Page 115 of Snow

She looked toward one of the blue barrels and felt her stomach turn. How much money did someone have to offer before another person’s life stopped mattering?

“Okay. Keep me updated,” she heard Snow say.

Nova turned as Gabe lowered his phone.

“How long?”

“Bear says about twenty minutes. Maybe less if conditions keep improving. Gulf Tide has been notified, and they’re working on getting everyone off the other platforms. Helicopters are finally able to get in too.”

Some of the tightness in her chest eased. “Thank God.”

Snow nodded, but he was already moving again. He started photographing everything, taking wide shots of the room before moving closer to the worktables, barrels, and the prototype. Nova watched him send several of the pictures off before her gaze returned to the UUV.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“What exactly can that thing do?”

Snow stopped. The fact that he didn’t answer immediately made her wish she had kept her mouth shut.

He looked at the UUV. “The technology itself isn’t bad. UUVs have a lot of legitimate uses. Research, inspections, surveillance, search operations. But not that one. If what Bear was told is right, Brett modified it to carry and deploy a payload. Explosives, chemicals, whatever someone wants to put inside it.”

Nova swallowed. “And nobody would see it coming.”

“That’s the idea. Most UUVs are larger. But ones like this are more dangerous for smaller waterways.”

“Wonderful.” She rubbed her hands over her arms. “An underwater terrorist delivery system.”

The door slammed shut behind them. The crash echoed through the small room, and Snow spun around before the sound had even finished bouncing off the walls.

“What the fuck?”

He crossed the room and grabbed the handle, but the door didn’t move.

Nova stared at him. “Snow?”

He tried again, harder this time, then planted his shoulder against the steel and shoved. Again, nothing.

A horrible sinking feeling settled into Nova’s stomach.

“Was that…?

Snow looked at her, and she saw the answer before he said a word.

“Brett.”

“Oh, that’s just fucking fantastic,” she said and started to pace around the room.

“Nova.”

“What? I’m processing.”

“You’re starting to panic.”

“I am not panicking.”

He gave her a look.