers had intentionally mispronounced the name of his Carlton Knight pseudonym.
All of this the attorney considered in the instant it took him to reply with a jaunty, "Hi there, Mr. Kuhnigit." At the same time Coffey pressed the record button on the top of the phone cradle. Then he opened the driver's side window and snapped his fingers. Phil Katzen and Mary Rose were eating a chicken they'd bought in the market that morning and had cooked over a campfire. Coffey pointed to them and indicated that they should come in quickly but quietly. They put their paper plates down and hurried over. "How are things going?" Coffey asked.
"Not so well," Rodgers said. "Benny, the colonel and I had this damn accident out here."
"Are you okay?"
"More or less," Rodgers said. "But I want you to tell Captain John Hawkins to pack up and get out here as soon as possible."
Katzen and Mary Rose rushed in.
"I'll tell Captain John Hawkins to do that," Coffey replied. The attorney looked at Mary Rose. He pointed to the computer and wriggled his fingers as though he were typing.
Mary Rose gave him a thumbs-up "got-it" and sat down at the keyboard. She typed in the name.
"Where are you?" Coffey asked. Not that he needed Rodgers to tell him. Coffey would let Mary Rose and the ROC do that. But he wanted to give Rodgers the opportunity to talk, to pass along any other information.
"Have you got map Three P-as-in-perps handy?" Rodgers asked.
"Right here," Coffey said. "Just let me open it up." His mind was speeding. Someone who understood English was obviously listening in, but not someone who spoke colloquial English or knew American history. Otherwise, that person would have known that perps meant perpetrators. The person also would have known who Benedict Arnold was.
So what's he saying? Coffey asked himself. Was Benedict Arnold Colonel Seden? Or did Mike mean that he was being forced to betray the ROC? In any case, there was treason afoot and three people were holding him.
"Ready with the map," Coffey lied.
"Okay," Rodgers said. "We're off the road about a quarter mile after the dirt road begins. There's a hill on the east side of the first rise. See it?"
"Sure do," Coffey replied.
"I'll be waiting for you there."
"You need any medical supplies?" Coffey asked.
"Just a couple of bandages. Also a shot of whiskey for the colonel. I think you better hurry, okay?"
Coffey knew that Rodgers didn't drink. He was guessing that someone had been shot. "I understand, Carlton. We'll be there ASAP." Coffey hesitated. "Are you sure you'll be all right until we get there?"
"I think I'll live, Benny," Rodgers replied.
Coffey hung up and walked toward Katzen. "Okay," he said gravely, "what I got from this is that Mike and the colonel have been caught by three people. They don't speak English very well. Apparently they read his Canton Knight ID and called him Kuhnigit. Sounds like Seden was shot and Mike was forced to call us. And since Mike isn't a swearing man, I'm guessing he mentioned the 'damn' accident for a very specific reason reason."
"Like he stumbled on the guys who blew up the Ataturk," said Katzen, who was standing behind Mary Rose.
"Or they stumbled upon him," Coffey said.
"Here," Mary Rose said. "Captain John Hawkins. According to the database, Hawkins was an English sailor who was ambushed by the Spanish in Vera Cruz in 1568."
Katzen shook his head slowly. "Only Mike Rodgers would know something like that."
Coffey