The Rig 2: Storm Warning Read Online Free PDF Page A

hurt.”
    “Did you do something wrong then? How come they’ve accused you of being a terrorist?”
    “I did nothing wrong. They set me up. Instead of a system using sound waves to disrupt this place, they gave me a bomb.”
    Akhmed was now crying. He felt desperate. He loved Helen and wanted to be back with her. He never wanted to leave her alone ever again.
    “They’re trying to kill me, Helen.”
    Helen was quiet for a moment.
    “Helen. I love you. I love you so much.”
    “I love you, Akh.” There was another pause. “I’m pregnant.”
    Akhmed could not say anything. His voice became uncontrollable through his outpouring of emotion. He felt so happy with the news, but it made him feel even more desperate.
    “I found out today.” Helen began, but then the connection broke. All he heard was the beep. There were signal bars on the phone, so it was Helen’s phone that had cut off. And he knew something was happening to her as well; the love of his life, who was now carrying his child.
     
     
    Chapter Nine
     
    A small boat pulled up alongside the USCG Hurricane. One sailor used a boat hook to pull the small vessel close to the side. Someone threw a rope up from the dinghy and it was secured to the side of the ship. A fat, gray-haired man with a dry suit walked over and tried to clamber on board. The men on board the USCG Hurricane sniggered as the man struggled to find his grip and eventually crawled on board. He was not at all dignified in his manner.
    Commander Lovell came out onto the deck and looked down. He already had an idea of what this might mean. He extended his hand to the man, but it was refused. The sailors around him saw it happen and were unimpressed. They too now saw what was coming.
    When the man straightened, he gave Commander Lovell a stern look.
    “I’m with FEMA. We’re taking over this operation.”
    “What operation?” Lovell asked.
    “Exactly,” the man sneered. “What’s your name?”
    Lovell looked him up and down. He did not answer. The man glared at the commander.
    “Well?”
    “I know the names of everyone on board my vessel,” Lovell answered tentatively.
    He turned to the sailor who was tying up the dinghy.
    “Please escort this man over the side again.”
    The man huffed as the sailor approached him.
    “It’s Smith. John Smith.”
    Commander Lovell’s anger showed in his face.
    “Fuck you.”
    He gestured to the sailor and to another man on the deck and they began ushering the man back into the dinghy.
    “You’ll hear about this!” he shouted angrily.
    But Lovell did not bother to reply; instead, he just smiled and waved the man goodbye.
    The dinghy sped off toward San Clemente and Lovell returned to the bridge. His first mate looked at him.
    “Were you supposed to do that, sir?” he asked.
    Commander Lovell growled.
    “Probably not. Fucking FEMA, though. Something is going on with this. Why send a guy on board who refuses to give his name?”
    The first mate frowned.
    “Sir?”
    Commander Lovell shook his head.
    “Why not use the radio as usual? Why all the secrecy? It stinks; it fucking stinks.”
     
    ***
     
    Elly Boukhari was back on the ground. She was impatiently waiting for the pilot and the ground crew to be done refueling the helicopter. The FBI agent stood nearby smoking cigarettes when she walked up to the van and pulled the cameraman away from his conversation with the editor.
    “Why is that guy here?” she asked.
    The cameraman looked puzzled.
    “The FBI guy?”
    “Yeah!” She looked over to the man again. “I mean, I’m like, just starting out as a journalist. But I don’t think it’s usual to have FBI agents monitoring the report, is it?”
    The cameraman shook his head.
    “Don’t know about that. Maybe for these big things, but I’ve never had that happen before.”
    “I just feel uncomfortable trying to report with this guy looking over my shoulder.” She shuddered. “It just creeps me out.”
    Suddenly she heard a cough