Ice Hunt

The radioman stepped back. “I was able to send out confirmation that the message was received.”

“Very good, Lieutenant.” Perry turned his back on the curious faces of his officers and opened the clipboard. It was from Admiral Reynolds. As Perry read the message, an icy finger of dread traced his spine.

FLASH***FLASH***FLASH***FLASH***FLASH***FLASH

384749zAPR

FM

COMSUBPAC PEARL HARBOR HI//N475//

To

POLAR SENTINEL SSN-777

//BT//

REF

COMSUBPAC OPORD 37-6722A DATED 08 APR

SUBJ

GUESTS ARRIVING EARLY

SCI/TOP SECRET — OMEGA

PERSONAL FOR C.O.

RMKS/

(1) POLAR SATELLITE CONFIRMS RUSSIAN AKULA II CLASS SUBMARINE SURFACED WITH ANTENNA UP AT 14:25 AT COORDINATES ALPHA FIVE TWO DECIMAL EIGHT TACK THREE SEVEN DECIMAL ONE.

(2) UNIT DESIGNATED AS DRAKON, RUSSIAN FLAG SUBMARINE. ADMIRAL VICTOR PETKOV ABOARD.

(3) RUSSIAN GUESTS MAY BE ARRIVING EARLY. INTELLIGENCE REMAINS SCANT ON REASON FOR THE ACCELERATED TIMETABLE. WITH RECENT EVENTS AT PRUDHOE, SUSPICIONS REMAIN HIGH ACROSS ALL BOARDS. SABOTAGE CONFIRMED. SUSPECTS STILL UNKNOWN.

(4) POLAR SENTINEL TO REMAIN AT ALERT STATUS AND TO PATROL WITH MAXIMUM EARS UP.

(5) GUESTS TO BE TREATED AS FRIENDLY UNTIL OTHERWISE DISCERNED.

(6) PROTECTION OF UNITED STATES INTERESTS BOTH AT OMEGA DRIFT STATION AND ICE STATION GRENDEL REMAINS PRIORITY MISSION FOR POLAR SENTINEL.

(7) TO SUPPORT SUCH INTERESTS, DELTA FORCE TEAMS HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED AND ROUTED TO THE ARCTIC. OPERATIONAL CONTROLLER, SENT BY LR, HAS BEEN SPEARHEADED IN ADVANCE TO AREA. INFORMATION TO FOLLOW.

(8) GOOD LUCK AND KEEP YOUR TAP SHOES POLISHED, GREG.

(9) ADM K. REYNOLDS SENDS.

BT

NNNN

Perry shut the clipboard, closed his eyes, and ran the notes through his head.

The admiral had coded his own message into the encryption. LR was short for “Langley Reco

And at the end: Keep your tap shoes polished, Greg. Again the informality in the use of his first name was as good as a long line of exclamation marks. During one of the Navy’s formal di

Perry turned to his XO. “Commander, clear the boat of civilians. Get them back to Omega and rally the men still on shore leave.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Once the Sentinel is secured, ready her to dive on my command.”

The chief of the watch spoke up from his station. “So we’re heading to Prudhoe Bay?”

Perry searched the hopeful faces of his bridge crew. He knew there was no need to head to Prudhoe Bay to get into the action; his men would realize soon enough.

He rapped the metal clipboard on his thigh. “Just keep your tap shoes polished, men. We’ve got some fancy footwork ahead of us.”

Je

They had landed at the darkened snow strip of the tiny Kaktovik airport half an hour ago. Matt and the others had gone inside the nearby hangar, where a makeshift diner had been built in one corner. She could see them through a grease-rimmed window, bent over mugs of coffee and talking to the young Inuit waitress.

Only Bane remained at her side as she tended the refueling and checked her plane. The large wolf had made his own circuit of their parking space, lifting a leg here and there to yellow the snow. He now followed at her heels, tongue lolling, tail wagging.

Ducking around the rear of the plane, she returned to Be

“Should you be smoking out here?” Je

He shrugged and spoke around his stogie. “My wife won’t let me smoke inside.” Wearing half a grin, he nodded to the waitress.

Be

Be

“Thanks, Be

“No problems, Jen.” He tugged the hose free and began to drag it away. “So you going to tell me about them bullet holes.”

Je

Be

Je

Be

“Be

He shrugged again and puffed out a large cloud of cigar smoke. “I’m just saying.”

“I know.”

The small door to the hangar banged open. Belinda, Be

“In a second, hon.”

Bane didn’t have such patience. With his nose in the air at the scent of frying meat, the dog sauntered toward the door, tail wagging furiously.

Belinda let him pass with a pat on the head, then pointed at the glowing tip of Be

“Yes, dear.” He gave Je

Belinda closed the door with a sorry shake of her head. She was a decade younger than her husband, but her sharp intelligence and world-weary maturity spa