AK 239: The Enemy Is Already Here

Kendrick Bay — Near Shoreline

We come running down the trail to the dock.

Jen stops and looks back toward the mountain.

“Should’a blown by now. If they cooled the reactor, no way anyone’s getting back into that mountain. Certainly not our hostage rescue team!”

I say, “So what happens now?”

Jen, “If they didn’t cool that thing off the next thing that will happen will be a hydrogen blast that will destroy the containment shell and then…”

A huge explosion knocks us to the ground.

We sit up in shock after a moment and look at the mountain.

I say,

“A big explosion?”

Every one of the mine entrances blows fire thousands of feet at the exact angle of that particular vein.

Jennifer says,

“Ya!”

If it wasn’t so deadly, it kinda looks cool, I think before mentally slapping myself.

Just then a giant fireball with tremendous force flies out of a submarine sitting quietly by two fishing trawlers in Kendrick Bay. It shoots some sort of missile at the mountain.

We had not even seen this sub sitting there quietly until now.

Meanwhile, on a beach nearby, I see two men standing.

Their silhouettes light up in an orange glow.

I hear one of them scream,

“What the fuck?”

Diary of Robert Stone

^{Christmas Day}

“Is that a sub?” I ask.

Tony, standing next to me is just as shocked. He asks me,

“Is it Russian?”

I’m just plain annoyed, even more than usual, “How the hell should I know? I can’t see any markings on the damn thing.”

I pull out my Iridium Extreme 9575 satellite phone and now it’s working!

I call my wife,

“Yura tell the FBI to call SWAT, the Army, Navy, Air Force. Get everyone over here. Now!”

“A Russian sub just detonated a nuclear device on Bokan Mountain!”

Yura calmly says to me,

“Okay, chief, okay, calm down. I’m on hold with the FBI HRT here listen:”

“Happy Holidays and thank you for calling the FBI hostage rescue team in Washington D.C. If this is not an emergency, please hang up and call our main switchboard during normal business hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If you know your party’s extension you may enter it at any time. If your calling about Internet related crimes, please press 1. If you’re calling about…”

Yura told me she could hear me in the background cussing and swearing.

Yura says, “Not now, chief, I’m on hold you’re just gonna have to be…”

Just then a phone recording says, “One moment please.”

Yura says, “Sorry, chief, false alarm. Thought that was an operator.”

Some pleasant elevator music ensues while Yura hears the phone recording say:

“Do you want to be one of the few, the proud, the F.B.I. may be looking for you. Call us today and find out about what exciting jobs…”

I can’t take this anymore.

Finally, after an eternity passes:

“Hello, HRT. What’s your emergency?”

Yura sounds absolutely calm as she says,

“This is the Ketchikan, Alaska emergency services operator. I have…”

I can hear the FBI operator rudely interrupt her in this snarky, little, monotone voice,

“What is your emergency please?”

Yura now sounds impatient: “Well, I’m trying to tell you if you would…”

FBI HRT: “Ma’am you’re going to have to speak slowly and calmly if you want me to…”

“Damn it, Yura put the little shit on the phone.”

Yura then says,

“Okay, I’m going to let you speak directly with the Chief of Police of Ketchikan, Alaska.

“Go ahead chief.”

I don’t remember my exact words but they went something like:

“A NUCLEAR DEVICE HAS EXPLODED HERE.”

“SEND THE MARINES, YOU DUMB LITTLE FUCK.”

After a long pause on the phone, a monotone voice responds,

“Did you people call earlier?”

Yura interrupts me saying, “Yes, yes, YES!”

In a monotone voice the FBI operator calmly and slowly says,

“Why didn’t you say so? I’m patching you through now. One moment please.”

“Wait, what’s the number? I’ll have my chief call you… Hello?” says Yura to no avail.

The HRT operator is already long gone.

“Damn it! Stone, I’m on hold again,” says a frustrated Yura.