Phantom Prospect by Alex Archer

Author:Alex Archer [Archer, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Action & Adventure, Fiction, General, Women archaeologists, Creed, Annja (Fictitious character), Suspense
ISBN: 9780373621460
Publisher: Gold Eagle
Published: 2010-11-09T01:57:02+00:00

22

Annja crept out of her quarters and made her way down toward the stern deck. The luminous hands on her watch read twelve-fifteen and the dark turtleneck she wore with black pants helped her blend into the shadows.

At the entrance to the deck, she paused to make sure everything was clear. She knew Jax would be in the wheelhouse keeping watch. She and Hunter had come to an arrangement about that. And Hunter had made no secret that he intended to turn in after what he called a “long and exhausting day.”

The coast seemed clear. Annja made her way out on to the deck. Cole had planned to arrive about twenty minutes before Annja, to get things ready for his descent into the inky water.

Annja waited. She saw Cole skirting the edge of the deck by the rail. He had the cage righted and clasped to the winch line. Annja could also make out oxygen tanks and the rest of Cole’s diving gear. She took a calming breath. He certainly seemed ready to go through with his plans.

Annja walked over to him. They couldn’t be seen from the wheelhouse unless Jax stepped outside and heard noise. She’d still have to come down the stairs in order to ascertain what was going on.

The chances of that seemed remote.

“You all right?” she asked.

Cole nodded. “I’m almost set to go here. Just need to get the winch fired up.” He put a hand on Annja’s shoulder. “We won’t have much time when we start that up. The noise is bound to draw attention. But I’ve got to do this, so whatever happens, try to stall them from hauling me back, okay?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will.” Cole pointed at the cage. “I’m going to do it a little differently this time.”

“How?”

“I’ll be in the cage when you winch it overboard. I don’t want to take a chance of missing the opening in the dark. It’s safer that way.”

Annja almost laughed. “I think this is the first time I’ve heard you suggest that you do something that qualifies as ‘safe.’”

“Maybe I’m changing.”

“I doubt that.”

“Me, too.”

Annja watched Cole scramble up the cage and sit on the top as he cinched down his weight belt and tanks. He gave her the thumbs-up and then lowered himself through the opening. He dropped in lightly, without making much noise.

“Let’s do this,” Cole whispered.

Annja moved over to the winch and fired it up. The noise of the hydraulics hissing seemed incredibly loud compared to when they weren’t sneaking around.

Figures, she thought. Things are always noisier when you’re doing something wrong.

She pressed the winch into action and watched as it extended and started to lift the cage off the deck. Cole grabbed onto the bars and nodded at Annja. With the regulator in his mouth, he looked like some type of alien. Annja smiled and waved once as she directed the winch over the edge of the boat.

The cage touched the murky blackness of the ocean and started to slide beneath the depths.

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