Read Exit 9 for Free Online

alive or dead.
    “I don’t like it,” Gagnon said.
    “What do you mean?”
    Gagnon frowned. “Just enough wreckage to prove that something happened to the boat, with a life vest that still has an active emergency beacon conveniently washing ashore where it could easily be found? Does that seem likely to you?”
    Wright was silent for a moment. “It could happen. The current could have washed it up.”
    Gagnon stared back at his partner. “Did you look at the water? There weren’t a lot of waves on that beach. If there were, that stuff would be even more broken up than it is. I’ll bet you the current runs right past that end of the island.”
    Wright looked out the window again. “You’re right. It does feel wrong.”
    Gagnon took one last glimpse of the wreckage, and turned the plane back toward the small village where they were staying. Once the course was set, he picked up the satellite radio and called the Ranch.
    “Bravo Four,” a voice at the Ranch answered.
    “This is Brown,” Gagnon said.
    “Go ahead, Brown.”
    “Blair House,” he said, using the active code.
    “Wanda June.”
    Satisfied he was indeed speaking with the Ranch, Gagnon said, “Wreckage found. No apparent survivors.”
    Momentary silence on the other end. “Please confirm. No apparent survivors.”
    “Roger, Bravo Four. No survivors.”
    “Any idea what happened?”
    “Rough seas, maybe. A storm. It’s pretty rough out there. I’d say this is an unfortunate accident.”
    Another pause. “Confirming.”
    “Roger, Bravo Four. That’s what it is.”
    “Roger, Brown. Get some rest. Will touch base in the morning with new assignment.”
    “Will do, Bravo Four. Out.”
    __________
     
    “T HEY’RE LEAVING,” THE senior man said into the encrypted radio.
    “You think they will be back?” Major Ross asked. He’d been patched in from Bluebird.
    “No, sir. They’re returning to the outpost, then will be getting a new assignment in the morning. I think it worked.”
    “Good. Return to base.”
    __________
     
    P AX KNOCKED ON the door of Matt’s office.
    “Come in,” Matt called out.
    Upon entering, Pax found Rachel and Matt in the more casual sitting area in the front end of the room. “Sorry, but you wanted to see this.”
    “Brown team found something?” Rachel asked.
    Pax nodded grimly. “Yeah, but there’s more.”
    He handed over a transcript of the conversation that had just come in. Rachel and Matt read it at the same time. Their first reaction was to the news that by all appearances, yellow team was dead. Their second was to the hidden message contained within brown team’s words.
    “‘An unfortunate accident,’” Rachel read. She looked up. “That means…”
    “…yellow team found Bluebird,” her brother finished.

6
     
    T HE DIRECTOR OF Preparation tapped the lever another half inch toward Hot. Within a second, steam began to rise from the water washing over him. While Bluebird was always kept at a warm, comfortable level, the frigid view outside often made him feel like he was freezing. Other than avoiding the windows, the best remedy was always a hot shower. He took at least two a day, sometimes three. Though the official allotment was one, that didn’t apply to him—like most of the other facility rules.
    He was just starting to feel thawed out when the soft bong of his doorbell sounded in the other room. There was a time when he could have afforded to ignore it, but not now, not when they were this close to activation.
    He turned off the water, and stuck his head out of the narrow stall. “One moment!”
    He toweled off quickly, pulled on his slacks and shirt, then flipped on the monitor next to the door. His visitor was Carl Herlin, one of his aides.
    The DOP opened the door. “Yes?”
    “Sorry to disturb you, sir, but Major Ross wanted me to tell you they have the information, and that he would be in the map room if you’re looking for him.”
    “Tell him I’ll be there in a