A New ONI Agent?
By JSRobertson
Dear Diary,
Life aboard Seaview is very interesting. She’s been all over the world and has just returned from a routine mission taking supplies to different undersea laboratories. I’m Janet Crane and am very busy whether I’m on Seaview or at NIMR. I help Lee and Chip with all the paperwork they need to do to keep Seaview running. I hadn’t realized it took so much paperwork to run a submarine.
Lee and I have been married for a couple of months. We’re going to be moving from Lee’s condo to a house on NIMR grounds. The Admiral wants his command officers to live on the property for safety. Why do they need to be kept safe? Well, Lee forgot to mention one important detail when we got married. He also works for ONI. He can be called to rescue an agent from an enemy country, get documents on new weapons being developed by an enemy country or whatever ONI needs. He could leave for a couple of days to weeks at a time. The bad part about him working for ONI is that he always comes back hurt. Now I know why he has all those scars. He also has many enemies.
On the first ONI mission he took since we were married Seaview had to rescue him and another agent, Jason Weldon. The mission went badly and they had no way of getting out of the country. When Seaview picked them up, Lee had a broken arm and leg. Chip and the Admiral hate it when he gets called to work for ONI.
After watching Doc put Lee back together and he was finally sleeping, I went down the spiral staircase to the observation nose and heard, “Lee Crane is a bad agent. He is a traitor, coward and is a liability to the ONI. He’s the reason the mission went bad.”
Well, before Lee fell asleep he told me that he had to save Jason’s life. He would have been shot to death if it wasn’t for Lee. Without thinking I approached this man that my husband risked his life for and slapped his face
“What the heck was that for and who the hell are you?” he snarled.
“I’m Lee’s wife, he just saved your life and that’s how you speak about him? You should be grateful you got out of there at all.”
I could tell that Chip and the Admiral were appalled at what just happened along with the rest of the control room crew. You see, I’d just struck an officer in the Navy.
“Janet, report to your quarters immediately,” the Admiral ordered.
Of course, I returned to my quarters immediately and am waiting for the Admiral now.
***
“I can’t believe she actually slapped him!” Chip said a few minutes after Jason had excused himself. “He certainly deserved it, and Lee is no coward or traitor. He comes back from every mission battered and bruised or almost dead.”
“That is no excuse. How the hell am I going to handle this? It doesn’t help matters that Janet is Lee’s wife.”
***
Dear Diary,
It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was, after all Nelson didn’t toss me overboard. But boy was he ever pissed as he entered my cabin!
“What the hell were you thinking?” he bellowed. “I should fire you on the spot! I realize you’re not Navy.
Not even close. But you are in my employ aboard a US Naval Reserve vessel and there are rules…thanks to you, Mr. Weldon may press charges…granted they would be aimed at NIMR, but they could also be aimed at you personally!”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize what I was doing until after I slapped him. He was attacking Lee and he wasn’t there to defend himself so I did.”
“That’s beside the point! I apologized on the behalf of Seaview and took full responsibility for the actions of my staff, not that it will do any good. Please stay in your cabin for the rest of the night until I decide what to do regarding your continued employment here.”
“Are you going to tell Lee what I did?” I asked nervously.
“Well of course I am! But not until Doc gives me the all clear to do so, though tomorrow looks good. Good evening,” he slammed the door behind him.
I’m not looking forward to tomorrow.
***
Dear Diary,
It was not a pleasant way for a married couple to begin the day. Doc called me to SickBay, and then gave us some privacy. I was glad he did. Nelson had already seen Lee and I’ve never seen Lee so angry.
“Even though you thought Weldon deserved to be slapped, heck, even I do, you will never strike anyone, military or civilian while you’re aboard this boat or at NIMR, no matter what they say about me or do to me. Do you understand? Janet? Are you listening to me? Answer me!”
“Yes sir” I almost spat, in tears, after all I was only protecting the man I love. It didn’t help that he was the Captain.
“I think it would be a good idea if you apologized to him too.”
“But he attacked you! Verbally, anyway.”
“Sweetie,” his tone finally changed and he took me in his arms, “it’s not the end of the world. But it will be for me if Nelson fires you…do it for me, sweetheart, okay?”
Needless to say, I did, after a rather prolonged kiss, that is. I could hardly wait for him to be well enough for a little more.
***
Dear Dairy,
It’s been a few weeks since then, and you can imagine my surprise when Jason Weldon arrived at NIMR and Nelson called Lee and I to his office. Lee’s still on crutches so it’s been good that Seaview’s computer upgrades have kept her in port all this time. It’s a bit difficult for him to use crutches on a submarine, even though that hasn’t stopped him from visiting her on an almost daily basis. You know, sometimes it’s hard being second fiddle to a sub.
In any case Weldon never pressed charges and Nelson never fired me. Put me on probation, but didn’t fire me. Whew, I still wanted to throttle the man who slandered Lee.
“Lee, Janet,” Nelson told me, “Mr. Weldon has an important mission coming up…but…he needs our help.”
“I need you to be my wife for this mission, Mrs. Crane.”
“What?” Lee exclaimed, looking as if he wanted to use his crutch to hit the man, though he kept himself from doing anything physical, even if he could now.
“Absolutely not!” I hissed. “No way can I act your wife and besides that I don’t work for ONI.”
“Mrs. Crane, you don’t have a choice. As I’ve explained to the Admiral, I can still
press civil charges against you.”
“You viper!” Lee shouted. That’s blackmail.”
”Maybe, but are you going to take that chance Commander? She could go to jail for assault. Granted, a slap might not incur much time
behind bars or even a heavy fine, but think of the stigma that would follow her the rest of her life.
Bad publicity too. Yours too. I have
several witnesses to the fact she did slap me.
The whole control room saw her do it. Now that I have your attention at least hear me out. Janet will go as herself and I will be you,
Crane, since you’re still not quite mobile.
In addition to being employed by NIMR, for our cover we’re also owners
of a company named Tripex based in
“Can’t you find anyone else to take my place?” I pleaded.
“No. The mission will
only take a couple of days. We need to
go to
“Only if I let her,” Lee spat.
“Well, if you want her to have police record,” Weldon moved toward the door.
“I’ll go,” Lee said. “I’m mobile enough…lots of people use crutches or wheelchairs…and they don’t need their wives to do their jobs for them.”
“We need the mission to succeed Commander…you’d be a hindrance. Now, accept my offer or have your wife suffer the consequences.”
“Lee, please,” I said, “I’ll go…”
“How about if I go with Janet,” Nelson said, “I could go as her father and keep watch over her.”
“Instead of my father,” I said, “how about you go as writer who works for a travel magazine and travels to various places and rates how good they are? In this case give a preview of what will be built.”
“That could work,” Weldon said, “this way you could check out more of the island than just the new casino complex. By the way, the reception is by invitation only. ONI doesn’t want any added baggage, begging your pardon Admiral, manner of speech, but I’m sure we can swing it.”
“You’re really going to do this, sweetie?” Lee took me in his arms.
“Lee, we don’t have a choice. I don’t want a police record. However, I want it in writing from you, Admiral, Mr. Weldon, and from you too, Lee, that you will never be able to hold that slap against me again. This will be my one and only undercover mission.”
“It’s a deal. Weldon said.
“Lee?” Nelson asked.
“All right all right. She can go…and I’ll never hold the slap over her head again.”
“Same here,” Nelson said.
“Good, now that the preliminaries are taken care of,” Weldon
began, “we have a charter flight that leaves on Tuesday. It is a direct flight that flies to
***
Dear Diary,
Needless to say, Lee and I didn’t sleep very well on Monday night. He’s still very upset I’m going. Nelson will have a gadget he can use to contact the Institute with, especially Lee as to our progress. There aren’t any cell phone towers on the island. Lee’s not happy about Weldon coming to pick the Admiral and I up to take us to the airport and insisted I sit next to Nelson and not Jason for the trip. God, I miss Lee already.
***
Dear Diary,
The island is beautiful and warm. We were taken to the only hotel. Once the casino complex is built there will be a few more hotels built around the casino, I’m sure. The hotel is very luxurious. Of course as Mr. and Mrs. Crane, Weldon and I will have to share a room. Yeech! Luckily Nelson’s room is right next to ours.
“Don’t get any ideas,” I told Weldon, you will sleep in the chair tonight.” I was so glad it was small and looked very uncomfortable.
It wasn’t long before we headed to lunch and ‘accidentally’ bumped into ‘Harold Nelson’, inviting him to join us at our table.
“Welcome to
“Yes they are fine.” Weldon replied nodding to the man with Mr. Hawkins, who Nelson and I later found out was Weldon’s contact.
“I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you, sir,” Hawkins zeroed in on Nelson.
“I’m Harold Nelson, a reporter for the magazine “Travel Around”. I recommend places to visit. I found out about this new venture and thought maybe I could get to see what will be built and write a recommendation about it. It could generate some business for you once it is completed.
“Ah yes, of course. I remember now, I do hope you received your invitation to the reception?”
“Yes, thank you…”
It wasn’t long before Hawkins had gone on to greet more potential investors.
“So, ‘Mr. Crane’, how are we going to get off this island once we have the plans?” Nelson asked Weldon, “obviously we can’t leave by plane.”
“ONI has arranged for a boat to come and pick us up. There is a bay not to far from the main road on the south side of the island. There is a road that will take us there. We should be able to walk to it.”
We finished lunch and it wasn’t long before Mr. Hawkins came back.
“I’ve arranged transportation for all the investors to see where the casino complex will be. There are five other investors. Wives may come along if they wish or stay here and enjoy the hotel’s amenities. I believe there’s a full spa. And of course, a swimming pool. I do hope, Mr. Crane, that you’ve advised your wife that some of the beaches are clothing optional,” he snorted and headed to the bar.
“Oooh, that man” I fumed.
“Calm down sweetheart,” Weldon said. Besides, you might enjoy getting an all over tan…now, I’ve checked out these other investors and don’t recognize any of them. Be on guard, both of you, as I’ve warned you some could be from the People’s Republic. I think perhaps, Mr. Nelson, that it would be a good idea for my ‘wife’ to let us go with Mr. Hawkins and for her to stay here and relax or go shopping or something.
“Not on your life,” I said, “I’m here on assignment.”
Nelson’s decided to look around the island and see what else is here before we go. He’ll report back to Lee and Chip. I hope he doesn’t tell Lee that Weldon and I have to share a room.
***
Dear Diary,
Right now there’s nothing on the site designated for the casino complex. It’s an empty lot on a bay that leads out to the ocean. I looked at the plans but couldn’t find any missile launch pad. I didn’t mention that to Mr. Hawkins, of course.
“And that’s,” Mr. Hawkins pointed for the benefit of his guests, “ where a channel will be cut out to the ocean so that cruise ships will be able to get to the casino complex.”
“That will be the way they bring the missiles in.” Weldon whispered to me.
“Where is the missile launch pad on these plans?” I hissed back.
“If you look to the right of the main casino, there is an empty space marked ‘future development’; I’m assuming that will be where the launch pad is going.”
The casino will be very elegant and classy if and when it gets built.
“All investors,” Mr.
Hawkins said as he returned with some stragglers, “will meet tomorrow at
I could have slapped him too, him thinking I was a subspecies when it came to finances. But I was a good girl, and only giggled; acting the part I was assigned. But only for Lee’s sake.
***
“I’m not happy about the escape route, Lee,” Nelson contacted Lee from his room with his ‘gadget’, “I don’t think ONI can get a boat in there without be seen. Is Seaview ready to sail?”
“The upgrades to the computers are complete and she could be ready to leave, but Admiral, most of the crew is on shore leave.”
“Get as many crew members as you can. If you have to leave with a skeleton crew do
it. There is no way we will get out of here
alive using the ONI plan. Keep Seaview
to the west of
“Aye sir.”
***
Dear Diary,
Met Nelson for dinner and apparently he’s arranged for Seaview and FS1 to meet up with us for the escape plans by ONI will never work.
Dinner was over soon, and we all headed to our rooms for a good night’s sleep. Hah! Weldon complained that with his bad back he wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow, if he slept in the chair. And the mission would be a bust. So I relented and chose the chair for myself. Bad move. Finally I gave up and, fully clothed, slept on the very edge of the bottom of the bed on top of the bedspread. I could have sworn I heard Weldon chuckling.
***
Dear Diary,
Nelson and I met today to investigate
***
“You look lovely tonight, Mrs. Crane,” Mr. Hawkins greeted his guests and escorted her to the ballroom.
“Thank you.”
“Your ballroom is beautiful,” she took in the crystal chandeliers
and a miniature layout of what the casino complex would look like when it was
completed. “Your casino complex should
be a very popular place in the
“I’m sure it will. If you’ll excuse me, I need to greet more guests….”
Janet and Weldon were talking to another couple when the Admiral came in. He looked around and saw them but did not approach them. He also looked very dashing in his tuxedo.
Weldon found out from Mr. James that Mr. Hawkins’ office was on the left hand side on the second floor. They would try to get the plans after dinner. Janet excused herself to use the restroom. Weldon was still talking to the other couple and did not see where she was going.
When she came out, someone grabbed her arm, covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming and dragged her away. The bracelet fell off her wrist.
***
“Excuse me Harold,” Weldon approached Nelson, “but have you seen Janet?”
“Isn’t she with you?”
“She went to the restroom and I thought she went to talk to you when she didn’t return.”
“How long has she been gone?”
“Maybe ten minutes.”
“No, I’m sorry,” the restroom attendant answered, when Nelson asked if Janet was still in there, “No one’s been here for quite a while.”
“Thank you…look Weldon, over there…her bracelet! Something’s happened to her.”
Weldon and the Admiral ran upstairs. Hopefully, she was in Mr. Hawkins’ office.
***
“Why are you here?” Mr. James demanded of Janet, who was securely tied to a chair. “I know the man you are with is not Lee Crane and I know you are working for ONI.”
She refused to answer him so he slapped her across the face and split her lip turning his back on her. But the force of it had helped her chair to topple and the rope to loosen. In seconds she’d untangled herself and lunged toward him. With surprising force she kicked him and knocking him off balance then hit him with a lamp. Hard. She ran out of the room and right into Weldon and the Admiral.
“Mr. James…he’s one of the bad guys…I think I killed him.”
Nelson went in to check and emerged a moment later. “He’s down for the count but he’s still alive.”
Weldon and Janet soon located the office they were looking for and found the blueprints for the casino complex. She noticed a computer with disks by it and one in it. She grabbed all of them.
“How are we going to get out of here?” Weldon asked Nelson.
“I notified Seaview before I left for the reception to send out the flying sub to the bay. They should be here any minute.”
“How are we going to keep these prints and disks dry if we have to swim to the flying sub?” Weldon asked.
“With these,” Janet pulled out some plastic bags out of her purse. “I never travel without them.”
“And you’re not going to now,” Mr. Hawkins and some of his minions aimed their guns at the trio.
“Thanks to double agents like Mr. James, I knew from the beginning that you weren’t the real Lee Crane. And that she really is Mrs. Crane.”
“Then you know she’s not ONI,” Weldon said, “she only came along because I made her. Let her go, I will give you back the plans and disks and you can take me.”
“No, I don’t think so. I wish I could see Captain Crane’s face when he sees her dead body along with yours and Admiral Nelson’s. Yes. We knew that too.”
“Let me, boss,” James appeared, groping the door and pulled the trigger. Instantly Weldon jumped in front of Janet taking the shot in his shoulder. Hawkins aimed his gun just as quickly at Nelson when Chip and Kowalski burst into the room; Kowalski shooting James while Chip shot Hawkins.
“Great timing, let’s get out of here.” Nelson ordered.
Chip led them out a back door and they ran down the main road, Hawkins’ thugs not far behind, to the bay where the flying sub was waiting. Leaping into the water, the small group managed to swim out of the line of fire. It wasn’t easy. Weldon was bleeding badly and Janet’s lip was stinging when Chief Sharkey helped them aboard. Running submerged until they could safely get airborne, it was going to take a least an hour to get to Seaview. As usual, Kowalski found himself drafted to assist with his two wounded passengers.
“Thank you for saving my life,” Janet told Weldon, “if you hadn’t jumped in front of me, I would have been killed.”
“I’m sorry I put you in that situation as it should have never gotten that bad. Honestly, I didn’t know James knew your husband...Crane’s one lucky man…” he took in the fact that her wet dress left little to the imagination.
“Ma’am,” Ski grabbed a blanket for her. Boy, was the Skipper going to be pissed. First, his wife goes off undercover, then she needs a real cover ‘cause that spy boy Weldon was ogling her!
***
Dear Diary,
It’s a bit complicated and I’ll tell you all about it later, but suffice it to say right now that I’m safe and dry and warm aboard Seaview. It must have looked a scene as I clambered out of the flying sub, clutching my blanket.
“What happen to you?” Lee asked me, shocked.
“Our contact, Mr. James, was one the bad guys. He got mad when I wouldn’t tell him why we were there. Lee, please not now…I want to go get changed.”
“John James?”
Weldon nodded in the affirmative.
“Damn, if I’d known, I could have warned you all that he’d never been a good agent. Worked with him before…always something suspicious about him, but I’d never been able to pin anything on him…you okay, sweetheart?”
“I’ll be fine…but I sure want to put on something that isn’t so…um…see through.”
“See through?” he asked, confused.
I opened my cocoon slightly and he flushed. Before I could say anything, he scooped me up in his arms and bundled up like a child he carried me up the spiral ladder to our quarters.
***
“I can’t thank you enough for saving my wife,” Lee told Weldon a short while later as Doc cleaned up after treating him. “She told me what you did.”
“Now we are even. You should be proud of her. She did a good job. She grabbed the computer disks when I didn’t even think about taking them.”
“Janet, I’m ready for you now,” Doc said as she scooted on top of the gurney, garbed now in one of Lee’s sweat suits.
“Skipper?” Chip entered along with Nelson, “the disks have all he financial records, names, and memos to and from the People’s Republic by Mr. Hawkins. He’s been arrested. And there’s not going to be a casino either. Oh, and they sent this…for Janet.”
“What is it?” Lee asked
“An official ‘well done’; and an offer to join the agency.”
“NO!!” Lee and Nelson roared in unison.
***
Dear Diary,
I just don’t know what to do. I really don’t. How on earth am I going to tell Lee about my next mission?
The End
Thank you, Carol.