The War Planners Series
Page 82
Her legs were cramping by the time they reached the admiral’s bridge, nine flights of stairs up from the flight deck. The white shirt opened the door, and Victoria saw her father for the first time in a long time.
The admiral’s bridge was an expansive room with shiny blue laminate floors. Bright daylight shined in through the Plexiglas windows that wrapped around on three sides of the room. Almost no furniture, save a few treadmills and an admiral’s chair.
The admiral was surrounded by a small group of men. The admiral and a Navy captain next to him both wore khaki flight suits. The captain’s name tag just said “CAG.” Victoria knew that to mean Commander, Air Group. He was the head of all aviation units on the ship. A commander wearing a khaki uniform stood next to them. He had on a SWO pin. Victoria surmised that this would be the replacement for the USS Farragut’s late ship captain. A submariner lieutenant stood a few feet behind the group.
“Gentlemen, please excuse us,” Admiral Manning said quietly.
The group of officers thanked the admiral, and nodded in respect to Victoria as they walked out of the room.
Victoria’s face was like a stone, save a lone tear that streaked down her cheek.
Seeing the tear, her father pulled her close, embracing her. They didn’t speak for nearly thirty seconds. The only sound was her sniffles.
When they separated, he held her shoulders, looked at her in the eyes and said, “I’m so very proud of you.”
She gave quick nods, regaining her composure but not yet trusting herself to speak. She wiped away a few more tears, smiling and embarrassed.
“You saw the commander who just left. He’ll be your new ship captain for now, until Big Navy can tell us what the long-term plan is.”
“Alright. Thanks.” A part of her was disappointed that her brief tenure as a ship captain was over. Another part of her was relieved. She might finally be able to get more than two hours of sleep without getting an emergency phone call.
They spoke about nothing for a few moments. He asked about the flight over. About the performance of her crew and helicopter detachment over the past week. She didn’t tell him that Chase had been the one she’d flown off the ship. She would, eventually—if he didn’t find out on his own first. But now didn’t seem like the right time.
She looked at her digital watch. “I should probably get going. The cycle will be starting up again, right?”
Her father nodded. “I could always tell them to go land somewhere else. My daughter’s visiting.”
She laughed. Then she looked serious. “I love you, Dad.”
They embraced one last time, and he said, “I love you, too.”
She left and found the white shirt and the SWO commander waiting outside the room for her.
As the group marched down the stairs, Victoria felt an incredible satisfaction. She had been faced with the ultimate test of a military officer. She had lead men in combat, and proven herself up to the task. And the pride in her father’s eyes told her that she had served with honor.
<<<<>>>>
What’s next?
Hello Readers. This is Andrew Watts, author of The War Planners series. Would you like to know what I’m working on next?
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Big things are in store…
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There is a fourth book in The War Planners series being written now. I expect it to be out in December 2017.
But first…
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I’ll be releasing GLIDEPATH in late summer / early fall. I think you’ll really like this one.
Check out GLIDEPATH HERE
If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up for my Reader List. You’ll be the first to know when my next book is launched.
* * *
JOIN ANDREW’S READER LIST HERE
GLIDEPATH
I’ll be releasing GLIDEPATH in late summer / early fall.
Check out GLIDEPATH HERE
A riveting spy thriller! (read more here…)
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When Charles Fend announces the Fend 100 aircraft, the world's first fully autonomous commercial airliner, he is praised for being a pioneer in commercial aviation. The Fend 100 will bring a new day of commercial flying to the world. One where humans take a back seat to the AI machines that fly and navigate over 100,000 flights per day. The first flight is a celebratory spectacle - the Fend headquarters crowded with news teams, technology lovers, and aviation enthusiasts. The atmosphere is jovial, and everyone is eager to celebrate.
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Until something goes wrong.
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The Fend 100 begins to descend over the Atlantic, and neither the engineers on the ground nor test pilots aboard can override the controls...
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Who is responsible?
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Is it the wealthy ex-KGB agent, Pavel Morozov, who has shown up from a past Charles had long-forgotten?
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Or was it Charles' son, Max - on the run from the FBI after he was accused of sending Fend Aerospace corporate secrets to a criminal enterprise?
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And just who is Max Fend?
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Is he the man that media makes him out to be? The wild playboy son of an aerospace tycoon. Or is he what the FBI suspects? An international criminal, mixed up in a Russian espionage game. And why is there a top secret personnel file on him that even his FBI investigator isn't allowed to see?
About the Author
Andrew Watts graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2003 and served as a naval officer and helicopter pilot until 2013. During that time, he flew counter-narcotic missions in the Eastern Pacific and counter-piracy missions off the Horn of Africa. He was a flight instructor in Pensacola, FL, and helped to run ship and flight operations while embarked on a nuclear aircraft carrier deployed in the Middle East.
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Today, he lives with his family in Ohio.
From Andrew: Thanks so much for reading my books. Be sure to join my Reader List. You’ll be the first to know when I release a new book.
JOIN ANDREW’S READER LIST HERE
You can follow me or find out more here:
andrewwattsauthor.com