Submarine Warriors: The Enemy Beneath by Rob Tiffany Page B

directly over the scene of the explosion.
    “ Admiral, in addition to pieces of wreckage from the explosion, I’m also picking up the cruise ship and a strange shape on the ocean floor,” the Sonarman announced.
    “ What is it?” asked the Admiral.
    “ It looks like some kind of three-dimensional triangle jutting out from the seabed, sir,” the Sonarman replied.
    “ Like a pyramid?” Admiral Connery asked.
    “ Yeah, how’d you know?”
    The Admiral reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. The XO had written the word Pyramid on it. “Somebody you know gave me a heads-up,” replied the Admiral.
    “ I’m also picking up a small cylindrical shape next to it,” the Sonarman added. “It looks to be the same size as a DSRV.”
    “ The Omaha Beach,” the Admiral uttered under his breath. “We need to head down there and take a closer look.”
    “ Chief of the Watch, work with sonar and set the hovering computer to take us down to 10 feet above the ocean floor,” ordered the Admiral.
    “ Aye aye, sir,” replied Mike.
    “ Okay team, here’s the situation,” the Admiral announced to everyone. “We’ve arrived at our destination and have identified the sunken cruise ship, a strange pyramid, and what looks to be the Omaha Beach. We’re here to rescue your fathers and my son and therefore we need to get up close and personal with the DSRV sitting on the ocean floor.”
    “ You mean go outside?” Chrissie asked.
    “ Exactly,” responded the Admiral. “Chief of the Boat, how many of your crewmembers are qualified scuba divers?”
    “ None aboard, sir,” replied the COB. “The two swimmers assigned to this boat went topside on the pier when the Alaska arrived in port.”
    “ Well, can you spare any of your other crewmembers?” The Admiral sounded annoyed.
    “ Sir, we’re running this sub with less than a skeleton crew. I can’t even safely man each of the watch stations with what I’ve got.”
    “ COB, we’ve come a long way and risked everything, not to be able to finish the job,” the Admiral snapped angrily.
    “ I can do it,” Caroline spoke up.
    “ Granddaughter, I appreciate you bravery, but you don’t know the first thing about deep sea diving.”
    “ I’ve got straight A’s in school, so I bet I can figure it out if you’ll show me what to do,” Caroline answered. “You guys have a different manual to read for everything on this sub. Just give me the book with the procedure inside to perform this task and I’ll make it happen.”
    “ I’m sure you could figure it out.” The Admiral nodded his head. “Your mother would kill me if I sent you out alone. It’s just too dangerous to do this by yourself.”
    “ She won’t have to.” Nick turned around from the fire control panel. “I’m going with her.”
    The Admiral sat silently for a few moments pondering the situation before him. “Alright, this is going to be the most reckless order I’ve ever given. Caroline and Nick, go get your deep-sea diving gear ready and report to the forward escape trunk. Go help them, COB.”
    “ I guess we’re going swimming in the deep end of the pool,” Caroline said with a smile, as she fist-pumped Nick.

Chapter 7 > The Rescue

    After Nick and Caroline suited up in their deep-sea diving gear, they climbed into the escape trunk. With Mike at his side, the Chief of the Boat closed the hatch behind them and sealed it shut. Flipping a switch enabled him to talk to Caroline and Nick from outside the compartment. “Alright kids, this is going to seem pretty weird.” The Chief quickly spun a wheel allowing water to come flooding into the escape trunk. “I know it seems like I’m trying to drown you, but that’s how this contraption works. I’m going to slowly fill the room you’re in with seawater. Since you’re wearing deep-sea diving suits, you won’t have to worry about the pressure like you would if you were scuba diving. When the trunk is full and the pressure