“What’s going on?” Jake asked.
“Yeah, spit it out, mate,” Cahill said.
“I have several items. The first is my recent conversation with Miss McDonald. She considers our mission to have been a success, even with having to buy our way out of it.”
“Does she consider us in her debt?” Jake asked.
“No. That’s perhaps the greatest news of all. And this isn’t just my subjective read. She stated it clearly. I suspect that she enjoyed calling on her allies to pool the cash together for the Russians. I think it helped her flex her political muscle.”
“So this was our most profitable mission yet?” Jake asked.
Renard raised a cigarette to his lips and then lowered it upon Jake’s reminder.
“Pierre? The fire hazard?”
“Yes, I forgot. I should just keep these things in my pocket forever. I’ve lost track of the times I’ve tried to quit. Now, to your point. Yes, our mission was lucrative. We are out of Miss McDonald’s debt, and I plan to use the proceeds for growth.”
“Another ship?” Cahill asked.
“Exactly. The Taiwanese have been building the Goliath’s twin, and with Miss McDonald’s payment, I can accelerate the pace. I expect to see it complete within a year. Then we can pair it with the Wraith, and we’ll have a presence in the Atlantic and the Pacific.”
“That’s great,” Jake said. “But we’re still low on talent. We barely have enough to staff the Specter and the Goliath.”
“Agreed,” Renard said. “That’s why I’m happy to share another piece of potentially good news.”
Lacking a cigarette, the Frenchman bit into his sandwich to gain his dramatic pause. Mirroring the cue, Jake bit off a mouthful of ham that he coughed up when Renard shared his climactic gem.
“I’ve made a job offer to a new commanding officer.”
“You’re kidding,” Jake said.
“No, I am not. I can’t say yet if he will accept, but I’ve met with him and made my pitch. I can only hope that he’ll see the benefits of joining our merry band.”
“Well, who is it?” Jake asked.
“Though you have yet to be introduced, I believe you all know him. His name is Dmitry Volkov.”
About the Author
After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1991, John R. Monteith served on a nuclear ballistic missile submarine and then as a top-rated instructor of combat tactics at the U.S. Naval Submarine School. He now works as an engineer in the Detroit area. He writes the award-winning Rogue Submarine series.