Foreword: Helen challenged me to write a story without beating Lee up, so here it is. With thanks to Helen for her guidance and input.

CHAPTER I

After two tough back-to-back missions, Lee Crane was more tired than he cared to admit, and he was thankful to finally turn off the highway onto the road leading to his lighthouse. As Captain of the nuclear submarine Seaview, Lee was never really off duty. Used to getting by with little sleep, this week had been unusually rough, with equipment breakdowns, interference from Washington bureaucrats and bad weather that had made for a lot of late nights. He had hardly seen his bunk on the boat the whole week. On this occasion he’d been “ordered” in no uncertain terms by Admiral Harriman Nelson, his boss and head of the Nelson Institute of Marine Research (and owner of the Seaview) to go home Friday afternoon and make sure he wasn’t back on the boat until Monday. The after-cruise report could wait until then.

Because of the lighthouse’s remote location there was little danger of meeting any other traffic; still, Lee drove cautiously through the hills, alert for the deer, coyotes and other creatures that inhabited the area. The Coast Guard had built a new lighthouse a few miles up the coast and “his” had been slated for demolition after the tower had been damaged by a lightning strike. When the property came on the market, Lee had put in an offer to buy and was delighted when his offer was accepted. He’d later found out that Admiral Nelson had pulled a few strings. But it was his now, and he was happy with it.

The remote location also meant that his friends and colleagues felt he was further away from the Institute than they were happy with. That made it all the more appealing to him, the chance to really get away from work when he needed to. Which, when it came down to it, really wasn’t often.

The road suddenly dipped towards the ocean and the brown of the surrounding low hillsides gave way to scrub brush and a flattened blufftop. He could see the silhouette of his lighthouse home against the dark sky overlooking the Pacific. In daylight the view was spectacular, nothing but whitecaps on a blue background sweeping to a hazy horizon. Occasionally he would see a whale breaching off shore as they made their yearly migration to Mexico, or dolphins frolicking in the surf below the bluff. And plenty of seals basked on the rocks below.

A few minutes later he was pulling to a stop outside and turning off the ignition. Except for the roar of the Pacific and the clicking of the cooling engine, the silence was profound. Lee took a deep breath and rotated his head on his shoulders. Home at last.

xxxx

The shower helped some. There were still strain lines etched through the smudges under his eyes that the last few weeks had carved into his face, but the face staring back at him in the mirror didn’t look quite as haggard as when he’d come home.

Lee ran a hand down over his damp head, checking. Yep, there were definitely a few more grey hairs showing among the dark brown. And it was time for a haircut, the sides were starting to come over his ears. He was surprised that Chip hadn’t said something. They had a week of quiet ahead, except for a pending NOAA mission. Plenty of time to refit and get ready. And get a haircut.

Heading back into the bedroom, he pulled on his pajama bottoms and got into bed. He splurged on a lot of things, and one of them was comfortable sheets. His cleaning lady, who was a treasure, since she had to travel far out of town, had replaced these just this morning. The coolness of the sheets and the soft roar of the ocean had him lights out in minutes.

xxxx

It was past midnight when the persistent knocking woke Lee. Who could possibly be at his door at this time of night? Couldn’t be anybody from the Institute, they would just call. Sitting up, he rubbed a hand across his face. Reluctantly he swung his legs out of bed and got to his feet as the pounding continued.

Padding barefoot down the stairs, he paused at the bottom, wondering if he should arm himself. The small table by the doorway held a weapon just for this contingency. Since whoever it was, was knocking instead of kicking the door in, he figured it wouldn’t be necessary – this time.

Opening the door, he came face to face with two men dressed in black suits. He tensed for an instant, and then relaxed. No sign of rushing forward, no sign of threat. He had made sure that a strong light came on when someone approached outside, and the light revealed two stocky men filling his doorway. The one on the left was taller, square-jawed, with short, sandy hair. Eyes that were close together stared at Lee from above a thin nose and thin lips. His companion had a full head of reddish-brown hair, his blue eyes assessing Crane from a chubby-cheeked face.

Looking beyond them, he saw the long black sedan. A vehicle that screamed “government car.”

Oh, great. Just great.

The taller of the two spoke first. “Commander Crane, would you come with us, please?”

“Who are you? What do you want?” Lee asked, his mind still a little fuzzy from being woken from a sound sleep.

“If you would just come with us, everything will be explained.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me who you are and who sent you,” Lee said defiantly.

“I’m sorry, sir, we have our orders. Let’s not make this difficult.” He pulled back his jacket and showed off his shoulder holster. They made a move then, knocking him backwards and he sprawled on the floor with a groan.

They obviously hadn’t anticipated this. “Are you all right, Commander?” the reddish-haired one finally spoke, stepping forward and offering Lee a hand.

Lee glared at him. “I’m fine,” he snapped, ignoring the hand and climbing to his feet.

“Commander, we don’t have much time,” his companion announced.

“Then I suggest you answer my question,” Lee growled. He was too angry to care that he was only wearing pyjama bottoms, too annoyed that Tweedledum and Tweedledee had gotten him out of bed in the middle of the night. He was tired and now his hip hurt.

“We’ve got our orders, sir, we need you to get dressed and come with us,” the other one suggested respectfully.

“Make me,” he challenged, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Commander, please? If you would dress and pack a bag?” the man prompted again. “Please, sir. National security.”

The second man’s head snapped around. “Damn it, Carter!”

“He’s not going without something!”

Despite himself, Lee grinned. Just got to keep ‘em talking sometimes. “It seems you’re not going anywhere unless I am. Give me five minutes.”

xxxx

His mood had soured fast. His leg ached from being stuffed into a car for nearly an hour, and seated between his two escorts, Lee was getting angry again, ready to hit something or someone. He couldn’t even sleep, too keyed up at his treatment to do that. Being rousted out of bed like this was too much. Why couldn’t he be asked politely to do something? What’s the worst that could happen? Yeah, so his track record on that score wasn’t so good lately. That wasn’t his fault; Nelson didn’t like him working for ONI.

Neither of his escorts had spoken to him since they had entered the car. He didn’t even know where they were taking him, but as they were headed south on the Pacific Coast Highway, he was hoping it was no further than NAS Point Mugu. The wind had come up overnight, and it was battering against the car windows. Occasionally he could see a flash of lightning off in the distance, but no thunder; the storm was far off over the Pacific.

Closing his eyes, Lee decided he’d at least take a few minutes to ready himself for whatever was coming. He sure wasn’t going anywhere else for a while.

xxxx

The main gate at Mugu loomed out of the darkness and the sentry waved them through without even checking. He’d been right about the location at least.

The car drove through the base for several minutes, past most of the mainside buildings and maintenance huts. Reaching a remote spot near the airfield hangers, the car drew to a stop. The man who’d been identified as Carter got out first, and Lee followed. A lonely lightbulb illuminated the doorway to a small building just ahead, and Carter opened the door and waved Lee inside. He saw one long corridor with office doors on either side, closed right now with one exception – a door at the end was open and the light inside was on.

“That one, I assume?” Lee queried.

“Got it in one,” Carter answered.

Entering an empty office, he was surprised to find Admiral Robert Johnson, head of the Navy’s office of intelligence, sitting behind the grey metal desk. Then again, maybe he wasn’t really surprised. “Admiral Johnson. I should have guessed. Care to explain, sir?”

Johnson looked at the two men standing behind Crane. “Did he give you much, trouble, Carter?”

The two exchanged glances. “No trouble, Admiral,” Carter answered.

“Which means he complained long and loudly. You’re dismissed.” Waiting until they left, Johnson indicated the only other chair in the room. “Sit down, Commander.”

“I prefer to stand.”

Johnson sighed and waved a hand towards the chair again. “Stop being a stubborn SOB and sit down.”

Lee sat. The sterile, empty room was very cold in the early morning darkness. Lee shivered; he had only taken long enough to throw on a pullover and a pair of jeans, not much warmth against the chill. “Was my abduction really necessary?”

A smile crossed Johnson’s face. “It’s getting to the point that you usually don’t go anywhere I am without, let’s say, a little encouragement. I’m sorry to drag you out of bed. If you accept this assignment, no-one can know where you are or what you are doing, not even Nelson. For your own safety.” There was a carafe and some cups on the table. “Care for some coffee?”

Nelson wouldn’t be happy about that. Leaving Seaview without its captain never went down well. Another thought came to mind. “Is my ‘own safety’ another way of saying you’ll deny even knowing me, much less that you sent me on this particular mission?”

Johnson smiled again. “Perhaps. If things go south, you’re on your own. You don’t have to do this. You can say no.”

“Then I say no.”

Ignoring that, Johnson handed over an 8 x 10 photo. “She’s called Black Sun. Don’t let her appearance fool you. We believe that under that scruffy exterior is a sophisticated spy ship equipped with the latest hardware, with technology stolen from the U.S Navy.”

Lee studied the ship. She looked like an old freighter that was barely afloat. The wooden hull was patched in several places, and one of the cargo handling cranes hung crookedly over the side.

“There’s transport leaving first thing in the morning. Well, that’s just a few hours away now, obviously,” Johnson told him, looking at his watch. “A member of the underground will meet you at the compound where the Black Sun is currently moored. You’re staying here until then, of course. No time to go home.”

Or tell Nelson or Chip what I’d be doing. “I haven’t said I’ll go yet.” Lee was rewarded when Johnson’s placid façade faltered for a moment.

“This mission is vital, Lee. The stolen equipment… we lost a couple of men… good men, who were guarding it.” Johnson looked away. “Shouldn’t have happened. This was top secret stuff, only a few people knew where everything was being stored. Our men were ambushed on the way to the drop site and everything taken. No doubt the equipment’s been compromised by now. In any event, it’s got to be destroyed and the ship at the same time so they can’t use it again. You’re the man for the job.”

“Why not just send in a UDT team and place some charges on the hull? She’s an old freighter – at least from the outside. Boilers blow up on these old tubs all the time. Nobody would be the wiser.”

Johnson’s head swivelled from side to side, blue eyes narrowing. “That was the original plan, but we got word that they may have more of our equipment. We need that confirmed, eyes-on before everything’s destroyed. You’ll get intel on that on the way over. We’ll have the UDT team move in after you leave.”

“Just make sure you wait until I’m off the boat before you blow it up.”

Johnson smiled a tight-lipped smile. “Anything for you, Commander. So, you’ll do it?”

“Admiral Nelson isn’t going to like it.”

“I’ll deal with Harry. Will you do it?”

“As long as you tell the Admiral it wasn’t my idea.”

CHAPTER II

Chip Morton knocked and entered at Nelson’s call. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

Chip Morton was the Seaview’s Executive Officer and Lee Crane’s best friend. They had been together since the Naval Academy, roomies then, and while their career paths had differed in the Navy, fate -- and Admiral Nelson -- had brought them together on the Seaview. They were the physical opposite of each other. Lee Crane was tall, dark and handsome, with matinee idol looks. Chip Morton was “the boy next door,” equally tall, chiselled blond and blue-eyed. Both men were top of their class intelligent. Chip would have made Admiral easily, if Nelson hadn’t come to call. He was still a Reserve officer, but the thought of leaving the Nelson Institute of Marine Research was remote. And keeping Lee out of trouble was a full-time job in itself. He spent more time than he cared to admit doing that.

“Yes, Chip.” Nelson ground his cigarette into the ashtray. “Have you seen Lee this morning?”

He’d known something was up when Lee hadn’t shown up at his usual time to start the week, and there’d been no phone call. Lee’s “second” career as an ONI agent could never be overlooked. Was that what this was all about? “No, sir. I tried calling him at home, but there was no reply. Should we assume that something’s wrong?”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions yet. I did tell him to take the weekend off. 0900 isn’t that late.” They looked at each other. Lee Crane was always on the boat by 0745 if it was a regular workday. To have him be this late and not call in…. “He could just be having car trouble on the way in.”

“You don’t really believe that.” The way Lee fussed over his red sports car, Chip doubted he would have broken down, but anything was possible.

“No, I can’t say I do. When Lee doesn’t answer his phone, I smell a rat. A rat that has the name of Johnson written all over it. Let’s find out. We’ll take my car,” Nelson said, getting to his feet.

“Aye, sir.” Damn. Not again.

CHAPTER III

Lee had been watching the Black Sun for twelve hours, waiting until it was dark again. His contact with the underground had told him that no one had been seen in the area coming or going from the vessel, and no deliveries had been made. Certainly, the old tub looked deserted, no lights showing anywhere on board.

Slipping from his hiding place, Lee made his way cautiously to the ladder leading up to the deck. There was still no sign of life as he climbed aboard, and everything was shrouded in deep shadow. He was a shadow himself, dressed in black clothing and shoes that made no sound. Keeping to the edges, Lee pulled on his night vision goggles and silently made his way up to the bridge.

Wow. Johnson wasn’t kidding. The dilapidated outside with its rusty exterior and broken windows was all a sham. The immaculate command centre was outfitted with sonar, radar, and an inertial navigator, as well as the usual controls and instrumentation. In pride of place was a bank of computer stations. What was odd, though, was that it looked like someone was working on at least one or two of them; the cases were pulled apart and laid aside on the worktables. Everything was well hidden, giving no indication of the ship’s true purpose. Lee also suspected that the crane on the forward deck was an aerial for the elaborate radio that took up the other side of the room. It appeared that ONI’s intel was right.

He quickly snapped a few photos, then made his way down to the next deck. The pictures and intel sheets he’d studied on the trip over had indicated that this was where the other equipment should be installed, equipment used for tracking satellites. A corridor ran the length of the deck, oil stained and well patched. All the doors were closed. He knew these led to cabins, a wardroom and a small sickbay. He paused at the bottom of the ladder while he assessed the situation. There was still no sign of anyone.

Where has everybody gone? Why does this seem too easy?

Cautiously, he eased open the first closed door and stepped inside. Suddenly the place came alive, the lights came on and Lee found himself surrounded by armed men.

“Welcome, Commander Crane. We’ve been waiting for you.” There was a trace of a European accent, but Lee couldn’t immediately place it.

Lee reluctantly raised his arms. Two of the men stepped forward and frisked him quickly, removing the gun from his shoulder holster and the knife from the sheath strapped to his calf.

“Take him below and throw him in the cell,” the man who had first greeted him ordered. “Then get on the radio and tell our friends we have a visitor.”

The men waved their weapons and ordered Lee out of the cabin, indicating a ladder leading below. His uneasiness upon coming aboard had been correct. He’d been betrayed. The theft of the equipment had been no lucky break, either. Someone had passed on the information; known he was coming. Whoever those “few people” Johnson had mentioned were, at least one of them was a traitor.

CHAPTER IV

“There’s no sign of him, sir. And his car is here.”

Nelson and Morton had quickly ascertained that there had been no forced entry into Lee’s home. They had a key, of course, and had made a check-up of the lighthouse. Nothing was out of place. The message light was blinking on Lee’s house phone; it was Chip’s call from that morning.

Nelson was still checking around when Chip called from outside. “Admiral, you should see this.”

Nelson hurried outside. “What is it, Chip?

“There are three sets of tire tracks. I know that Lee’s cleaning lady was supposed to be here yesterday. You can see where Lee pulled in over what I think are her tire tracks.” He pointed at the ground. “But these are fresh tire tracks. Somebody pulled in, turned around, and pulled out. A big car, a sedan.”

Nelson looked down and followed the tracks of the tires heading down Lee’s access road. “At least I don’t see any sign of a struggle. Let’s get back to the Institute. Once we get there, I’m calling Johnson. This has ONI written all over it.”

Chip shook his head and frowned. “So, what are you going to do about it, sir?” Chip couldn’t imagine for one minute that Nelson was going to take this lying down.

“First we find out where Lee is.” Nelson threw his car keys at Morton and get into the passenger side of the big Lincoln. “Then, if we have to, that’s where we go.”

Chip started up the car and pulled out onto the road. “Admiral Johnson won’t tell us, sir.”

“If not, I’ll take it all the way to SecNav. Or higher, if I have to. I cannot have the captain of the Seaview disappearing on me over and over. It’s unbelievable,” he growled.

****

Nelson reached out and pressed the button on the intercom. “Angie, get me Admiral Johnson. Chip, have a seat. We need to listen to this together.”

They had driven straight back to Nelson’s office at the Institute, Chip lucky that the CHP had apparently been busy on other parts of the Coast Highway this Monday morning. He hadn’t slowed down until they’d gotten to the Institute’s turn-off point. Nelson was on the rampage issuing orders the minute he’d walked in the door, first for coffee and then making sure that Angie, his long-suffering secretary, cleared his calendar for the day.

When she’d brought in the coffee tray, Chip rose to take it from her while Nelson was busy hanging up his uniform jacket.

“Lee missing again, Chip?” the young but oh so competent woman asked, concern deep in her honey-coloured eyes. She had been Nelson’s secretary since he’d opened the place, one of the few people able to deal with all of his moods. Angela Williams had the drive and the stamina to match anything that Nelson could dish out, no easy task.

“It looks like it, Angie. The OOM is convinced that Johnson’s got a hand in it.”

“Which is why I’m waiting for a call from Washington.” A buzzing came from the outer office. “That’s the phone. I bet that’s it. I’ll put the call through.” She hurried out the door.

Nelson’s phone buzzed and he pressed the speaker button. Angie’s voice filled the room. “Admiral, I have your call to Admiral Johnson.”

“Thank you, put him through.”

“Admiral Johnson’s office, Commander Young speaking.” Nelson’s eyebrows went up. This was Johnson’s aide. Not the voice he was expecting.

“Larry, this is Admiral Nelson. I need to speak to Bob.” Best to keep this on a friendly basis for starters.

“I’m sorry, sir. Admiral Johnson isn’t here.”

“Where the devil is he?” Nelson asked in growing irritation.

“I can’t tell you that, sir. Not on an unsecured line.”

Can’t or won’t?”

“I’m sorry, Admiral Nelson, Admiral Johnson’s whereabouts are always classified, as you know. He’s due back tomorrow, can I have him call you?” Young offered.

Nelson drew a deep breath and huffed, “No, thank you. I’ll call him.” He punched the “end call” button, frustrated. It was too much of a coincidence that Johnson wasn’t available; something was going on, and he suspected that Lee was right in the middle of it. Lighting up a cigarette, Nelson stared at his desk, fingers tapping on the tabletop.

Abruptly he rose from the desk and turned to his window, brooding. Sometimes staring out towards the Pacific would calm his thoughts, the incoming tide rushing toward the shore never failing to do something to his mood. He didn’t need confirmation from Johnson or his lackey to know that Lee had taken on yet another assignment from ONI. He knew that he’d agreed to let Lee remain in the Navy as a condition of becoming captain of the Seaview; somehow, he’d thought that the adventure of that would have become enough. Apparently, Lee Crane was built of sterner stuff, needed more, it seemed. But was the day coming when he would have to choose? Or would the decision be made for him – when he would disappear forever, be seriously injured, or worse, killed?

“What now, sir?”

“Chip, make sure the Flying Sub is ready to go. If need be, we’ll fly to Washington and get this all sorted.” Not that it would do much good; Johnson would just bullshit, like he did most of the times they talked. “Have you heard from Dr. Pavlov and the NOAA boys?”

The Institute was supposed to be conducting some advanced wave current tests for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during the week. Their contact hadn’t called to confirm yet, luckily.

“Nothing so far today, sir. He said it might be as late as Wednesday before he got confirmation of funding.”

“Let’s hope it’ll be Wednesday before we hear anything, then. And we can put it off until next week. Or longer, if we have to. Dr. Pavlov will understand.” He walked back to his desk and sat down. “As per usual, all we can do is wait.” Nervously, he straightened the pile of papers on his desk, at the same time characteristically rubbing his forehead with a finger. “I’ve got my own spies, I’ll see what I can find out about Johnson’s whereabouts. Although I don’t know that seeing him in person will do any good. He’s the best liar I know. Threatening won’t do any good, either. And last I heard, murder is still a capital offense.”

“I can swear I didn’t see a damn thing, sir.”

Nelson snorted. “I appreciate the loyalty, Chip.” He turned from the window. “Everything shipshape on the boat, Commander?” he asked in the deep command voice that they all knew so well.

“Shipshape and Bristol fashion, Admiral.”

Nelson nodded, a tight smile on his face. “Let’s give it another day. Bob Johnson owes us some answers then,” Nelson said grimly.

CHAPTER V

They hadn’t done anything to him yet, which was surprising. They’d even left a hunk of cheese and some bread, and some water, which he’d hadn’t touched, of course; that would be extremely foolish.

Lee got up again and began pacing, his eyes ranging around the walls of the small cabin, just in case he’d missed something the half dozen times he’d checked before. There were two portholes, but they were much too small to squeeze through. Holding his ear to the door, he could hear a guard shuffling around outside. At least it was something to pass the time; he’d lost track of how long he’d been in here. He found his thoughts returning to how he had gotten into this mess. He was under no illusion, Johnson had told him that if things went south, he was on his own, no-one would be coming to his rescue. How often had he heard that? And yet here he was, still alive, because he’d used his skill and wits to take advantage of the situation and escape; sometimes with help from Seaview.

This one was special; he definitely needed to get back and report on what he had seen. For that he had to survive and escape. Someone, however had stacked the odds against him from the beginning, betraying him and the United States. Whoever was behind the theft of the technology wanted to make sure that he didn’t report his findings. Not that he had discovered much. What was the deal with the computers?

The door opened and his captor entered, followed by his two guards, guns at the ready. Lee sprang back, but they were between him and escape. No time now.

“We’re very happy to have you as a guest, Commander Crane. Your presence is necessary for us.”

There was that accent again. French, maybe? Very subtle. The man was as tall as he was, thin and very fair skinned. A very thin face, as he’d noted when they’d taken him. He had a full head of black hair that rubbed against the top of his camouflage fatigues. His eyes were also dark, and Lee thought he saw a hint of amusement in them. They were searching his face now, seeking, apprising.

The man looked over to the table where the food was. “Oh, you haven’t eaten. Yes, it is simple fare, but… do you think something is wrong with the food?”

“You tell me.”

Chuckling, the man picked up the cheese and took a bite, then picked up the jug of water and took a big drink. “We have no intention of starving or poisoning you, monsieur. You’re needed.”

What the heck is he talking about? “Needed. Here. I think you’ve got the wrong guy.”

The man chuckled again. “I do not think so. Just send the message that will get you released, and everything will be fine.”

Lee’s brows knit together. “What message is that?”

“The one that will bring the rest of the computer equipment to us, of course.”

Lee threw up his hands, exasperated. “What equipment? I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

The other’s head tilted on one side. “Really? You actually do look somewhat confused. Is it possible your superiors really told you nothing? Perhaps you are as misinformed as we were. The machines we received are missing a few parts – namely the hard drives with the special software in them. Without that, as you can appreciate, they are useless. You send the message that will exchange you for that equipment, and everything will be fine.”

The news hit Lee like a thunderbolt. Was this some kind of trick? Had he been sent in as some kind of fall guy? And the most cutting question of all, did Johnson know what was really going on?

The cabin held a bunk and a chair. His captor spoke rapidly in French, and one guard left the room and shut the door. The other stayed inside, blocking the exit. The man took a seat on the chair and gestured Lee to the bunk. Lee backed up and sat down.

His jailer continued to stare at him. Lee took the time to study him again. He at first thought he was quite young, but now decided he was probably about his own age, in his mid-30s. Whoever was paying him for these jobs, it wasn’t much; the guy could have used some extra meals. The spy business was full of tough men, hired killers. This one, with his dark eyes and dark hair looked like a monk. And the soft smile added to the persona. Lee knew instinctively not to trust him for a second.

The Frenchman, for Lee had decided that was what he would call him for now, sat down and took a pack of cigarettes and a Zippo lighter from his jacket pocket. Lighting up, he blew out a thick stream of smoke and said, “Can I assume from your reaction earlier that you were not fully briefed on your mission? Ah, Admiral Johnson, Admiral Johnson, a sly one, no? Your superiors are like mine, Commander Crane. They tell us only what they think we need to know. Sometimes, it is not enough, eh? If they told us everything, we would not do their bidding, most likely. So, I will ask you again. Send a message and tell them to do us the courtesy” he smiled a brilliant white smile “of providing us what we need to get these computers up and running, and you will be freed. I believe you are quite valued, Lee Crane. They will do what you ask.”

Lee made a scoffing motion. “Don’t be too sure about that. You really expect me to call and ask to be exchanged for some top-secret computer equipment? I’m not as important as you think I am. You also have to know that I will not help you. I’m not a traitor.”

The Frenchmen’s eyes hardened. “You know the consequences. If you will not co-operate, then you are of no use to us.”

“I knew the risks when I accepted the mission. I’m expendable.”

“I’m sure that Admiral Harriman Nelson does not consider you expendable.”

Lee’s own eyes widened a bit. How much did this guy know about him? “It doesn’t matter. There is nothing he can do, even if he wanted to.”

“Oh, I believe you are wrong about that. Even now, he is trying to reach your head of Naval Intelligence, trying to discover your whereabouts.”

Lee’s mind went into overdrive. Good lord, how far up in Johnson’s organization was the mole? Was it Johnson himself? That was too much to take in right now. Even if Johnson had set him up as a fall guy, there was no way Lee was going to make it easy. Then again… maybe he could use his association with Nelson and the Seaview to his advantage and try to escape. At least he could buy himself some time.

His contact in the Underground here would soon know that he hadn’t gotten off the boat. And hopefully summon help -- but would the word get to the mole, or to someone who actually could get him out of here? Maybe he could find a way to get the word out himself… there had to be some way to contact them, some way to let somebody know where he was. No way was he dying out here without anyone knowing what had happened to him. Giving his life to protect his friends and his country was one thing, doing it without a fight was something else entirely.

The other man slapped his thighs and stood up abruptly. “In any event, I will let you think about this for a little while longer. We are in a hurry, but a few more hours will not hurt. It will give you time to… reflect.”

“Won’t make any difference, Mister… what should I call you?”

“Me?” He was at the door then, gesturing the guard outside and smiling that enigmatic smile again. “Call me Reynard, Commander Crane. All my friends do. I will have more food delivered in a few hours. We are not going to kill you by poison or starvation, believe me.”

The cabin door shut and Lee heard the bolt slam from the outside. Sitting down on the bunk, he thought back to his captor. An idea had come to him… he’d have to wait for the guy to come back, though. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the jug and took a long drink of water. In for a penny, in for a pound. Now that he knew what they wanted, he didn’t figure they wanted to kill him first. And the cheese and bread looked good… he’d had worse meals.

CHAPTER VI

“Where’s Lee Crane?” Nelson demanded, pressing his hands down on the desk so hard Angie was sure they were going to break through. She was also sure that the admiral imagined that he would rather have had Johnson’s neck between them instead.

She had come in at the crack of dawn into the office at Nelson’s summons; with the three-hour time difference between California and Washington, they had started early calling Johnson’s office, and lo and behold, had actually finally reached the man. Now she was poised with her steno pad and pencil to record the conversation -- which she was sure was going to be short.

“Where’s Lee Crane?” Nelson demanded.

There was a short pause before the head of ONI’s voice came through the speaker phone. “Nice to talk to you, too, Harry. What makes you think I know where Commander Crane is?”

“Because he’s not here, he’s not at his house, and he hasn’t called in. That means only one thing. You got him to go on one of your damn secret missions.”

“You know I can’t tell you anything, Harry. Not on an unsecure---.”

“Bull shit!” Nelson slammed a fist down on the desk. “I’m warning you, Johnson, if anything happens to Crane, you’ll get no more co-operation from the Nelson Institute, no more access to Seaview. You’ll have to find some other mug to do your dirty work.”

“You are threatening the wrong person, Admiral Nelson.” The coldness in Johnson’s voice made Angie’s head come up. There was something about this that was different.

Nelson also noticed, and his voice modulated a bit. “What are you saying, Admiral Johnson? Who should I be talking to?

“Officially, Lee Crane is not on assignment with this agency.”

“And unofficially?”

“I’m sorry, Harry. You want any more information you’ll have to go to the Chief of Naval Operations. And he’ll probably tell you to talk to the Secretary.”

Nelson straightened up, brow furrowed. “That high?”

“That high.”

The call ended quickly after that. Johnson would provide no more information, and Nelson knew it. He sat back in his chair, rubbing his eyebrow with a finger. “Angie, get Chip in here.”

The XO showed up so quickly he must have been lurking right outside the door. “Admiral?”

“Chip, I’m going to fly to Washington to see if there’s anything I can find out. Whatever it is, we’ll need to move fast after that. I’m going to make an educated guess and say that Lee is something in Southeast Asia. Get Seaview on the move. I’ll rendezvous with you in Pearl Harbour and discuss what I find out. If he gets in and gets out, then he’ll get home and find out that everybody’s gone and have a good laugh at our expense. And you and I will have a drink at the Royal Hawaiian and continue Dr. Pavlov’s experiments. If not… we’ll still have that drink at the Royal Hawaiian – with all three of us,” Nelson added grimly.

****

Chip finished logging their course and speed and returned the log to the shelf beneath the chart table. Once Seaview had cleared the channel, he’d given the order to submerge and brought her speed to standard. He didn’t know how long the Admiral would be in Washington, but he wanted to have Seaview in position, ready for when they had Lee’s location. What had Lee gotten himself into this time?

Not for the first time, Chip wished that Lee would stop doing work for ONI. He had no doubt that Lee had taken the assignment. Lee couldn’t help himself. Sure, he’d probably hemmed and hawed a bit, but the adrenaline rush was too great to resist. Nelson could roar all he wanted. Lee would never give up this part of his life, not until he couldn’t reconcile it with his service aboard Seaview. Nelson hadn’t made him choose – yet.

Chip wasn’t surprised when chief Sharkey approached.

“Mr Morton, sir?”

“Yes, Chief.”

“What’s going on, sir? We weren’t supposed to sail at least another week. And where is the skipper?”

“I don’t know much more than you, Chief. We’ll hopefully know more when the Admiral returns from Washington.”

“And when will that be, sir?”

I wish I knew. “I don’t know Chief. Hopefully soon.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Carry on, Chief.”

“Aye, sir.” Sharkey reluctantly turned away and started back towards the vertical plot table.

Picking up a pencil, Chip turned his attention to re-checking their course on the charts in front of him. It would take the Admiral time to get to Washington and fight his way through the red tape he was sure to come up against. Although Nelson had said that he would meet them in Pearl, by using the flying sub, he could rendezvous with them at sea if need be. Chip just hoped that they would find Lee safe and well.

****

Lee’s underground contacts were getting worried. They’d been at the rendezvous point last night, but Crane had not appeared. They feared that he had been captured. Franco and Jaing had relayed their fears to their U.S contact, who had made it clear that Crane was on his own. Well, they were not going to turn their backs on Crane. They could do something.

Jaing finished his sandwich and washed it down with lukewarm coffee. He would have preferred wine, but they could celebrate when they had Crane. “So, what is the plan? How are we going to find Crane?”

“There is a delivery due later today, we can highjack the truck and make the delivery ourselves.”

“How are we going to highjack the truck? We’ll need help.”

“We stage an accident, block the road. The truck will have to stop. The others will be here soon. They are bringing weapons and smoke bombs to use when we board the ship.”

As if on cue, the other members of the underground arrived.

“Our contact at the warehouse told me that the truck is due to leave the warehouse at 2pm,” Dominic, one of the group told them.

Jaing looked at his watch. “That gives us a couple of hours. Let’s go over everything. Did you bring the weapons?”

“Yes, they are in trunk of the car.” Dominic replied.

Jaing nodded. “All right then, lets get set. The road to the compound should be quiet, only Reynard’s men use it.”

CHAPTER VII

Lee was stretched out on the bunk when the door opened and Reynard stepped in with his ever-present guard.

“Ready to cooperate, Commander?”

“Hardly,” Lee answered, sitting up.

Reynard chuckled. “I did not think it would be easy.” He sat down and pulled out his cigarettes and lighter, placing them on the table.

Now.

While Reynard was looking up at the guard, Lee saw his chance and seized it, leaping up and throwing himself at the Frenchman. The table and chair fell over.

Caught by surprise for the moment, Reynard nevertheless responded quickly. With a roar of rage and surprise he launched himself upward, fending off Lee’s flailing fists. Lee’s fist slammed into Reynard’s chin. The force of the blow wasn’t enough; he returned with a right into Lee’s stomach, and the captain of the Seaview doubled over, staggering backward, knees going to the floor. The guard recovered from his surprise, catching Lee by the scruff of the neck and throwing him backward across the cabin.

Reynard sat up, shaking his head and holding his jaw.

“You are a fool, Crane. You think you can escape? You think there are only three of us on board? I have men outside, too. Idiot.” Reynard stood up and staggering a little, lurched out the door, slamming it behind him.

“Well, it was worth a try,” Lee gasped out, holding his stomach, concealing his prize – Reynard’s lighter. He’d had some bruises to add to his collection, but it was worth it. Hopefully Reynard wouldn’t notice it missing for a while.

He wiped the blood away from his chin; Reynard had landed a few good ones, he admitted ruefully. Lee contemplated his next move. Using the lighter to start a fire would be the last resort. It would start a diversion, a little one, but maybe it would be enough. In the meantime, he had to hope that the Underground had realized something was wrong, and someone was watching. If so, he had to be ready to move.

****

The guard checked the manifest before allowing the truck into the compound. Jaing parked alongside where the Black Sun was moored, and getting out, went around to open up the back. It had been easy to overcome the driver. He’d been knocked out, tied up and left at the side of the road.

Dominic joined Jaing and together they climbed into the back of the truck to pass down boxes to the crewmen that had come from the ship to unload the truck. In addition to the two crew, they observed that there were a further two armed men watching from the deck of the ship. Jaing wondered how many more men were aboard, and where they were holding Crane; probably somewhere on the lower deck. They would rather have made their rescue under cover of darkness, but this was their best opportunity to get into the compound.

They continued to unload, being a little clumsy, dropping a box here and there, keeping the attention of the crew on them, giving the others, who were boarding from a boat coming from the stern, a chance to get aboard unseen. Crates and timber, stacked on the deck would afford them cover as they boarded. He wished that they could have confirmed that Crane was being held onboard before they attempted a rescue. They didn’t know if Crane was even still alive. But they had to check the chance to rescue their new American comrade.

Quickly a second team, led by a member of the underground called Jaz was climbing on rope onto the Black Sun. Safely reaching the deck, he crouched behind a stack of timber, and using binoculars, checked for any signs of crew on the bridge. The rest of the team quickly joined him on deck. So far, their luck was holding and there were no signs of any additional guards. Jaz signalled his team to follow, dodging from cover to cover toward the superstructure. Getting inside and finding Crane was the next challenge. Could the Frenchman be so over confident as to think that no-one would attempt to rescue Crane? His gut told him that the man was not that stupid.

“In position,” Jaz whispered into his radio.

“Copy,” came back from Jaing.

On his signal, two of the team tossed smoke grenades in the direction of the guards on deck.

As soon as the smoke grenades exploded Jaing and Dom took out the two crew that had been unloading the truck, and locked them in the back, before hurrying to join the others on board the ship.

They needed to act quickly, before someone realized what was happening. Smoke was still drifting across the deck as they joined the rest of the rescue team onboard.

“Can we knock out the power?”

“Doubtful, the generator will be below in the engine room.”

“All right. Let’s move,” Jaz said.

The corridor was lite by fluorescent lights. One of the team found the switches and the corridor went dark. As they moved cautiously down the corridor, the light from below illuminated the ladder down to the next deck. Jaing moved down a few rungs of the ladder until he could crouch and look down the corridor. Bingo.

A single armed guard stood outside a door. At the end of the corridor was a hatch, probably the engine room.

Jaing turned to the men waiting behind him. “One armed guard. Good chance that is where they are holding Crane.” He didn’t want to shoot in case the sound alerted more guards; and where was Reynard?

Jaz handed him two smoke grenades and he tossed them down the corridor, quickly dodging back as the guard turned in his direction. A few seconds later a bullet pinged off the metal ladder. Damn!

****

The sound of gunfire came from the corridor. Lee smiled; sounds like the cavalry has arrived. Getting up from the bed, Lee moved to the door to listen to what was happening outside. More gunfire. He hoped that he was from his rescuers getting the best of the guards, and not the other way around.

More sporadic gunfire and the sound of running from the corridor, then the door opened. Lee took a step back and recognized his contact.

“Crane, are you all right. Did they hurt you?”

Lee shook his head. “No, I’m fine.” He smiled the famous Crane smile. “What took you so long?”

Jaing handed him a semi-automatic weapon. “You Americans, always with your jokes. Let’s go. We need to get out of here.”

Lee didn’t argue, he was only too happy to leave. He waited while Jaing checked the corridor.

“All clear, let’s go.”

The guard was dead, just outside the door. A slit throat? Who had killed him?

“Jaing, did you do this?”

“Not me, we just got here. One of my men must have beat me to it. C’mon, let’s get out of here.”

Lee needed no further urging, following Jaing to the ladder.

“Are you sure you’re okay? We might have to fight our way out.”

“Yes, I’m fine.” Lee assured him. “Thanks.” Jaing was somewhat of an enigma. Lee couldn’t decide what nationality he was. His wiry black hair, dark eye and round face, gave him a slight oriental appearance, but he spoke with no hint of an accent.

“Time to go.” Jaing called to his men and started up the ladder. At the top he was joined by Dominic and Jaz. Crane nodded at them, but there was no time for introductions now.

Lee followed and they re-grouped at the top. One of Jaing’s team had a shoulder wound.

Jaing crouched beside the man. “How are you doing. Can you walk?”

The man nodded.

“All right, let’s get out of here.”

“If we get a chance, I want Reynard alive.” Lee told him. Reynard was their link to whoever was behind all this.

“No guarantee. Our priority was to get you out.”

“Understood.” Lee wished that he had some explosives, he’d like to destroy the computer equipment. Although without the drives, they would not be of much use.

The sickbay door caught Lee’s attention. “I have an idea.” Without waiting for a response, Lee darted across the corridor and entered the sickbay, thankful to find it empty. Knowing that they didn’t have much time, he quickly searched the cabinets’ until he came up with a bottle of medical alcohol. Pulling open a drawer, he found a roll of cotton wool. Now he had the makings of a Molotov cocktail bomb.

After checking the corridor, Lee rejoined the team.

“What’s that?” Jaing asked.

“Distraction.”

Jaing nodded. “Let’s move!”

“What’s the plan?” Lee asked, his own forming in his mind. Jaing wouldn’t like it.

“There’s a boat waiting near the stern.”

“All right. Get your men out. I’ll meet you on deck.”

Jaing regarded him sceptically. “What are you planning?”

“To finish what I came here for.”

Jaing shook his head. “We don’t have time, reinforcements will be coming.”

“I appreciate the help. But I have my orders.”

“You’re crazy.” Jaing told him.

Lee grinned. “You’re not the first to tell me that.”

“I’m coming with you. Dom, get the men out of here. We’ll meet you near the stern. If we don’t show, don’t wait,” Jaing ordered.

Dom nodded, although clearly not happy with the turn of events.

“Let’s get this done and get out of here.” Lee moved down the corridor, keeping close to the wall, until he came to the ladder leading up to the next deck.

The deck was clear. Lee blinked at the light after the relative dark of the last. “Reynard will probably be waiting on the bridge. He’ll expect me to try and wreck the computer equipment,” he told Jaing.

“Then why try?”

“I want Reynard. I want to know who is behind this.” And I want to know if Johnson set me up.

Lee was surprised at seeing no signs of anyone on the bridge through the windows. “Ready?” He asked, taking up position beside the door, with Jaing on the other.

Jaing nodded and threw the door open.

Pulling out Reynard’s lighter – he’d found a use for it at last -- Lee lite the fuse on his makeshift incendiary device and tossed it in the direction of the computer banks. The glass broke and burning liquid spread across the equipment, dripping onto the deck. Alarms started to blare.

“Time to go.” Lee and Jaing made a hasty exit as the sound of running footsteps told them they were about to have company. An open deck ran around the outside of the bridge. Lee looked up as a rumble of thunder signalled the approach of a storm, and raindrops began to splatter the deck, starting to increase in intensity. Lee looked over the railing, gauging the distance below.

The two men looked at each other and nodded. Lee climbed through the center rail and lowered himself as far as he could before dropping. Even though Lee rolling as he landed, the fall still jarred his body. Getting to his feet, he ignored his body’s protest at the abuse and check on Jaing. “You okay?”

Jaing nodded. “You?”

“Yeah.” Together, they began to run towards the stern.

Ready hands grabbed for them as they lowered themselves to the waiting boat. They had managed a clear run to the stern, Lee expecting to be shot at at any moment, but it had been quiet. No sign of Reynard. He would have loved to capture the man, find out who he was working for. But better to get off the boat than spend any time asking these questions.

Jaz snapped the boat around and they were racing away in moments. A couple of men appeared at the bow, but Jaing’s men got off a few shots and they ducked down and disappeared. In a few seconds they had disappeared down one of the island’s many inlets.

Chapter VIII

Mr Morton, sir. I have the skipper.” Sparks called from the radio shack.

“What?” Morton turned from the plot table and hurried aft, not sure that he’d heard correctly.

Sparks was grinning as he handed Chip the headset.

“Lee, is that you?” Chip asked.

“Yes, Chip.”

“Are you alright? Where are you?” Chip asked before Lee had a chance to say more.

“I’m fine, Chip. Honest. Where are you?”

“Seaview, about two hours from Pearl.”

“Is the Admiral aboard?”

“No, he went to Washington to try and find out where you are.”

“Chip, I need you to come and pick me up. I won’t be calling anybody in Washington to do it, that’s for sure.”

“What’s going on?” Chip frowned.

“Long story, I’ll fill you in later.”

“Okay. Where are you?”

“6.966667, 110.416664.”

Chip wrote the figures down on a nearby clipboard and handed it off. “’Ski, enter that into the guidance computer!” A few seconds went back and Kowalski handed him the printout. Chip scanned it and his eyes flew open. “Wait a minute… that’s the middle of Semarang, Indonesia!”

“Yeah, I know – a great little city. My friends here have treated me well.” Chip could hear the sound of laughing in the background. “Don’t worry, I’m holed up in a secret location. I’ll get them to ferry me out to some open water. Can’t have the local government getting all huffy when ‘you know what’ shows up.”

“Yeah, we don’t need any international incidents right now. Alright, hang tight. We’ll be there as soon as possible.”

“Oh, no rush. The food here is great. But I know Nelson will want to hear everything ASAP. Thanks, Chip. I’ll check in again later.”

“Stay safe. Seaview out.” Chip handed the receiver to Sparks. “Try and contact the Admiral.”

“Aye, sir.”

Chip hurried back to the chart table to plot a new course. Picking up a pencil and rule, he marked the course on the chart and checked for obstacles. There were areas of this region that had not been mapped, and the water was shallow in places. The last thing they needed was to run into something and using sonar could give away their presence in the area. He could just imagine what Lee’s reaction would be if that happened. Lee would never let him forget it.

Recording the time of the course change, he calculating how long it would take them to get there. They’d contact the admiral and tell him to follow them in the flying sub.

“Helm, come to course zero, four five relative.”

“Zero four five, aye.”

Next, he unclipped a mic. “Engine room, all ahead flank.”

“Ahead flank, aye.”

****

Rain continued to drum on the roof of the old houseboat, moored in an inlet amongst the islands off the coast. Lee was anxious to return to Seaview. He knew that his friends would be worried about him. Normally he would contact ONI for extraction, but he wasn’t sure he could trust Admiral Johnson right now. Had any of what Johnson had told him been the truth? He’d been thankful for the radio and had been able to contact Seaview.

However, he was aware that it wasn’t safe for him or his rescuers to remain here for long. There was a possibility that the transmission may have been intercepted and traced.

Lee smiled as Jaing entered the cabin.

“Did you contact your friends?”

Lee nodded “Yes, she’s on her way.”

“Good. We should be okay here for a few more days. The rain will help conceal the boat.”

“Yes, these rainstorms come in handy. Somehow, though, I have the feeling that nobody’s looking for me.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The same reason that I’m sure that Reynard got off that boat at the first sign of trouble. I think somebody orchestrated this whole thing.” Lee sat down and relaxed against his bunk. “Still, I need to get back to debrief everybody – including Johnson. Because he’s going to be the only one who really knows what’s going on here. And since I don’t really know who is and isn’t a traitor, we still need to take every precaution to make sure we’re not leading anyone to Seaview’s position. So, while I appreciate your hospitality, and I’ll need it for the next few days, I’m still going to be laying low.”

****

Nelson entered the control room, clattering down the spiral staircase, and hurried to join Morton at the chart table. “What’s our position?”

“We’re at the new co-ordinates, holding steady at ninety feet,” Morton reported, straightening from the chart in front of him.

Then had made good time to Lee’s location, Nelson rejoining them with the Flying Sub. “Very good, Chip.” Nelson turned and stepped up to the periscope. “Up scope.”

Snapping the handles down, he turned the scope in the direction of the small island indicated on the chart at the co-ordinates. Increasing the magnification, he studied the small inlet and the water around it. Lee had left his hiding place and his Underground friends had boated him offshore to a point well off the usual shipping lanes, to this tiny little island and the water around it. It was barely above the waves, completely deserted. Still, they needed to retrieve Lee ASAP. No telling when a passing boat or plane would notice the activity below.

“Down scope.” Nelson stepped down from the periscope. “Is the flying sub ready?”

“Aye, sir. She’s checked and ready to go. Kowalski is already aboard,” Chip replied.

“Very well.” Nelson moved forward to the access hatch. “We’ll go in submerged. Keep an eye out for any ships in the area.”

“Aye, sir.” Chip waited for Nelson to descend the ladder into the flying sub and closed the hatch. “Stand by to launch flying sub.”

****

Seaview’s sonar operator looked up from the screen. “Flying sub on sonar, sir.”

Chip Morton walked over the stand beside the operator and looked at the screen, watching the contact, relieved to see that it was indeed the flying sub. He wanted to call and check on Lee, but they were on radio silence. Returning to the plot table he unclipped a mic. “Stand by to receive flying sub.”

Walking forward to the access hatch, he waited. The familiar sound of the bay doors opening carried up from below. Several minutes later he felt FS.1 settle in her berth and the clunk of the bay closing.

“Flying sub secure,” Nelson’s voice came over the P.A.

Chip knelt and spun the wheel, opening the hatch. Straightening, he stepped back and waited for the occupants to emerge from the craft.

****

Lee climbed the ladder up to the control room. Pausing at the top, he looked around the control room, taking in the sights and sound. He was home. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to Chip, standing beside him.

“Welcome back, skipper.”

“Thanks, it’s good to be back.”

They stared at each other, Chip scrutinizing him from head to foot.

“Are you really okay?”

Lee nodded. “I’m fine, Chip. I’ll fill you in later.”

Chip sighed. He knew he’d get nothing out of his friend now. Later, maybe.

Lee followed Chip to the chart table, wanting to catch up with what had been happening on his boat.

They were joined by Admiral Nelson. “Lee, report to sickbay and have doc check you over.”

“That really isn’t necessary, Admiral,” Lee baulked.

“Humour me,” Nelson countered in a tone that told Lee it would not be a good idea to argue.

“Aye, sir,” Lee conceded reluctantly.

“When doc has finished with you, come to my cabin, there are some things we need to discuss.”

“Aye, sir.” Lee turned and headed for the aft hatch. He knew that the admiral would not be happy about events. Johnson had really dropped him in it this time.

CHAPTER IX

Thirty minutes later, showered and dressed in uniform, Lee knocked on Nelson’s cabin door.

“Come in, Lee.”

Entering Nelson’s cabin, Lee was a little surprised to see Chip there, but he owed Chip an explanation.

“Come in, sit down.” Nelson indicated the chair next to Chip. “Coffee?”

“Thank you.” Lee poured himself a cup of coffee and settled into the chair, taking an appreciative sip. He’d had little to eat or drink in the last few days.

“What happened?” Nelson asked.

Lee wasn’t sure how much he could tell Nelson about the mission. “Someone set me up. They knew I was coming and they knew who I was. I don’t know how much Admiral Johnson knew, but he didn’t tell me the whole story as to what I was getting into.”

“I see. I take it that is not the whole story?”

Lee shook his head. “No, sir. They wanted me to negotiate an exchange. Me for what they wanted. Needless to say, I refused. Before I had the chance to plan an escape, my contact showed up with the cavalry.”

Nelson rested back in his chair. “All right, Lee. Get some rest. When you’re ready, we’ll fly to Washington and sort this out. And before you say anything, you’re not going alone. You’re my captain. And the captain of the Seaview. If Johnson was involved, it will be the last thing he does.” No need to mention that Lee Crane was also his friend.

“Thank you, Admiral.” Lee got to his feet and headed for the door. “Chip, I want to swing by the wardroom, I’m starving.”

“Are you sure you’re the real Crane?” Chip deadpanned.

Lee chuckled. “Give me a break, all I’ve had is bread and cheese. Why is it always bread and cheese?”

“Okay, let’s go see what Cookie has available.” Chip replied.

Chapter X

“So this was all a setup, Admiral?” Lee asked, standing in front of Johnson’s desk.

“I can neither confirm or deny, Commander. You know how these things are done. But we had to find the mole in our organization.”

And did you?”

“Let’s just say that little problem has been… eliminated.”

“And what about Reynard? Tell me about him.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s one of yours, isn’t he?”

Johnson sat back in his chair, eyes going wide. “How did you know?

Lee’s mind went back to what had happened in the frenzied moments of his escape, when Jaing and he had been searching the Black Sun and getting off as quickly as they could. The empty control room. Had he seen Reynard? Should he have seen him? And then….

“The dead guard. He was dead before Jaing and his men came aboard. Reynard wanted to make sure I got out of that cabin no matter what happened.”

“He’s been working for us for a while. We want whoever is behind this. It was the only way we could destroy this particular cell. We’ve been tracking these guys for months. We don’t want to let their masters know that we were on to them. We needed you to make it look like we’d gotten outside intel.”

Lee’s head shot up. “I’d say it was a little late for that. You told me you were going to blow the boat up!”

“Which we did, this morning.”

“Mission accomplished.”

“Good God. You used Commander Crane as bait, when you knew all the time what was going to happen,” Nelson protested.

“Not bait, Harry. We needed someone that would do his best. And he did. We got what we wanted. We had to make it look good, Harry. Nobody else would do. And we needed Reynard there to make it look good to his contacts. You agree with me, don’t you, Commander Crane?

Lee stared at Johnson in disbelief. He’s actually asking ME? Biting back the answer he wanted to give, Lee said calmly, “You’re asking for my professional opinion, Admiral?”

“Exactly, Commander.”

Nelson shot up from his chair. “Don’t bother to dignify that with an answer, Lee. We’re done here, gentleman. We’re leaving.” He started for the door, and then realized Lee hadn’t moved. “Lee? You coming?”

“No, sir, I don’t think I am. Admiral Johnson deserves an answer, and he’s going to get one. First things first, though. Did you really lose two men when the equipment was stolen, Admiral Johnson?”

“Yes. That was not supposed to happen. That’s why I wanted you, Crane – because I knew you would be able to execute this plot to perfection, and avenge their deaths. And no, I’m not lying. I can tell from your face you’re thinking that. I assure you on my honor as a fellow Academy graduate, I am not.” Lee looked at Nelson for confirmation, and after a few quiet seconds, Nelson nodded.

“Alright, then. It was a brilliant plan, Admiral. The worst treatment I had is when the Admiral’s two goons rousted me out of bed. I’ll work for you, again, Admiral Johnson. But on my terms and on my own time. Don’t even think of pulling another stunt on me like you pulled this time. And if you ever send me on something where you don’t tell me the truth, and the whole truth, it’ll be the last time. Do I make myself clear? Sir?”

Johnson stared at Crane for several long moments. “Crystal, Commander.”

“Then I think we’re done here. Let’s go home, Admiral Nelson.” Lee smiled, the cocky grin he was famous for. “Pleasure doing business with you, Admiral Johnson.”