The distance between the two big cities isn’t far but, with the slow speed Leonard dictated and taking time to investigate, it takes two days before they reach the Channel Islands to the northwest of the Los Angeles area. His plan is to swing wide of the Channel Islands and approach Long Beach directly from the west.
“Captain to the comm room,” the loudspeaker blares.
And there’s the message asking for confirmation, Leonard thinks, rising from his chair. I wondered when that was going to come in.
The Santa Fe picked up speed to circumvent the islands and is approximately midway across the Santa Barbara Basin when Leonard pokes his head in the small room.
“What is it, chief?”
“Sir, I’m picking up a very faint signal coming in on UHF guard. I believe I heard our name a couple of times, but it’s hard to identify clearly. Whoever is transmitting is either pretty far away or the signal is weak on their end.”
“Our end is good?” Leonard asks.
“Aye, sir. I’ve checked our equipment and it’s good.”
“How often are they transmitting?”
“That’s hard to say, sir. I’ve only picked up a couple of the transmissions and this last one is the clearest I’ve heard. However, it seems to be about every five minutes. Would you like for me to respond?”
“Let’s wait for the next one. If it’s getting clearer, then they are moving and getting closer. I doubt our speed makes much difference in five minutes. Put it on speaker but keep the volume low, please,” Leonard says.
A few minutes pass before the speaker crackles to life. “Santa F…alker on… guard…”
The message repeats but with the same clarity. However, it is enough to hear the sub mentioned and the chief verifies they are receiving the signal on UHF guard.
The basin over which they are sailing is relatively shallow and it will be another thirty minutes before they reach the deeper water on the other side of the islands. Although he has an idea who it may be considering the frequency used, he isn’t comfortable about coming into contact with an unknown entity without the safety of deep water below him. The thought of turning west and going to flank speed crosses his mind. However, they may miss contact should they do that.
With a sigh, Leonard calls his XO in the control room. “Slow to ten knots and be ready to take her to the bottom.”
Several minutes pass without the message being repeated. The five minute intervals they were coming through at passes. Nothing is in view visually and he orders the radar turned on with the crew ready to shut it down and conduct an emergency dive.
Radar reports back that they have negative contact. Tension mounts in the boat. They may have firepower and the ability to hide, but if they’re found, they become very vulnerable. Leonard is aware that they are very vulnerable this close to the surface with an unknown entity closing in. With the clear waters, it will be easy to identify the dark sub just beneath the waves. And if there is any magnetic anomaly gear being used, well, they might as well light up blinking neon signs.
The speaker crackles to life once again. “Santa Fe, this is Captain Walker on UHF Guard. Santa Fe, Captain Walker calling on UHF Guard. How do you copy? Over.”
Well, this is going to be downright interesting, Leonard thinks, reaching for the mic.
“Captain Walker, this is the Santa Fe. Read you loud and clear. This is not a secure channel. Over,” Leonard says.
“Copy that, standby,” Walker states.
“Santa Fe, it’s imperative that we have a conversation. Understand the unsecure channel. There’s an airfield next to a beach,” Walker says moments later, giving coordinates. “Can you meet us on the beach?”
This time it’s Leonard who has Walker standby while he walks to the nav station to look at the given coordinates. He feels like a flag tied to the rope in a tug-of-war; both teams wanting to pull the flag to their side. He calls the XO over and relates the radio call.
“What do you think, sir?” the XO asks.
“Well, frankly, I don’t like being in the middle of some game. We may not have hit it off right away, and this Walker did come across as being a little arrogant, but he didn’t seem like a bad guy. I find myself interested in what he has to say… but not at a risk to ourselves,” Leonard answers.
“Park the boat offshore and let Chief Krandle handle the discussion. He can relay the conversation,” the XO states.
“That will still be over the open airwaves. I’ll go in with the chief and his team. You’ll remain in charge and take the boat out deep if anything untoward occurs. If anything happens, continue the mission to home port.”
“Are you sure that your going in is a good idea? You’re needed here. I’ll go in your stead,” the XO says.
“I feel that there are some hard decisions that may arise and I need to be there to make them. Besides, how can I miss a chance to ride ashore with a SEAL team?” Leonard says with a smile.
“And that’s the real reason I wanted to go. It’s getting a little cramped in here.”
“I hear that, XO. Call the chief up and point us to the beach. Let’s not waste any time getting there.”
“Aye, sir,” the XO says.
Back in the comm center, Leonard takes the mic. “Captain Walker, this is the Santa Fe. We’ll be there in two hours.”
“Copy two hours. See you there.”
Leonard briefs Chief Krandle when he arrives, informing him of the radio contact and mission.
Two hours later, Leonard finds himself riding through choppy swells. The team around him is lying low over the gunwales as the rubber craft bounces across the wind-driven waves. He feels like he’s in the back end of a pickup traveling over a washboard road. They negotiate around several stands of rocks which absorb the inbound waves with surf splashing against their wet surfaces. The beach-lined cove which they’ve entered curves to their left and stretches away into the distance to the right.
As the breakers pass underneath, they lift the craft from the stern and toss it about. Leonard, while enjoying any time spent on or below the water, begins to regret taking this trip. The waves propel the team onward, and soon, the raft kisses the sand. As Chief Krandle and his team deploy to the sides, Leonard notes the top of a Stryker poking above a small rise across the beach. Near an adjacent parking lot, several figures are crouched in a small perimeter similar to the one the chief and his team have. One of the figures rises and separates from the rest, heading across the sand toward him. Leonard begins walking and they meet in the middle.
“Captain,” Captain Walker says, extending his hand.
“Walker,” Leonard replies, replying in kind.
“Sorry to stall your journey, but we’ve come across some information that you should be aware of,” Walker begins.
He then tells a story of being targeted by a sniper and their subsequent discovery of information relating to a group that may be responsible for the downfall of civilization. The tale goes into some detail with Walker handing him several pages with their findings on them. As the account goes on, Leonard feels a cold chill ride up his spine.
“We don’t have a hard tie-in that it’s the group who sent the shooter, but there’s enough to convince me that they are involved. It’s become obvious that we’re being targeted by a group with advanced capabilities, and I’m sure they’re the ones who are interfering with our communications,” Walker says, drawing his narrative to a close.