They waited while Elizabeth thought about it.
"There was an item in the morning brief two days ago. It looks like ISIS is planning a major attack in Egypt."
"How does that help?" Selena asked.
"For the moment the Egyptians are back to being our friends. I could offer to assist in preventing it."
"They may be acting like friends for now but I wouldn't count on it for much longer," Nick said. "Besides, they have their own counterterrorism unit."
"I know the general who runs internal security. I think I can convince him to let you enter the country. If he wants it done, it will happen."
Someone knocked on the cabin door. Nick opened it. It was John, the second mate.
"Take a look outside," he said.
Nick went over to the porthole. Not far away, the surface of the ocean churned and roiled. The air smelled of sulfur.
"Better come to the communication room," John said.
"Director, I have to go. Something's happening."
"Keep me posted," Elizabeth said.
They followed the mate to the communications room.
"What's up?" Nick said.
Sexton pointed at the ROV monitor. "Take a look."
The robot was outside the pyramid, about a quarter-mile from the ship. Yesterday there had been one or two vapor columns rising near the base of the massive structure. Now there were more than a dozen. It looked as though the seafloor near the pyramid was bulging.
"Is that what's making the disturbance on the surface?"
"You figured it out in one," Sexton said. "Something's getting ready to blow down there. Probably a volcano."
"A volcano?"
"Looks like it. Vicky, bring the rover home."
"What about the one we lost?" she asked.
"I don't want to lose this one too. If nothing happens down there we'll come back for it another time."
Vicky worked the joystick. The ROV backed away from the pyramid.
"What happens if it blows?" Selena asked.
"It depends. It's a long way down. It would take a really big eruption to sink us, but I'm not going to risk it. We're leaving."
Lamont pointed at the screen. "Something's happening."
Wide cracks appeared in the seabed, glowing with a malevolent, fiery red. The cracks spread outward from the pyramid.
"I think the pyramid's moving," Selena said.
"It can't move," Nick said. "How could it move?"
As they watched, the massive structure began to tilt. The seafloor around it split open. Then the pyramid began to slip away into the Atlantic abyss. It slid out of sight in a cloud of silt and steam. A glowing red column of molten lava fountained up from the shattered seabed.
The feed from the camera went dark.
Sexton ran to the bridge, yelling orders. Nick and the others followed him. By the time they got there the big diesels that drove Sexton's Dream had powered up and settled to a steady vibration.
"All ahead full. Flank speed."
"Flank speed, aye," the helmsman answered.
The ship began to move. The surface of the ocean foamed and curled. Suddenly a tall geyser of superheated water shot into the air. The column reached its peak and fell back., Scalding water and steaming rocks dropped onto the boat, a black rain from hell.
A glowing rock smashed through the skylight over the bridge and struck the second mate, knocking him to the deck. He screamed as his clothes caught fire. Two of the crew ran to help. Fires started on deck, where more rocks had landed.
Sexton yelled, "Get those fires out!"
A wave that looked as big as a house rushed toward them.
"Hang on!" Nick shouted
"Holy shit," Lamont said.
The wave struck the Sexton's Dream. The ship heeled over, sending everything that wasn't tied down flying through the air. Water cascaded over the decks and through the open door of the bridge. Slowly the ship righted itself.
Ahead lay the Tolstoy. The wave struck the bigger ship and swept across the decks. It continued on, subsiding as it moved away from the ships. Soon it was invisible. As it crossed the ocean it would build force until it became a tsunami.
"Whoa," Ronnie said.
The Russian ship appeared to have taken little damage. As the Tolstoy receded behind them. Selena saw Valentina come out onto the deck below the bridge.
The two sisters looked at each other as the distance between them increased.
CHAPTER 44
Valentina called General Vysotsky and told him what had happened.
"We sent an ROV down. There's nothing left. The pyramid and everything else is gone."
"Der'mo."
"The Americans have sailed."
"We're tracking them," Vysotsky said. "They're heading back to Cairo. The pictures you sent of the writing in that pyramid are being translated as we speak."
"My sister has done that by now. Harker's people will act on whatever they discovered. The Tolstoy is still out of commission. I need to get back to the mainland."
"I agree. A helicopter will retrieve you and Major Rostov. It should arrive within the hour."
"Can't we leave her here?"
"Much as I would like to, it isn't an option. Orlov is watching. He's playing me against Volkov. He also has his eye on you, to see how you handle the situation. You're stuck with Rostov for now."
"What are my orders? "
"This mission has been a fiasco for Rostov. The only thing she has to show for the deaths of her men are those pictures. If they provide new information to lead to the archive, the two of you will pursue it. In that case her best chance to redeem herself with Volkov is to sabotage us. You will be there to stop her."
"I understand."
"You will arrive in Egypt before the Americans. Follow them. Do not allow yourself to be seen. If Rostov interferes, eliminate her. If you do, make sure it looks like an accident. You understand?"
"Yes."
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, sir."
"That's better. Keep me informed."
Valentina put her phone away as Rostov approached.
"I have just spoken with General Volkov," Rostov said. "It seems we must continue working together."
"A helicopter is coming for us."
"So he told me."
"We'll be waiting for the Americans when they arrive," Valentina said. "What they do next will determine our own actions."
"A sensible plan."
"I'm glad you agree. For now we will observe."
"And if they have found the archive?"
"Then they will go there and we will follow them," Valentina said.
"And then?"
"What do you think we should do, Rostov?"
"Once we're certain they are in the right place, we should intervene."
"Intervene?"
"We can't let them send anything back."
"How do you propose to stop them?"
"If necessary, we kill them."
"You'd like that, wouldn't you? Has it occurred to you that there will be retaliation if we kill them?"
"There's nothing the Americans can do. There may be a few incidents with our operatives outside the country. Of course that has more significance for your department than for mine. Aside from that, nobody's going to start a war because of a few dead spies."
Rostov smiled at her.
"I can see you don't like the idea. Is it because your sister is among them? I'm sure Moscow would be interested to see you put loyalty to an American spy above patriotism."
"Do not question my loyalty, Rostov. If I were you, I'd be more concerned about losing everyone under your command. It shows bad judgment. But that's nothing new for you."
"You think Vysotsky can protect you," Rostov said. "You could be right. But what if you aren't? You have much to learn, Antipov."
We'll see who has much to learn, Valentina thought.