Panthera Spelaea
Safety in Numbers

The Captain got us underway and heading west at top speed. Sooner or later, the helicopters would be reported missing, or bodies would start washing up. We stripped and dumped the dead mercenaries overboard, padlocking chains to their legs so they wouldn’t come back up. The crew got to work cleaning the blood off the decks and repairing and repainting the bullet holes. Unfortunately, we couldn’t work anything on the outside of the hull while underway.

Art gathered his senior leadership, minus the Captain and his traitorous First Mate, in the dining area to go over assignments. Zach contacted our agents onshore and gave them two priority assignments. The first was to figure out where the helicopters landed and who was on them. We were pretty sure it was Mikhail behind this, but Art wanted proof. The second was to survey the southwest coast of Sardinia, looking for a Golden Eagle.

While that was occurring, Zach was to do a ‘no exceptions’ security check on everyone on board. “If there was one traitor, there might be more,” Art growled. “I want to know every communication Todd had. Dig into his family and finances, and I want him cut off from anyone and anything that could help him when he wakes up. Make sure all family members know he’s a traitor. Anyone who helps him gets cut off, and any who brings word of his location I will personally reward.”

“I’ll begin at once,” Zach said.

“You’re excused, along with the sailing crew. I need to talk to the company leadership now.” I asked if I should take the girls and leave, but Art waved for me to stay. “Karpen Investments is going to RUIN Mikhail’s businesses financially. I don’t care what it takes or how much it costs, as long as it is legal and effective. Find out everything you can about his business operations, and bring me options.”

The group talked about potential avenues of attack, both financial and legal. “If we can find evidence of wrongdoing, turn it over to Russian authorities,” Art told them. “We hit him on every front. He endangered my family and killed my friend.” With that, he stood up and asked the other switchers to join him on the upper deck while his team continued to plan.

We sat at the covered lounge area on the second level, sheltered from the wind and noise of the superyacht going at high speed. “I’m sorry,” Art said. “This is my fault and my responsibility. My idea to bring us all together was a bad one. It resulted in the death of a friend.”

“Bullshit, Art,” Duncan said as he pulled his mate into his lap. “There are only two people responsible for Ekatarina’s death and the attack on your ship. One is flying around, and the other has landed by now. You had no way of knowing what was going on. Hell, we didn’t even know about Mikhail until Ekatarina arrived, and that was hours before the attack. None of us expected him to attack so quickly.”

“He’s right,” Edward said. “Mikhail had weeks to set this operation up. You repelled two attacks, thanks to your high level of security preparation and crew. We were safer here than in our homes.”

I had to agree. “I couldn’t stay hidden forever, and the girls and I were vulnerable in Russia. I can’t thank you enough for what you and Marina did to get us out of there. The scale of your operation has been an eye-opener. I’ve met the others like me and learned a ton about switchers and myself. I know I’m not alone in this, and we are all better off working together. Despite it all, I feel I’m safer here than on my own.”

“And we can’t take out Mikhail without all of you,” Svetlana said.

“And that fucker needs to pay,” Anna added.

Art considered the people around him, finally letting some of the guilt he carried free. “I have lived for over five centuries and only now has a family member turned against me. I will avenge Ekatarina, preferably with my bare hands.”

“And I’d like to see that,” I said. “If you’ll have us, we’d like to stay. I’m worried that Mikhail’s people will be able to find us if we fly home.”

“I’m not going anywhere until Mikhail is dead,” Edward said.

“Our ranch is secure, but it is dangerous for us to travel now,” Duncan said. “We’ve defeated sea and air attacks. Unless Mikhail has a submarine, I’d say we’re safer here among our friends. I’d like to be here when we move the Eagle to a worthy host.”

That brought up a question I’d had. “Art, you told me earlier that if you found me unsuited to being a Switcher, you’d take it and give it to a family member who was deserving of it. Is that your plan for Todd?”

He nodded. “Until today, I would have considered any of my family members worthy. We will be out of range soon, so I’m having every person who can respond to the island get there. The faster we find Todd’s eagle, the better our chance at recovering the Gift.”

“I can think of a family member who would make a good switcher,” I said.

“As can I,” Duncan replied.

“Perhaps we should each nominate one worthy person, and the four of us select from there?” Edward looked at the others.

Reluctantly, Art nodded. “First, we have to find Todd and kill his Eagle.”

I had some ideas. “Do you have a map showing where we got attacked?” Nowhere on the yacht was far from information, and a big-screen television rose out of a side table. Art took the tablet and brought up the current navigation track with history. “The eagle would not follow the helicopters back, as Todd couldn’t trust them. The islands of Isola di San Pietro and Sant’Antioco are likely the first solid ground he encounters. Both are rugged and suited for him to rest. Eagles can’t fly at night, so finding a safe perch would be the bird’s priority. He will make for the high ground.”

“And he won’t change back for several days,” Duncan said.

“I know we’re tearing ass away from the attack site to avoid the police, but what if we turn north, then back east? We close on Sardinia from the west and come down the islands towards the north. The authorities know we are sightseeing, but coming this way, they would not suspect us coming from down here. We could land people on each island then send the yacht to dock in Portovesme before nightfall.”

The islands were lightly populated, except near the cities on the east sides. “We could anchor and repair the bullet damage while dropping them off. Who would go on the islands?”

“Duncan and I would. Both of us can stay hidden from the people in these rugged hills, and you are needed to run the search from your yacht. You can send another twenty people into the search on the mainland if we dock.”

Duncan looked at me. “We’d switch?”

I nodded. “The eagle remembers us, and it can cover a lot of land in the morning. Perhaps seeing another Switcher will be enough to bring it close.”

“We are going with you,” Svetlana said. “The eagle knows us too.”

“And we can carry pistols and protect you,” Anna added. "The same with Olivia."

There was a ding on Art’s tablet as a message came in. He looked at it, grimacing, then sent it to the screen. “We have our confirmation.”

It was a photograph taken at a heliport with a camera and telephoto lens. Mikhail Abrahmov and three others were walking away from a helicopter that matched the ones used in the attack.

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