Silent Waters

Chapter 10

Just a few seconds after a shudder went through the submarine, a loud boom nearly knocked Amy off her feet, and her ears felt a sudden change of pressure.

She stretched out her hands and arms toward McCann. She’d been standing on one of the boxes, working on removing the overhead panel. He reached for her, steadying her just as a second boom rocked the sub, tumbling her into his arms.

“What was that?”

“A pair of torpedoes hitting something.”

She held onto him, every nerve in her body jumping. This was it. The end of her life. And she hadn’t said goodbye to her children. She’d made no plans about who would raise them. Her mind raced in a hundred different directions.

Ryan would take the kids, since he was their father. But his heart wouldn’t be in it. His job and life style wouldn’t allow it. Kaitlyn and Zack would be better off with her parents, but the kids really had too much energy for them. They would be a burden. Her sister would be the most likely person. But she was on the West Coast. And did she tell anyone about the last life insurance policy she’d bought? Would they disqualify any claim because this hijacking would be construed as an act of terrorism?

She pressed her hands to her ears. They hurt.

“Yawn, Amy. The concussion causes a change in pressure.”

He had to repeat it a couple of times before she shook herself out of a self-misery that was drowning her. Scared and confused, she looked up at him. Every line in McCann’s face was tight. His dark eyes looked almost black, and they were blazing. He cupped her hands over her ears.

“Open your mouth wide. Yawn.”

She did as she was told and felt her ears pop. She had to do it a few more times. “Who fired the torpedoes?”

“We did, I think.”

She started shaking. She lived in Stonington, half a block from the water. How far out from the mouth of New London harbor would they have to be to get a direct shot at Stonington? Her two angels were still in bed. Her eyes welled with tears, but she didn’t care.

He motioned over his shoulder at the outboard wall. “I’m almost there. I’ll have to work my way through any other obstructions after I climb in. It looks like I’ll have a clear drop to the torpedo room, though.”

She nodded.

“I want you to stay here for now. Do what we decided on the wiring above the panel. Wreck that navigation instrumentation, if you can.”

Amy was afraid, but she wasn’t going to admit it. She wouldn’t slow him down. It looked like he was the only one who could stop them. She gathered all of her strength, wiped away the tears on her face and nodded again.

“Go,” she said as calmly as she could muster. “I’ll cut the bastards’ juice from here.”