Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

SEA OF SHADOWS 311
“Afraid so, sir. We’ll have Firewalker running interference for us. If
we get lucky, he’ll be able to put a torpedo on Gremlin Zero Four before
the sub knows what’s up.”
“Or he’ll get blown out of the sky by a sub-SAM, like Antietam’s helo
did.”
“That’s one of the risks, sir. But by the time the sub is close enough to
shoot at Firewalker, he’ll also be close enough to shoot at us. We’re all
going to be in the line of fire.”
“We can’t afford to forget about Vipers,” the XO said. “The 212B can
carry three Exocet missiles. They’re supposed to fire them one at a time,
but these bastards have shown a preference for launching them all at
once.”
“There were four subs left when we got into this fight,” Captain Bowie
said. “That makes twelve Exocets. We saw them shoot nine, so there are
three left.”
“There might be three left, sir,” the TAO said. “We’ve sunk three out
of the four submarines. There’s an excellent chance that this guy has
launched one or more of his birds.”
“Forget percentages,” the XO said. “Until he’s dead, as far as I’m
concerned, this guy is armed with Exocets. Hell, with the kind of luck
we’ve been having, he’s got a couple of extras lying around for a rainy
day.”
Chief McPherson half-smiled. “Good thing it doesn’t rain much in the
Middle East, sir. Or we’d be screwed.”
The XO glared at her for a couple of seconds, and then turned to the
Tactical Action Officer. “TAO, I want Aegis ready-auto, CIWS set to
auto-engage, and the Electronics Warfare guys standing by to jam or
launch chaff. Set Tac-Sit One; I want all four .50-caliber mounts manned,
and both 25mm chain-guns. Make sure that the 5-inch gun is loaded with
HE-rounds. We have no friendly units within weapons range. If anything
out there so much as farts, I want a missile, a torpedo, or a 5-inch shell
shoved up its ass before its sphincter can slam shut.”
“Aye-aye, sir.” The TAO keyed into the tactical command net and
began issuing orders.
Towers steamed back and forth, a wounded but determined sentry
guarding the harbor against the approaching enemy. The crew settled in
for a long wait, but less than twenty minutes had passed when the call
came from the Electronics Warfare module. “TAO—EW, I have six