Just upriver and out of sight from the Carondelet a team of men dressed in black wetsuits and carrying full combat gear rolled over the side of a black inflatable boat. They slipped below the water soundlessly, then met up underwater. The team leader glanced at a small computerized GPS plotter strapped to his wrist. Then he steered his team toward the Carondelet.
The Lar Mark V fully enclosed chest-mounted rebreathers and regulators the team used allowed no bubbles to rise to the surface of the water. Their approach, timed to carry them along with the current, was invisible from the surface of the water. Once the team leader located the stern of the Carondelet he motioned for his men to shed their fins and prepare for the assault.
Two parties, each comprised of two men, would swim to the bow. One party of two would take the port side— the other party the starboard. At the signal from the team leader they would toss grappling hooks over the bow of the ship and hoist themselves on pulleys to the bow deck. Their mission was to secure the pilothouse. At the same time, eight men would enter the ship from the stern. Spreading out, they would fan through the ship capturing the crew and securing the engine room. Beneath the hull of the Carondelet the teams hung suspended in the water like a feather floating on a breeze. They were waiting for their signal.
At exactly 12:00 a.m. the assault began.
At seven minutes after twelve in the morning, U.S. Navy SEAL Commander Warren Oakes secured his side arm and glanced across the deck of the Carondelet.
"All clear abovedecks," he shouted.
Chief Petty Officer Rick Chutetski walked on the deck through the pilothouse door.
"All clear belowdecks, sir."
"Did the crew have time to get off a radio call, Chutes?" Oakes asked.
"Shit no, sir," Chutetski said easily. "They never knew what hit them."
"Secure the crew in a hold belowdecks and post guards."
"What then, sir?"
"We wait for further instructions," Oakes said.
A cold front blowing in from the north brought freezing rain to the nation's capital. Inside an office in the West Wing of the White House, the National Security briefing started exactly at nine.
Robert Lakeland rose and addressed the group.
"First to speak today is General Benson of the Special Security Service," Lakeland announced.
Benson rose from his seat and walked to the podium.
"The Special Security Service division of the National Intelligence Agency believes we have linked the bombings plaguing Israel with the poisoning of the Saudi oil fields by oil-eating microbes stolen from a laboratory in Texas. Our agency is working on a comprehensive report the diplomats can take to the respective embassies listing our proof. The report is being assembled as we speak. We think the report should be completed inside an hour."
A murmur rose in the room. "Who do you believe is behind all this mayhem?" the president asked.
"The Chinese government," Benson said.
"They've never shown much strategic interest in the Middle East," Lakeland interjected.
"We believe their actions in the Middle East are tied to their recovery of what has become known as the Einstein papers."
"What's the status of these mystery papers?" Lakeland asked.
"One of our agents was shot in a gunfight last night. But we managed to recover the papers."
"Excellent," the president said. Then he looked with concern at Benson. "How did your agent fare in the gun-fight, Earl?"
"He's still in surgery, sir, but the doctors believe he'll pull through. The papers will be forwarded to the Advanced Physics Laboratory in Colorado so the scientists there can attempt to decipher the formula."
"What reason could the Chinese government have for inciting the trouble in the Middle East?" Robert Lakeland asked.
Canter, the director of the CIA, spoke.
"The NSA has alerted our agency that China has been amassing troops and supplies on their eastern coast. Till now we assumed they were there for the scheduled war games." Canter scanned the notes in front of him. "Since Hong Kong reverted to the Chinese in 1997, the Chinese government has had a pool of hard currency they never had before. They have been spending the windfall on advanced military hardware. To showcase the new hardware they have been enacting quarterly war games. In addition, China has become more aggressive. We believe it is their goal to assert themselves as the dominant force in Asia as quickly as possible. The fifty-year anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic is fast approaching. Our analysts have been bracing for a hostile move from the mainland against Taiwan for some time now." The president stopped Canter. "Is it far-fetched to believe that the Chinese wanted the Einstein papers to create a weapon that would allow them to annex all of Asia and the Middle East?"
Benson answered. "That may have been their plan. Once they had an operational weapon, the annexation plan would be possible, sir. However, right now I believe their reason for inciting conflict in the Middle East is somewhat simpler."
"And what is that, General?"
"I think Mr. Canter is right. The Chinese plan is to draw off our forces from the Asian theater so they can attack Taiwan without fear of American retaliation. Once our armed forces are diverted to the Middle East, the Chinese have the time they need to strengthen their position in Taiwan. Perhaps China attacks Korea or Japan next."
"If that occurs we could lose the world to Chinese communism," the president said slowly, "after years of fearing the Russians."
"Sounds like a distinct possibility, sir," Benson said.
"When do you expect the Chinese will move against Taiwan?" the president asked Canter."
"Like I said," Canter explained, "October 1st, the anniversary date of the formation of the Peoples Republic of China. That would be my guess, sir."
"That gives us five days to stop the Chinese," the president said. The president turned to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "I want naval redeployment orders drafted immediately. Split your forces — send half back to Asia, leave half in the Middle East. As soon as that is done, prepare a defense plan for Taiwan if we cannot get a naval force there in time."
The chairman and his aides rushed from the room.
"Canter, have your agency get me some human intelligence data from inside China. I want to be sure this theory of yours about the date of the attack is correct." Canter rose and walked out the door.
"NSA, DIA, NRO — I want all your agencies to go to priority-one gathering. Every agency should share any information they receive about anything that remotely pertains to China." The heads of the agencies made their way to the door. "I mean anything. I don't want to go into this thing blind," the president stressed as the intelligence officers exited.
The room was almost empty. "General Benson, I want you to spearhead the work with the Einstein papers. See if you can get me an operational weapon that will stop the Chinese within five days."
The president and Benson both rose from their chairs and walked toward the door.
"Your agent pulled our feet from the fire, Earl. If the Chinese still had those papers our country would be on the defensive, not the offensive. Where's your agent undergoing surgery?"
"Bethesda Naval Hospital, sir."
"I'll call to check on him, you can count on it."
CHAPTER 43
Martinez leapt to his feet when the surgeon entered the waiting room. The doctors hospital scrubs were spotted with blood and he removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
"I'm Dr. Gundersen," the surgeon said, motioning to a table away from the others in the waiting room. "Let's sit over here."
Martinez's face showed his concern.