Submarine Warriors: The Enemy Beneath (14 page)

Unfortunately for the Underworlders, it was too little, too late. Over a dozen more torpedoes kept coming and began to detonate all around the diamond-shaped Underworlder submarine. All in all, eighteen torpedoes found their mark and the vessel exploded into millions of crystal shards that sent an unprecedented shockwave through the ocean.

The Alaska, Seawolf, Connecticut, and Jimmy Carter submarines were tossed like toy boats through the ocean as the massive concussion reached them. In an instant, there were dozens of injuries as crewmembers who hadn’t strapped themselves in were thrown around inside their respective submarines.

Mike flew out of his chair and slammed into a nearby control panel while Chrissie hung on to the periscope handles for dear life.

“Ahhhhh!” Mike yelled out in pain as blood ran down from the top of his head.

After stabilizing, each of the submarines except the Omaha Beach performed an “emergency blow” in order to rapidly reach the surface. Submarines flew out in every direction of the ocean in spectacular fashion. Naval frigates, destroyers and the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier were already waiting when the Alaska surfaced. A helicopter carrying a half-dozen Marines and the Rear Admiral in command of the Lincoln battle group flew out toward the Alaska as the giant submarine settled on the surface.

“Terrorists onboard the Alaska, you’re surrounded,” barked a Marine, holding a megaphone on the helicopter. “Disembark from the sub with your hands on your head.”

The hatch from the aft escape trunk of the Alaska opened, and Mike, Annie, Chrissie, the Chief of the Boat, the ship’s Engineer and other crewmembers climbed out and stood on the flat missile deck with their hands on their heads. Puzzled sharpshooters on the helicopter kept their M16s trained on the kids and the others.

“Admiral, those don’t look like terrorists,” one of the Marine gunners exclaimed. “Some of them look like kids.”

“Stay alert, Marine,” replied the Rear Admiral. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with yet. The real hijackers might still be below-decks hoping to avoid capture. It’s go time.”

Two ropes dropped from the helicopter and four Marines rappelled to the Alaska’s missile deck. Three of the Marines pointed their guns at the group, while the Marine First Sergeant walked up to the Chief of the Boat.

“COB, I sure hope you’re not mixed up in this,” said the First Sergeant. “Stealing a Trident isn’t going to look good on your next evaluation.”

“I am most definitely mixed up in this,” the Chief of the Boat replied. “I helped Admiral Connery and these kids find and rescue their fathers, no thanks to you.”

“I don’t see the Admiral in your little group of traitors,” the First Sergeant retorted. “Where is he?”

“Well, first he transferred to the Omaha Beach and then he…”

“Shut-up, COB.” The First Sergeant cut him off before he could finish his sentence. “I read the story in the Navy Times. The Omaha Beach was destroyed in an accident and the crew died with it. I’m no fool.”

“That’s not true,” a sobbing Annie spoke up. “You’re definitely a fool and you trigger-happy cowboys just destroyed the Omaha Beach with your torpedoes. Our dads were rescued only to die at the hands of the Navy they served and loved.”

Annie, Mike and Chrissie clung to each other, as they cried over the deaths of their fathers and best friends.

“What’s going on here?” the First Sergeant snapped.

Suddenly, the Omaha Beach burst out of the water next to the Alaska to the amazement of onlookers everywhere. Covered with hundreds of embedded shards of glass, the DSRV’s top-secret, flexible titanium hull had protected it from the torpedo explosions. A few moments later, the forward hatch on the Omaha Beach opened, and Caroline, Captain Connery, and the rest of the missing fathers climbed out onto the deck and wings of the advanced DSRV. They began waving to the surrounding ships and helicopters.

“Those sailors and that sub aren’t supposed to exist,” the Sergeant thought to himself, as he looked at the group in disbelief.

Seeing this from the helicopter, the Rear Admiral from the Abraham Lincoln got on the radio and directed the lead destroyer to pull in between the Alaska and the Omaha Beach.

“Warrant Officer, put the chopper down on the approaching destroyer’s helipad.” ordered the Rear Admiral to the pilot. “Also, get a portable SEAL Magnaphone ready just in case I need to make some important satellite phone calls.”

The Navy helicopter landed on the destroyer just as the ship came to rest between the DSRV and the Trident. After shutting down its rotors so everyone could hear, the Rear Admiral grabbed a megaphone, climbed out of the helicopter and turned to address the members of the Omaha Beach. “You all are supposed to be dead!” he called out bewilderedly.

“We had about given up on ever seeing sunlight again,” Captain Connery yelled back to the Rear Admiral from across the water. “If it weren’t for our brave kids and my father, we’d still be imprisoned on the ocean floor.”

“Wait a minute, Captain,” the Rear Admiral retorted. “Are you telling me that these kids and retired Admiral Connery stole one of the taxpayers’ subs to come rescue you?”

“That’s correct, Admiral. We’re alive today because of their heroic actions,” responded Captain Connery.

“Captain Connery, in light of their traitorous actions in stealing one of America’s most important pieces of property, these kids are lucky to be alive,” the Rear Admiral snapped back. “I’ve had the entire Pacific Fleet hunting them down with orders to sink the Alaska.

Caroline emerged from behind Captain Connery on the Omaha Beach and shouted, “Admiral, we had no choice. When the government covered up our fathers’ disappearance, we were their only hope to make it back alive. If Granddad hadn’t helped us, we never would’ve been able to rescue them.”

“Whoa, so you think there’s a big government conspiracy trying to suppress the truth?” the Rear Admiral quipped. “I didn’t exactly land here in a silent black helicopter. Listen, I’m as thrilled as anyone to see Captain Connery and the rest of your dads still alive. What you don’t understand is that the ends can’t always justify the means. As the only adult involved in this matter, Admiral Connery will have to sort these things out at his Court Martial.”

“That’ll never happen; Caroline’s Granddad is dead,” Nick shouted across to the destroyer as he emerged on the deck of the DSRV. He had a heavily restrained, blanket-covered figure in tow behind him. “Admiral Connery was the bravest and most patriotic man in America. He died saving me, Caroline and the crew of the Omaha Beach from the Underworlders.”

“Excuse me, son, did you say Underworlders?” The Rear Admiral had a perplexed look on his face.

“I’m not your son,” Nick shot back defiantly. “Who did you think captured our fathers? Who did you think sank that cruise ship? Whose very existence needed to be kept secret so badly that the President of the United States would lie to our faces at Arlington National Cemetery and pretend our fathers were dead?”

“These creatures won’t stop until every human being is dead.” Caroline piped up. “The Navy had to know something like this might happen. Our fathers weren’t taking part in some science experiment. The Navy sent them to find out what was going on at the bottom of the ocean and just threw them under the bus when things didn’t go as planned.”

“Don’t blame me or the Navy for the mess you’ve gotten yourself into,” the Rear Admiral retorted. “Not only did you and your friends steal a Trident, you now have to account for Admiral Connery’s death. I’m not buying your fantasy story about Underworlder creatures as the cause of all these events or the Admiral’s demise. It’s time you all take responsibility for your poor judgment and stop putting the blame on these figments of your imagination.”

“Oh yeah? Well, what do you think about this figment, Admiral?” Nick spun around on the deck of the Omaha Beach and yanked the blanket off the Underworlder’s head to reveal a humanoid creature like nothing anyone had ever seen.

Sailors and Marines from every ship, submarine and helicopter looked on with a mixture of fascination and horror as the bald, translucent Underworlder began shrieking in pain as the sun’s rays made contact with its skin. Through the excruciating agony, the creature stared at its new enemies with his ultraviolet eyes.

“God in Heaven,” the Rear Admiral uttered. “Get me the President.”

Subase Bangor

Two weeks had passed since Caroline and Nick had been out at sea on the deck of the Omaha Beach. Now the two of them were sitting in front of the large statue of Admiral Connery at the submarine base back in Washington State. There were flowers, lit candles and notes all around the base of the statue from those who loved and respected the famous submariner. Nick slowly pulled out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Caroline. The return address on the envelope was from the White House. She opened the letter and began to read:

Dear Caroline,

The letter you are reading now represents my private thoughts as President of these United States. I want to express my regret and sincerest apologies to you, Nick, your family and your friends for the ordeal you endured. I did, in fact, send your father and his hand-picked team to go investigate a disturbance at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean after a cruise ship had mysteriously disappeared. I covered up the circumstances around their disappearance, and for that I am truly sorry. As a direct result of my deception, the country lost a true hero, your grandfather, Admiral Connery.

You, Nick, your grandfather, your friends and your mothers took incalculable risks to their own lives and broke virtually every law on the books to rescue your fathers. Along the way, you all demonstrated a rare level of bravery, intelligence and resourcefulness in the face of obstacles few have ever encountered, let alone surmounted. When I think of you, I am reminded of the words of Sergeant John B. Ellery from the 1st Infantry Division after his D-Day experience on Omaha Beach back in 1944:

"You can manufacture weapons and you can purchase ammunition, but you can't buy valor

and you can't pull heroes off an assembly line."

Caroline, you and Nick possess a level of valor without equal and you, your grandfather and friends are all American heroes. This country is eternally grateful for the three generations of Connery submarine warriors who have fearlessly defended us. You and Nick have conspicuously distinguished yourselves through gallantry at the risk of your lives, above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States. I hereby award both of you the Medal of Honor, and your friends will all be receiving the Navy Cross.

You and your friends have discovered a previously-unknown species that wants to destroy all of mankind; but you’ve found their weakness and defeated them in the first battle between our two civilizations. As we enter into this struggle, we know our lives will never be the same. Luckily, this country has a secret weapon. That weapon is you, Caroline.

As a middle school student and a civilian, you might be wondering how you’re able to receive the highest military honor our country has to offer. By executive order, I hereby appoint you, Nick, Chrissie, Mike and Annie to be Officers in the United States Navy. Don’t worry about being too young to be in the Navy; over a hundred years ago, another special person was accepted into the Navy at age fifteen before finishing high school. His name was Chester Nimitz and he went on to become a Fleet Admiral who helped America win the conflict in the Pacific during World War II. You and your friends will fly to Washington, D.C., next week to be honored and to receive your awards for the entire world to see.

Last of all, I’m making you the Captain and Nick the XO of your own ship. The USS Omaha Beach now belongs to you. Your team constitutes an elite submarine force that represents our first line of defense against the Underworlders. You and your friends will still get to go to school and live as normal a life as possible; but when you are needed, your country will call on you.

I know this is a lot to take in all at once. Just take a deep breath and know that you have supporters all around this grateful nation to lean on and I’ll always be your biggest fan.

Yours Truly,

President Harris

Caroline handed the letter back to Nick, tears streaming down her face. She stared longingly at the statue of her Grandfather.

“You didn’t die in vain, Granddad. I’m just like you,” she spoke aloud. “I’m a submariner and a proud American and you will always live on inside me. I’ll serve my country just like you and my dad and I promise you – as long as I can still fight, these Underworlders will never defeat mankind!”

Epilogue

Deep within the Earth’s crust, a uniformed Underworlder walked across the control room, carrying a slate device.

“Pharaoh, I have the battle report from our first encounter with the Overworlders,” said the soldier.

“Give it to me,” the Underworlder leader snapped, reaching out for the tablet. Upon reading the report, he crushed the device with his hands. “They will pay dearly for this!”

The soldier bowed in fear. “Is it time to unleash the volcanoes on the Overworlders?”

The leader of the Underworlders stared into the distance. “So let it be written. So let it be done.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR