Sea of Shadows eBook - Navy Thriller.com

332 JEFF EDWARDS
same model that had broken the Antietam like a child’s toy. The same
model that killed the Benfold.
The seconds dragged on, and the captain gradually became aware that
nearly every pair of eyes in CIC was locked on him. He was their
commanding officer, and their eyes were begging him to lead them out of
this trap. He kept his eyes on the tactical display. There was nowhere to
go.
The XO nudged him, “Jim?”
Captain Bowie stood without speaking. They were surrounded by
mines. If they tried to run, they were nearly certain to hit one. If they
didn’t run, the torpedo was going to kill them anyway. With a little more
time, they could map the minefield with their Kingfisher sonar—find a
clear passage out into safe waters.
He started to open his mouth and then stopped himself. A clear
passage … They didn’t have time to find one. Could they make one?
He keyed his mike. “Weapons Control—Captain. Forget that last
missile site. Train the 5-inch gun directly off the bow. Use maximum
elevation and reduced powder charges. I want those rounds to fall as close
to the bow as possible. HE-CVT, fused to go off when they hit the water.”
“Sir?”
“No questions, just do it. In fact, I want every gun we’ve got, including
the .50-cals and the chain-guns pointed into the water off the bow. Maybe
we can blow ourselves a safe path out of here.”
Two hostile-missile symbols vanished off the Aegis display screens,
leaving two more inbound missiles.
“TAO—Air. Splash two more Vipers. Both of them to jamming. No
takers on the chaff.”
“TAO, aye.”
The ship gave two shudders, accompanied by the roar of two missiles
launching.
“TAO—Weapons Control. Two birds away, no apparent casualties.
Targeted one each on the inbound Vipers.”
“Screw the missiles,” the captain said. He keyed his mike. “Weapons
Control, this is the Captain. Let Aegis handle the missiles. We’ve got an
inbound torpedo that we can’t shoot down. Concentrate on blowing us a
path out of here.”
“Weapons Control, aye.”