“Pigeon, get me a heading to VOROTA datum.”
“Two five six degrees sir.”
“Flood forward. Open and trim vents fore and aft. Make for depth. Planesman, down bubble 15, make your depth 300 feet. Engage pump jet, speed ten knots.”
USS New York City was on the move again.
“Sir. We have a new communication from CINCUSNAVEUR,” said Commander Krupa. He handed the slip to Franks.
PRIORITY RED
B 865635231Z JUN 53 ZY87
CINCUSNAVEUR NAVAL FORCES EUROPE. NAPLES ITALY//E1//
TO NEW YORK CITY
EURFLT// ID E947QV54//
NAVAL OPS/31
MSGID/EUROPS 6722/CINCUSNAVEUR ACTUAL//
MSG BEGINS://
DISPOSITIONS OF FORCES IN THEATER. AVAILABLE TO VOROTA.
MSG END//
Franks read it and smiled.
“Blake. You certainly got the man to buy into this Operation VOROTA.”
Nathan frowned, “The man, sir?”
“Yeah, the CNO. There are some big hitters lining up for the fight.”
He passed the slip to Nathan.
He read it. “There are, sir.”
Nathan knew they faced a tough opponent. He felt a cold adrenaline flush in his stomach. They’d need all the help they could get. He looked at the list again. One thing did keep him awake: they’d be outnumbered, for a time anyway. Can they even out the situation?
When you’re outnumbered, what helps? What would help?
“Yes. Got it! He clenched his fist and grinned.
“Got what, acting Captain Blake?”
“Asymmetric warfare. That’s it!” He turned to Franks. “Sir, I need to speak with PO Herzer.”
“From the galley?”
“Yes sir, he’s the boat’s diver. I need to call for some help.”
This had better work, thought Nathan. If it doesn’t I’ll be the laughing stock of the fleet. And worse, the Russians could get out of this goddamn sea.
Chapter 13
SOME HOURS LATER FRANKS called Nathan over.
“We’re here, Weaps. VOROTA datum.”
“We’re three miles just north of the northern entrance to the Bosporus. Could you come to periscope depth and take a visual of the bridge sir? It’ll be to the south, southwest.”
The boat came to periscope depth. Franks did a 360 scan and noted the large twin towered Yavuz Sultan Selim suspension bridge with its multiple suspension cables.
“That’s one big mother of a bridge out there.”
“That’s it sir. Can you make a course under the bridge and come to a stop just south of it?”
Franks looked at Blake, trying to gauge what he was up to.
“Sir, PO Herzer should be ready with the diving equipment. I’m going ashore. I may be an hour or more; keep a lookout. I’ll signal and then return aboard.”
“What the hell are you up to?”
“I’ll give us a chance against superior numbers. It’s the last thing Ivan will expect.”
Nathan explained his plan.
“You need throwing in the brig,” Franks sighed. “But we don’t have one, so you’d better go out there and get it going.”
BACK NEAR THE BASE of the sail, PO Herzer helped him into the suit. He lifted on the rebreather. Herzer checked everything over.
“All good sir, we’re only shallow, so don’t add much gas for buoyancy. Put plenty in on the surface. When you want to descend, let gas out but not all, you’ll need to breathe.” Herzer opened the lower hatch and Nathan climbed up into it.
“And sir. Don’t forget to clear your ears on the way back down.”
“Right.”
He closed the hatch and spun the wheel. Water poured into the chamber, it was soon over his head. He did as he was told and breathed normally. Then it was open the upper hatch. He could see a milky white towards the surface, so he swam upwards towards it. Nathan broke surface, removed the mouthpiece and then swam on his back for the western shore, about 200 yards away. It was odd to see the sun and breathe the warm air. Nathan reached the shore, a shelving pebble beach and he took his fins and rebreather off. He was just about to start on up to the tree line when a voice called out.
“Stop where you are. Right there, buddy. US Marines.”
Two soldiers walked out of the treeline with M4 riles pointed at him.
“Hi, Lieutenant Commander Blake. USS New York City.” Nathan smiled. “Take me to your leader.”
“Look, wise ass, you’ll come with us.” He was searched and taken to a Lieutenant.
“You’re on a submarine, right? Where is it?”
“Down there.” He thumbed back to the sea behind.
The Lieutenant looked skeptical. He got on a communication set.
“Right sir.” The Lieutenant placed the handset down. “You’ll be picked up by a vehicle and taken to see someone.”
A civilian car drew up with two Marines in it. After being passed from pillar to post and repeating his story he was taken to a building up the hill. It looked like a school or College.
A Colonel approached him and shook his hand.
“Colonel Tonroe. 24th Marine MEU.”
Blake saluted. “Lieutenant Commander Blake, USS New York City, sir.”
“Good morning. I’ve had someone check with 6th Fleet in Naples and they vouch for you. Just as well, you were about to be detained as a Russian spy or Spetsnaz. Here, let’s go into my billet and have a coffee.” They walked off towards a set of tents set up in the college grounds.
“Have you served in Afghanistan or Iraq sir?” Nathan asked.
“Iraq, yes.”
“Then you’ll know about IEDs?”
The Colonel nodded. “Yeah, lost a few men to them. Bastards placed them by the roadside and bang, that’s it.”
“We’re going to need ropes, sir. A skilled armour technician and some 155mm Howitzer shells.”
“Ok, why?”
“We’re going to make IEDs.”
Tonroe looked at Nathan with a questioning stare. “What use are they here?”
“Sir, the US Marines are taking up a new line of work. They’re going to fuck submarines; Russian ones. Underwater IEDs. Welcome to the ASW business.”
AT THE BEACH, NATHAN put the rebreather back on, helped by two US Marines. He climbed into a small wooden Turkish boat along with one of the Marines.
“Ok,” he said to the soldier on shore. “As soon as we get 20 yards out or so, set it off.” The local started the outboard, and the small boat pulled away. Ashore, the Marine pulled the cap and set off the orange day smoke flare. The cloud blew away in the breeze. The small boat was now almost at the channel’s mid-point. Around the center of the Bosporus channel, under the bridge, a periscope suddenly rose up above the surface.
“Ok,” said Nathan, “that’s me. Thanks.” He placed in the mouthpiece and rolled over the side, venting gas from the rebreather and slipping below the surface. Down below it was cool and darker. He fell deeper, following the periscope down. He cleared his ears a few times and came to the sail. Nathan dived down into the crew platform, found the hatch and climbed into the wide cylinder. On one side were the rungs of the access ladder. He closed the hatch behind him and spun the wheel shut. Nathan knocked on the lower hatch with a spanner someone had tied on. The water started to lower. It had soon gone, so he spun the hatch wheel and started to climb down into the companionway.
“Ok sir?” asked Herzer.
“Yeah. Just about.”
“Was it sunny upstairs sir?” Nathan nodded. “Nice, I’m looking forward to it.”
Nathan looked at Herzer. “You know what I first noticed?”
Herzer smiled. “The smell sir. The plants, the distant life, cooking maybe.”
“You got it.” Nathan walked off into the control room.