Combat Operations Center, LPD Castilla
The men stared at the wall of high-definition monitors feeding the ship’s operational nerve center. Six screens formed one infrared image that was fed from a Spanish UAV flying at five thousand feet. Two helicopters and four small boats circled lazily back and forth in a search pattern, looking for the lost NH90.
“The area isn’t as deep as the rest of the Alboran, but it’s still at least eight hundred feet,” Captain Lorenzo Salazar, the ship’s commanding officer, said. “We’ll get our submersibles down there in the daylight. They’ll have several types of high-accuracy sonar to support them. In all likelihood, they’ll have the helo’s exact location before they enter the water. Hopefully, the minisub can remove the bodies of the pilot and copilot, trigger their life vests, and send them to the surface.” He paused. “If not, we’ll send a diver down.”
“A diver can go that deep?” Cole asked.
“Our divers use atmospheric diving suits that can go down to twenty-three hundred feet, just like your navy. If that’s what has to be done, so be it.”
“Sir, you have our condolences for the loss of your men,” Logan said somberly. He shifted his stance as the boat gently swayed. His boots still squished from the water they’d absorbed. “John and I lost more outstanding young men under our command than I care to remember. Each loss still hurts, even to this day. My Marines swore an oath and knew the risks, but knowing and dying are two completely different things.” He looked the Spanish captain squarely in the eyes, and said, “I can promise you one thing—their sacrifice will not be for nothing.”
The captain nodded briskly and glanced at the search efforts under way. “I appreciate that, Mr. West. This is a dangerous business, and the state of play in the world seems to get worse every day.” His face hardened. “Quite honestly, it sickens me. My headquarters ordered me to help you in any way possible. I don’t know what this is all about, and I’m sure you can’t tell me, but whatever you need, you have. What’s next?”
“My guess is that what we’re after wasn’t on that ship,” Logan said with disgust. “I have a horrible suspicion that this was a wild-goose chase meant as a diversion. After what the Russians went through to steal what they stole, there’s absolutely no way they’d let us get this close and risk everything they have to just send it to the bottom of the sea. They have to know we can retrieve it from down there.”
The bitterness of having been duped was sickening, and the captain grimaced at the thought of his men being sacrificed as pawns in a larger geopolitical game.
“More importantly,” John said, “it also means our Russian friend, Yuri from Valdemoro, lied to us. He played us this whole time.” He looked at Logan. “This is like Fallujah 2004 all over again. My gloves are about to come off.” He turned to Inspector Romero. “What do your laws say about Americans questioning suspects on Spanish soil? I’d really like a chance to have a heart-to-heart with our good Russian friend.”
Inspector Romero considered for a moment and then said, “He’s been transferred to our headquarters in Madrid. If we get back there tonight, I’m sure the lawyers can answer that question . . . tomorrow,” he said with a straight face. The implication was clear.
“Good,” Logan said, “because we also need to get this back to the FBI’s digital forensics lab in DC.” He held up the North Korean captain’s laptop.
“Actually, we don’t need to send it back to DC,” Cole said, and turned to Captain Salazar. “Sir, can you please get us back to Madrid as soon as possible? I know how we can handle it from there.”
Captain Salazar turned to a junior officer standing next to a bank of communications equipment. “Lieutenant Rodriguez, please order the NH90 back to the ship and have him stand by on deck for passengers. Tell him to make sure he’s got enough fuel to get to Madrid. Once he drops our friends off, he can refuel at Torrejon Air Base and then get back here.”
“Roger, sir,” the lieutenant answered, and issued instructions into the ultra-high-frequency encrypted radio.
Captain Salazar turned back to the four men. “Let’s get up on deck. You’ve got a ride to catch.”