“Come left to course two-five-nine.”
Forty minutes later, a sonar operator stirred, earning the supervisor’s attention and a brief chat.
“We picked up the Specter’s diesels,” the supervisor said. “We’re within two miles of it.”
“What bearing?”
“Two-five-five.”
“Shall I steer us to two-five-five?” Walker asked.
“Yes, come left to course two-five-five.”
Walker tapped an icon to nudge and then center the ship’s rudder. Cahill found the catamaran’s movement imperceptible.
“Shall I slow us?” Walker asked.
“Not yet. Energize the side-scan sonar, full power.”
Cahill faced the array of displays behind him that showed camera views of the darkness outside the Goliath. One screen shifted from blackness to the monochromatic return of the high-precision side-scan sonar.
“Energize the laser communication system.”
“The laser communication system is energized,” Walker said.
Minutes later, an oblong shape took form on the side-scan sonar display.
“There’s Jake,” Cahill said. “Right where he’s supposed to be. All stop.”
“The ship’s at all stop,” Walker said.
“Energize external lights,” Cahill said.
“External lights are energized.”
As the Goliath drifted towards motionlessness, the underside of the Specter’s hull appeared in a forward-facing camera.
“Secure the side-scan sonar.”
“The side scan-sonar is secured,” Walker said.
“Deploy all four outboards. Steady us under the Specter.”
Walker tapped keys, and four small outboard motors with propellers located under each corner of the Goliath nudged the ship’s mass to motionlessness underneath the submarine. The transport ship’s cameras showed the Specter’s hull above it on a skewed angle.
“We have laser lock,” Walker said.
“Run our audio connection through our main speakers. Run the video on console seven.”
“I’m sending the audio to the main speakers. Video is coming up on console seven. Do you want me to use the outboards to keep us under Jake?”
“Yes.”
Cahill spun towards the screen behind him, and Jake’s face appeared while his voice filled the room.
“You found me.”
“It was easy. I hope the Russians know where you are, too.”
“The helicopters above their surface task force have been painting me with radar for hours. They know where I am.”
“Then the question is if they’ve been able to inform the Kilo. Any sign of it coming to periscope depth?”
A French accent filled the space.
“None,” Renard said.
The Frenchman’s image appeared on the console next to Jake’s. Cahill thought he looked more tired than during their last encounter, but he withheld his comments about his boss’ appearance.
“I see you have a real-time link with Pierre.”
“Of course,” Jake said. “There’s no sense in pretending that I’m hidden. So I may as well get full use out of being up here.”
“I hate to spoil the reunion, but we’re racing a clock,” Renard said. “The Russians must be losing patience with their Kilo’s failure to engage Jake, and you have limited time to trap it.”
“So how does our plan change, if at all?” Cahill asked.
“Jake increases the bait while you go hunting.”
“I’m going to fake a flooding casualty in a few minutes to make sure the Kilo knows where I am,” Jake said. “I’ll flood water into my tanks and run my pumps to push water right back out. I’ll have a few guys banging on pipes to simulate damage control.”
“Isn’t that too obvious?” Cahill asked.
“I don’t see that we have an option given the timing,” Jake said. “It may be obvious, but the Kilo’s commander has to respect my flooding casualty as a real possibility.”
“He’s hungry,” Renard said. “He wants vengeance, and he’s racing the same clock as you. He’ll come for Jake. You just need to remember that you’re in hunter submarine mode until you’re close enough to him to preclude him attacking you. Then and only then can you shift back to using the full force of the Goliath.”
“Got it, mate.”
“I’m updating your tactical plots with my latest analysis,” Renard said.
Cahill called up the plot on a console. The icons remained unchanged, but new lines and arcs came to life.
“The red line shows the most direct route the Kilo could be taking towards Jake,” Renard said. “It has just over two hours before it can be at the edge of its torpedo range, which is indicated by the red arc I’ve drawn around the Specter.”
“What happens if I can’t get the mission done before the Kilo’s within the arc?”
“That’s what the next, inner arc is for,” Renard said.
Consistent with his flare for drama, his boss invoked the curved line as he spoke.
“That’s the limit of the Russian Shkval. I won’t subject Jake and the crew of the Specter to an underwater rocket. If you track the Kilo to within ten miles of Jake, or if you can’t find it before the timer runs out on the Kilo’s direct run to Jake, the mission is over.”
“Over?” Cahill asked.
“Yes. You’ll flee towards the coast and prepare to abandon your ships in Turkish waters.”
“That can’t happen,” Cahill said. “The Turks can’t protect us from the Russians.”
“Yeah, isn’t that like chasing a bank robber over county lines?” Jake asked. “Aren’t the Russians free to pursue us all over the world, after what we did to them?”
“The Turks may not have the force to equal the Russians, and international maritime law is murky,” Renard said. “But the complexity of invading a sovereign nation’s waters to hunt you would at least cause the Russians to hesitate.”
Cahill’s optimism lagged that of the Frenchman. He wondered if Renard embellished the safety of Turkish waters.
“There’s no progress on removing the minefield or finding us a safe harbor?” he asked.
“Unfortunately not,” Renard said.
“Then I need to get moving.”
The Frenchman’s sagging features darkened.
“Unless you care to retreat now,” he said. “This is your last chance to back out of your pending heroic deed. Even knowing your abilities and that of the Goliath, I’m hesitant to see you do this.”
“No, mate. I’m doing it.”
“I own your ship, Terry. My word is final.”
“But you wouldn’t say no. I know you too well by now.”
Renard looked away as he worked a fresh cigarette to his lips and lighted it. Despite noting the intended dramatic pause, Cahill found it soothing. His boss knew how to instill confidence.
“I could decide either way,” Renard said. “But I’ve deferred to your confidence, just as I would with Jake. I can only hope to learn that you are as charmed as he.”
“I’ve heard all his stories, mate. I know he’s gifted, but I plan to prove that I’m your worthy commander as well.”
“You already have. That’s my concern. I don’t want to lose you, especially when I see a safer way out.”
“But you don’t want to abandon your ships.”
The Frenchman blew smoke and focused his gaze above the camera that faced him.