The Vigilant Spy

by Jeffrey Layton

  “They may have had to go offline for a while. Let’s give it a rest. We’ll try again in an hour.”

  “Okay.” Jeff yawned while stretching his arms.

  “Take a nap. I’ll keep watch.”

  “Thanks.”

  Yuri peered through an opening in the brush. Downslope he spotted another vehicle as it pulled into the parking lot of the Fleet Logistics building. Yuri suspected a shift change. Beyond the building, workers scurried about the massive warship moored to the pier. Around the clock repairs to the Shandong were underway.

  Yuri took a swig from his canteen. It was nearly empty. The team was low on supplies. Chief Murphy accompanied by Lieutenant Commander Andrews were tasked with resupplying the OP with extra water and MREs. Until they returned, Jeff and Yuri would ration the remaining supplies. Thankfully, Murphy and Halgren left their extra water and MREs behind.

  Yuri and Jeff had hidden in the brush above the beach, waiting for the SEALs to emerge from the water. But they were a no show. Just before sunup, they had hoofed it back to the OP.

  Something’s wrong.

  The missed rendezvous with the returning SEALs worried Yuri—and Jeff.

  I hope Halgren made it.

  Yuri suspected the SEAL’s injury delayed Murphy and Andrews’s return trip to Hainan Island.

  They’ll be back tonight.

  Maybe, maybe not.

  After starting the mission, Yuri had managed to repress his negative thoughts. But they now resurfaced.

  Maybe something happened to the Colorado.

  What if Murph and Andrews don’t come back?

  How the hell will we get out of here?

  Jeff’s Chinese and speaks Mandarin. He’s got a chance. But me—no way!

  Yuri closed his eyes and commenced a series of breathing exercises, his attempt to flush demon thoughts. After a couple of minutes, he opened his eyes. The wave of dread had dissipated.

  Another vehicle pulled into the parking lot. He watched as the passenger exited from a rear door of the taxicab. Yuri pulled up a pair of field glasses and trained them on the female in the red dress.

  Meng Park’s face snapped into focus.

  * * * *

  “Anything new on the contact?” asked Dr. Meng. She had just joined Captain Zhou, returning to S5 via taxi. Zhou left her hotel room two hours earlier, driving his BMW to the base.

  “No. None of our hydrophones have picked up anything. Same for the drones.”

  Meng Park and Zhou Jun were in Zhou’s S5 underground office. She sat in a chair beside his desk. Park wore a crimson pencil skirt cut two inches above her knees. “Maybe it was a false reading.”

  “I don’t think so. I reviewed the radar recording—it was real. Tracked it for eight minutes before it went off the screen. Disappeared like a ghost.”

  “A partially surfaced sub with just the fin exposed?”

  “Yes, that’s my assessment.”

  Park crossed her legs. “Americans?”

  “I’m sure of it. Probably one of their new boats or maybe a Seawolf.”

  “What would they be doing?”

  “Reconnaissance.”

  “That’s bold of them—coming inside our territorial waters.”

  Zhou raised his hands. “S5 was designed to detect intruders like this long before they ever enter our waters. But it failed to track this one.”

  Meng cast an encouraging smile. “Jun, we know the system works. It tracked the Russian boat.”

  “Yes, but it’s the Americans that are the worry. They patrol the South China Sea with impunity. Right now, I have no idea what they’re up to. S5 was supposed to take care of it.”

  Meng considered her lover’s dilemma. “Maybe the hydrophones are spaced too far apart. Adding more bottom units might fill in the coverage gaps.”

  “We’re considering that but I’m worried it won’t be enough.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I’m beginning to think the Americans know where all of our hydrophones are located.”

  That possibility had not occurred to Meng. “If that’s true, the entire S5 network including Serpent could be compromised.”

  “Exactly.”

  * * * *

  “How’s he doing?” asked Colorado’s commanding officer. He was in his cabin, seated at the compact desk. Executive officer Jenae Mauk stood in the open doorway.

  “Still unconscious but finally stable.” Mauk returned from another visit to sickbay. “He inhaled a lot of water. Doc thinks both lungs are damaged, which happens with near drownings.”

  “What about the snakebite?”

  “His right arm is in terrible shape. Forearm from wrist to elbow is swollen and it’s started to turn black around the punctures. Looks awful.”

  “Prognosis?”

  “Doc says he’s at the limit of his abilities. In order to save the chief’s arm, he needs to be hospitalized immediately. So, I guess that means we’ll be heading to the Philippines.”

  Bowman signaled for Mauk to step inside and close the door.

  “Jenae, I didn’t want to discuss this in front of the control room crew.” He gestured to the computer monitor sitting on the desk. “We can’t get the chief to shore yet. New orders from COMSUBPAC. I just decrypted the message.” Bowman turned the Dell toward Mauk.

  She stepped forward and leaned over. It took a minute to speed-read the directive from Pearl Harbor. “Wow, that’s a tall order, skipper. They expect us to do all of it by ourselves?”

  “For now, yes. We don’t have any other boats in the area.”

  “Well, after that encounter with those drones, the Chinese know we’re in their backyard.”

  “I’m sure they have raised their defense posture but it’s unlikely they ID’d us specifically. Just a fraction of the sail was exposed.”

  For nearly two hours, autonomous surface vessels from Yulin and Shendao had probed the waters offshore of Hainan Island with active sonar. High powered pings from the unmanned patrol boats saturated the water column across a five-mile radius centered on the radar coordinates of Colorado’s sail when it surfaced to rescue Halgren.

  Even with the ASVs’ coordinated search, SSN 788 evaded discovery thanks to Commander Bowman’s skill and the sound absorbing rubberlike tiles that covered Colorado’s hull.

  Commander Mauk processed the new orders. “What about the guys still on Hainan. How are they going to get out?”

  “They’re on their own for the time being. We’re not heading back to pick them up.”

  Taken aback, Mauk arched her eyebrows. “Okay, so I gather the entire Shendao op is suspended?”

  “Correct.”

  “Do they know yet?”

  “No.” Bowman checked his wristwatch. “I’m going to brief Andrews next. He can tell them.”

  “So, I assume you want me to start preparing target packages.”

  “Affirmative. “

  * * * *

  “He’s still unconscious but stable.” SEAL team leader Andrews called from the Colorado. He reestablished secure comms with the shore team half a minute earlier. It was late morning.

  “How’s his arm?” asked Jeff Chang.

  “Still swollen. The ship’s medic is pumping meds through IVs. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and other stuff.”

  “Antivenom?”

  “Yes, but it’s the same drug Murph administered.”

  “He needs to be in a hospital.”

  “Agreed. We’re working towards that but we have another task here to take care of that’s going to require us to bugout for a while.”

  “You’re leaving…what about us?”

  “Not my call. Can’t provide any details but the op has been suspended. You two will need to sit tight.”

  “We’re kind of lo
w on supplies.”

  “Conserve what you’ve got. I’ll know more soon. Plan for a call from me at 1300 hours.”

  “But we have some new—”

  Andrews cut Chang off. “Sorry, they’re telling me I’ve got to end the call. Talk to you at 1300.” The line went dead.

  Jeff returned the handset to the satphone console and muttered a curse. He turned to Yuri. “I guess you got the gist of that call.”

  Gist was not a word in Yuri’s vocabulary nevertheless he figured it out. “We’re marooned.”

  “Right, that about sums it up.”

  * * * *

  As scheduled, Lieutenant Commander Andrews checked in with the shore team. He reported Halgren was stable. Andrews also notified Jeff Chang and Yuri that it might be a week before the Colorado could return to retrieve them. He offered no explanation other than that the submarine was on a new mission that took priority. And when Jeff reported that Meng Park had returned to S5, Andrews wasn’t interested. COMSUBPAC cancelled the mission.

  “Something big must have happened to pull the sub off our op,” Jeff offered.

  While peering downslope at the Shandong Yuri replied, “With all the new troops, something obviously spooked the Chinese.”

  About an hour earlier, a couple of military trucks drove onto the pier and discharged two dozen armed soldiers, doubling the existing contingent of sentries.

  “Not a good sign,” Jeff said.

  Yuri turned back. “I’m now wondering if the minisub or the Colorado were spotted. That might explain the increase in security on the pier.”

  Chang considered Yuri’s revelation. “Andrews didn’t mention anything about that possibility.”

  “If the Mark 11 or the sub passed near a bottom sensor, they likely would not know they’d been detected. The PLAN, however, would be alerted to a possible intruder.”

  Jeff’s brow creased. “If that’s the case, the Chinese might start searching up here, looking for the likes of us.”

  “After what happened at the Yulin base, I’m sure the PLAN is paranoid about another potential attack on their facilities.”

  Jeff said, “And here we are, sitting on our butts in the backyard of one of their most important antisubmarine warfare units.”

  “Exactly.”

  “It’s time to get out of Dodge.”

  Yuri cocked his head, not familiar with the American idiom.

  Jeff said, “We need to get out of here.”

  “Didn’t Andrews order us to wait here?”

  “I don’t work for the Navy.” Jeff winked.

  Yuri puckered his brow. “Okay…but where can we go?”

  “Sanya. We have a safehouse there.”

  Chapter 59

  Day 36—Wednesday

  Yuri Kirov and Jeff Chang vacated the observation post at zero dark thirty—half past midnight. As they cautiously made their way down the hillside, Jeff used his portable night vision scope to scout the path ahead. Yuri followed. Both kept an extra eye out for snakes and other nocturnal creepy crawlers.

  After an eighteen minute trek, they reached the edge of the brush line next to the parking lot. The asphalt surface served the Shendao Fleet Logistics and Support Center building—and S5. The lot contained just seven vehicles; all had arrived several hours earlier before the shift change at 10:00 P.M. From previous observations, Yuri and Jeff knew the night crew would not be relieved until 6:00 A.M.

  “How about the Audi?” Jeff said, pointing to a four door sedan parked fifty feet away. The lot was poorly lit from its own pole lights but glare from the adjacent pier complex and the moored Shandong overflowed into the parking facility.

  “Can you start it?”

  “Of course, grand theft auto is one of the skillsets you get at the Farm.”

  Once again, Jeff’s slang flew right over Yuri’s head. Nevertheless, he deciphered it. “Okay, let’s go.”

  * * * *

  Jeff drove; Yuri slinked low in the backseat. They had been on the go for twenty minutes, following the road that skirted the bay for several miles before turning inland.

  “We’re coming up on a freeway,” Jeff said. “Better cover up now.”

  “All right.” Yuri pulled out a jacket from his rucksack and used it to cover his head and torso. The worry was surveillance cameras. China had millions of them. Jeff Chang wouldn’t draw attention, at least not yet. But a Caucasian driving around in the wee hours of the morning would. Although Sanya was a tourist mecca, it mainly served the indigenous population. Foreign tourists visited Hainan Island, but not yet in droves.

  “Where are we now?” Yuri asked from the backseat. They had travelled another fifteen minutes.

  “We’re close, maybe five minutes.”

  As part of Jeff’s mission gear, he carried a Chinese manufactured smartphone with the latest maps. Once they turned onto the G224, he switched off the phone and had Yuri remove its battery. Jeff didn’t want to risk leaving the phone active for fear of tracking by the MSS. Besides, he didn’t need it, having memorized the rest of the route.

  It took seven minutes. Jeff exited the Audi and punched in the code on the keypad by the garage. The panel door rolled up. He climbed back in and drove the car inside. He turned to address Yuri. “Stay put while I shut the door.”

  “Okay.”

  * * * *

  “What is this place?” Yuri asked. He was inside a posh living room that overlooked a darkened harbor area and Sanya Bay in the background.

  “Its owner is officially registered as an Australian businessman. Has an import export business run out of Melbourne. Supplies a lot of Aussie beef and luxury foodstuffs to the resorts here and elsewhere on Hainan Island.”

  “So, who really owns it?”

  Jeff smirked. “We do…the Company does.”

  “Why am I not surprised.”

  “The guy from Melbourne does stay here on occasion. His business is strictly legitimate and I might add, quite lucrative. We have an arrangement with him through ASIS—Australian Secret Intelligence Service.”

  “Five Eyes asset?” Yuri asked, referring to an intelligence alliance consisting of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

  “Yes, it’s a shared resource. Lately, we’ve been coordinating with the ASIS.”

  “They’re an impressive group.”

  “Definitely, and they’re just as concerned with Beijing’s adventurism as we are. Plus they’re a lot closer to China.”

  Yuri again glanced out the window. “What’re those?” He pointed to a collection of high-rise towers in the distance. Perimeter lighting from the twenty-eight story tall buildings dominated the dim skyline. Shaped like billowing spinnaker sails, the five towers appeared to rise from the sea itself.

  “Phoenix Island Resort. Quite the tourist attraction. The buildings are covered with a zillion LED lights that are computer controlled. From what I understand, they broadcast an amazing lightshow every evening.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah. The Chinese are masters at outdoor lighting.”

  Yuri turned back to Jeff. “So, how did you know the place was vacant?”

  “Contingency planning by Langley. If the mission fell apart, I had orders to get to the Sanya safehouse. We have others on the island but this is particularly attractive because it’s a single unit, no nosey neighbors in the same building, and it has a garage.”

  That triggered another concern for Yuri. “What about the car? When the owner gets off duty and discovers it missing, he’s going to be pissed.”

  “I’m going to deal with that now.”

  “How?”

  “I spotted a shopping area a couple of miles away. That’s where I’m going to dump it—and wipe it clean. I want it found quickly. Make it look like a joyride so the MSS doesn’t ge
t involved, just the local cops.” Jeff yawned. “The freeway we took to get here has lots of cameras and Sanya’s loaded with ’em too. The quicker the car is found, the less likely the authorities will pursue the investigation by pulling videos and tracking our movements. To our knowledge, police surveillance cameras are not yet located in this neighborhood.”

  “So, you’re walking back?”

  “Yep. I’ll use side streets. And I have ID that will hold up if I’m stopped.”

  “I’ll go with you—”

  “No thanks!” Jeff interrupted. “A big white guy like you hanging around me at oh dark hundred…that for sure would generate a cop stop.”

  Yuri grinned. “Got it.”

  Chapter 60

  Captain Zhou Jun sipped tea at the kitchen table in his apartment. He wore his uniform. It was a few minutes after eight o’clock in the morning. The television was on, tuned to a news channel. The mid-twenties female newsreader reported on the day’s lead story. Another United States warship had violated the People’s Republic of China’s sovereign territory by passing within twelve nautical miles of an artificial island constructed in the Spratly Island group. Beijing issued a strong rebuke to Washington, warning of severe consequences if such behavior persisted.

  Meng Park joined Zhou in the kitchen. No sleek dress today, just blue jeans, long sleeved shirt and sneakers.

  Zhou reached for the teapot and poured a fresh cup for Park.

  She took a seat at the table beside Zhou. “Thank you,” Meng said accepting the porcelain cup. She glanced at the TV. “What’s going on?”

  “Americans are pushing again. Another one of their so-called freedom of navigation patrols.”

  “Where.”

  “In the Nanshas.”

  She took a sip of tea. “They’re persistent.”

  “Yes, but that’s going to change soon, thanks in part to your work.”

  That sparked an unwelcome reminder from Meng. “Anything about the Russian sub?”

  “Nothing…not a word. I’m sure Moscow knows it’s missing by now.”

  The video of the Novosibirsk’s escape capsule obliterated by her creation played on a looped feedback in Dr. Meng’s brain. “The Russians will be suspicious if they spot the Lian in the same area.”