Nightwatch

Chapter 24

Brittany was in the galley, drinking a club soda to ease her queasy stomach, when she first learned that an American Trident submarine had been the victim of an underwater collision with a yet unknown vessel, somewhere off the coast of Florida. It was only after rushing back into the Operations Team Area that she learned this Trident was the U.S.S. Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island was their Atlantic basin alert platform, armed with a lethal load of twenty-four Trident II D-5 missiles, each capable of carrying up to seven 300-kiloton Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle warheads. Because of the Rhode Island’s forward patrol area, it had been the same submarine that Iron Man One had passed an EAM to earlier, and the loss of this capable platform could drastically affect America’s strategic posture.

Brittany arrived in Operations just as the Chairman stormed in from the aft end of the 747, with Colonel Pritchard and Major Hewlett on his heels. Warner appeared to be furious, and he vented his anger and frustration beside Red’s workstation.

“This whole fucking situation is getting totally out of control.

Colonel, I need you to keep that line open with COMSUBLANT.

I want to know the second that we get a SITREP on the Rhode Island. And where the hell’s General Spencer?”

Red looked up from her console and efficiently answered, “Admiral Warner, I’ve got the General for you on line seven.”

As the Chairman strode over to the adjoining console and grabbed the red handset, Brittany met Red’s glance. They traded conspiratorial winks, while listening to Warner refocus his rage on Iron Man One’s CG.

“Absolutely not, Lowell! Until all the facts are in, I feel a move to DEFCON Three is totally unwarranted… Lowell, I’m well aware that she’s our Atlantic basin alert platform. But until we hear otherwise, we’ve got to presume that the Rhode Island’s still operational… I’ll keep that in mind. General… Very well. Out.”

The Chairman hung up the handset, and forcefully addressed his SIOP advisor.

“Major Hewlett, be informed that General Spencer recommends an immediate alert change to DEFCON Three. He’s substantiating this with the assumption that the Rhode Island was intentionally struck by a Russian attack sub. Since we still don’t know this fact for certain, I can’t in all good conscience agree to this provocative move, which could very well incite the very war we’re trying so hard to avoid.”

“And if we indeed learn that the Russians are responsible for this collision, sir?” asked the Marine, well aware that the entire Operations team was riveted on their conversation.

Warner paused in thought, and without bothering to issue a reply, he spoke instead to Red.

“Sergeant, it’s time to take the bull by the horns. Get me a secure line with the Russian Defense Ministry in the Kremlin. If anyone can get to the bottom of this mess, it’s General Alexi Zhukov.”