Chapter 71
Aboard the Baktun
“Sir, there’s an incoming message,” the comms tech said, touching his earpiece. He turned in his chair to face Stokes.
“Who is it, man?”
“It’s the Chinese warship Fuzhou. He wants to speak with Mr. Fierro.”
Fierro frowned furiously. “With me?”
Stokes marched over to the comms station. “I’ll take it.”
“What about maintaining radio silence?” Bose asked.
“The Chinese are bouncing a very narrow low-frequency beam off the troposphere,” the comms tech said. “We’ll respond in kind. No one will find us this way.”
“Patch the call over the speakers,” Stokes ordered.
“Aye, sir.” He turned back to his monitor and spoke into his headset microphone. “Fuzhou, I’m putting you through to Captain Stokes.” He punched a button.
Stokes heard the familiar click of an open line.
“This is Captain Stokes. Who am I speaking with?”
“My name doesn’t matter, Captain. I need to speak with Amador Fierro. I imagine he’s on your vessel—even standing next to you.”
Fierro recognized Peng De’s voice. His face flushed with heat even as his blood ran cold.
Stokes pointed a finger at the comms tech to mute the call. As soon as it was muted, he turned to Fierro.
“I can see by the look on your face you know this man.”
Fierro nodded. “He’s Chinese intelligence.”
“What in the blazes does he want?”
Fierro gathered himself. “Let’s find out.” He nodded at the tech to resume the call. The tech glanced at Stokes, who nodded his permission. The call resumed.
“It’s good to hear your voice, Mr. Peng. I confess, I’m somewhat surprised by your call. May I ask how you found us?”
“Why ask me? Ask Dr. Bose. I’m sure she’s there with you.”
Fierro wheeled on Bose, startling her.
“You said the breach was inconsequential.”
“It was,” she said, gathering her wits. “He only stole a few lines of code before we shut him down.”
“Not true, Dr. Bose,” Peng said. “The hacker-thief was named Eidolon, now dead. He provided details about Project Q, your ship, and your location. He even knew your AGI program will be launching just two hours and twenty-seven minutes from now.”
The countdown clock now read exactly: 02:27:00.
Fierro, Stokes, and Bose were stunned.
“I should add that the Americans know this as well,” Peng said. “A ship known as the Oregon will be arriving at your location in less than two hours. One hour and forty-eight minutes, to be exact. You need to evacuate the area immediately to avoid capture.”
“That’s not possible,” Bose blurted out. “The AGI will be disabled and perhaps even destroyed if the engines are powered up.”
“Where are you?” Fierro asked.
“The Fuzhou is approximately two hours away, due west.”
Stokes signaled to comms to mute the call, then swept his pointed finger around the CIC like a clock’s second hand, singling out each station in rapid succession.
“Where is this brigand Chinese? Anybody?” Stokes demanded, his tactical senses on high alert.
All heads shook no.
“The Americans?”
Nobody saw a thing.
“They both must be on transmission silence as well,” the comms tech offered. “Invisible on the electromagnetic spectrum, just like us.”
“Put the Mandarin back on.”
“Sir.”
Stokes began to speak, but Fierro shut him down with the flip of his hand.
“What do you want us to do about the Americans, since we can’t move?” Fierro asked.
“We’ll bloody fight them,” Stokes said.
“Your ship is worthless to me if the AGI is harmed,” Peng said. “Do not fight the Americans. Do not move. Instead, stall them.”
“How?” Fierro asked.
“With a bluff. A promise. A ruse. You are expert in such things, Amador. I should know.”
“I never lied to you, Peng.”
“Withholding the truth is the same as a lie. You have no doubt spent billions building out your AGI because you know exactly what it can do. And yet you said nothing about it to me. I must assume your intentions are hostile.”
“I will only use it against the Americans, I assure you.”
“You will use it against anyone you consider a threat, including us.”
“Your nation has always befriended us. We’ve worked together for years against the Americans. I would never deploy it against you.”
“Since we’re friends, you should be happy to share it with us, yes?”
“Of course. We’ll discuss it when you arrive.”
“Until we do, maintain electromagnetic silence. With any luck, the Americans have miscalculated your position. But if they do appear, as I suspect they will, stall them.”
“And then?”
“The mighty Fuzhou will sweep the Oregon off the face of the sea.”
★
Aboard the Fuzhou
Peng turned to Captain Zhao. She and the rest of the bridge crew had heard the entire exchange with Fierro.
Zhao’s reputation as an iron-willed and duty-bound commander had been further cemented in Peng’s mind ever since he boarded her ship. Her outstanding leadership and superlative command presence had inspired fanatical loyalty in the sailors under her authority.
But Peng noted with delight that the flinty-eyed captain allowed herself the slightest smile when he told Fierro, “The Fuzhou will sweep the Americans off the face of the sea.” The officers and enlisted crew around the bridge stiffened with pride as well, each face eager for the promise of combat against the hated Americans.
“Captain Zhao, I’ve committed this ship to battle. Are you surprised?”
“No, sir. Admiral Qian suggested the possibility in his briefing before your arrival.”
“Once we are closer to the Baktun, I give you permission to drive the Americans from the area—or blow them apart.”
Zhao nodded curtly, barely able to contain her excitement at the prospect of tangling with an American warship.
“The Fuzhou stands ready, sir.”