Chapter 19 - THE SHIP WITHOUT A FLAG
The Resolute traveled southeast beneath a false registration number.
Its official flag had been removed.
Its crew list was empty.
Elena’s locator transmitted only once every fifteen minutes, suggesting she had entered a section of the ship where metal walls weakened the signal.
The Coast Guard prepared an interception while Agent Ruiz coordinated with maritime authorities.
Captain Ortiz studied the Resolute’s original construction plans.
“It was built from the same design family as two early Vale cargo ships,” he said. “I know the internal layout.”
Maya looked at him.
“You are not boarding.”
“Neither are you.”
“That was not a suggestion.”
“Good. Mine was not either.”
Ruiz stopped the argument.
No one would approach until the vessel entered a jurisdiction where authorities could act safely.
Maya returned to Sentinel Harbor’s operations center.
Marcus amplified Elena’s next transmission.
This time it contained twelve seconds of audio.
Elena whispered from a noisy compartment.
“I am below the main deck. There are hundreds of cloned relay units inside shipping containers. They have passenger profiles, medical records, immigration documents, shelter locations.”
The transmission broke apart.
Then returned.
“Morrow is planning a demonstration. He will make Open Harbor fail during the Global Maritime Safety Summit.”
“When?” Maya asked, though Elena could not hear her.
The final words arrived beneath heavy static.
“Forty-eight hours.”
The Global Maritime Safety Summit would connect port authorities and passenger vessels across three continents. Open Harbor had been chosen to coordinate the emergency simulation.
If Morrow inserted false information during the demonstration, every participating organization would see Sentinel Harbor as unreliable.
Northstar could then offer its stolen replacement.
“This was never only about owning our technology,” Marcus said.
“He wants to destroy our credibility first,” Maya replied.
Just as Conrad had planned to portray Maya as unstable before acquiring her company, Morrow intended to portray Open Harbor as dangerous before taking its contracts.
The same strategy.
A larger battlefield.
Elena’s locator stopped moving.
Captain Ortiz received a new tracking report.
The Resolute had changed course toward a tropical storm forming over the Atlantic.
Ruiz’s team obtained an incomplete passenger record from a foreign port system.
Only one traveler had been registered aboard.
Name: Nathaniel Cole.
Position: Master of Vessel.
Status: Captain.
Maya stared at the record.
May you like
Nathan was not listed as Morrow’s prisoner.
He was listed as the man commanding the ship.
