Murdock stared at him. "The CNO? You sure? Admiral Lucian Quenton himself? I've never met the man. He doesn't know that I exist."
"He does now, sailor. Let's get up there before he hangs up on you.
7
Thursday, May 14
1826 hours
USS Intrepid
South China Sea
On the way from the men's quarters to the communications room, Murdock asked Stroh if he knew what this was about. "Not a clue, frogman. We better get hopping."
Murdock took a swing at Stroh, who chuckled at his own joke and led the way. They got lost twice in the big ship, and had to ask for a guide to take them to the communications complex. When they finally got there, a chief, two radio operators, the captain, and two commanders stood around waiting, their nervous twitches obvious.
"Glad you found time to come, Lieutenant," the captain said. "Right over here. It's the satellite link and just like talking on a telephone. There will be a slight delay, but you'll get used to it. We've got it on the speaker so we all can hear."
Murdock took the handset. "Yes, sir, Admiral Quenton. Lieutenant Murdock reporting, sir."
A light chuckle came over the handset. "Murdock. I've been hearing good things about you. We just got word from the President. It's a go for your mission to try to stop that damned invasion. We can't make it overt. Don't leave any of your dead behind, use all the sterile equipment that you can. We don't have a chance to talk about tactics, but all of us here wish you well."
"We'll try for containment and prevention, get them before they can get into action on any of the four phases. It should work. If we're lucky, sir, and the creeks don't rise."
The admiral laughed. "Understand. I've already talked with Captain Victor there on the Intrepid. You have his cooperation for any materials, transport, weapons, rehearsal areas. Just tell your contact what you need and you'll have it."
"Thank you, Admiral. We'll also need the satellite guys there in D.C. to give us all the data they have on the Chinese nuclear site where they build and store their bombs. The same for anything they have on Chinese poison gas facilities and storage. These two elements are vital for our operation."
"Our boys have been checking out those two elements for the past few hours. I'll get printouts and photos sent to you by satellite just as soon as they're ready. Anything else from the home office?"
"Anything about the Chinese defenses along the coastline opposite Taiwan would be helpful. Airfields, barracks, naval stations, that sort of thing."
"No problem. You'll have that material within an hour."
"Thanks, sir. Now we better get to doing our detailed planning."
"Good luck, Murdock. We're counting on you and your men."
"Yes, sir. We'll do it."
Murdock hung up the phone and looked at Stroh. "You heard it."
"So, what's next?"
Murdock looked at Captain Victor. "Who will be our contact with your people, Captain?"
One of the commanders spoke up. "I am, Lieutenant Murdock. Jason P. Wandemere. The captain told me you get anything we have on board or that we can fly in here in a rush."
Murdock took the man's hand. "Thanks, we'll be needing lots. First, how about a good-sized conference room, lots of big blank charts, and all of the intelligence you have on the Chinese mainland across from Taiwan. We'll especially need to know where their airfields are and all of their close-by navy facilities, and anything you know about where they store their nuclear material and weapons."
The commander brought out a notebook and took notes quickly.
"We have a medium-sized classroom one deck up from your quarters that should work well for you," he said. "It has overhead projectors and lots of old NCR blank charts. Room for twenty men.
"Let me make some phone calls and I'll get this other information you need brought right down there. We can talk later about what transport you'll need. Do you have any time schedule planned yet?"
"We've only got four days. We'll want to hit them as fast as we can, probably tomorrow as soon as it gets dark. We'll see how our data comes in. Let's see that training room. Could you have a runner go bring my men to that same training room? They've had enough sleep for this week."
The commander grinned, motioned to one of the sailors in the room, and then left himself to do his phoning.
"Sir, I'll take you to that training room," another sailor said. Murdock nodded. Don Stroh doubled up his fist and punched the air once. "We're on our way, Murdock. Watch out, you Chinese bastards, the SEALS are coming after your ass."
An hour later Third Platoon wallowed in data, locations, estimated troop strength, position of airfields and barracks, and a hundred other bits and pieces of data about the Chinese position on the mainland.
Murdock had them separating and classifying the information. "We put everything we know about their airfields in one stack on this table," he said. "The same for their nuclear ability and possible locations goes over here." He looked at the scatter of maps and satellite printouts and reports and grinned. "At least we have enough intel on this project. Down here goes the poison-gas and germ-warfare ability and locations. Then the next table is for the naval facilities and where their troop transports probably will be stationed and load out."
It was another hour before they had the material sorted. More kept coming in every ten minutes or so from the satellite, and from the map room of the carrier.
Murdock assigned them to each of the four phases of their attack for a more detailed study. He, Lieutenant Dewitt, Chief Jaybird Sterling and Magic Brown worked on the nuke problem.
"Figured they might have a facility way back in the interior somewhere," Murdock said. "From the intel we get from the satellite guys, they say the major Chinese nuclear center is in a huge solid granite cave on an island near the mainland just south of Fuching."
"That's where we went ashore to bring back the invasion plans," Magic said.
"True. This is a small island south of that somewhere. According to the satellite guy, it's named Tayu. Tightly guarded, accessible only by ship, and about three miles off the mainland. As far as the spy guys know, this is the only facility in China where they store ready-to-use nuclear weapons. Logic tells us that the Chinese nuke bomb should come out of that hole. Our job is to stop it from emerging."
"This our first attack?" Lieutenant Dewitt asked.
"Should be," Jaybird said. "They'll need some lead time to get the bomb to the surface, then loaded on a secure boat and taken to a port were it will be loaded on a secure truck and taken to the airfield where the delivery plane is waiting. At least a twenty-four-hour lead time to be safe."
"So we hit this first," Murdock said. "Just how, we'll work out soon. What's the next-priority target?"
"The gas missiles, looks like to me," Magic Brown said.
"Doubtful if they would keep anything that potent in place on one of their ships. It would be on an 'on need' basis. So they would have to use transportation again. Where is their gas-warfare center?"
Murdock went to the gas-warfare table. He left the other three at the nuke table to start working out a plan of attack and destruction without setting off one of the nuclear weapons.
Doc Ellsworth looked up at his L-T and shook his head. "These bastards have some rugged shit in their inventory. Where did they get all of this potent nerve gas? Amazing. If the spy guys are right, they could wipe out everyone on Taiwan and send over a couple of million new inhabitants and have it all their own way."
"Where do they make the stuff?" Murdock asked.
Doc pointed to a map of China. "Way to hell and gone up in here at a little place called Chitai. That's almost all the way across China, about twenty-five hundred miles from Fuching."
"They keep the shit there?"
"Nope, make it there. The ready-for-delivery gas is kept in rockets ready to use at the Amoy Naval Base, maybe two hundred miles south of Fuching. Big fucking navy base there with all the goodies."
"All the spy people can tell us is that the missiles loaded with poison gas are in building twenty-eight," Doc said. "We don't have the slightest where that shack is situated."
"At least the two hundred miles is within our transport capability. That all-the-way-across-China shit didn't sound good at all. Work at it. Figure out some ingress into the navy base. How secure is it? Where can we get in, under, around, or through?"
Murdock went to the next target in line, the airfields that would launch the three-thousand-paratroop drop to seal off any opposition and capture the port facilities needed to land the invasion troops.
Gunner's Mate First Class Miguel Fernandez led the SEALS working over the airfield data. "Could be one of two fields, L-T. Not the fuck sure which one. We'll have to wait for the satellite to show us a buildup of some kind. Latest photos were eighteen hours ago. They're repositioning the satellite to get a better sweep on this coastal area. Figures to be close to the coast, which narrows it down to two fields. There's a new one just south of Amoy, big with long runways.
"The other one is inland about five miles from Foochow. That's about thirty miles north of Fuching. So far the spy boys can't give us any positive on either one. They lean toward the Amoy field since it's newest and has the best facilities. Oh, they said there were new barracks there that could house the three thousand troops for a limited number of days. They'll watch for the troop buildup and the gathering of transport planes around either field."
Murdock nodded, and told them to work out some attack plans on each of the fields — infiltration, weapons use, and how to haul ass without losing any men.
At the last table he saw better intel. Ron Holt, his radioman, had taken charge of the troop transport table. He grinned and showed Murdock satellite photos. They detailed three huge troop transport ships at the harbor in Amoy.
"Looks like they are loaded and waiting," Holt said. "Look at the waterline. Must mean that each one has its complement of five thousand troops, equipment, ammo, and supplies. Ready and waiting to hear that the docks are captured in Taiwan."
Murdock grinned. "So that makes your job easier. We have two targets in Amoy harbor. Once we penetrate, we can send one squad at each target, get the job done, and E and E."
"We thinking some limpet mines to blow off the screws or to sink the turkeys right there in the mud dockside?" Holt asked.
"Either one. We'll be ready for either chance and see how our time is working out. This will be the second night. About twenty-four hours before their attack time. We've got to make each phase work."
Holt nodded. "Right now we're trying to figure out the distance from the harbor mouth to the transports. Just a nice swim. We shouldn't even break a sweat."
Murdock told them to keep planning. "Work out the equipment, arms, transport, IBS, timing, coordination with the carrier. I'll be back."
He went to the nuke table and huddled with Dewitt and Jaybird.
"We've got three targets tied down and a question for the fourth," Murdock said. "Two of them are in Amoy harbor. That would be the second night. One is near Fuching here, and the other one either up thirty miles north at Foochow or down at Amoy airfield. This is looking more doable all the time."
"Get a submarine next door to Fuching and go in with IBSS, do the job, and then back to the sub?" Dewitt asked.
"Could," Murdock said. "Then if it's Foochow, we can go by sub up that way and use the IBSS again to go ashore and blast that field wing tip to wing tip with transport planes. Then back to the sub and lay over during the day.
"The next night we meet a chopper and get airlifted two hundred miles south to Amoy and do our work there. By the time we're done, the sub should be off Amoy to pick us up, or we can beacon in a chopper for an airlift home."
Dewitt held up his hand for a high five and the three grinned.
"Now, let's get down to the dirty-dirty details," Murdock said. "Everything on paper now."
8
Thursday, May 14
2014 hours
USS Intrepid
Taiwan Strait
Somewhere in the afternoon or evening they had eaten. Food had been brought to them in the classroom as they worked over plans and equipment and details for each of the four missions. An officer came in from the commo room.
"Lieutenant Murdock, we have confirmation from the satellite photos. There is a definite buildup of aircraft and personnel around the airfield near Foochow. It's a definite."
Murdock thanked the ensign and hurried over to the table detailing the strike on the airfield. He told them the news and they adjusted their plans, mostly for transport, infiltration, and egress.
At the Amoy table he checked the plans. They looked solid. He talked to Lieutenant Dewitt.
"So we go first on the nuke. That's up at Fuching. Fine. If all goes well we get in and out in an hour. Then we need to move our asses all the way up to Foochow. That's over thirty klicks, and how the hell we gonna get there?"
"Use our IBSS in and out of the island and the nuke, right?" Dewitt asked. "Probably the best, give us a base of operation."
"We bug off the nuke island after our hit, then call in our handy-dandy little submarine for a joyride thirty miles north. At twenty knots, that's going to take an hour and a half. Lots of night still left."
"Then we move into this airfield. The only trouble, it's about five miles inland." Murdock figured it could be done. Two missions the same night was nothing new to them.
"Yeah, a long walk but not a tough one," Dewitt said, "All we have to do is not make any noise or rouse any Chinese farmers or villagers."
"So we get in, no problem," Murdock said. "Getting out might be a little hairier. They'll have choppers to throw at us if they can find us. And those damn jets of theirs, the SU-27s, are no slouches. They can carry a shit-pot of missiles and bombs."
"So we get in, do our job, and get out before the sun comes up," Dewitt said. "Sounds interesting. We taking both squads on each mission?"
"So far that's the plan," Murdock said. He heard someone come in the door and looked up. He couldn't believe it. His father, the U.S. Congressman, who should be back in his office in Washington D.C., taking care of business. Murdock pushed away from the table and went to meet his father. He grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the door. In the companionway he frowned at the politician.
"what are you doing here?"
"Checking up on you. I'd been in Taipei on a fact-finding trip and I heard that some of our SEALS were out here. I took a chance one of them was you. Oh, it just happens that Captain Slash Victor who runs this floating island is a longtime friend of mine. Called him from Taipei and he said, yes, indeed you were on board."
Congressman Murdock chuckled. "Hey, swabby, a congressman has more clout than an admiral, especially when he's on the House Military Affairs Committee."
Lieutenant Murdock nodded. "To say the least, you are one hell of a surprise. We're right in the middle of planning one of the biggest operations I've ever been on. I should get back."
"Take ten and let me talk to you. If those men of yours are as good as everyone says, they can get along without you for ten damned minutes."
The SEAL nodded, led his father into the classroom, and tapped the coffeepot the mess steward had set up at the far end of the room. They found a small table and two chairs and sat down to sip their brew.
"I've got something in my pocket I can't help telling you about," the older man said. "It's an absolute plum, a situation that only comes along once every ten years or so. It's all mine."
"Dad, I told you before."
The congressman held up his hand, cutting off his son. His voice was low, yet intense. No one could hear him except Blake Murdock.
"A man high up in the Administration owes me. It's time to collect and I want to make it count. You can do ten times the good for our country in this spot as you can out here getting all wet and getting shrapnel in yo
ur ass."
The congressman chuckled. "You bet I heard about your last little job over there in Lebanon. This spot is one that would bring you an immediate promotion to full commander and one of the top spots in the Navy."
"Dad, I know you mean well, but I'm happy doing what I'm doing. This is important work."
"Probably, but so is being the top aide to the Chief of Naval Operations. Admiral Lucian Quenton."
Blake looked at his father as his own jaw dropped. He was rarely surprised, but this time he couldn't find a thing to say. He stared at his father and shook his head. At last his vocal cords came under his control.
"You said top aid to the CNO?"
"Right. I've talked with Lucian about you. He says he couldn't be happier with anyone else. He'll be delighted to have you on board."
Blake Murdock could grin now. He knew his father. The old politician wasn't telling the whole story.
"Dad, didn't Admiral Quenton say something else after you tossed my name in the hat?"
The congressman moved around in the hard Navy chair. Then he sipped his coffee and looked away. He took a deep breath and then nodded.
"Yeah, he said you would turn me down."
"Dad, he was right. I talked to him this morning by radio. He gave me this new mission. It's important. So important I can't even tell you what it is. This is a job that must be done, and right now my men and I have been tabbed to take on the load. We do the job or we go down the hard way trying, and if we go down, the whole damn United States and the West is in heavy shit right up our eyeballs."
Blake stood and held out his hand. "Dad, thanks for stopping by. I'm sure you can get transport back to Taipei and then finish your junket."
"Oh, damn. I didn't think it would be this hard. I should have known. I had hopes that after this stint of maybe five years with the CNO I'd set you up to run for my seat in Congress, then six years later you'd get elected to the Senate, then in about ten years we'd make a big boost and run you for President."
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