Devil's Fork

by Spencer Adams

CHAPTER 56

  THURSDAY

  Korean peninsula

  Tom stopped for what he expected to be the last time. He was at the edge of the woods, overlooking the beach. A vast, open sea lay in front of him. The KPA presence on the beach was lighter. Many hours had passed since Tom’s first sprint through the pocket of soldiers.

  He checked that his flippers and his Draeger rebreather were ready. He had just dug them out of the spot where he had left them earlier. Tom checked his waterproof utility bag with all of the Room 39 documents. He looked around again. The area of beach in front of him luckily did not have soldiers patrolling it. There was a group farther up the beach to the north.

  Tom started sprinting for the last time. Trying to run as fast as he could on the soft, sandy beach reminded him of BUD/S training. He recalled how he had to do it every day. Running on the sand, where one’s foot sinks in before it gets a firm hold is a different science, he had realized. This morning, he was glad that he went through BUD/S. As he crossed the halfway point on the beach, he looked left and right. The soldiers did not seem to be reacting. Maybe they were too far away, he thought. Tom smiled as he imagined their confusion from seeing a black figure running directly towards the open sea.

  Soon Tom’s feet were underwater. He kept moving as fast as he could. The frigid morning sea was soon at his waist, and he was now in a fast walk. Tom raised his arms in front of him, and dove forward into the water. He put in his mouthpiece and started breathing underwater. He attached his flippers to his feet as quickly as he could and started swimming towards his SDV. Another one complete, he thought. Another mission finished, although with more surprises than usual. As he swam he felt a rush. A feeling of pleasure overtook his stomach. As he climbed into his SDV, he finally had time to think. The first thing Tom started wondering was what happened to Jiyeon.