“I suppose. Still, it’s a place to begin.” She leaned back, her eyes glazing as she stared out at the sea.
Sighing, he leaned back, too, but ignored the view and kept a wary watch on the three men aboard the boat. They might claim to want to help, but considering Karen and Miyuki’s encounters with them, he knew they could be dangerous.
The rest of the journey was made in silence. Soon the lights of Naha’s harbor could be seen ahead. Even from a mile out, it was apparent that the island was in turmoil. The U.S. base on the south side of the harbor was lit up like Times Square. Planes of all sizes circled the island, while the waters ahead were thick with military vessels.
Jack and Karen moved to the bow. She pointed. One of the government buildings was now a cratered and smoking ruin.
“Rocket strike,” Jack commented.
Karen’s eyes widened. “Miyuki…”
He took her hand in his. “I’m sure she’s fine. The university is inland, away from the most likely targets. Besides, she has thirty-nine U.S. military bases protecting her.”
Karen did not look convinced.
En route to the island, their own boat was stopped twice and searched before it was allowed to proceed. Jack was glad to see the trio’s weapons taken from them during the first search. He had tried to urge Karen to abandon these islanders and board the military cutter, but she refused. “Mwahu might hold the only key to this language,” she’d mumbled. “I can’t lose him.”
So they remained on the sampan as it glided through the harbor to the marina. They moored and climbed onto the docks. A Japanese officer checked their papers. Jack was surprised to see the Pacific islanders produce tattered and weathered passports.
When the officer handed back all their papers, he spoke to them in English. “You picked a poor time to go sightseeing. We’ve had a flood of refugees from the south. We’re trying to divert as many to the north as possible. Otherwise, all other civilians are being evacuated via the international airport.”
“You’re evacuating the entire island?” Jack asked.
“Or relocating them into bunkers. As many as we can. We don’t expect fighting to reach our shores, but we’re taking no chances. Another rocket barrage could occur at any time. I suggest you collect your personal belongings and report to the airport.”
Karen nodded. “Ryukyu University…?”
“It’s already cleared out.” The man waved them down the dock as more makeshift crafts drifted in. “Good luck.”
Jack led Karen and Mwahu toward the shore and the city. Mwahu’s two men remained with the sampan. Karen moved up next to Jack. “What if Miyuki is already gone?” she asked.
“She’ll be there. I can’t imagine her leaving her lab unless they dragged her out kicking and screaming.”
She smiled at that. Without thinking, Jack put his arm around her. Karen leaned in to him, tucking herself against his side.
No words were spoken. With Mwahu following, they moved on through the earthquake-ravaged city to where a bus still serviced the university area. It was a short ride to Ryukyu, and a quiet walk to the computer facility.
Once at the steps, Karen pointed toward the fifth floor. There were no lights on. Then they discovered that the door to the building was locked and the lobby dark. “Hello!” she called out, knocking.
A guard appeared around a corner, his flashlight’s beam washing across the three of them and settling on Karen.
“Professor Grace,” he said with clear relief. He climbed the stairs, passing Mwahu with a suspicious glance. With a jangle of keys, he moved to the door. “Professor Nakano refused to leave until you returned.”
“Is she in her lab?”
“No, she’s in my office. We’ve locked down all the upper floors.”
He opened the door and led them into the lobby, guiding them with his flashlight through the dark interior. From under a door ahead, light glowed. The guard knocked, then pushed the door open.
Miyuki was sitting at a desk, the thick briefcase open before her containing a portable computer. At the sight of them, she burst to her feet. “Thank God you’re okay!”
“We’re fine,” Karen said, hugging her reassuringly. “What about you?”
“Shaken up. Lots of fireworks.”
Karen noticed the portable computer. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“I couldn’t risk losing all our work. So I diverted Gabriel into moving all our research off site and backed up everything onto this computer, just in case. I also revamped the portable unit to accommodate Gabriel.” Miyuki reached out and touched a key.
A familiar disembodied voice arose from the tiny speakers. “Good evening, Professor Nakano. I will continue troubleshooting our connections and interfaces to make certain all is in order.”
“Thank you, Gabriel.”
Behind Jack, the South Pacific islander pushed into the room, glancing with suspicion toward the computer. Miyuki noticed him and jerked back.
Karen put a hand on her shoulder, steadying her. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’ll explain it all later.”
Keeping a watch on the tattooed stranger, Miyuki snapped the computer case closed. She unhooked the cables and wound them up. “We need to leave.”
“I heard about the evacuation. Do you have the crystal?”
Miyuki frowned at her, then tilted her head toward Mwahu.
“It really is okay,” she said. “He’s here to help us now.”
Miyuki hardly looked convinced. Jack moved beside her. “And if it helps, he’s alone and unarmed.”
She studied Jack for a breath, then seemed to sag. “The star’s in my luggage.” She nodded toward a wheeled suitcase behind the desk. “I also went to your flat and collected everything I could see that you might want…including Jack’s stuff.” She pointed to a second suitcase.
“We could’ve done it ourselves,” Karen said.
“Not if you want to catch a flight off this island. My cousin pilots a small private jet, a charter service. He’s agreed to get us out, but we have to leave—” She glanced at her watch. “—in thirty minutes.”
Jack frowned. Everything was moving too fast. “Where to? Tokyo?”
Miyuki bit her lip. “No. I thought it best if we leave the area entirely.”
“Then where?” Karen asked.
“I asked him to take us to Pohnpei Island.” Miyuki looked from one of them to the other. “I thought if we had to go somewhere, why not follow the one clue in the transcription? To the ruins at Nan Madol.”