Leviathan

Jefferson was staring and thinking about the chart in front of him. Missouriwas at station keeping--only using her thrusters to adjust for drift as she waited. They were one mile off from the Ross Ice Shelf. He looked every few minutes at the latest ELF message from National Command Authority--the president of the United States. The coded wording was clear after deciphering: SinkLeviathan through any means possible. Release of special weapons has been authorized.

Captain Jefferson ran a hand through his graying hair, then looked up as his first officer approached.

"Maybe the president doesn't know that Collins and the others are still alive and onboard."

"It doesn't matter, Izzy. He knows they very well may be, but our orders stand. When Leviathancomes out from under the shelf, we bushwhack her with a Mark seventy-eight 'special.'"

"Goddamned nuclear-tipped torpedo," Izzeringhausen said, shaking his head.

"Let's get the cursed thing loaded into tube three. Load one, two, and four with standard Mark forty-eights."

"Aye, sir."

"Izzy, we will do our duty on this," Jefferson said as he saw the look on his first officer's face.

"Yes, Captain, but no one said we have to like it."

Captain Jefferson frowned and looked down at the chart that depicted the Ross Ice Shelf.

"Stay under the ice until Collins can pull something --anything--off, if he's still alive."

20

LEVIATHAN

"Is ... the captain ... going to die?" the small child asked with tears forming in her eyes.

Jack knew it would do no good to lie to the child. "Yes--but she ... and we ... are grateful for your help. What is your name?" he asked.

"Natika," she said, as she placed a small hand on Heirthall's cheek. "And she is our captain." It was as if it were that simple. Heirthall was the captain, and it could be no other way. Jack knew that, to the children, there was no other authority in the world.

Everett managed to get the hatch open, and the cold wind entered the tower. The small girl turned away, and the others followed her.

"Hey, hey," Jack said as he stopped her and the others. "You have to come with us."

The girl just shook her head. "We have others we have to bring out. The crew are trapped in their quarters--they will die soon. My friends are also in the mess compartment. We must help them."

"Colonel, you have to get me to the command bridge," Heirthall said, still held between Virginia and Alice.

"They can't launch without the codes, right?" Lee asked.

"They can ... get the ... codes through ... other means."

"This job sucks," Mendenhall said, voicing the same opinion that he had on many an occasion.

Collins made a quick decision. "Will, you and Jason go with the girl. Do what you can to free whatever crew is still alive, and be careful," he said, taking two of the weapons from the downed security men and tossing each one to the lieutenants.

Natika seemed to like the suggestion; her smile widened. She stepped up to Mendenhall and took him by the hand.

"I guess we're in your girlfriend's hands," Ryan quipped as he joined Mendenhall and the children.

"Funny man," Will said as they left the sail and disappeared through the hatch leading down.

Jack reached for the other fallen weapons. Everett, who joined him, immediately tossed the automatic rifles to Robbins, Lee, Compton, Farbeaux, and finally Sarah, who shook her head, knowing what Jack was going to say.

"Mr. Everett, I assume the captain has a way of stopping any missile launch from Leviathan. Take her with you and find a way into that control center. Get it done." He pulled back the charging handle of the weapon, chambering a round. "Get it done."

"And you?" Everett asked as Sarah stepped up to Jack, shaking her head.

"I'm taking a different route."

Jack placed his right hand on Sarah's cheek and smiled. "Don't worry, Short Stuff, I have an extreme desire to live. I have plans beyond today."

Sarah was about to speak when Collins turned and went into the elevator. The doors closed and he was gone. Everett quickly stepped up and eased Alexandria from the grasp of Virginia and Alice.

"Captain, shall we try and help?" Everett asked Heirthall when he saw her blue eyes open and alert.

"By all means ... Captain Everett."

"I'm not leaving without my friend," Virginia said, then helped Carl with Alexandria's weight.

Yeoman Alvera sat on the edge of the captain's bed. Her hand played over the coarse blanket as she watched two of Tyler's men cutting into the captain's safe. As the front of the steel safe popped free of its hinges, she stood and walked to the bulkhead. She eyed the two men until they moved away, and then she reached in and took out the safe's contents. She tossed papers on the deck until she came to a plastic-coated envelope. She snapped the plastic into two pieces, then looked at the thick paper inside.

"NX0021-001 Heirthall-one," she said, reading the launch codes aloud.

Alvera smiled.