Leviathan

As the fourth Chinese submarine in line was struck, Captain Jefferson knew he had to find some sort of shelter. All hell was breaking loose, but for the life of him, his sonar team could not get a handle on it. It was as though the defensive line were getting rammed by an invisible ghost.

"Damn it, we're blind as hell--what in God's name is out there?" Jefferson said as Missouriheeled to the port side and her bow angled steeply down. "Sonar--conn. You don't have anything on your scopes other than the destroyed subs?"

"We get a ghosting of speed on the waterfall, then a shape as a collision happens. Then nothing, Captain--we're dealing with something that doesn't have the same hull construction as us or anything in the world. Some kind of stealth technology. We only know there are no torpedoes in the water!"

"Damn it. Take her deeper, Izzy--deeper!"

"Fifteen degrees down plane--all-ahead flank!" his first officer called out.

"All noises have stopped, debris descending to our starboard and port beam, sound of bulkheads collapsing. We also have noise conducive to four subs going shallow--yes, the Dubrinin, Tolstoy, Peter the Great, and the Chinese boat Tzu-Tang--I think we're all that's left down here, Captain."

"Damn, the last one out of the pool."

"Captain, we can't shoot what we can't see or hear."

"I know, Izzy, I know."

Alexandria's attempt to avoid the last collision had failed and the heavy maneuvering afterward to regain control threw Niles and the others in the now closed and watertight observation lounge. Garrison Lee went down in a heap, and Alice fell on top of him. Sarah saw an opportunity. Instead of being terrified, she had gotten angry. Virginia reacted at the same time. Tyler had fallen to a knee after the last collision and was struggling to gain his feet. At that moment he was hit simultaneously by Virginia and Sarah. Virginia went high and Sarah low, grabbing for the gun as she heard voices at the hatchway. Before she knew what was happening, several shots discharged from Tyler's weapon. The rounds missed everyone and ricocheted off the titanium bulkheads, making loud pings as they did. Niles and Lee started to assist the women but were grabbed by other security men before they could.

"Fools!" Tyler said as he regained his feet. Then he lost his balance once more as everyone lost their footing. Before anyone could take advantage of Tyler's predicament, several more security men had entered and leveled their weapons.

Leviathanagain rolled to their right and all of them felt her accelerate. Captain Heirthall, all doubt once more removed from her actions, was aiming for the last target in the Bering Strait--USS Missouri.

USSMISSOURI(SSN-780)

"That's it--nothing else is out there, Captain," sonar reported.

"Damn it--where are you?" Jefferson said as he closed his eyes in thought.

Outside of Missouri'shull, Leviathanwas closing once more at seventy-five knots, aiming straight at the bow of the American boat.

Suddenly, thuds started penetrating their hull. The soundwaves were faint, but after the silence of the previous attacks, the strange noise seemed as loud as cannon fire. The BQQ sonar was also picking up another sound as the great submarine closed on them--the sound of water rushing over a rough surface.

"Captain, we have what sounds like possible gunfire and something else, a thousand yards to starboard!"

"Izzy--match bearings on that noise and shoot!"

In the control center of Leviathan, Samuels was reluctantly about to sound the collision warning for the last time for their final target.

"Commander, we are making noise, I can't tell from where yet, but the sound is emanating from Leviathan."The technician pushed his headphones into his ears and listened intently. "We have torpedoes in the water--we have four fish--American Mark forty-eights--they went active as soon as they left their tubes. Torpedoes have acquired Leviathan!"

"Commander, someone has discharged a weapon onboard. It has definitely affected our stealth!"

There was no response coming from the auxiliary control station in the captain's suite at the base of the conning tower. Samuels knew he had to act.

"Hard right rudder, all-ahead flank--take her down to a thousand feet!" Samuels said as calmly as he could. "Launch countermeasures!"

Alexandria had heard the gunfire from somewhere down below. She closed her eyes as Leviathanstarted altering her course. She started fighting her emotions as the headache was suddenly under control. She need not contact control, knowing Samuels would do what needed doing. Her senses were draining of all input except regret at what she had done.