“Relieved to be out of DPRK territorial waters,” Graves admitted. “I cancelled training temporarily so everyone can catch up on their sleep.”
Brodie agreed without saying so. Graves knew what he was doing and didn’t need Brodie micromanaging him. “The SEALs?”
“The two survivors were both wounded, but should be okay. Doc Reed said they’re already back on their feet.”
Brodie nodded, appreciating the good news. “They need to prepare reports of what happened in North Korea. Top Secret, of course, so keep the circle of people in the know to the minimum.”
Graves concurred and then said thoughtfully, “It must have been one hell of a brawl.”
“Yeah,” Brodie agreed, thinking of Kristen who’d been thrust into the middle of it.
“Lieutenant Whitaker is on bed rest for the next few days,” Graves explained. “Her injuries are superficial and are mostly minor cuts from rock shrapnel, a couple of cracked ribs from where her body armor stopped a couple of AK bullets, and a badly twisted ankle.”
Brodie didn’t want to think of her at the moment. “Keep an eye on her,” he advised his friend. “She’s already been through hell on this patrol.”
Graves agreed and then turned quiet, slowly assessing Brodie.
“What?” Brodie asked, too tired to play games.
“You knew about her, didn’t you?” Graves asked.
“Hmmm?”
“When you called Beagler and requested her, you already knew our mission, and knew her unique skill set. Your requested her because you knew she could handle the LMRS drones and that she spoke Mandarin.”
Brodie offered a shrug. “Beagler had confided to me that she was special and would come in handy on this mission, yes,” he admitted. “Although neither of us ever imagined her going into North Korea or handling the drones by herself.”
Jason smiled thinly, shaking his head in wonderment. “Remind me never to play poker with you.”
Brodie leaned his head back and explained, “When I first received the mission, it read like a damn nightmare,” he admitted. “Then Beagler said he had an officer who was highly skilled with sonar, had graduated at the top of her Academy class, spoke Mandarin, and had spent some time in Corpus with the drones, it was an easy call.”
“Even if that officer was a woman…” Graves pointed out.
“At the time I wouldn’t have cared if she were from Mars. We were heading into deep trouble, and I reckoned we needed all the help we could get,” Brodie admitted. He seldom revealed his inner thoughts to others. Mostly because he trusted few people and also because he didn’t think it was anyone’s business what he was thinking. But Jason was the brother he’d never had, and he kept few secrets from the lanky African American.
They were quiet for a few minutes as each of them slowly came to grips with how close they’d come to jump starting World War III.
“Well, she sure earned her pay,” Jason finally admitted.
Brodie nodded in agreement, never having expected Kristen to be as essential to their mission’s success as she’d proven to be. “Just keep an eye on her for me,” he said without further explanation. “We’ll have a few days in Sasebo before we return to sea. Make sure she gets off the boat and blows off some steam, would ya?”
Graves nodded in the affirmative, “No sweat, bro. Anything else?”
Brodie made eye contact with his friend, wondering if he suspected anything about himself and Kristen. They’d known one another a very long time. “Keep the men working,” he said, changing the subject so as to avoid talking about her further. “I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I have the suspicion this whole blow up in North Korea is one big sham, and the real trouble is to come elsewhere.”
“Any intelligence reports to back that up?”
“Just my gut,” Brodie admitted. “But whatever happens, I wanna be ready to head back to sea as soon as we’ve completed repairs in Sasebo, so do what we can now. Anything we can’t repair ourselves, I want enumerated and radioed ahead of us to Sasebo so the workers there can come aboard as soon as we tie up pier side to expedite repairs.”
Graves stood. He was so tall, his head nearly touched the overhead. “Anything else?”
“Get some sleep, XO,” Brodie suggested, knowing full well Graves would get little rest until the Seawolf had been repaired. His friend left the tiny cabin and closed the door quietly behind him, leaving Brodie alone.
Brodie opened his eyes as he set his right hand on the table. The hand was trembling uncontrollably. The tension, the stress, all of the responsibility that was part and parcel of a captain’s existence was finally getting to him. Four years in command was a long time. He exhaled tiredly. He liked to think the worst was behind him, but as he stared at the far bulkhead, contemplating everything that had transpired, he feared the worst was yet to come.