"Can the ship sail right away?" Kian asked.
Yamanu relayed the question to Number One, then handed him one of his earpieces. "Here, so I don't have to be the intermediary."
"Thank you." Number One fitted the earpiece in place. "The ship is at the quay, scheduled to sail at the end of the day, and we can't make it sail early. A supply ship that casts off six hours ahead of schedule, on the same morning women have gonemissing from the enclosure, will immediately get flagged. There is no way to explain that, and the harbor master will hold it before it clears the breakwater."
Yamanu nodded. "An early departure is not an escape. It is a confession."
"That's correct." Turner joined the conversation. "The ship has just turned into a holding cell. We need to get the people off."
"And take them where?" Number One asked. "There's nowhere on this island we can hide them. At this point, we can't even return the women and children to the enclosure because it's being actively searched. We might be able to return the scientists back to the lab, though."
"Take them to the cove," Turner said. "Through the mansion and the tunnel, and they leave the same way as the chests. Underwater."
"There are two problems with that plan," Number One said. "We have two small children. I'm sure you didn't bring diving gear that can fit a two- and five-year-old, and even if you did, they are too young to be taught how to use the gear. We also have laboratory equipment that the scientists insist is necessary to keep producing what we need to keep functioning until the clan can provide them with a proper lab. Perhaps a better way is to compel Losham not to lock down the harbor even after the women are confirmed missing. We can do it ourselves. We don't need the help of your compeller."
"That's a bad idea," Turner said flatly.
"Why?"
"Because Losham lifting or withholding a lockdown after confirming missing persons will make no sense and will undermine his authority. Every junior brother and commander in the Brotherhood's army is watching his every move and judging him. This will ruin all the efforts we have all invested in cementing his rule of the island so he can hold the seat after you leave. The same goes for compelling the harbor master to order the ship to leave. It will put him under immediate suspicion and point at outside influence."
"You are right," Number One said. "The cost is too high. But we are still facing the same obstacles, and once the search starts, it will also be discovered that the scientists are gone along with a lot of lab equipment. Losham will know that whoever took the women also took his chemists, and he'll know it's us."
Yamanu had been running his own arithmetic, and he had another objection that Number One wasn't aware of.
"We don't have enough room in the sub," he said.
"I'm aware of that." Turner sounded put out by Yamanu's assumption that he hadn't thought of it. "That's why we will divert the pickup ship that was going to collect the escapees and the lab crew at sea after the supply vessel sailed. It can wait for them next to the sub. The people board the ship. The chests and the gear go onto the sub. We can use the waterproof casings to transport the equipment, and Guardians will help the children."
The plan wasn't pretty or slick, but it was workable, and Yamanu grinned. "The Fates are looking out for us. We took eight casings for five chests out of an abundance of caution, and the team brought the three empty casings back from the sub instead of leaving them there because Julian had a feeling they would be needed."
"What about the children?" Number One asked. "Can they be transported in those casings?"
"We can rig something up," Julian said. "We put a guardian with each child to keep them thralled and asleep and making sure they are getting oxygen."
Number One regarded the doctor for a long moment and then nodded. "If you say it can be done, we trust you can make it work. The rest of our team is already organizing the people to move. We will return to the ship to help them." He glanced at the excavation site and the two remaining chests. "Let's hope nothing else collapses until you clear these two."
Yamanu followed his gaze. "We can't rush this and risk another collapse."
"We can make it," Drova said. "They are almost clear. We all have to leave this place together before the confirmation arrives and all hell breaks loose."
35
YAAF
Number One parked the truck right at the foot of the gangway. There was no time for subtlety. It had to be done as quickly as possible.
It was the same transport that had carried the women across the island that morning and had been left in the harbor parking lot among many others like it. After all, the same trucks that were used to transport soldiers and weapons were used to transport goods and construction material.
Number One and two of his companions went to the hold, finding their charges nearly ready to leave. Petrov, Volkov, and Mattie were still hurriedly repacking the lab equipment, and Yaaf was glad to see Anita helping them.
The thrall had been lifted from her hours ago. She'd had plenty of time to come to terms with what was going on, and she seemed to be taking it in her stride.
The boxes of provisions were going to be left where they had been placed because there was no more need for them.
Petrov saw Number One and waved him over. "Where are we going?"
It was amusing that the scientist thought Number One was the only one who had the answer to that because he was the spokesman for the Eight. More than anyone else, Petrov should know that addressing any one of them was the same as addressing the collective.
