Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

156 JEFF EDWARDS
Nearly every head in the room nodded.
She tilted her head. “Don’t you think the Germans know that?” Her
gaze traveled around the room, touching on every set of eyes around the
table. “Not only do they know it, but they’re depending on it.”
“Wait a minute,” the CNO said. “You’re saying they want to mix it up
with us, but they’re counting on us to keep it from blowing up into a fullscale
war?”
The secretary of state nodded. “That’s how I read it.”
National Security Advisor Gregory Brenthoven put both hands on the
tabletop. “I can think of at least two possibilities that make more sense
than that. How about this? Maybe those submarine commanders have
gone rogue. They might be operating without authority from their
government. Or maybe those Siraji crews that they’ve been training have
seized control and hijacked the damned things!”
The president shook his head. “I don’t think so, Greg. If those subs are
operating without orders from the German government, where are the
apologies? Why isn’t Friedrik Shoernberg falling all over himself to kiss
up to me? Where are the frantic phone calls denying involvement?”
Brenthoven looked surprised. “He hasn’t called you, sir?”
The president shook his head again. “Hell no. I had to call him.”
“What did he say?”
“He expressed sympathy for the families of our dead and wounded
Sailors,” the president said.
“No apologies?”
“No apologies. In fact, the bastard half-implied that it was our fault.”
The CNO sat up. “Our fault? How in the hell does he figure that?”
“It’s a free ocean,” the president said. “From their angle, their subs
were exercising their legal right to transit. Friedrik gave me a whole song
and dance about it. By interfering with their passage and shoving a carrier
up their noses, we provoked them into defending themselves.”
“That’s absolute bullshit,” the CNO snapped. “Our ships have United
Nations authorization to board and search any vessel suspected of violating
the arms embargo against Siraj. Those subs are prohibited military
hardware. We were totally within our rights to try to stop their delivery.”
“That’s not how Chancellor Shoernberg sees it,” the president said.
“It’s the position of the German government that our mandate to conduct
maritime interception operations is only valid within the boundaries of the
Arabian Gulf. Shoernberg claims we overstepped our authority when we
went after his subs in the Arabian Sea.”
The national security advisor stared at the secretary of state. “Is that
right?”