Page 147 of The Lazarus Protocol

Montrose’s eyes widened.

Adam squeezed the trigger.

The bullet entered the colonel’s throat, just under his chin, traveled through his brain, and exited the top of his head. He stiffened, then fell to the floor.

Adam stared at the room, breathing hard. “That wasn’t the plan.”

“No one is going to complain that he’s dead. You had every right to shoot him.” Steph sat back on her heels. “We can discuss the complexities of the justice system later. After we spit on his grave. Right now, I need your help.”

Adam went to her with Montrose’s knife and cut her father’s bonds, releasing his hands and feet. “He’s alive?”

She touched a hand to her father’s chest. “He might not be for long. He needs a hospital.”

“Stay with him. Keep the gun with you.” Adam raced through an interior door and found stairs. He made his way up three levels and found the bridge, almost directly above where he’d been. Jay stood at the helm.

Adam said, “What’s the situation?”

“I keep sending a mayday,” Jay said, “but so far no one has responded.”

“Anyone on this boat who can make it go where we want it to go?” Adam had no idea what direction they’d been traveling for the past few hours while they’d been down in the hold.

“We can either pilot it ourselves, or we can wait for rescue.”

Adam looked out the window, but all he saw in every direction was open ocean. “Anyone on the ship have a phone that doesn’t belong to Earthnet?”

Jay lifted a handset and squeezed the sides. “Ladies and gentlemen of The Good Ship Lollipop…” His voice echoed in the room, coming from speakers in the hall—and presumably all through the ship. “If anyone has a cell phone or a working⁠—”

“The sat phone!” Adam spun around. “We need our gear. My phone was in there.”

“Permission to come on the bridge?” Noah stepped through the door.

“Call me Captain.” Jay smirked. “You have the phone?”

Noah lifted Adam’s backpack. “Right here. And if anyone is captain, it’s me.”

“Get in line. I’m captain. You can be an admiral.” Adam set his pistol on the nearest flat surface and powered up the sat phone. “Where’s Marina?” He looked at Jay. “And Dan?”

“Ash is with Dan,” Jay said.

Noah told him, “Marina and I found Steph, so she’s with her.”

The phone screen blinked on, and Adam waited as it searched for a signal. “Come on, come on.”

Bingo.

He called the last number he’d dialed and put it on Speaker. Listened to it ring for far too long.

Finally, the call connected.

Ice answered, “This better be a guy named Angus Dubkowsky and not some bad guy who stole your phone.”

Adam smirked. “If you quit talking long enough to let me get a word in, I’ll tell you who it is.”

Noah said, “Both of you, listen up.”

Ice interrupted him before he could even start. “Actually, what I have to say is better than anything you guys need to say. Because I’m currently aboard a battleship that belongs to the Pacific Fleet, and we’re using the phone signal to triangulate your position.”

Adam nearly collapsed. “That’s good news, bro.”