White Death

She replied without hesitation. "Oceanus?"

Austin nodded grimly. "As I learned in the Faroes, Oceanus has the thug power, the violent inclination and the organization. What happened next?"

"They let me go. Just like that. Then they were ru

"Normally, I'd say yes. But I don't know if it would do any good. They might pass it off as an attempted mugging. Given your rela- tionship with the Danish authorities, you might be detained here longer than you'd like."

"You're right," Therri said. She drained the last other glass. "I'd better get back to my room. My flight leaves early in the morning."

Austin walked Therri to her door, where they paused. "You're sure you'll be okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for the interesting evening. You certainly

know how to show a girl a good time."

"That was nothing. Just wait until our next date." She smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I can hardly wait." He was impressed at how quickly Therri had recovered. She was proving to be an iron butterfly. "Call me if you need anything."

She nodded. Austin wished her a good night's sleep and headed for the elevator. She watched until the elevator doors had closed. Then she pulled her key out of the lock, walked down the hall and knocked on another door, which was opened by Marcus Ryan. His smile disappeared when he saw the strain in her face. "Are you all right?" he said with concern in his voice. "You look a little pale."

"Nothing a little makeup won't cure." She brushed by him and stretched out on the sofa. "Whip me up a strong cup of tea, then have a seat and I'll tell you all about it."

They sat down, and she told them about their attack and rescue.

After hearing her story, Ryan tented his fingers and stared off into space. "Austin is right. It's Oceanus. Vmsure of it." "Me too. I'm less sure who our rescuers were." "Austin didn't know who they were?" She shook her head. "He said no."

"Was he telling the truth?" "He may suspect who they were, but I didn't press him on that.

Kurt doesn't strike me as someone who lies."

"Well, well, my tough-minded legal counsel has a soft side after

all. You like him, don't you?" Ryan said with a foxy grin.

"I won't deny it. He's-different."

"I'm different, too, you must admit."

"That you are," she said with a smile. "That's why we're profes- sional colleagues and not lovers."

Ryan sighed theatrically. "Guess I'm fated to be a bridesmaid, never a bride."

"You'd make a hideous bride. Besides, you had your chance to be a bride. As you recall, I didn't like playing second fiddle to SOS."

"Didn't blame you. I am something of a warrior monk when it comes to the Sentinels."

"Crap! Don't give me that monk stuff. I happen to know you've got a girlfriend in every port."

"Hell, Therri, even a monk has to get out of the monastery and kick up his heels from time to time. But let's talk about your in- triguing relationship with Austin. Do you think he's smitten by your charms, enough to have him wrapped around your finger?"

"From what I've seen, Kurt doesn't wrap around anyone s finger." Her eyes narrowed. "What's going on in that tangle of plots and schemes that you call a mind?"

"Just a thought. I'd like to get NUMA on our side. We need mus- cle if we're going to tackle Oceanus."

"And if we can't get NUMA to help us?"

He shrugged. "Then we'll have to go it alone."

Therri shook her head. "We're not big enough to do that. This is not a street gang we're dealing with. They're too big and powerful. You saw how easily they sabotaged our ship. If someone like Kurt Austin is nervous, then we should pay attention. We can't risk any more lives."

"Don't underestimate SOS, Therri. Muscle isn't everything. Strength can come from knowledge."

"Don't talk in riddles, Marcus."

He smiled. "We may have a wi

"What sort of operation?"

"Josh wasn't sure. It came out of Ben Nighthawk."

"The college intern in our office?" Ryan nodded. "As you know, Nighthawk is a Canadian Indian.

He's been getting these weird letters from his family in the North Woods. A corporation took over a big tract of land near their village. As a favor to Ben, Josh looked into the ownership. The land was purchased by a straw corporation set up by Oceanus."

In her excitement, Therri put aside her fears. "This may be the lead we're looking for."

"Uh-huh. I thought the same thing. Which is why I told Josh to check it out."

"You sent him up there alone?"

"He was on his way to Canada to meet Ben when he called. Night- hawk knows the lay of the land. Don't worry. They'll be careful."

Therri bit her lower lip as she thought back to the savage attack on a quiet Copenhagen street. She respected Ryan for a hundred dif- ferent reasons, but sometimes his zeal to attain a goal got in the way of his judgment.

Fear clouded her eyes. "I hope so," she murmured.

19

THE GIANT TREE trunks soared like columns in an ancient temple. Their intertwining branches blocked the sun's rays and created an artificial twilight on the forest floor. Far below the tree- tops, the dented old pickup lurched and dipped like a boat in a storm as it climbed over ropy tree roots and unyielding rocks.

Joshua Green sat on the passenger side, jouncing on the hard seat. He kept one hand above his head to cushion the impact of his skull against the interior of the truck's roof. Green was an environmental law expert with the Sentinels of the Sea. He was a sandy-haired, thin-faced man whose large, round glasses and birdlike nose made him look like an emaciated owl. He had gamely toughed out the ride without a complaint until the truck hit a bump that practically bounced him through the overhead.

"I'm feeling like a kernel in a popcorn machine," he said to the driver. "How much longer do I have to endure this torture?"

"About five minutes; then we'll start walking," Ben Nighthawk replied. "Don't blame you for getting sick of the bumpy ride. Sorry about the transportation, too. It's the best my cousin could come up with."

Green nodded in resignation and turned his attention back to the deep woods that encroached on every side. Before being assigned to SOS headquarters, he'd been part of the field operations SWAT team. He had been rammed and shot at, and he'd spent short but un- forgettable times in jails no better than medieval dungeons. He had acquired a reputation for amazing aplomb under fire, and his pro- fessorial appearance disguised a tough interior. But the u

"The road doesn't bother me. It's these damned woodsy he said, staring out at the forest. "Damned creepy! It's the middle of the day, the sun is shining, and it's dark as Hades out there. Like something out of a Tolkien novel. Wouldn't surprise me if an Ore or an ogre

jumped out at us. Whoops, I think I just saw Shrek."