“Okay boys, let's separate into four teams of four, with one person in each group a skilled military explosive expert. The other three team members are charged to kill anything that gets in the way. Okay, ladies, let’s get to it.”
One team headed to the bow. The other teams headed to the massive engine room. The main engine, generators, compressors, pumps, and other key machinery were located there. The engine room was located near the bottom rear end of the vessel and was about six stories high. As the men proceeded on their careful journey through the engine room, they were on the lookout for engineers or crewmen checking equipment such as relief valves and air start valves for leakage or incorrect operation. The temperature in the engine room could be pretty high but Savannah’s technology kept the massive room comfortable. The teams were careful as they made their way, as the walkways were narrow, tight, and unforgiving. They could suddenly fall several stories if they didn't know where they began or ended. As they descended the steps that took them down past the top plates to the main engine cylinder heads, they could smell energy at work.
One SEAL team member whispered, “I bet these are the largest diesel engines ever manufactured. This engine must be four stories tall and the pistons are half that size.”
Another SEAL added, “This place is so clean. You could eat off the floor.”
“So far, so good,” whispered the commander.
“J.R.’s team has them busy. Normally a ship this size calls for at least two engineers during a four-hour watch in the engine room. They are all at the inoculation station, but you can bet they are due back real soon.”
Meanwhile, SEAL team Savannah was putting on a grand performance as medical technicians, health-care workers, and doctors. Captain Bashir left to head back to the bridge. Ghaazi and Captain Russell seemed to be bonding as they discussed islands that they had both visited while the rest of the crew were being checked out. J.R. noticed his smartphone was flashing. “Excuse me, but the chief medical officer is calling. I need to let him know I am pleased with our progress.”
J.R. walked away and took the call.
“Rodeo, this is Rover. The remote detonator transmitters on those C-4 packages were Radio Shack specials. They were designed to remote-detonate with a cellphone call. The transmitters were keyed to an algorithm so a rogue cellphone tone wouldn't trigger them. We destroyed both capacitors and the transmitter switches on each package before removing the C-4 blocks. Each package had about 40 pounds of C-4. I thought it was neat how they had C-4 staggered at the gigantic pistons of the ship engine. The blast would have that 2,300 ton 14-cylinder engine in the bottom of the ocean like a collapsed star and the ship would have followed. The subsequent B-53 bomb blast could have created one hell of a deep ocean tsunami. We encountered no resistance. I repeat, no resistance. By the way, we dropped the packages off at Neptune’s Lair. Rover and the boys are on our way back to the ranch. We will let the old man know you are on your way. See you when we see you, Rodeo.”
Captain Russell confirmed, “Copy that.”
Captain Russell was relieved that the C-4 explosives had been disarmed and removed. The worst-case scenario would be a nuclear blast with surface blast radius only and a minimum tsunami effect.
SEAL team Charleston was on its way back to the supply ship. Once there, the supply ship and the Knighthawk helicopters would head to the nearest forward operating location.
Captain Russell made his way back to the bridge, where he found Captain Bashir handling navigation operations until the boys were back at their posts. Captain Bashir smiled worriedly when he saw Captain Russell. He asked J.R. if everything was okay.
Captain Russell smiled. “Yes, I have good news and not so good news, Captain Bashir. The crew checked out fine and they have been released to get back to their duties, except for your first officer.
Captain Bashir is puzzled, Ghaazi...are you sure. Why him?”
“We asked Ghaazi a series of questions and it became apparent that Ghaazi, being the first officer, greeted and shook hands with several passengers you transported from Isabela Island to Guayaquil. One of them was ill with Marburg hemorrhagic fever and could have spread the virus by direct contact. This is easily done as droplets of body fluids, or direct contact with persons, equipment, or other objects contaminated with infectious blood or tissues are all sources of disease.”
Captain Russell sat down, looking sad. “Ghaazi is being quarantined in the dispensary for now with one of the medical techs for overnight observation for fever, chills, headache, and severe muscle pain. If the vaccine we gave him doesn't work, it will lead to inflammation of the pancreas, delirium, shock, liver failure, massive hemorrhaging, and multi-organ dysfunction. We have made a commitment to travel with you until we know. If he is contagious, we will transport him in a protective suit with us when the chopper picks us up and you can travel on to America.”
Captain Bashir breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you. I will make sure you and your people are set up with proper lodging.”
Captain Russell pleasingly said, “Thanks, I need a good night’s sleep.”
“We both do,” said Captain Bashir.
Captain Russell got up and started to head back down to the dispensary. “Oh, by the way, the National Naval Medical Center has advised Fleet Command to order GWO Savannah to continue due east across the South Atlantic Ocean towards Freetown, Sierra Leone.” Captain Russell pointed to the nautical map on the navigational dashboard, “By morning, we will make a port side turn and head north into the Atlantic Sea. This gives us distance between the possible contagion and heavily populated coastlines. This allows us to determine if the vaccine worked.”
Captain Bashir became angry and shouted, “That is unacceptable. This delays us significantly. We were due to stop at Puerto Rico for several days, then on to the Savannah port.”
Captain Russell calmly replied, “You will get to Savannah but only when fleet command gets our certification that we have released this ship from quarantine.” Captain Russell stared at Captain Bashir.
At that moment, Captain Bashir understood that the United States Navy considered his ship hostile and he had to obey. He knew that they might miss their iconic date but a later date was better than no date at all. Captain Bashir bowed and humbly acknowledged, “By your command.”
Captain Bashir opened a communications link and gave the orders to the second and third officers to continue due east across the South Atlantic Ocean until further notice. He then ordered the third officer to assign quarters to Captain Russell and his staff of 15 men and women.
Captain Russell thanked the captain and headed down to the dispensary with Ghaazi and the medical techs. He thought the last tasks on this mission were to get the Apophis Tablet away from Ghaazi, determine if there are any other Apophis Tablets and find the location of those damn bombs.
As J.R. entered the dispensary, he saw the medical techs conversing with Ghaazi. He looked around and closed the door. He motioned for one of the medics to follow him into the dispensary office. He asked the medic, “have you administered the CAT injection?”
“No, Captain. I am waiting for the 'go ahead' from you.”
Captain Russell nodded for her to start administering the CAT injection. The tech asked Ghaazi to roll up his right sleeve and he did. Ghaazi was frightened and concerned that he would not be able to complete his mission. He thought to himself, There is no honor dying hemorrhaging in bed. He gladly did what the medical techs asked of him. Captain Russell guarded the door while the techs did their work. The injection took a second and they asked Ghaazi to lie quietly for a few minutes. Ghaazi was still and his eyes rolled around wildly and then his pupils expanded and contracted. He fell asleep.
The medic looked at Captain Russell seriously, “Captain, give him a minute. When he comes to, you have about two minutes before he falls asleep again.”
Captain, I need to remind you that this drug makes MKULTRA mind-control drugs, mefloquine, and LSD look like Alk
a-Seltzer. Please don’t try to wake him again.”
If we aggravate him, the CAT will turn his cerebrospinal fluid to acid and destroy the cerebral cortex. This includes the thalamus which controls consciousness and sleep. Worse case…his head will literally dissolve on this table.”
A minute passed and just like the medic said, Ghaazi was awake. He seemed to be more relaxed and smiling.
Ghaazi smiled at them and said, “I cannot thank you enough for your help.”
Captain Russell asked Ghaazi to do him a favor. “I need your help. I need to see your personal computer.”
Ghaazi looked at Captain Russell in a puzzling way. “You're kidding me. Computers are so 1990. I have a smart tablet now. Two of them actually and they are so powerful, we call them Apophis Tablets.”
Captain Russell quickly said, “Where are they?”
Ghaazi grinned from ear to ear, “I keep one in my quarters and the other is in the ship’s library on level five. For safekeeping, you know.”
The medical specialist asked. “How do I find them?”
Ghaazi said, “Oh not to worry, they will find you. Just dial 999666 from your cell phone and they will emit a signal.” Ghaazi fell back and he was fast asleep.
The medic warned Captain Russell. “Sir, I am afraid he is out until morning. His brain needs to recover from the drugs so we shouldn't disturb him. He will have a hell of a hangover when he wakes up, but he will not remember a thing.”
Captain Russell gathered the staff. Behind closed doors under the guise of completing the certification, he issued the final order.
“I want all of you to check with the third officer and get your lodging for the night. You two will stay with Ghaazi.” Captain Russell picked out the four SEALs he wanted to search Ghaazi’s quarters and the library. “Gentlemen. I will keep the captain busy. Keep in mind that there is low risk that this ‘999666’ number could trigger the blast. I will head back to the wheelhouse with the captain and second officer just to keep them busy. You have 30 minutes to complete this task. Meet me in my assigned quarters in 40 minutes.”
Captain Russell headed back up to the wheelhouse and found Captain Bashir had retired to his quarters. The second officer was on watch. The third officer was making rounds and giving out sleeping assignments. Captain Russell let them know that if they saw any of his medics in the walkways or about the berthing deck it was because they were checking air samples, random waking, and checking the men to make sure they were not showing signs through the night.
Captain Russell smiled and said, “If things go well, we are out of here, boys. I want to be home for the fourth of July.”
The second officer and third officer nodded in approval but never smiled. Captain Russell headed down from the berthing deck to his quarters. He opened the door to his quarters and found the two Navy SEALs with their diagnostic equipment out to examine the Apophis Tablets they'd found.
“Just like he said, you have to dial the 999666 and it plays the song Allahu akbar followed by six short sharp beeps. Look at what appears when the Apophis Tablets receive the cell-phone signal.” The commander dialed 999666. The Tablets' large screen displayed a huge serpent with tightly compressed coils to emphasis its huge size. At the bottom, it displayed the words 'retina scan in 64 seconds.'
“Don’t panic, Captain, because if no one is there to complete the retina scan, it shuts itself off.”
Captain Russell sarcastically asked, “Did you find that out after you pooped in your pants or before?”
Captain Russell cautioned both officers, “Do not examine the Apophis Tablets. In the process, you could trigger a detonation. You take one and you take the other, and make sure you are not in the same quarters tonight. Now go. I will see you at 0500 hours. Go now.”
Captain Russell quickly sent an encrypted message to the rear admirals that both the virus inoculations and virus detection were completed. A message came back confirming that all crew had been checked including the captain. Captain Russell fired back a ten-four. The admirals responded with 'Bravo Zulu.' “Well done.”
Captain Russell thought, by morning, both aircraft carriers will be alongside the Savannah. Normal starboard and port distance should be at least a quarter of a mile apart, but they will attempt to move closer just in case this Hellburner ignites. I’ve got to find the location of the B-53 bombs. We have the Apophis Tablets, maybe now is it possible to get an opportunity to diffuse the bombs.
Captain Russell drifted off to sleep thinking about his wife and twin girls.
He was awoken at 0500 by a quiet knock on the door. It was the SEAL that had spent the night in the dispensary while Ghaazi slept off the CAT injection. Once inside Captain Russell’s berthing area, the soldier sounded alarmed. “Captain, I think we have another Apophis Tablet. Ghaazi kept fading in and out mumbling half sentences, a lot that seemed to be about what he had done over the last several days. He kept babbling, ‘Yes, Captain, I have my Apophis Tablet. Backup secured?’ It was like he was giving an answer and asking a question.”
The SEAL asked, “Captain, do you think it's possible we are dealing with a third Apophis Tablet?”
Captain Russell smiled nervously and said, “We will know real soon. Look out the port window.” The SEAL looked out Captain Russell’s port window and he saw the USS William J. Clinton as the port shield of the Savannah as they caught up with her. The USS George W. Bush was now on her starboard side.
Captain Russell thought, " I wonder what the day will bring."
Chapter Twenty-Eight — 7:04 a.m.
Admiral Brice Cooper took in the morning view from the floor at the top of the aircraft carrier’s island. He was at the very top. The only thing higher than him was the radar array and communications antennas. He was in the pri-fly or the primary flight control center. The admiral was having early coffee with the air boss, his old friend. When the air boss got the pullback deployment order, he asked Captain Anderson to convey a message to Admiral Cooper. The message was, “I have served with you for over 15 years; why would I leave now when you need me the most?”
The Admiral thought about this when he looked out the windows of the pri-fly and saw the leviathan Savannah steaming on the port side. He was reminded that they had become the starboard shield.
The air boss looked at the Savannah and then assured the admiral with a worried smile. “Aye, Admiral, the boys will come through; they always do.”
Meanwhile back on the Savannah, it was 0600 hours. Captain Russell was headed for the upper levels to the bridge with three SEAL commandos. Before he left his berth, he checked in.
“All SEALs check in now. And you better have your body armor on or I will kill you myself. SEALs with the packages, head to the infirmary. Six other SEALs will join you to guard the packages until I give the signal to head back to the ranch. You are not to eat breakfast nor drink coffee from the mess hall. Stay on mission and eat what you brought on the mission. I want us back on the island by 0900 hours.”
The team responded, “Hooyah.”
If things went as planned, several of the SEAL team members would serve as helmsmen and escort this leviathan to the Southern Ocean. Captain Russell and the others would be transported by the Savannah captain’s speedboat to the USS George W. Bush. It was a watercraft that seats 20 people.
Captain Russell ordered the other commandos to pair off and head to different parts of the ship under the assumption of follow-up health checks on crew-members. The commandos' real mission was to use their detection devices to locate the nuclear bombs. Once the nuclear devices were located, they would seize the Savannah and complete the operation of 'Detect and Contain.'
Captain Russell and three commandos headed for the wheelhouse. En route, Captain Russell thought, The Admirals and Fleet Command will be pleased in knowing that we secured the Apophis Tablets, but my commando thinks there are others. If there are, we have maneuvered the Savannah about 1,647 miles starboard and port of any coastline with deep ocean to her stern a
nd bow. We did not make it exactly where we wanted to be, but if it is God’s will, America is safe.
As Captain Russell and the three commandos entered the wheel room, they noticed Ghaazi was busy at work. He was wide awake and hungover but alert enough to do his job.
“Morning,” said the medic who had given Ghaazi his care in the modified ship dispensary. “How are you feeling, young man?”
Ghaazi groaned. “I feel like I was out drinking all night. I don’t drink. These are the times where it makes you realize that ships this size need a nurse or doctor aboard.”
The medic replied sarcastically, “But that’s a part of your job description, right?” They both laughed.
Ghaazi looked angrily at Captain Russell. He pointed to his map. “The current course of the Savannah is due east across the South Atlantic towards Freetown. The distance between Trinidad and Freetown is 3,294 miles or 2,862 nautical miles. We have traveled half that distance and must make a decision to turn around or make a port side turn and head north into the Atlantic.”
Ghaazi’s voice got loud and full of frustration. He angrily said, “We will never make our destination in time. Now we need to decide if we should make it at all or head home.”
Captain Russell replied, “Calm down Ghaazi. We will clear the crew and yourself this morning, and we will be on our way.”
While the commando and Ghaazi were talking, Captain Russell walked over to the captain’s station. He noticed that Captain Bashir was cleaning a weapon. Captain Russell was not alarmed because reconnaissance scans had revealed small firearms on board. This was an acceptable risk.
Captain Russell started small talk, “Good morning Captain Bashir. You do know that the military and police forces of several Middle East nations use a larger version of that gun?”
The captain smiled. “Yes, they do but they don’t get the beautiful tan handle I have.”
Accelerant- Sixth Extinction Page 29