Tierney James
Copyright © 2015 Tierney James
All rights reserved.
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No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted or transferred in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system or device, without the permission in writing by the author
Some historical events named in this story are actual events, however, any resemblance to actual people and events is purely coincidental. This is a work of fiction.
e-Book Press Publishing
an imprint of A & S Publishing
A & S Holmes, Inc.
Dedication
Dedicated to the brave men who served on the
USS Liberty on June 8, 1967
For More Information
The History Channel: Cover-up: Attack on the USS Liberty
Dead In The Water – Visit www.usslibertyveterans.org
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
About the Author
Sneak Peak into Vol. III
Acknowledgments
Bryce Lockwood – Thank you for your service on the USS Liberty and for bringing this fantastic story to my attention. I am deeply appreciative of your kindness and patience with all of my questions.
Mary Pat Kelley Tierney – You are one awesome ER/Nurse Practitioner. Without your help I couldn’t have stopped the bleeding or saved important lives.
Dr. Candace Detchon – Not only can you be my eyes in D.C. but help me get in the heads of my characters. Dr. Wu of Enigma appreciates the assistance as do I.
Kelly Rear – Your technical support and advice helped me out of many tight spots.
Meghan Fanning – Without your editing skills I’d still be stuck on trying to figure out what went wrong. Your first round edits were painful and necessary. I’m glad you know the characters almost as well as me.
Shirley McCann – By the time you got Winds of Deception for last round edits I had begun to wonder if I’d ever see the manuscript completed. With your keen eye and encouragement I forged ahead. Thank you for your continued support, kindness and love of all things Captain Chase Hunter.
Patricia Wilkerson – I think every author needs a cheerleader. You are always there for me when I need a Beta reader or someone to bounce an idea around. Promoting me and my work has almost become a full time job for you. Thank you for your love and support over the years.
Sharon Kizziah-Holmes – Thank you for not booting me out the door with all my questions. In spite of being my publisher on this project you’ve become a dear friend. I so appreciate your patience and ideas concerning bringing this project to completion.
Characters in the Enigma Series
Tessa Scott – Begins her adventures with Enigma after coming in contact with Libyan terrorists in An Unlikely Hero. Continues to stumble into trouble with Enigma.
Captain Chase Hunter – Former Delta Force Captain. Team leader for Enigma. Works for the military and the President of the United States when called upon to serve.
Director Benjamin Clark – Head of Enigma
Carter Johnson – Former astronaut turned Enigma agent
Samantha Cordova – Professor of Economics and agent at Enigma
Vernon Kemp – Works as tech support at Enigma
Nicholas Zoric – Former Serbian assassin who specializes in interrogation for Enigma
Dr. Wu – Psychiatrist for Enigma teams
President Buck Austin – President of the United States
Vice President Warren McCall – Vice President of the United States
Tobias Stewart – Secretary of Homeland Security
First Sergeant Tom Cooper – A Marine that is called upon to assist Enigma
Sergeant Ken Montgomery – Army Ranger that is called upon to assist Enigma
Gilad Levi – Prime Minister of Israel
Dov Kemper – Director of Mossad
Jake Wakefield – Tessa’s uncle
Jim Gault – Speaker of the House
Amon – Egyptian
Dr. Francis Ervin – Biblical archeologist for Enigma
Martha Francis – Married to Dr. Francis Ervin – Freelancer for Enigma
Robert Scott – Married to Tessa Scott
Sean Patrick, Daniel, Heather – Children of Tessa Scott
John Elliott – Secret Service Agent
Dr. M.P. Kelley – Personal physician to the president
Peggy McCall – Wife of the Vice President
Micah & Ari – Bodyguards for the Prime Minister of Israel
Carman – Special friend of the Speaker of the House
Daniel – Secretary to the Prime Minister of Israel
Four Liberty crew members captured:
Mel Stark
Carl Robbins
Johnny Simon
Mike Strafford
Shelly & Kate – Best friends of Tessa Scott
Prologue
June 8, 1967
The Mediterranean Sea grew choppy the morning the USS Liberty sailed eastward, like an innocent child walking toward a predator lying in wait for its next victim. Because it failed to receive at least five warning messages crew and officers dressed casually in tropical or dungarees attire expecting a non-eventful day. In spite of a war raging between Israel and Egypt a little more than a dozen miles away, a few enlisted men planned to do some sunbathing before they took up their posts. The jovial mood among the men came from arguing over who would be first at the soda fountain that evening when it opened at 6:00 P.M.
Duty Officer Mel Stark admired the sunrise when an Israeli plane came out of nowhere. It circled the ship several times before heading in the direction of Tel Aviv. The USS Liberty was an American General Technical Research Vessel, but those down below, where the listeners of secrets worked diligently, identified the plane as an ally.
After looking up, Mel turned to Jake Wakefield, a Russian language interpreter brought on board in Spain. “What the heck is he doing here?”
“Making sure the Russkies aren’t helping out the Rabs, I guess.” Jake frowned lifting his hand to wave to the pilot. “Don’t like it. Can’t trust those guys.”
“Ahh!” Mel waved him off. “The commander worried we were too close to shore. That on board NSA officer wouldn’t hear of moving farther out to sea. Convinced the commander it would compromise their mission.”
Jake nodded. “We wouldn’t be able to get an ultra-high-frequency range. Guess that’s why we’ve been doing a back-and-forth patrol of the Sinai coast. This is pretty shallow water.”
Mel chuckled. “You spies don’t trust anyone. Israel is our friend. We’ve got nothing to hide.”
Johnny Simon rushed up and handed the duty officer and Jake a slip of paper. Catching the last few words
of their conversation, he chimed in then turned his eyes skyward. “No. But the Israelis sure do.” He watched Jake’s frown deepen as his eyes scanned the contents.
“Says here the Israelis are killing Egyptians by the hundreds. Their orders are to bury them in the sand dunes near El Arish.” Jake reread the information, shocked at the brutality.
Inhaling the fresh sea air, the duty office looked upward at the American flag waving in the twelve knot breeze. The deceptive calm of the morning failed to prepare them for the assault coming to cripple and nearly sink an American vessel.
Jake hurried to his station below deck to listen in on Israeli secrets. Not only could he speak fluent Russian, his Arabic wasn’t bad either. He listened in horror at the reports coming in from Egyptian transmissions.
“Holy Mother of God.” Jake jumped to his feet.
The commander stopped as he navigated the close quarters. “What is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Jake touched the headphones as if continuing to listen before addressing the senior officer. “The Israelis just gut shot a bunch of soldiers that surrendered. They had been hiding in the desert. Came in because of thirst. The Israelis poured water into the sand then let’em have it.”
“You heard wrong.” The commander spoke forcefully, afraid of the alternative.
Jake yanked off the headphones. “Has there been any other Israeli planes fly over, sir?”
The commander chewed the inside of his lip. “Little while ago a plane circled the Liberty. The crew waved and the pilot returned the gesture. He flew so low I thought he might clip the masts of the ship. Star of David was clearly visible.”
“Commander?” Another crewman shouted. “Heard some chatter. Can’t understand it though. Let Jake have a crack at it.”
The commander nodded toward Jake.
“It’s some Israeli officials, I don’t know who, discussing that an American spy ship is just off shore.” Jake listened more intently. “I think they want to sink us.”
The commander dropped his hands as his fists started to open and close. “What the hell for? We’re no threat to Israel?”
“Couldn’t get it all, sir, but it sounds like the Israelis started this war, not the Egyptians like we first thought. If that’s true President Johnson won’t be throwing any tax dollars their way, not with the Russians itching for a fight. They’d throw in with the Egyptians and bang! Nukes would start raining down everywhere. Israel wants to look like the victim so the United Nations won’t condemn their actions. We’ve got it on tape.”
“Meaning?” The commander already started to move toward the ladder that led to the deck.
“They’re planning to sink us and destroy the evidence.”
The American president liked a good fight but only if he could bet on the winner. His Jewish background, unknown to most Americans, had him squarely in their court. Jake realized nothing must change the president’s high opinion of Israel.
The explosion jarred him right down to his very core. They were under attack from the very nation that claimed to be an ally. His skin burned as fire swept through the room. Water gushed in when the USS Liberty began to list. Several men already floated face down in the murky water. In spite of his burns, Jake grabbed his buddy, lifting him over his shoulder to carry him up on deck.
Another trip down in the bowels of the ship exposed more dead. The man who had first brought Jake information of Israeli treachery, screamed as he clutched his shattered arm. Just as Jake reached him another explosion rocked the ship. Without a thought for his own life, he lifted the seaman in his arms. Struggling to reach the ladder, he heard the hatch slam shut. As he reached the top step, Jake yelled for help. The water rose higher. Jake laid his friend in the rising water, careful to keep his hand on the man’s chest.
After banging his fist on the hatch for several minutes, the creak of rescue opened a path for escape. Men pulled Jake and another from what threatened to be a watery grave.
The attack continued for over an hour. Just as quickly as they appeared, the Israelis vanished. The USS Liberty learned later the Israelis intercepted a message from the Destroyer Squadron 12. The USS Davis and USS Massey arrived the following day near sunrise. A Russian destroyer appeared around midnight, standing by in case assistance was required.
Even after Jake stood on the deck of the Liberty, surveying the damage, he realized if they had been in deeper water the Israelis would have sunk them. Every man on board suffered some kind of injury.
Thirty-four dead.
In the days that followed, a cover-up of monumental proportions erased the atrocities Israel committed against the United States of America.
Israel failed to take into consideration one man might survive to take revenge.
That man was Jake Wakefield.
Chapter 1
Glass shattered when a bullet penetrated the mountain cabin window where Tessa tried to hide the last two days. A gust of fifteen degree wind followed by puffs of icy snow, burst into the room as if needing more space to pile its merciless whisper of a cold death. When she tried to find cover, the wet snow matted to her boots, and sent her sprawling into her partner’s bleeding body on the floor.
He’d taken the bullet as he pushed her out of harm’s way. Frantic, Tessa covered his body with hers when more rounds of an automatic weapon pulverized the upper wall over the fireplace, sending debris into the flames, flickering light into the otherwise dark room. Knowing the moment of payback had arrived, she slid her hand down to the SIG rifle. Her partner, Chase Hunter, taught her how to use it the day before. She felt his firm grip on her wrist. Because she wasn’t an agent like him and the others on his team, fear caused her hand to shake. After all the times Chase had rescued her, she couldn’t let him down because of a lack of training.
“Tess, I want to tell you something.” He started to cough. His camouflaged shirt now covered in blood warned of no tomorrows. “About you. The way I feel.”
Just then the door of the cabin exploded inward. Tessa lifted the SIG and rolled to a sitting position as three men in goggles and white down suits rushed in. Without hesitation her finger met the trigger, knowing the weapon would deliver the accuracy she needed to end this nightmare. Men gasping for a last breath and landing like bombs against unsteady furniture sounded like music to Tessa’s ears, with the realization this nightmare had concluded one more time.
Like the other times, she would lower her weapon, before kneeling down next to him. Looking into his dark eyes, she watched as he stared at something in another time, another place.
It always ended this way. “Chase, don’t leave me. I need you.”
“Come closer.”
Lowering her ear to his lips, now blue with the coming of death, the words never varied. “I’m here.”
“You need to buckle your seatbelt.”
“What?” she said incredulously as her head jerked upward.
A hand touched her shoulder. “Mrs. Scott, we are about to land. You need to buckle your seatbelt.” A soft, comforting voice of a mature flight attendant caused her to startle awake.
Tessa shot a worried glance at the other passengers. Had she talked in her sleep? No one seemed to be giving her a second look when she buckled up, then ran her fingers through tangled curls. Aware of sleep drool on the corner of her mouth, she licked her lips then swiped away the moisture.
Embarrassment at the dream forced the march of red up her neck and onto her face just as the flight attendant came by once more for a final check. The dream sequence occurred often over the last year.
The attendant’s concern added a layer of discomfort. “Are you alright, Mrs. Scott? You look a little feverish.”
She scooted lower into her seat.
The bulky man sitting next to her started to rub his face and neck, as if he were preparing for a big race. He prevented her efforts at becoming invisible by stretching his arms forward then up over his head. She recognized the California congressman when he
yawned. With exaggeration he flipped his tray into place before dropping his plastic Bloody Mary cup into the trash bag offered him by a second flight attendant. This one, much younger than the first, leaned over Tessa.
She paused a little too long, bestowing a brilliant smile down at the lawmaker. The trash bag dangled against Tessa’s knees. She tried to move the bag from touching her to no avail. Continuing to lean in toward the congressman, the attendant flirted a moment longer.
The pilot’s voice began to inform the passengers of weather conditions in D.C. A chill started up her spine as the voice continued with a litany of information. No one paid much attention to the announcements except for her.
The voice, familiar in a disturbing way, did more than catch her undivided attention. “Excuse me.” Tessa caught hold of the trash bag, drawing the attendant’s eyes to meet hers. “Did we stop along the way?”
“St. Louis. You were asleep.” The attendant shifted her eyes back to the congressman then offered a playful wink.
Sheepishly, Tessa leaned out over her arm rest to look down toward the locked door of the cabin where the pilot resided. The flight attendants busied themselves with stowing the last bit of clutter away before buckling themselves in for landing. She twisted her body to look down the aisle toward the back of the plane.
Her eyes glanced off the passengers to reassure herself friends of the voice on the overhead speakers were not hiding in plain sight amongst innocent travelers. Had she been so asleep when they stopped in St. Louis that she might have missed a familiar face board the plane?
Tessa straightened back into her seat with a loud sigh when a large hand patted her arm.
She frowned at the congressman and withdrew her arm from his touch. “Worried about landing?” His breath reeked of alcohol. He didn’t appear to notice her contempt. “I take this flight all the time. Never a problem.” He rolled his eyes upward then made an effort to straighten his suit coat. “Of course, I usually fly first class. This has been a little trying.” He extended his legs out further, enjoying the extra space behind the first class section.
Winds of Deception (Enigma Series Book 2) Page 1