Chapter 11: N = 45 + 60/ Z = ?
Kate sighed. She sat at her desk in her cabin with her hands in front of her eyes and a stack of papers in front of her. She had been studying Regina's file secretly for weeks now. She had made copies of the parts which spoke of her mumbling.
"N equals 45, added by 60, divided by Z," Kate read out loud. Whatever Reg had said made no sense. It must be some sort of a formula but which one? What for?
Kate looked at her own notes again. In the past two weeks she had used a lot of her spare time trying to fit all the separate pieces into formulas she knew or remembered from her science classes. By now she had numerous pages full which could be discounted.
"What is this formula for?" Kate asked herself, looking at her latest try.
"XO to the ship's office. XO to the ship's office," RO announced over the intercom.
Kate quickly grabbed all the papers together and put them back in a folder in one of the drawers before she got up and left her cabin.
On her way she passed the junior sailors' mess where a few sailors were enjoying their down time. Against the rules the door was closed.
Kate slowed down, hoping to find out what the reason was for the closed door. It was no surprise to hear 2Dads' voice amongst others.
"You finally decided," Kate heard him ask.
A reply was made but whoever answered wasn't as loud as the blond sailor.
"Are you certain?" 2Dads asked again. "Well, it's your money," he added confidently. "And a name?" Kate heard him continue.
What were they doing? Where they playing poker or any other betting game? Without a knock she opened the door to the mess, hitting 2Dads with it since he was standing on the other side.
Another sailor shrieked at the sight of Kate in the doorway. She hid something underneath the table and looked at Kate with a guilty look.
"What's going on here?" Kate demanded to know.
"Oh hi X," 2Dads happily chirped. "Can we do something for you?"
Kate looked around the room and knew something was going on. There wasn't a poker game going on but she didn't trust 2Dads at these moments and he looked way too cocky. If she didn't have to be in the ship's office she would stick around and find out but then she saw the young sailor again, still trying to hide something.
"What are you hiding Leading Seaman Cook?" she asked.
The woman started to stutter and turned as red as a beetroot. "I, uhm, well."
Kate wanted to say something when 2Dads coughed and motioned with his hands. "We could tell you X, but it's supposed to stay a surprise for later," he said cheekily.
He was holding on to the door as if he didn't want her to see what was behind it. Kate was about to investigate the situation when she heard Mike's voice: "Has anyone seen the XO?" he asked to no one in particular.
Kate walked back a few steps so Mike was able to see her before she looked back inside the junior sailors' mess. "Leave the door open," she ordered.
2Dads answered something like a confirmation while Leading Seaman Cook whispered: "Is she gone?"
Kate had walked a few steps in Mike's direction, stopped and turned around again but Mike came out into the hallway, taking a breath indicating he wanted to say something to her. Quickly Kate held up her hand to let him know he should wait a second.
"What?" he asked not understanding what was happening.
"Let me see," 2Dads ordered Leading Seaman Cook. "Oh, that is so cute. I'll bet the…"
"Come on Kate. What's holding you up?" Mike asked, interfering with her understanding of the last words of 2Dads' sentence.
Kate walked into the office and shrugged. "Oh, 2Dads is up to something. I'll find out," Kate answered. She saw Mike's face turn pale, just a fraction of a second, but long enough for Kate to notice.
"You know what he's up to, don't you?" she challenged him.
Mike smiled and shook his head. "I know nothing Kate," he said. To put an end to the conversation he pointed at the computer. "Maxine called about ten minutes ago. She wanted to see us," he explained.
They both sat down in front of the screen and waited for Maxine to connect to Skype. For weeks they had used this method of communication and it seemed be a very satisfying experience.
"Good afternoon Mike, Kate," Maxine greeted them. "I'm glad to catch you," she added.
Mike started to laugh. "As if we could be anywhere else," he joked.
Maxine laughed and raised her hands in defeat. "True, although you could…" she didn't finish her sentence. "Oh well, let's not go there. I'm glad both of you look good," she stumbled. "I need to tell you something important," she finished, sounding serious.
Mike was a bit in a jolly mood and shrugged. "We wouldn't dare not answer the phone when we know you want to speak to us," he said.
"It's about Madelaine Cruise," Maxine stated.
Kate's eyes widened. Ever since the attack Madelaine had been in hospital, in a coma. She had never been able to help clarify what had happened. News could mean two things and Kate really hoped it would be positive.
"It's not good I'm afraid," Maxine ended the hopeful looks. "She died earlier this morning, never regaining consciousness," Maxine explained.
Kate realised she wasn't even sad because of the loss of a human being, but more because Madelaine couldn't answer any more questions.
Kate shook her head, a gesture which was mistaken by Maxine for sympathy. "Don't feel sorry Kate. She doesn't deserve it," Maxine said.
"Do the police know who killed her?" Mike asked.
"They suspect someone from the terrorist cell. They must have known Madelaine told the police more than she should," Maxine answered. "There is one thing they're worried about. If it was someone from the cell it means they're operating on Australian soil. The man who fired the shot wasn't Caucasian, but who knows? How many Australians are helping the terrorists?"
Kate had thought about that too. Madelaine had helped them and she wouldn't be the only one. She even had doubts about their passenger, although she had never voiced those doubts. First she needed evidence.
"What about Regina Simpson?" Kate raised the question carefully, hoping she could clear her own doubts and fears. "She could have come from those islands where the five men were killed. We don't know much about her. I've got a strange feeling about her," Kate said.
Maxine leaned forward and folded her hands under her chin. "Interesting," she said. "Can you explain what it is?" she asked.
Mike turned his chair and looked at Kate, who didn't look at him but started to look sombre for speaking up. "You've never said anything to me before. How long have you suspected Regina?" he asked accusingly.
"I don't suspect her of anything," Kate defended. "Yet," she added quietly. "It's just a tingling feeling. I don't know how to describe it. She has told Bird a few things but even Bird is starting to have doubts about certain details. We know so little about her," Kate explained.
"In that case," Maxine said while she closed one file and searched for another. "Ah here it is," she said happily as she opened it. "The Feds have given me some information. We need a DNA test to prove our theory but the pictures you've supplied indicate she could be a long lost person. Five years ago a science student disappeared. Her family hasn't heard anything of her ever since," Maxine read from the file.
"Why do the Feds think Regina and this woman are one and the same?" Kate asked while she tried to make links in her head.
Regina had said things in her earlier delusional state that could be put together as a formula. The missing woman was a science student and would have worked with lots of formulas.
"Regina Simpson is not a name that comes up with all the other things we know about her. There is not a 29 year old Regina Simpson living in Australia. There is one who's 84," Maxine answered with a laugh.
"Hmm," Mike sighed. "So she gave us a false name. That still doesn't mean she's the missing uni student," he continued.
Maxine smiled broadly. "Very observant," she chuckled. "but the grandmother's name of Alicia, our missing student, is Regina."
Mike frowned but Kate understood the implication. It was too much of a coincidence. It also made sense with the knowledge she had gathered from the notes, but to be able to share that she had to admit she had taken the notes from Doctor Howard.
Mike looked at Kate. She knew something, something he didn't know and that bothered him. They had always trusted each other and since they had talked a couple of weeks ago it seemed like they were back on the right track, but now he wasn't so sure anymore.
"Let's assume Regina is actually this Alicia. What does that mean?" Mike asked seriously.
Maxine shrugged. "In what way?" she asked.
Mike didn't understand the question but Kate nodded in agreement. "Was she abducted? Did she run away? If she ran away why did she do that?" Kate explained.
"I would say she ran away," Mike said confidently.
Maxine looked at him questioningly. "Why do you think that?" she asked.
Kate thought she knew what he meant. "That's what I think too," she added. "If she didn't run away she could have made contact before now, wouldn't you say?" she explained.
Maxine looked questionably. "That is if she ever had the chance to make contact," she argued.
Kate knew that in theory Maxine was right but it just didn't add up with what Regina had told them. If she had been kept captive for the last five years she would at least have said something about it by now.
"Can I try my theory?" Kate asked. She would have to give away a bit of her knowledge but maybe not everything she knew.
"What if Regina, Alicia, ran away. Let's say because she didn't agree with her lifestyle anymore. She runs away to a foreign country and joins a group of Ozzies…"
"Are you talking about the five killed men found on the Eliki islands?" Maxine tried to clarify.
"Yes. So Regina is on the Eliki islands and either kills those guys or is the only survivor of the massacre," Kate continued.
Mike shook his head. "There are too many question marks in that assumption," he said.
"She was on route to the Eliki islands when we found her. She's hiding stuff from us ever since she's been able to talk again. She tells us lies or half-truths. When she was still half conscious she mumbled a lot which, if you put it together, could be a formula. That fact correlates with Alicia who was a science student. What I want to know is what happened? Should we be cautious with Regina? What are the formulas for?" Kate said vehemently.
"Wait a minute. You can still remember what she said all those weeks ago?" Mike asked dumbfounded.
Kate felt a blush creeping up her face and she didn't know what to say.
"Does that really matter right now?" Maxine asked. "What worries me right now is that Kate has a point. I'll report back to the Feds and I want to ask you to find out more about Regina or whatever her name is. For now I think it's best if this woman doesn't know we're investigating her because if she is a mass murderer I don't think she would let any of you live if you knew," Maxine warned them.
Mike and Kate agreed and signed off. Kate stood up and wanted to go back to her cabin. She had been sitting for too long and wanted to lie down for a while before her watch started, but Mike held her arm and stopped her.
"How do you know about what Regina said several weeks ago and how come you never shared your thoughts with me?" Mike demanded.
Kate shook her arm to let him know she didn't like his touch. Mike let go of her arm but kept staring at her.
"Well?" he pressed.
"I just do," Kate replied as she left the office and walked back towards her own cabin.
"Not good enough McGregor," Mike said as he followed her.
Kate sighed. She knew Mike wouldn't give up until he had found out what she knew and how she got to know it. There was no other way except to let him know. She led him into the privacy of her cabin and showed him her notes.
"What else did you steal from Timothy?" Mike asked, trying to hide a smile.
Kate didn't know what he was talking about until she saw him snooping around her cabin.
"He came to complain about a missing object yesterday," Mike chuckled.
Kate sighed and got the small ultrasound machine from under her pillow. "It took him until yesterday to realise it was missing? I've had it for two weeks now," she grinned. "It's not that anyone else around here needs it anyway," she added.
Mike laughed. "Our dear Doctor wants it back and actually he wants to report you but…"
Kate's face dropped and she felt her heartbeat quicken. "He wants to do what?" she asked
alarmed.
"I'll help you," Mike said with twinkling eyes. "Only if you let me hear what kind of sounds my little god child is making in there," he said as he pointed at her protruding belly.
Kate laughed. "God child?" she wondered, but instead of arguing with him she got the machine and let him listen.
"I wish you wouldn't take it away from me. I love listening to my little one," Kate sighed.
Mike took the machine from her and gave her a sorrowful look. "When we're back in town I'll buy you one. Just promise me not to upset Timothy Howard. He's a stickler for the rules and I wouldn't like to see you end up in trouble because of something like this."
Kate nodded before she sat down on her rack. She looked at her watch and saw she had a couple of hours before her shift started. "I think we're going to get some rest," she joked.
"I'll take these as well," Mike said, taking her notes on the formulas and Regina with him. "I'll see you at dinner time," he added. Quietly he switched off the light, looked at Kate one last time, smiled, and closed the door.