In a holder attached to the wheel binnacle was a half full Budweiser bottle. On the seat beside him was his backpack. Inside was the old ex Nazi Walther P-38 pistol, just in case it was required.
Kamal had anticipated that radio jamming would happen as the President passed. This was why there was a wire attached to the case bomb directly to a small box beside him on the seat. There was a button and a switch on the waterproof box. All he needed to trigger the device was to flick the switch to arm the weapon at least thirty minutes before detonation. Then a quick press of the red button would cause the mushroom cloud.
Chapter 118
Greg o’brien had been hanging over the side retching for twenty minutes. He had enough and decided to head back to the bridge and ask to be put ashore.
He got up the second step of the ladder when the boat made a turn, and Greg lost his footing. He grabbed for the rail but only caught on one side and he spun around and fell. His forehead struck the stainless rail and unconscious, he somersaulted over the side into the harbor.
Both Matt and Bob Evans spotted Greg fall.
"Man overboard" shouted Commander Evans.
The crew responded instantly, the constant man overboard drills were well rehearsed. The helm spun the stern away from the man in the water, the engines slowed immediately, and a life preserver was launched over the side, but it was of little use to Greg who was already disappearing from sight.
Matt kicked off his shoes and dived over the side without a thought.
Greg had now vanished completely and Matt was diving down until his lungs burned. He surfacing for a couple of breaths and then disappeared again. He found Greg on his third dive and grabbed him by the hair and swam to the surface.
By the time they bobbed through the waves, there was an inflatable boat right there. Hands pulled them over the side.
Greg was laid with his head lower than his feet and CPR was commenced by a team of two guys who really knew their stuff. Lowering the head however, caused a gush of blood from O’Brien’s wound above his left eye. One of the sailors grabbed a towel and put it over the cut when it was the other guys turn to do the cardiac compressions. There was blood everywhere, but the sailors kept working on the Detective. A couple of minutes later Greg gurgled and vomited water out of his lungs. He coughed deeply and a river of water poured out of his lungs. Eventually the water stopped draining, and Greg regained consciousness.
"Oh my God, is there anything I can do to get you to drop me on dry land?" pleaded Greg O’Brien.
"Relax Greg, calm down, it will all be over soon. You will be ok" urged Matt.
The inflatable charged over the waves and they were soon alongside. Greg was passed over by the sailors and placed on a stretcher and carried below deck.
"Helm, turn us back on to 090. Get that man to the infirmary immediately."
"Matt I think I have something, come quick!" shouted Natasha.
Matt sprinted down the stairs immediately, ignoring the fact that he was dripping water everywhere.
"What have you got?"
Natasha changed a few parameters with the keyboard and some images dropped off the screen until there were just two similar looking boats in view.
Natasha pointed at the monitor "Take a look at these two boats. They both have the same number on their sails!"
Matt took a close look and it did appear that both had the number 79 showing.
"Maybe there is a sail on loan to the other boat, but we do need to check it out."
Matt ran back up to the bridge and explained his conversation with Natasha to Commander Evans.
Bob Evans picked up the microphone of the radio and dialed in the coast guard area frequency.
"All coast guard vessels, this is Commander Evans. We are searching for two boats both carrying sail number 79. Report immediately if you see them, but do not approach. Vessel may be carrying an explosive device and is considered highly dangerous."
From below, Natasha called, "Matt, get back down here!"
Once again, Matt descended the stairs.
"Matt, check your holster."
Matt instantly grabbed for his gun and realized his weapon had a new home in San Francisco Harbor.
"Damn, I must have lost it in the water."
"Here, take mine," Natasha opened her jacket and passed Matt her weapon.
To Matt’s surprise it was a familiar Russian Yarygin.
"Where the hell did you get that?"
"You would be surprised what you can find in a Russian embassy."
Chapter 119
"Matt, this is Tom Allinson from White House security. Bill Simpson gave me your number."
"Hi Tom sorry I am on the water and it is a bit noisy. What have you got?" shouted Matt trying to keep the wind out of the microphone with his sleeve.
"We found the White house leak. Her name is Katie Ryan. She is a junior secretary with the vice-president’s office" explained Tom.
"What did she have to say?" screamed Matt.
"She is not talking. I can’t get a word out of her."
"Do you have her White House file? Is there anything in her background?"
"The only thing at all that rings a bell is her husband."
"What about him?" asked Matt.
"He originally studied at M.I.T. and lived at a place called the Boston Muslim Brotherhood" said Tom.
Matt removed his sleeve "Thanks Tom, that’s what I needed, bye."
"Bob, where is the infirmary?" asked Matt.
"It’s at the front of the boat down one level, port side."
"I need to talk to O’Brien, can you clear the way?"
"Head on down, I will fix it."
Chapter 120
Matt got a bit lost. Port and starboard are for captains and pilots only he thought. Finally he located the infirmary. In truth, it looked more like an office with a couple of cots.
Inside Greg O’Brien was sitting on the bed while a medic was swabbing the cut on Greg’s face.
"How are you feeling Greg?" asked Matt.
"Can you give us a minute?" Greg asked the medic, who beat a hasty retreat out of the room.
"I feel like shit. Next time I look like getting on board a boat, remind me not to" said O’Brien as he turned to his right side and vomited more water into a bucket.
"Greg, do you know anything about some place called the Boston Muslim Brotherhood?" asked Matt.
"Are you kidding? It is a spooky place. That was where I interviewed Kamal Pashwari!"
"Not good. That confirms he has good intel on the President."
"What has this got to do with the President? asked O’Brien.
"The President’s motorcade will be on the bridge at 4pm. We think he is the real target."
"Get out of here. Find the bastard" shouted O’Brien.
Chapter 121
Kamal was directly under the bridge as the helicopter flew low overhead.
There was no way they could detect any radiation at all with the bomb encased in the lead keel and the boat hidden right underneath the bridge.
With under an hour to go, Kamal decided to drop the sail.