Initiative (The Red Gambit Series Book 6)
Page 66
Still out in the Atlantic were the support ships I-353 and the Bogata Maru, the latter now returned to the original German look as the German freighter ‘Bogata’, although Japanese crew managed her, and the submarine tender modifications were retained.
Bogata had been anchored on the protected east side of the island of Deserta Grande, one of the Madeira Islands.
Beneath her keel, I-353 lay on the bottom by day, surfacing by night, waiting until other arrangements could be brought to fruition.
In the South Atlantic, Nachi Maru and Tsukushi Maru, two submarine tenders under Allied orders, and laden with returning prisoners of war, were ready to do their part when needed.
The Hikawa Maru 2, a hospital ship, also carried Allied servicemen being repatriated, as well as other things more crucial to Operation Niji.
Nobukiyo snatched himself from his musings and put his mind firmly back on the mission in hand.
Commander Nobukiyo took up his seat and closed his eyes, displaying no nerves about the venture they were now engaged in.
After all, many German U-Boats had successfully done the same journey, and in times when the Allies were much more aware.
Now that peace, such as it was, ruled the world, the passage would be that much easier.
Nobukiyo certainly hoped so, for the Black Sea was still a very long way away, even with the Turks turning a convenient blind eye.
Perhaps, by the time it came for them to exit the Mediterranean and seek the freedom of the Atlantic once more, things might be different, but they would climb that mountain when it was there in front of them.
Until then, there was one small fact that constantly niggled away in the back of his mind, a fact he did not care to share with any of his crew.
It announced itself once more, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
As he conned his submarine into the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, his mind battled to put the fact back where it belonged.
He failed, and his processes suddenly all locked on to the one inescapable fact.
Once in the Mediterranean, no U-Boat had ever made it out.
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