He straightened his jacket. Maybe that wouldn’t matter, maybe nothing would matter, in the next few minutes.
CHAPTER 64
Whoops and high-fives filled the bridge room. Alex grinned and turned in time to be grabbed by Cate who hugged him hard. A pair of hands levered them apart and Aimee pulled Cate out of the way to hug Alex and then kiss him even harder.
He smiled down at her. “Mission accomplished. Sunlight, and guess what? The world still seems to be here.” He kept one arm around her and leaned into the console, hitting the comm. button. “Rinofsky, get up here before the champagne gets warm.”
“I heard that,” came the response.
Alex turned to Blake. “Open a line. See if we can raise Commander Carmack on the USS Texas. He’s an old buddy.”
Behind him, Casey and Rhino were doing a waltz in the small space. Casey put a hand up into the big HAWC’s face and pushed when he tried to kiss her.
“When you two lovebirds are finished, perhaps someone could pop the lid.”
“Aye aye, skipper.” Casey saluted and ran down the steel corridor.
“Let’s go up, I’m dying to breathe in cold, clean air.” Aimee grabbed Alex’s hand. “And see some sunshine.” She led him away.
Casey climbed the railing ladder and spun the wheel, pushing the lid up. Fresh, freezing air burst inside, and nothing felt or smelled sweeter. Alex helped Aimee up behind Casey.
Alex and the small crew were now all jammed on the conning tower. They turned their faces to the sun, luxuriating in the fresh air.
“Smells like heaven.” Rhino opened his huge arms wide, turning his face to the sky.
“Smells like someone needs a bath,” Casey said.
Rhino looked mock-hurt, but Casey waved him away. “Forget it, you smelled like that when we went down.” She squinted in the glare after so many days in near twilight. “Holy shit, we got half the world’s navy down here.”
“And I’m betting they’re not all here on holiday. Looks like things escalated after all. We need to fix that. Get the USS Texas on the…” Alex paused and turned. “Belay that last order. Shenjung, you need to speak to your people first, pronto.”
Shenjung took the comm. device. “5727 kilohertz, please.”
Blake adjusted the signal frequency, and then nodded to the Chinese engineer. Shenjung spoke rapidly in Chinese, listened for a moment, grunted an acknowledgment and then waited. He lifted the receiver from his ear. “They are routing me through to the commander of the fleet, Admiral Zang Do.”
Alex watched and waited. He saw the man suddenly snap to attention as a deeper voice came on the line. Once again Shenjung spoke fast, but this time deferentially. There was a smile on his face, but the more the Chinese scientist listened, it rapidly changed to one of concern, and then of frustration.
Shenjung looked to Soong, and slowly shook his head. He licked his lips and his focus turned inwards as he spoke softly once again. Alex could see now that he wasn’t being allowed to finish his sentences. In the end he lowered his head and handed the earphone back to Blake. He turned to Alex.
“The admiral refused to countenance that an entire squad of PLA soldiers were wiped out by anything other than… you. He thinks that the concept of there being a world beneath the dark ice is fanciful and the product of dehydration or my delusion.” He smiled sadly. “Also, my suggestion of a creature being responsible for Yang’s death was seen as more brainwashing.” His smile fell away. “He called me an American spy.”
Soong sighed. “We cannot go home.”
“I’m sorry.” Alex took the comm. from Shenjung. “My turn, after all.” Alex changed frequencies, and called the USS Texas. “Code name, Arcadian, urgent communication for Commander Eric Carmack aboard the USS Texas.”
Alex didn’t have to wait long before a booming voice blared out from his earphone.
“Thank the lord, and are we ever glad to hear you.” Alan Hensen sounded like he had a grin from ear to ear. “Here’s the commander, the line is secure. Go ahead, Arcadian.”
“Hallelujah, son,” Carmack almost shouted. “You just saved me having to deploy a lot of expensive armaments, and I and the US Navy thank you for that.” He laughed heartily, and then breathed a sigh of relief. “Please tell me you have control of the Sea Shadow.”
“That we do, sir. We’re all looking forward to a hot meal and then going home.” Alex turned and nodded to Aimee.
“You can tell us all about your adventure when you bring that submarine alongside. As you can see, things are still a little tense here.” Carmack lowered his voice. “Best we take our toys and head home, before someone does something they regret.”
“Works for me, sir.” Alex could feel warm sun on his neck, and for the first time in days, felt at ease. He turned to grin at Rhino and Casey, just as a blaring alarm screamed out from Carmack’s line that jolted him upright.
Aimee grabbed at his arm. “What the hell is going on?”
“Commander…” Alex began.
“Sonar warning. Were you the only guys down there?” Carmack asked quickly.
“Yes.” Alex overheard Alan Hensen talking rapidly to his sonar and communication officers before relaying information. “Another reading, sir. This one coming up from the deep, fast, and big, really big.”
“Attack sub?” Carmack asked.
Hensen listened some more. “Too big for that. Non-metallic signature… and silent as a ghost; it’s weird. Going to come up at the Sea Shadow in a few minutes — collision course.”
“Jesus Christ, Hunter, what in God’s name did you just drag with you? We got something coming up underneath us and traveling at about eighty knots. Signature is all wrong. Non-metallic and silent as death. Looks like it’s coming from where you just came from. What the hell is it?”
Alex shook his head, confused, but then tilted his head back and closed his eyes. “That sir, is the Kraken rising, and our worst nightmare. It’ll sink us, if it gets to us.”
Alex heard shouted orders before Carmack came back.
“Not on my watch, son. Get below decks, we’ll take it from here.”
General Banguuo rose to his feet, listening carefully as Admiral Zang Do gave his urgent report.
“General, deep sonar contact. Single heavy-mass signature rising from over 300 fathoms. Breach zone is estimated to be directly below the fleet, sir. Unknown object has accelerated to 80 knots.”
Banguuo’s eyebrows rose. Eighty knots? “Seems the game of bluff has ended. A new stealth submarine perhaps, Admiral?”
“Or the Americans have initiated their first strike protocol,” Admiral Zang responded quickly.
Banguuo heard the frantic orders being yelled aboard the admiral’s ship — battle stations, tracking target, ready all batteries — it was the familiar language of war. His free hand curled into a fist.
“The Americans are foolish to think the Chinese navy would be caught off guard so easily.” Banguuo decided: first, they would destroy the submarine coming up at them, and then they would engage.
“Authorization to launch, Admiral. Fire at will.”
“Jue-zhan-jing-wai.” The admiral roared.
Banguuo grunted. It was an armed forces battle cry, and meant decisive battle. He gripped the phone so tight his knuckles went white. He closed his eyes, and in his mind he saw the bubble trails as the heavy Yu-4 homing torpedoes were launched and would already be speeding down to meet their doomed target.
Perhaps Minister Wanlin was right, he thought. It was inevitable — the age of the dragon was here whether he liked it or not.