by Stephen Makk
“You’re greedy, that’s the second bowl tonight.”
“It’s gorgeous that’s why. I’m on Black pepper buns next.” Nikki took another mouthful.
“We’re here tomorrow too. It’s the best one yet.” They sat at an open-air table in Tonghua Night Market. The city was buzzing and warm. “Yeah, it’s a top rocking place.” Nathan tucked into his sausage, a wrapped small sausage with rice, mustard and garlic soy sauce.
It was the third day and they’d taken in the main sights including the Taipei 101 tower.
“So, tomorrow it’s the Taroko gorge tour?” He nodded.
“We can do it, the Taiwanese woman didn’t tell me when she’s going to meet me.”
“Good, I hope it’s a week yet, I love this place. I never thought I’d visit Taiwan.” Nikki grinned.
IT HAD BEEN A SHOCK. After meeting National Security Bureau agent May Hsin in Guam, he called Admiral Kamov as she’d asked him. The CNO didn’t sound surprised, Nathan had been told to cooperate with the NSB agent. The two air tickets she passed him had said, meet me in Taiwan, it also carried a concerning message. Two tickets, we know about Nikki. If the NSB were in contact with the CNO, as they evidently were, did Kamov know about her too?
A senior Officer involved with a junior Officer under his command? The USN didn’t tolerate that, at all. He wrestled with the conundrum. What the hell?
Nathan knew it could be wheels within wheels. If the NSB did know about Nikki and the CNO didn’t, that could leave him open to blackmail by the Taiwanese agency. What a Goddamn twisted mess. He put his hands to his forehead and groaned.
He looked up before Nikki saw him.
“Waiter.”
“Yes Sir?”
“Two bottles of Zhang men beer, please.”
THE MORNING SUN LIT the bedroom shades with an orange glow.
“You’re awake sleepy head.” She snuggled up to him and rubbed her warm sensuous body against him. The bedroom phone rang. Nikki leaned over and answered.
“Hi.” She looked at him and mouthed, “it’s her.”
“Ok, yes we’ll see you soon, down in the restaurant.”
She put the phone down. “That was her, she wants to meet us downstairs.” Nathan made a sour face, “I was about to ask you to take a position under me, on my staff.”
She smiled and kissed him. “Later sir.” They got dressed and took the elevator down to the restaurant. An Asian woman sat on a chair, she got up and walked over to them. He couldn’t help his quick look up and down, this was the same woman who’d spoken to him at the store on Guam. She smiled at them, her long black hair framed an attractive smile. She was what they called a looker. Nathan tried not to ogle.
“Hi, Nathan, Nikki,” she nodded to them, “I’m May Hsin, welcome to Taiwan. Let’s eat, shall we?”
“Yes, fine,” Nathan sat at the table. She ordered.
“Is all well here Nikki?”
“Yes, it’s a great place,” she thumbed Nathan, “he can bring me back any time.”
“Good, Glad you like it. I know you’re both going to the Taroko gorge tomorrow.”
“How did you...” Nikki stopped, she knew May was with the National Security Bureau. There wouldn’t be much she didn’t know.
“I’ll take you both, I know it well.” The breakfast over, May spoke to them.
“There are thing’s you’ll want to know. It’s time we had a talk.” Nathan nodded.
“You could say that I can’t remember when I was last approached by a foreign intelligence Officer and invited to her country.”
“What do you know about the situation between Taiwan and The People’s Republic?” He took a sip of coffee. “Well, I know...”
Nikki leaned forward and looked at May. “I don’t know that much. He’s too proud to admit that there are holes in his knowledge. Tell me.”
“Ok, Nikki. Here we go. In the mid nineteen hundred’s there was a communist rebellion in China led by Mao Zedong, they eventually won, and forced the official government into exile. The government of China under Chiang Kai-shek moved to the Island of Formosa, which became Taiwan.”
“So, Taiwan is now a separate state?” asked Nikki.
May smiled. “It’s not that simple. The People’s Republic considers Taiwan as a renegade province who should be a part of China. Taiwan sees the Republic as China ruled by the rebels and should be ruled by the official government in exile in Taiwan.”
“So, both claim each other?” Nikki frowned.
“Yes, but it gets a little more complicated. There is an independence movement within Taiwan, they declare that they’re not a government in exile or a renegade province. Taiwan is an independent country.
“The People’s Republic of China, the PRC, has threatened invasion, if Taiwan declares itself independent. We all know that in actual fact it is an independent country, it just can’t say so.” May sighed.
“There are some odd internal situations developing in the PRC. The National Security Bureau, the NSB, of course has informants in the People’s Republic. We would be wise to get help, naval help among others and the US is our principal friend in the world. My government has reached out to yours for this assistance. You were recommended.”
Nathan sniggered. “We can do something right then?”
May regarded him with a wry smile. “Don’t get too smug. Many didn’t want you to be sent.”
“Oh, yeah,” he looked at her with his chin raised.
“Why?” Nikki put her fists down on the table defiantly. “Why not us?”
“They know that you’re sent as a,” May smiled faintly, “what do you say? A loose cannon. They say that where the USS Stonewall Jackson goes, shit happens.” May grinned at them.
Nathan took a breath. “You’re right,” he spread his fingers out on the table, “we’re sent when it’s about to hit the fan. May, do you know why they send us?” She shook her head.
“Because we’re the meanest bastard out there. When you need your tricks dirty, you call out the best fucking dirty tricks boat out there. We go where angels don’t just fear to tread, they’d rather roast their feet on the fires of hell. Even the Archangel Gabriel would take a quick dump if God posted him for duty aboard the Jackson.” May grinned and sniggered.
“If you need to call the SEAL Team Six of boats, that’s us.”
May ran her finger around the lip of her coffee cup. She looked at her cup and paused.
“I said that not everybody wanted you sent here.” She looked at him and said softly, “that included me. I just thought you should know, it’s only fair.”
“I see. Do you mind telling me why?” She shook her head, May looked into his eyes with sadness. A pained frown furrowed her brow. “I’m afraid for my country. Afraid of what you’ll do, what you’ll feel you have to do.” She regained her composure.
“We’ll tell you what we ask of you and your boat soon.” She tried to brighten her mood.
“In the meantime. The Taroko gorge trip, OK if I pick you up at nine AM?”
NIKKI LEANED OVER THE barrier, she looked down into the cool blue waters. The walls were near vertical and around three hundred feet from top to the flowing current below. Nikki looked up and the walls were much covered in vegetation. They’d been walking for an hour through the lush green stone maze, carved out by the blue flowing tinkling streams.
“It’s beautiful May. Taroko gorge. I’d not heard of it until recently, you must visit it regularly?”
“It’s about two years since I was here. Are you hungry? Do you need a drink?” she asked.
“Yeah, why not?” Nathan suddenly felt dry.
“There’s a café about ten minutes along this walkway, we can call there.”
They sat at a table with two coffees and a tea. A couple of families sat a few yards away on an adjoining table. Three children ran around laughing and playing like children do the world over. Nikki ran her finger through her fair hair and gave May a questioning look. She look
ed to Nathan and nodded. He cleared his throat.
“So, May. Are you ready to tell us what you want from us?”
May smiled. “You’ll have to beg.” He grinned.
“I can beg May. If you ask me sweetly.” Nikki hit him playfully.
“You’ll be begging me, if you do.”
May stayed silent for a while.
“We don’t want conflict with the PRC, but it’s said, “Dig a well before you are thirsty.” We’d be foolish to ignore the possibility. What we’ll need initially is help inserting a spy into the PRC. The spy’s task will be to contact certain deep cover elements. It’s a deadly mission, it’s a win or lose situation, torture and death would be the result of failure. We can’t use airlines or shipping lines, they’re too closely monitored. It’s just too risky. I’ve been advised that you can get by their defences at night, get near the shore and insert a diver. I believe you’ve done it before?” Nathan nodded.
“We’ve done that. Do you know what defences they have?”
“I don’t, but we have people who do. The spy will need to be inserted near a major naval facility, so they’ll be protecting it.”
“Infil into hostile terrain. We can do that, it’s tricky, but it can be done, yes.”
May looked down at the table and ran her fingers over the embossed flowered patterns. “There’s a problem,” she whispered. Nathan raised his eyebrows.
May looked him in the eyes. “The diver, the spy, won’t be able to dive.”
He smiled and shook his head. “We can teach him. I know the very man to do it. He can escort the guy into shore too.”
Nikki smirked. “May, who is this spy?”
May looked at them both and flicked her long black hair.
“I thought you’d guessed. It’s me.”
Chapter 2
He looked out of the aircraft window, it had been a featureless Ocean crossing, but they now descended towards the Island’s greenery. The China Airlines 737-800 banked to the left and lined up with Guam’s runway.
“Here we are May,” Nathan smiled at her.
“I hope you’re good at blowing bubbles. Innes will have you in the deep blue tomorrow.”
Nikki tapped her on the forearm. “Innes is good and the diving here is great. I’ll come along with you soon.” The aircraft touched down and rolled off towards the disembarkation point.
THE TRUCK ROLLED UP at pier 4, May and Nathan climbed out with their bags. At the pier side was a large submarine, the USS Stonewall Jackson. A sailor stood on top of the sail and shouted back inside, soon two men climbed down the sail and came ashore over the gangway.
“Sir, welcome back, we’ll take your baggage.” It was taken aboard and soon Nathan followed by May, they climbed down the sail and stood on the main companionway.
“Is the Chief aboard?”
“Yes sir.” The COB appeared.
“Sir.”
“Chief, this is May, she’ll be with us for a while, can you get her set up with a bunk and show her around.”
Nathan checked through the boat’s status reports, on his workstation at the Conn. All seemed in order, the Engineers were carrying out some minor repairs, but nothing out of order.
The COB entered the control room. “I’ve got her sorted and showed her around, she’s in port 5 C sir.” He walked back to cabin port 5. May was in there stowing her things in the bottom outside bunk, two female sailors were asleep in the two top bunks.
“May, this way.” He led the way to the Galley, Nathan took a coffee and she had tea. They sat. The Galley was empty which was a little unusual.
“Did the COB show you around? All ok?” She nodded.
“Not what I’m used to but it’s ok. Different. Look Nathan I’m on expenses, I can stay in a hotel.”
“It’s security. You’re more out of the way here and we’ll be at sea in four or five days. Chief Innes will start your training tomorrow. You’ll just get the basics, enough to do the job.”
“Ok, sir.”
“Don’t call me that.” May Hsin smirked.
“Sorry sir I was joking. Where’s Nikki, why didn’t she come aboard with us?”
“She was delayed.” He gave her a sheepish look.
May sat back folded her arms and gave him a knowing smile.
“May. She’s crew, that’s it. Ok?”
“If you say so sir,” said May with a sceptical smirk. Nathan pursed his lips.
“Go where you wish, talk to who you want, but say that you work for Kawasaki legal dept. They won’t pry any more. Just mix in.”
“Ok I’ll try.”
THE NEXT MORNING, SHE was shaken awake by a thirty-something year old sailor, he wore a blue coverall with rank markings, but she didn’t know their meaning.
“May. I’m Innes. Come on and get breakfast in the Galley, we’re going out diving this morning.”
THEY CLIMBED THE SAIL and down onto the deck, laid there waiting were two Poseidon SE7ENM Re-breathers with two ten litre cylinders attached.
“Ok May. This is what you’ll use, it’ll get you ashore. The main thing is you’ll effectively have no depth-time limit and it won’t produce tell-tale bubbles.” He spent time explaining in more detail how it worked, then they loaded them both into a Rigid Hull inflatable alongside. A sailor sat on the central control seat.
“Ok, Estell. Take us to Bush beach, far side of the point.” He started and made his way from the pier then opened up the throttle.
At the beach, he told her to get the Re-Breather out and carried it to the beach. Innes helped her put it on and checked it out.
“Right here we are. Nice and slow not deep just a few meters, let’s get you used to it. They spent an hour and came back towards the shore. They surfaced and walked sideways up the beach, she took the Re-Breather off.
“Ok, May?”
“Yes, it was odd being able to breathe underwater, but it was great.”
“Right we’ll go a bit further around and get deeper. Give me the thumbs up sign if you’re not comfortable.”
“Innes,” she whispered. “have you seen those people over there?” He looked and laid out on the sand there were several couples and three girls all naked sunbathing.
He nodded “Yeah, you get that here. Why do you think we call it Bush beach?” They loaded the Re-Breathers and left the area.
They surfaced after the second dive and still in the water she took off the set, the sailor pulled them aboard.
“That was great Innes. The fish were amazing, so many, so colourful, and I saw an Octopus.”
“Yeah well, there’s more theory back at the boat and more dives tomorrow. If you do ok, we can do a night dive tomorrow.” May opened her mouth.
“A night dive? I’m not sure about that.”
“May, you’re going to Infil ashore in hostile territory. You’re not going to swim on to a beach in sunshine wearing a skimpy bikini like a Bond girl. You’re not a Goddamn tourist. If they know about you, they’ll try to kill you.”
THE NEXT DAY HE HAD her practice the Infil dive in daylight twice. He attached a buddy line and made her get ashore and take off the dry suit. He made her dress in what she’d wear ashore. It was wet but would dry. That night she did it in the dark. She surfaced off the boat and started to remove the Re-Breather.
“No stop,” he grinned, “you get a rest and then we’ll do it again.”
“You’re a slave driver.”
The next day she did it again, dive towards the shore, get ashore, take off the suit. He had her do it twice with a black plastic bag filling her mask, simulating a night dive. Then twice more in the dark. They surfaced by the boat that night. “Ok May, it’s oh three hundred hours, get your equipment aboard, you’re as good as you’re going to be.”
“Good enough?”
“You’ll do.” I hope so, thought Innes, he knew they could face anything where they were going. Carrying out a nighttime underwater Infil in hostile territory, it didn’t get any worse than th
at. It’d be better not to tell her about the dangers they’d confront.
OFF THE ISLAND OF HAINAN, Southern China.
“TRIM FORE AND AFT FOR ascent. Up bubble ten, come to periscope depth.”
“Aye sir up ten for periscope depth.”
The deck rose to the bow and levelled out. Nathan checked the depth indicator.
“Sonar report.”
Benson listened and watched what they called his guessing screen. Another rating had secured by duct tape a cup with tea leaves in it. Some days it would be a crystal ball or animal entrails from the galley.
“Commercial traffic only sir. Nothing out of the expected range.”
“Kaminski get me a satellite fix when I raise the scope.”
“Sir.” Nathan pressed buttons to raise the photonic mast and did a full 360 sweep and retracted the periscope.
He sat at his monitor and panned around the sweep, it was in night vision mode and you could see the river estuary Cardinal lights, showing safe passage channels in and out of the port. To seaward were ships lights. A zoom in on each showed they were cargo traffic only.
“Kaminski. Sat position fix.”
“Sir, on the board now sir. We are two point three miles off Shuikou port. Yezi Island should be visible at 240 degrees behind the breakwater.” Nathan confirmed the view on the monitor.
“I have Yezi in view.” The port was just 30 miles from Hainan, China’s main submarine port and home of major surface units. It had been expanded in recent years and could offer facilities and birthing to ships of Destroyer size on down. The river led eventually to the town of Lingshui.
“Left one third rudder, speed six knots.” Nathan raised the mast again and took a partial scan to the west.
“Hold your course.” He waited four minutes and passed, he raised the mast again and swept west.
“All stop.”
Nathan walked back aft down the main companionway. Innes and May Hsin stood wearing diving suits and full rebreathers.