ATLANTIS

Cambodian Special Forces

*****

“We had a rescue team on standby,” Freed said. “Lucian coordinated it.” 

“And?” Dane asked. Chelsea was rubbing against his leg. The four Canadian mercenaries were waiting by the plane, as was the pilot, out of earshot. 

Freed laid the facts out. “As per our emergency plan, Lucian ordered the team in once he got word the plane went down. It went toward the last plotted position we had for the Lady Gayle.” 

“And you never heard from it again,” Dane summarized. 

“Contact was lost and has not been reestablished,” Freed said. 

“Who were the lucky sons-a-bitches?” Dane asked. 

“Cambodian Special Forces,” Freed said. “A twelve man A-team, plus two men in the helicopter crew.” 

“That explains why the Cambodian government is so eager to support you now,” Dane said. 

“Screw the Cambodian government,” Michelet said. “I want my daughter out of there.” 

“Those Cambodian soldiers had lives too,” Dane said. “Families.” 

“Their families have been well compensated,” Michelet said. “It was the nature of their job.” 

“Running missions for rich Americans?” Dane asked. 

“They took the money quite eagerly,” Michelet said. 

Dane ignored the old man and stared at Freed. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“We don’t know what happened to the team, so there wasn’t much we could tell you,” Freed said. Seeing Dane’s stare, he sighed. “All right. We didn’t think you’d come if we told you the team had disappeared.” 

Dane was thinking of something else. “The tape. Was it real?” 

“Yes,” Freed assured him. “The Lady Gayle picked up and forwarded that message before it went down.” 

“Maybe someone taped us back in ‘68 and . . .” Dane's voice trailed off. 

“And saved it for over forty years to use?” Freed asked. 

“Who ambushed us at the warehouse?” Dane asked. He knew Freed and Michelet weren't lying about the tape. He'd known it from the moment he heard it. But he’d known the two men were withholding other information. 

“It must have been people hired by Hie-Tech,” Freed said. 

“Maybe they were Cambodians pissed about the Special Forces guys,” Dane suggested. 

Freed shook his head. “No. There wasn’t enough time. It had to be Hie-Tech. And we did pay a considerable amount of money to the Cambodians and their families.” 

“What else don’t I know?” Dane asked. 

“You know everything now,” Freed assured him. 

Dane grimaced. “That’s assuming you know everything, which I don’t think is the case.” 

To that, Freed made no comment. 

“What’s the plan now?” Dane asked. 

Freed jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the Canadians. “We jump with them-“ 

“Who’s we?” Dane asked. 

“You, me, and Professor Beasley.” 

“Jump?” Beasley asked, a worried frown appearing on his forehead.