Metamorphosis

By Chris B.

Lt. Commander Chip Morton, executive officer of the Nelson Institute of Marine Research submarine SSRN Seaview sat quietly in the dimly lit room keeping silent vigil over the unconscious man in the bunk next to him. The heart monitor and respirator marked off the passing minutes with their steady cadence as Lee Crane, Seaview’s captain and Chip’s best friend and self-adopted brother clung desperately to life. This was an all too common occurrence when Lee carried out missions for the Office of Naval Intelligence and Chip had far too much experience keeping watch.

He sat there silently contemplating the man lying before him, wondering once again why he continually answered ONI’s call when more times than not the missions ended just like this. The objectives were always achieved but at a horrific cost. When was being the best submarine captain going to be enough for him, when was he going to finally tell them to go to hell?

Chip was drawn from his reverie as Will Jamieson, Chief Medical Officer for NIMR, wearily entered the room to check on his patient’s progress. It had been a desperate scramble to save the young man’s life as he and his corpsmen raced to reverse the effects of the injuries the captain had sustained in service to his country. He quickly checked Lee’s pulse, blood pressure, and pupil reactivity then readjusted the flow of fluids dripping into the captain’s arm via multiple IVs.

“How’s he doing Jamie,” Chip inquired softly as if he spoke too loud he’d disturb the man in the bunk.

“He’s hanging in there Chip, that’s about all right now. If he can make it through the night we should be good,” Jamie replied as he pushed a tired hand through his thinning hair. He moved across the room to grab a chair and placed it next to Chip. He lowered his aching body slowly onto the seat knowing he needed to sit with the worried XO for a few minutes. He’d been watching Chip with great concern since he came aboard; this mission seemed to have affected him more so than others Lee had taken in the past.

“Are you all right Chip,” he inquired after a few moments.

“No… no I’m not all right. When is he going to come to the realization that he is going to die doing this someday? How can he keep doing this time and time again? Keep reinventing himself and paying a price that the majority of the world, hell the country isn’t even aware of, let alone would appreciate?” he replied angrily.

“Lee has always been committed to this; you know that as well as I. His deep seated belief and conviction that he needs to answer when his country calls regardless of the personal cost is a huge part of who he is. While, like you, I think he’s done more than his fair share I can’t see him ever refusing a call until he’s physically incapable of doing the job.”

“It just doesn’t seem worth it Jamie; all the pain, fear, uncertainty and for what?” Chip replied bitterly. “Odds are they won’t even give him a pat on the head for pulling off their most recent impossible mission.”

Jamie stared at Chip deeply worried by this heightened state of animosity and anger towards ONI and Lee’s continued association. He had been privy to some of the loud and sometimes less than civil discussions in the past, if that’s what their shouting matches could be called, regarding Lee’s activities with ONI but he usually wasn’t so vocal to anyone but Lee or the admiral. He kept his disdain and disagreement over his captain’s on-going association with the intelligence agency private, showing proper support and decorum when others were present. “Chip, I know you hate this, but what has so upset you this time, other than the obvious reasons?”

Chip kept staring intently at his brother as he replayed the events leading up to this moment. After a few minutes he sighed heavily and turned to look at Jamie. “You weren’t here for the first part of the mission Jamie. This one was different than the missions Lee usually gets and for the first time he did most of his prep for it on Seaview.”

“Different how Chip?” Jamie inquired. “Lee’s received assignments in the middle of some of our missions in the past; he’s prepped for them before. What made this special?”

“In the past he’s only had to go in to retrieve information, blow something up or rescue some poor unfortunate soul; to quote James Bond here ‘a quick in and out’. His prep for those involved just a shift in mindset from sub captain to invisible spy. This one required he go undercover, become someone else, someone completely foreign to the person we know as Lee Crane. We’ve never seen that transformation before only the results after the mission is over; his metamorphosis scared the hell out of me and most of the crew Jamie. Even the admiral seemed unsettled by it and he’s had personal experience as an agent. I suppose that’s why Lee has never prepared for undercover missions while on the boat.”

Jamie sat there startled by Chip’s confession. Chip Morton was, next to Lee Crane, the steadiest and most unflappable man he’d ever known. For him to admit discomfort with a situation was nearly inconceivable, to admit fear was almost beyond comprehension. He honestly believed the man would be hard pressed to even define the word fear. Jamie stared in amazement at the man seated next to him trying to come up with any scenario that would so rattle the usually stoic XO.

He had missed Seaview’s departure because the notice to sail came ahead of schedule and he was attending a continuing education seminar across country at Johns Hopkins. The admiral had assured him that his services shouldn’t be needed for the first half of the mission and he should complete the course. When he was finished, Nelson would have FS-1 pick him up and deliver him to the boat. He made it out to Seaview nearly three weeks after she sailed and the captain had already departed prior to his arrival.

Coming on board Jamie had registered an unusual uneasiness with the crew but just assumed it had to do with their captain being off boat and in the midst of an ONI mission. Even the admiral and especially Chip seemed unsettled as though they had witnessed something unseemly or unpleasant. No one spoke of the preceding weeks as though it would evoke some hideous monster. Now, putting all the extraneous bits of information together Jamie realized that it must be rooted in Lee’s preparation for the mission.

ooOOOoo

Six Weeks Prior…

Seaview had been in port two weeks of a scheduled three week break to allow the crew time off and to install some new equipment. Chip had taken leave and wasn’t expected back until a few days before the next mission. All that suddenly changed when he received an emergency recall notice stating Seaview would sail in three days. He acknowledged the page and found that he already had return travel arrangements waiting for him. Whatever was up was big.

Upon his return he headed immediately for NIMR to get his mission brief and sailing orders so Seaview could meet the accelerated departure date. As he exited the elevator in the Admin building and was heading for his office Admiral Nelson spotted him and called him into his office.

“Good afternoon, sir” Chip said as he moved to the chair in front of Nelson’s desk.

“Afternoon Chip, thanks for returning so quickly. I know you had another week of leave but as you’ve probably guessed we’ve received orders from the Navy and I need my A team in place for this one.” Nelson replied.

Nelson’s demeanor was decidedly tense and curt, which spoke to the serious nature of this mission. His eyes and expression were hard, the usual relaxed company he shared with Chip was missing; he was all business and all four star admiral at the moment.

“What’s the mission sir,” Chip inquired deciding it best to cut to the chase.

“Chip this part of the mission brief is ‘Need to Know’ at this point and does not go beyond this room, understood.” Nelson started.

“Aye sir, understood.”

“Multiple intelligence agencies around the world have discovered a credible threat involving the production of an atomic bomb by Red Jihad extremist centered in the border regions of Pakistan and Iran. Based on what has been uncovered they have in their possession over five pounds of weapons grade plutonium and are nearing completion of their first device. Intelligence agencies from the NATO nations are mobilizing an all-out effort to infiltrate and gain possession of both the plutonium and the bomb before they are able to finish and mobilize it to their chosen target. This is not some insidious dirty bomb that will scatter radioactive material all over; this is a full blown thermonuclear device capable of vaporizing a large city and millions of people in the blink of an eye. Seaview has been assigned to transport one of the agents tapped to infiltrate the group and extract him when his mission is complete.”

As Nelson lay out the background information on the mission Chip felt the blood drain from his face and a feeling of dread settled heavily in his heart at the implications. He looked intently at the admiral’s face and knew immediately who they would be escorting to the region. Hoping his initial feeling was wrong he asked the question he really didn’t want answered. “Lee’s got the ball on this one, doesn’t he sir?”

Nelson nodded grimly. They both knew Lee was too well qualified to not be selected for such a vital assignment. He spoke the regional languages fluently, was well-versed in the various extremist factions in the area, had a working knowledge of the principles of nuclear physics and explosive devices and had the complexion and physical characteristics that would allow him to easily be taken for someone from the region.

“Chip you will be commanding Seaview on this trip to allow Lee the time he needs to prepare for this mission. He needs to become completely immersed in every aspect of the life and the ideology associated with this group and he and I will be working together to bring him up to speed on nuclear bomb construction principles,” Nelson added.

He opened the top right desk drawer pulled out a folder and handed it to Chip. “Here is the compliment of men that will put out to sea during the first phase of this mission.”

Chip accepted the folder, opened it and quickly scanned the names listed. He furrowed his brow and looked up at the admiral in confusion. “Sir this is less than half the crew.”

“I know Chip. We’ll be taking the bare minimum number of men needed to get Seaview to Lee’s drop off location. The fewer people he has to interact with the better.”

Chip continued scanning the list still somewhat confused over the limited crew. The one thing that did jump out at him was that the men identified were those most loyal to the captain and would do anything to ensure his survival. Kowalski, Patterson, Riley, Sparks, Sharkey, Rodriguez, Thomas to name a few. He looked up from the list again and stared at the admiral.

As though sensing Chip’s observation about the selected crew, the admiral continued. “We need those men who are closest to Lee and those he trusts most. This won’t be a pleasant cruise Chip and the group that goes has to be able to give Lee the benefit of a doubt and support him regardless of his words or actions.”

The one glaring absence was Jamieson which struck Chip as odd. “Why is Jamie not on this list sir?”

“We hopefully won’t be in need of a doctor on this phase plus Jamie is taking a course on updated emergency surgical procedures and that can only benefit us all. Once he’s done FS-1 will fly him out along with other crew members. By the time we need to pick up Lee, the rest of the crew should be on board as they are shuttled out while we wait.”

“So is Lee here now?” Chip asked.

“No he’s still in DC finishing up his briefing and getting the most current intelligence on the players involved and their resources. He’s been working through that for the last two weeks and should be just about finished. Once he is he will be flown back here and we’ll be on our way.” Nelson answered. “Keep your mission brief to the crew to a minimum, just enough to get things loaded and us out to sea. Once we’re safely away we will be able to provide them more information on our objectives and goal.”

“Very well sir. I’ll get things rolling so that we are ready to sail once Lee’s aboard.” Chip replied.

ooOOOoo

The men of Seaview being consummate professionals promptly returned when they received their summons. Everyone quickly turned to ensuring that Seaview was loaded and ready to sail in record time. They instinctively knew this mission was beyond what they were normally called to do and exercised special care in preparing Seaview for whatever unknown challenge she would have to face. Answers to their questions would come in due time.

There was a decided tension in the air that radiated from both Admiral Nelson and the XO, and the continued absence of their captain only reinforced the feeling that something big was going to happen and in all likelihood involved ONI. Once preparations to sail had been made they were all restricted to the boat to prevent any slip of the lip to those who might be looking for information.

“Everything’s ready to go sir, we’re just in need of the skipper and we can be on our way,” Chip informed Nelson.

“Excellent Chip, I think you and the crew set a new record for getting us ready to sail.” Nelson replied.

“Aye sir. Everyone seems to sense the importance of this mission and have been extremely diligent in making sure we’re ready for anything.”

“I noticed that as well. I’ve always known we’ve got the best crew around and they’ve more than proved it the last two days.” Nelson said. “Well it looks like it’s time for dinner what say we head to the wardroom for a relaxed meal before things start hitting the fan.”

Chip smiled and nodded his agreement. “After you sir.”

They exited the admiral’s cabin and started on their way to the wardroom. As they passed the captain’s cabin they heard a sound inside and stopped, no one should be in Lee’s stateroom and given the degree of secrecy associated with the mission anything out of the ordinary needed to be checked out. Chip made immediate eye contact with the admiral and received a quick nod of agreement. He carefully placed his hand on the doorknob and silently turned it until the bolt was drawn back then rapidly thrust open the door to catch whoever was inside unawares.

At the sound of the door being flung open, the man in the head stepped out and looked at the intruders with a highly amused look. “You could have knocked; I would have let you in.”

“Lee?!” Nelson and Morton responded in unison.

Lee laughed. “Wow, stereo.”

“When the hell did you come aboard and why wasn’t I notified of your arrival,” inquired Harri. Chip nodded his head wanting answers to those questions as well.

“Oh I’ve been on board for about an hour. I was practicing my covert entry techniques to get in the mood for things to come.” Lee responded with a chuckle. “I employed the same method to get aboard you used when you were suspected of murdering Mason on live TV*. I came aboard as a crate of machine parts.”

Harri and Chip just shook their heads in amusement but were also concerned that Lee had made it aboard undetected. Chip made a mental note to put procedures in place to hopefully prevent that means of entry in the future. “Well good to have you here now son” Harri replied and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sure that won’t last for long,” Lee answered knowing full well the coming days would be unpleasant for them all.

“Good to see you Lee,” Chip added. “Although it looks as though you’ve missed a few visits to the barber.”

Lee looked decidedly uncaptain like, his hair was longer than regulation and the curls that he usually combed into submission were left to their own devices. He also sported a full, thick beard giving him a decidedly Middle Eastern appearance.

Lee laughed lightly. “Believe me there’s nothing I would love more than scraping this thing off, it itches so bad and this hair…” he sighed resignedly as he pulled one long curl straight. “So are you two off to dinner?”

“Yes, we were just heading down to the wardroom when we heard you rustling around in here,” Nelson replied. “Care to join us?”

“Definitely. I’d better take advantage of these opportunities before you all want nothing more to do with me and have a torpedo tube readied with my name on it.” Lee answered with a slight smile.

There was no humor in his voice which sent an involuntary shiver down Chip’s spine. He wondered what the hell was going to happen that would keep him from wanting to be around his best friend. Nelson also grimly nodded his head in agreement apparently knowing what was coming.

They exited Lee’s cabin and finished their walk down to the wardroom. It was an odd feeling seeing so few men aboard, almost like a ghost ship. There was an eerie quiet as the normal conversations and activities were absent. The boat herself even seemed reserved and uneasy with the change.

ooOOOoo

They spent the next hour savoring one of Cookie’s best efforts and enjoying each other’s company in the calm before the storm. With dinner finished Nelson told Chip to put out to sea as soon as possible. Ensuring that everyone had had the chance to eat and that all preparations had been completed, Chip gave the order to sail and Seaview departed the dock without fanfare to carry out her mission.

Once they had cleared the breakwater and the boat slid beneath the surface the admiral moved to the nose and picked up the mic. “Attention, this is the admiral. Men we are on a mission of the utmost importance requiring the greatest degree of focus and professionalism of any cruise we’ve undertaken. The lives of millions potentially rest in our hands and we dare not fail. For this voyage Commander Morton will be acting as captain while Captain Crane prepares for his portion of the mission. Captain Crane would like to make a few comments before he turns over command to Mr. Morton. Captain.”

“Men, as the admiral has indicated this mission is vital to the security and well-being of not only the United States but the entire world. For my portion of the mission I will be going under deep cover to try and retrieve a parcel that in the wrong hands threatens us all. I give you this explanation because I will have to completely immerse myself in the cover I’ve been given and conduct myself as that individual would. Any failure on my part, any break in character, could have disastrous results for both me and the world.” Lee began.

“The cover I’ve been given is that of a terrorist zealot looking to strike at the major powers of the world and foment a jihad. This person loathes anyone from the western world and is not shy about voicing or demonstrating that contempt and hate. During this cruise to my jump off point I will become that person and regretfully I will be treating you all as though this is my true outlook on life. Please understand that none of what I say or do in the intervening time is personal but is my attempt to fully embrace my cover. I will do my best to keep our interactions to a minimum and ask you to do the same. There is a very good reason why preparations for undercover assignments like the one I have now are done away from those we work and live with; it is not a comfortable process for anyone involved especially those closest to us. I therefore apologize to you all in advance and ask for your understanding and patience. Commander Morton, you have the con.” Chip acknowledged the shift in command and ordered the course and speed to get them to their appointed station.

When the captain completed his address a pin drop could have been heard throughout the boat there was such a stunned silence. The critical and dire nature of their assignment was driven home by both the admiral and skipper’s comments and the crewmen exchanged worried looks. They were worried about the situation but even more worried about what their skipper was being asked to do.

ooOOOoo

The first few days aboard were relatively normal as Lee focused on what Nelson had to teach him. They sequestered themselves in Nelson’s lab as he tutored Lee on the theory and principles of construction of a thermonuclear device. It was believed that the Red Jihad had hit a snag in building their bomb and was looking for someone who could complete the device. Lee needed to be able to convincingly sell the cover story that he was a doctoral student studying advanced nuclear physics in France but had come home due to a family crisis.

Harri was charged with teaching Lee how to construct a reasonably realistic facsimile without giving him all the information necessary to make one that would work. He had always known Lee was brilliant but his uptake and comprehension of the topic surprised even him; he was making incredible leaps in logic and grasping the concepts easily. As they worked through the material, Harri actually became concerned that Lee would put all the pieces together; intuitively filling in the steps Harri left out, and actually be able to construct a working device. The last thing anyone wanted was for the RJ to get their hands on someone that could actually build a working bomb.

The RJ was notorious for using extreme torture on those in their grasp unfortunate enough to have information they wanted. Every man has a breaking point and from all accounts they were extremely adept at finding that point and extracting exactly what they were after. If Lee were successful in gaining acceptance into the RJ ranks, then not be able to sell them on his facsimile they might turn to torture to pull out any missing pieces they thought he might have. It was unlikely that Lee would ever give them the information they wanted but then again, every man has a breaking point.

After three days Harri put an end to their classes. “Lee I don’t think it wise we go any further with the instruction; you’re proving to be just a little too adept at this subject. We both know what’s at stake if they get a hold of someone with all the pieces to the puzzle they’re building.”

“Just how much am I missing sir?” Lee inquired. “Do you think what you’ve given me exceeds what they already have? The last thing I want is to come up short.”

“There’s very little you’re missing, son. I think given your innate talents and a little time you could complete the bomb on your own with no further instruction from me. Based on the intelligence I’ve seen, your knowledge far exceeds that of their lead physicist giving you the ability to credibly ‘finish’ their device.”

“Well then I’ll defer to your expertise on the subject,” Lee replied with a smile. “I suppose that brings an end to our association then.”

Harri closed his eyes and sighed deeply knowing what would come next. “Yes I suppose it does. Before that happens I want to wish you luck Son, while we’re still on speaking terms. You’ve impressed and amazed me beyond words on this project Lee. You take damn good care of yourself and come back to us, got it!”

Lee blushed slightly at the heartfelt words from his adopted father. “Yes Dad. That’s always the first thing on my list of things to do after grabbing the prize. Thanks for everything Harri, you’ve given me the best chance at pulling this whole thing off,” he said extending his hand. Harri readily accepted it and pulled him into a tight embrace which had a high potential of being the last they would enjoy.

ooOOOoo

With the necessary instruction completed, Lee’s attention was now focused on becoming his cover. He withdrew into himself and became a virtual recluse rarely leaving his cabin. He immersed himself on the customs and habits of the region and poured over the rhetoric and propaganda published by the RJ. He rarely spoke to anyone and with each exchange of words they became more terse, derisive and hateful as he assumed the mindset of the anti-western extremist he was purported to be.

Each day he became more passively aggressive in his dealings with the men around him. The effect of Lee’s metamorphosis was blatantly apparent on the crew. At the start of the cruise the crew welcomed their skipper coming into their workspaces, chatting with them about their job, their families, the happenings in their lives. Now more often as not, if they spotted him coming down the passageway they would do an immediate about face to avoid coming into contact with the man.

They had initially thought the skipper’s speech at the start of the cruise a bit extreme and it was inconceivable that he could ever so deeply offend them that they would want nothing to do with him. That his preparations would just be an act and Captain Crane, the man they respected and followed, would still be there. It was a shock when that turned out not to be the case. As much as they still cared for their skipper, many of the men much to their shame were secretly counting the days before they would be rid of the jerk that had taken over their skipper’s body.

Chip had never witnessed Lee assume a persona for a mission like this before and watched in horror as day by day Lee forced his true self into the dark recesses of his mind and began sealing that identity behind an impenetrable wall one brick at a time. The true measure of that transformation was the dying light in Lee’s eyes. As he became more and more the abrasive and despicable man dreamt up by ONI, all the compassion, understanding and humanity that defined Lee Crane bled from his expressive eyes. Now instead of the familiar warm glow common to his gaze was a cold and calculating glare that chilled anyone down to his very soul if he were unfortunate enough to be captured by his cynosure.

Chip was probably most affected by Lee’s metamorphosis because of the close friendship he shared with the man. Gone was his friend and brother, that person so totally subverted in this process that Chip had to wonder how he ever worked his way back. This process gave him much more insight into Lee’s other life as an agent and most likely explained those times when Lee came back from a mission deeply withdrawn and wounded in spirit even more so than body.

He was losing patience with the whole thing and chaffed more than the others as Lee pushed the limits of his new personality. At one point when Lee had intentionally run into him while walking down the corridor and made very derisive remarks about his family, Chip lost it. He grabbed Lee by the front of his shirt and slammed him back against the bulkhead glaring fiercely at the enemy aboard his sub. He found himself fighting the urge to punch Lee in the face as he shot Chip a smug and contemptuous sneer having forced him to react. This couldn’t be over fast enough as far as Chip was concerned.

Harri too was not immune to the effects of Lee’s transformation. Where he had a better understanding of what was going to occur he still found himself unsettled by the totality of Lee’s assumption of the new persona. He prayed that all of this was worth the pain and sacrifices his captain and son was going through and that he would emerge on the other side unscathed. Like Chip he found himself wanting to slap the superior and self-righteous smirk off Lee’s face as he worked on pushing his buttons looking for a reaction. If Jiggs Starke thought Lee Crane was too self-assured and arrogant in his normal life, what would he think of him now?

ooOOOoo

The atmosphere on Seaview was tense beyond anything the crew had experienced in the past. They had been through life and death situations many times, playing tag with enemy submarines, aliens, and ghosts, but that paled in comparison to the mood aboard Seaview now. The boat felt more like a pressure cooker and they all hoped they could hold it together before things exploded.

Two and a half weeks into this voyage they had finally reached their coordinates and Captain Crane would be departing the boat in short order to begin the mission he had been preparing for since before they left port. The crew had been fully briefed on the reason for this ordeal and what was at stake, but despite the grave nature of the captain’s mission they were all waiting with baited breath for that moment when the skipper would step off the boat and they could all relax and hopefully shed the growing feelings of animosity towards the man.

Chip made the call to Lee informing him his transport would be leaving in 20 minutes and to report to the nose. Lee acknowledged the alert curtly then finished packing the gear he would need to carry out the mission. He hated taking missions like this and even more so hated how this one in particular had impacted his friends and crew. He had to admit he’d done one hell of a job alienating them with his change in character. He just hoped that they would cut him that slack he asked for upon his return and not hold it against him. If that was something they couldn’t do, then Lee knew he would have to leave Seaview and go back to the Navy. He thought ruefully ONI may have just asked too much of him this time, the costs were becoming too high to keep on with this.

Lee grabbed his gear and headed down to the control room to get his ride to shore. He knew the last thing he could do was acknowledge any of the men lest he lose his edge. There was no place he wanted to stay more than aboard Seaview but duty called and he had answered. Coming down the spiral staircase he moved directly to the open hatch leading to FS-1. He looked neither right nor left and acknowledged no one as he descended into the small ship. Nelson quickly followed and Chip secured the hatch. Within minutes they watched the little yellow sub pull away from Seaview and an audible sigh passed through the entire boat.

ooOOOoo

Two hours later FS-1 returned to Seaview less one crew member. Chip quickly spun open the hatch and raised it up to allow the admiral to disembark. Nelson climbed rapidly up the ladder and acknowledged Chip’s welcome. He was visibly pale and the concern and worry for his captain was written plainly across his face.

“Well he’s on his way and on his own, there’s nothing more we can do for him until he calls for a ride,” Nelson said tiredly as he perched on the ledge by the windows.

“Yes sir. Do you think he stands a chance of making it into their organization?” Chip inquired.

“He fits the bill perfectly Chip, they would be hard pressed not to accept him though I’m sure they’re scrutinizing everyone showing even the slightest interest in their cause very closely before they let them get too close. As long as he stays in character he should be fine.”

“I hate to admit it sir but I was relieved when he finally got off the boat. I had just about reached my limit. I hate having him out there but I really didn’t want him here either,” Chip admitted.

Nelson nodded and gave him a sympathetic smile understanding exactly what Chip meant. “That’s why the prep for these types of missions is usually done away from the agent’s normal life. The only reason it was done this time was because of the instruction I needed to give Lee and the fact that we would be required to recover him and verify his authenticity of his package upon his return. It’s a shock to friends and co-workers to see how they change and it is doubly difficult on the agent knowing how his actions are affecting those around him. I’ve got to admit I’ve never seen anyone go so deep into character and it disturbed me as well witnessing it. But then again I shouldn’t have been surprised, this is Lee Crane we’re talking about and he never does anything half-assed which is probably why he has always come back.”

“That’s very true sir. I guess we need to take comfort in that and believe he’ll achieve his goal and come home to us,” Chip replied.

Nelson sighed and stood up and placed his hand on Chip’s shoulder. “Come on Chip let’s get on with our work as well.”

“Aye sir.”

ooOOOoo

The wait seemed interminable as Seaview lurked around the waters of the Indian Ocean collecting samples, monitoring fish populations and just killing time. It had been almost four weeks since Captain Crane had been shuttled ashore to begin his undercover assignment. In the intervening time, Seaview was almost fully crewed now as the members left behind had been shuttled out via FS-1.

Harri and Chip monitored the intelligence reports forwarded by ONI closely, Lee had disappeared from the face of the earth but there had been no indication one way or the other if he had made contact and been accepted by the RJ. Chip held the position that no news was good news but silently feared the worst.

The admiral and Chip were reviewing the charts for the next round of sediment samples when Sparks called out. “Admiral, Mr. Morton, the skipper’s transmitter just activated sirs.”

Chip and Nelson exchanged relieved looks and then moved rapidly back to the radio shack. “Did you get a bearing on it Sparks?” Nelson asked.

“No sir, it was too brief. If the skipper follows protocol there should be another quick blast in 4 minutes and thirty seconds.” Sparks replied. The three men stood staring at the radio willing it to receive the next signal as the control room crew strained their ears for the incoming message. The next signal came in at precisely the correct interval and was followed by three quick bursts indicating mission accomplished.

“He’s got it!” exclaimed Nelson. Chip and the rest of the control room crew let loose a cheer and huge sigh of relief.

After the next prescribed interval location coordinates were sent, it was now Seaview’s turn to reply and acknowledge the message. Sparks looked to the admiral and received a nod approving transmission of the verification signal along with the time they would be there to collect their captain. The signal was quickly acknowledged and they all let a relieved smile light their faces.

“Get your team assembled Chip, you’ve got just 4 hours to get packed and over there to recover the captain and his packages.” Nelson said.

A broad grin spread across Chip’s face. “Aye sir, with pleasure. Sharkey get everyone in motion now.”

“Aye, sir,” Sharkey replied as he smiled and then moved quickly on his way to spread the news and get the team ready.

The recovery team, composed of Morton, Sharkey, Patterson, Kowalski, Rodriguez and medical corpsman Thomas, set new records collecting their gear and readying FS-1 for departure. Once their tasks were completed they assembled in the nose and awaited the final mission brief and orders to board the little sub to depart for the rendezvous coordinates.

ooOOOoo

“As you can see from the satellite pictures, the shoreline is rocky with scrub brush, small trees and long grass providing good cover for any unfriendlies that may be in the area. We have no idea whether the captain is injured but do know based on his communication that he has a package with him. Recovery of that package is our primary goal. If it comes to having to make a decision between grabbing the skipper or what he’s got with him the package gets first priority. Use extreme caution when you deploy and keep your eyes open.” Nelson explained.

The men all nodded solemnly knowing the importance of successfully completing this mission. They weren’t thrilled with the order to grab the package over the skipper if it came to having to make a choice but understood what was at stake if they failed.

“Does anyone have any questions?” Nelson asked. Everyone shook their heads in the negative. “Alright then get loaded and go get our captain back. Good luck and see you when you return.”

They all quickly climbed down into FS-1 and were away within 15 minutes. They would go in submerged so as not to alert anyone in the area. There was no conversation other than the required exchanges between the XO and chief as they piloted the sub to their coordinates. The men sat there going over the maps and the mission brief preparing for rapid deployment once they arrived.

Upon reaching the designated coordinates, Chip raised the periscope and quickly scanned the shoreline for any sign of Lee or anyone else. It looked deserted but he had learned through experience looks could be very deceiving. Chip spied a small protected inlet with good cover where they could go ashore and deploy off to the right of the cove Lee had selected; he directed the small sub there and gently beached her.

“Okay does everyone know what their assignment is?” Chip asked as he rose from the pilot’s chair and scanned the interior of the boat. Everyone nodded affirmatively and donned their equipment ready to execute their recovery mission. Kowalski undogged the aft hatch and they cautiously stepped out.

Morton and Kowalski paired up and took point as they moved along the shoreline towards the cove, followed closely by the rest of the team. As they reached a large boulder at the edge of the cove Chip signaled for everyone to halt while he scanned the way ahead. After a moment he motioned to Ski to follow him and the rest of the team to remain in place until called forward. Chip had a bad feeling about this; it was quiet, too quiet for his liking and wasn’t going to risk the rest of the team until he was sure what was out there waiting for them. There was no sign of Lee which most likely meant he was either injured or there were enemy soldiers around the area.

Momentarily Chip had a sinking thought that perhaps Lee had actually been consumed by his cover and was setting them up. By the time he had left the boat Lee’s words and actions were so attuned to the RJ beliefs, so fervid and vitriolic that he if he hadn’t known better he would have sworn they had captured a true believer of the RJ cause. As quickly as that thought occurred to him Chip just as quickly dismissed it, there was no one he knew that was more loyal and more stubborn in his beliefs than Lee Crane. He flushed momentarily in embarrassment and shame at even considering that thought.

ooOOOoo

In the next few minutes all of Chip’s concerns and questions were answered. As he suspected Lee was in hiding, about 60 yards down the shoreline, keeping a close eye on two RJ soldiers working their way down towards the beach no doubt trying to locate the missing traitor. Much to Lee’s horror he spotted Chip and Kowalski just as they made their way around the large boulder at the far end of the cove. Their entrance was immediately noticed by the approaching soldiers and they quickly took a bead on the exposed men.

Unfortunately Lee hadn’t been able to obtain a weapon so he couldn’t eliminate the threat to his men. Knowing he had to distract the soldiers before they could fire Lee sprang to his feet and started running across the beach yelling. “Chip, Ski down!”

The diversion worked as intended as the RJ soldiers quickly changed their focus and fired at the new target. Chip and Ski moved for cover and watched helplessly as Lee was dropped by enemy fire as he ran. Both men immediately honed in on the source of the gunshots and eliminated it with extreme prejudice. Once sure there were no other surprises hidden in the rocks Chip and Ski bolted down the beach closely followed by the rest of the team.

“Lee!” Chip screamed as he approached his skipper and brother. He dropped to his knees at Lee’s side and carefully rolled him onto his side. Lee’s eyes slowly focused on Chip and he smiled wanly then grimaced in pain.

Chip quickly unsnapped the straps on Lee’s backpack and divested him of the load. As the rest of the men approached he handed the pack to Patterson. “Pat, Rod, get back to FS-1 now. Keep this safe at all costs. Got it?”

“Aye sir,” Pat replied as he grabbed the pack and the two men immediately began running back to the sub. Both desperately wanted to stay with the skipper in case there was something they could do to help but their orders were clear and they wanted to make damn sure the skipper’s sacrifice was not made in vain.

Thomas jumped into action next quickly cutting away the skippers shirt and trouser leg and applyed pressure bandages to the multiple wounds he had sustained saving his men, while the rest of the team maintained surveillance of the area making sure their skipper stayed safe. Lee gasped in pain at the corpsman’s touch.

Chip quickly grabbed Lee’s hand and squeezed it to try and reassure him. “Hang in there Lee, we’ve got you. It’s time to take you home.”

“Chip…you…Ski… okay?” Lee ground out between clenched teeth.

“Yeah Lee, thanks to you we’re fine. Now you on the other hand are a mess.” Chip replied trying hard to hide his concern and fear. “We’ve got your package Skipper so you just lay back and let Thomas take care of you.”

Lee swallowed convulsively a couple times and screwed his eyes shut against the pain. “Good,” was all he said then passed out.

Chip looked immediately at Thomas for a report. “We need to get him back to FS-1 now and back to Seaview stat if he’s going to have any chance of surviving. From what I can tell the bullet to his chest tore him up pretty bad and the one to his leg is really close the femoral artery. I can’t control all the bleeding here.”

“Alright let’s get him moved,” ordered Chip.

Thomas pulled a blanket from his medkit and knotted the corners. They gently placed Lee on the blanket then grabbed the corners of the makeshift stretcher and moved as quickly and as carefully as they could back to FS-1.

ooOOOoo

The trip back to Seaview passed in a blur. As the final clamp secured the small sub in its docking cradle, the aft hatch was nearly torn open as Jamieson and the other corpsman entered to assess the captain’s condition. Nelson stood helplessly behind them as Jamie took Lee’s vitals and got a download from Thomas on the extent of the damage. He was quickly transferred to a stretcher and the team nearly ran back to Sick Bay with their injured charge.

Once Lee had been rushed from FS-1 Chip and the rest of the team exited. Chip was pale and looked dejectedly at the admiral as he stepped out and handed Lee’s backpack to him. “Here sir,” he said quietly, “mission accomplished. There’s a canister inside which I assume contains the plutonium. That’s all he had with him and he passed out before he could tell us anything about the bomb.”

Harri nodded somberly and accepted the pack. “Thanks Chip. You and your team did well. I’ll head down to the lab and verify what’s inside. Care to come along?” Chip nodded his acceptance and started following the admiral to the lab.

As they walked through the boat, there was a call from Sparks. “Admiral there’s just been a massive explosion onshore located about 30 miles inland from where we picked up the skipper.”

They looked at each other at the surprising news. “Thank you Sparks. Let me know immediately if anything comes in from ONI regarding the source.” Nelson replied.

“Aye sir.” Sparks confirmed.

“Well I suppose that answers the question about the bomb.” Chip stated flatly. Nelson gave him an amused smile and they resumed their walk to the lab.

ooOOOoo

Five hours later Jamie paged the admiral and XO and requested their presence in Sick Bay for an update on the captain’s condition. Jamie chuckled to himself as the two seemed to immediately appear almost before he had time to put the mic back in the cradle. He wondered if they had run from wherever they had been biding their time.

“Jamie?” Harri asked his voice filled with dread as he took in the doctor’s exhausted appearance.

“It’s touch and go right now Harri, the shot to the chest did a lot of damage, tore up a lot of muscle and nicked the right lung. It took five units of whole blood and quite a bit of fancy stitching to repair all the damage. Lucky for him the shot to the leg missed the femur and the artery, there’s extensive tissue damage there too but it should heal well given time. He lost a lot of blood and the only reason he’s alive is your foresight to include Thomas on your recovery team. He did an exceptional job mitigating the shock and trauma and stabilizing Lee so we could move him into surgery almost immediately,” Jamie reported.

“I’ve got him on a ventilator to give his body a chance to rest and begin recovery. I’m going to keep him heavily sedated for the next 48 hours to keep him quiet so he gets a good start on healing before I have to be on alert for escape attempts,” he added with a smile. “You can go in and sit with him a bit if you’d like.”

ooOOOoo

It had been two long days as Harri and Chip traded shifts watching over Lee. Chip had become more sullen and withdrawn as the time passed as if wrestling with some inner turmoil. Jamie had alerted Harri to the situation and the admiral kept a close eye on the younger man in addition to his son.

As he entered Sick Bay he saw Chip sitting next to Lee talking to him urging him to come back to them. Harri walked quietly over to Chip and gently laid his hand on his shoulder. “Have faith lad, Jamie says he’s getting stronger every hour; he’ll be back with us shortly I have no doubt.”

“Yes sir,” Chip mumbled.

“Chip is something wrong? I know you’re deeply concerned by Lee’s condition but I somehow sense there’s something else bothering you?” Harri asked.

Chip sat there quietly for a long moment. “I doubted him sir. As we were going in to pick Lee up I had a feeling something wasn’t right and for a moment there I actually considered the possibility that he had turned and had set a trap for us,” he replied ruefully and hung his head in shame. “It was right after that he threw his life in jeopardy and drew the enemy fire to protect me and Ski. I know Lee, how the hell could I have ever even considered the possibility that he would betray us?” Chip said miserably.

“Chip, that’s a testament to how well Lee did his job. If you, of all people, could harbor even a fleeting moment of doubt about Lee’s loyalty then he had created the perfect alternate identity that no one could see through. I’m sure Lee would be pleased that you thought his cover so good you had a question as to which side he was on. I’m also certain that he would be the first to tell you to not beat yourself up about it. Given what we’ve all been witness to these past few weeks, I probably would have had a moment of doubt as well,” Harri replied.

“Thank you sir, that helps, though I’m still not too proud of myself.”

As they sat their quietly lost to their own thoughts Lee began to stir and let loose a low moan and a deep sigh. In a heartbeat Jamie was at his side checking his vitals and assessing his condition. “Come on Skipper, it’s time for you to wake up now,” he said loudly.

ooOOOoo

Lee began the slow and labored climb back to consciousness. As his senses returned he registered the soft bed, the medicinal smell, the reassuring thrum of his boat’s engines and the familiar voice calling him back. He shifted his position and was immediately greeted by a sharp pain in his chest and leg. Startled by the jolt he was unable to bite back the groan that escaped his lips.

“Come on son, we know you’re in there, open your eyes,” Harri said.

A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth as Lee realized he was back home, back in the place he loved best with friends and family. Making a herculean effort he pried his eyes open and after a moment focused on the relieved faces of Harri, Chip and Jamie staring down at him. “I’m home,” he barely croaked out a wide smile spreading across his face. “Chip, you and Ski okay?”

“We’re both fine, thanks to you Lee.” Chip replied as he passed a cup of water to Jamie so he could give Lee a drink.

Lee took a couple of sips and sighed in relief as the cool liquid slid down his sore and parched throat. He closed his eyes and just laid there relishing the feeling of being back in his life again, on his boat. After a moment he reopened his eyes and smiled weakly at his friends. “Thanks for getting me home. Did you get the package?”

“Yes son, we have the plutonium locked away safe and sound,” Nelson said smiling. It was always the same; he never worried about himself, but always about his men and his mission first. “I’m guessing you were the reason behind the massive explosion back in the mountains shortly after we picked you up.”

Lee nodded. “Good to hear it worked. There was no way I could get the bomb out; it was just too big so I set it up to explode. I’m happy they discovered it ticking down and tried to disarm it.”

“Really? You’re glad they tried to disarm it?” Chip inquired.

“Yeah, before I left I set the timer on my bomb figuring they’d make a bee line for it the minute they realized I was gone. If they had let the timer run out nothing would have happened but the minute they attempted to disarm it that was the trigger. If the explosion was as big as you say it was then their tinkering also set off the chain reaction I was hoping for. They had a huge cache of conventional explosives and I set up a remote detonator that would trigger when they started messing with the timer on the bomb, apparently that worked too,” Lee replied with a yawn. He looked back at Jamie and glared as he noticed him fiddling with his IV.

Jamie smiled unapologetically down at Lee. “In case you haven’t noticed Skipper you’re more than a little injured and in need of your rest. I want you to sleep for a few more hours, I’ll send your guardians off to do the same, and then if you’re good I’ll let them in to join you for dinner.”

“Do I have a choice?” Lee asked sleepily.

“No. Now be a good captain and don’t fight the sedative.” Jamie replied with a laugh. Chip and Harri chuckled as well as they watched Lee drift quickly back to sleep.

Jamie turned to face the other men. “I meant what I said, now that you know he’s back with us to stay, you both need to grab a few hours of shut eye as well or I won’t let you back in for dinner.”

They both rolled their eyes and sighed in resignation. “Yes Jamie,” they replied. Chip turned and left Sick Bay actually quite glad to be able to sleep without having to worry about Lee.

“Thank you, Jamie, for pulling yet another rabbit out of the hat and saving him. I don’t say it nearly often enough how much I appreciate all your efforts to keep him and the rest of us in one piece.” Harri said.

Jamie flushed briefly at the kind words. “You’re more than welcome Harri. When he gives so much to keep the world safe, I can do nothing less than my very best and so far I’m glad to say that’s been enough. I’m very happy you insisted I complete the course at Johns Hopkins because a couple of the new techniques I picked up there helped make this a happier ending. Now go find your rack and I’ll see you at dinner.”

ooOOOoo

At 1800 they all reconvened in Sick Bay for dinner with Lee. Cookie had whipped up the skipper’s favorite casserole, fresh baked rolls, veggie medley and double chocolate chip brownies with cream cheese frosting for dessert. Much to everyone’s surprise Lee managed most of his meal and polished off his brownie to boot.

“He only makes these brownies when you’re on the boat, ya know,” said Chip as he licked the last of the frosting off his fork. “You need to try staying on board more, if for no other reason than that.”

“Always thinking with your belly aren’t you Chip.” Lee replied laughingly.

“I’m thinking of the crew Lee, they don’t get these either, so there,” Chip answered with a wink.

“So now that you’re fed lad, how about you tell us as much as you can about what happened after you went ashore,” Nelson inquired.

Lee sighed deeply and set about collecting his thoughts to relate what happened after Harri dropped him off. He began recounting his tale to a rapt audience.

ooOOOoo

Once he made contact with the RJ and was taken to their hideout, he was intensely interrogated with the aid of truth serum, by the leadership of the cell before they finally determined he was a true adherent to their cause and accepted his offer to help complete the first bomb. He constantly reinforced their perception that he agreed with their plans to establish a new world order and as time went by gained more and more autonomy especially as they discovered he was capable of delivering what he had offered.

Lee’s cover had been bought in full by those around him as he echoed their chilling cries for destruction of the western forces against them. His blood ran cold as they outlined their plans to position and detonate at least five bombs in major capital cities around the world. There was no consideration for the innocents they intended to slaughter only their own myopic view of the perfect order and how they were going to impose it on the rest of the world.

He had proved successful beyond his wildest dreams as he was readily accepted into the RJ cell and given almost immediate access to their device and the stolen plutonium. He worked diligently with the RJ lead physicist correcting the man’s inept efforts and neared completion of the device. Lee had wondered at times if he too were a plant put in place to confound their attempts to construct an operational bomb but finally settled on an arrogant, self-important blowhard that had only a nodding acquaintance with the task he had set himself up to achieve.

As his stock rose, the current project lead’s declined rapidly as they realized the man hadn’t a clue. Lee needed to monitor and include this man in his work to forestall any attempts on his part of submarining him and sabotaging his work. An ego like that didn’t take dismissal gracefully and if he wasn’t careful he would find himself on the wrong end of a gun.

Lee accelerated his efforts working nearly around the clock to finish his facsimile. As he neared completion he had gained unchallenged access to anything he needed. He now had the opportunity to grab the plutonium and escape; there was no way he could make it out with the bomb but he would take care of that in his own way.

Using the other physicist’s wounded pride Lee set him up to begin construction of the second bomb. The man focused wholeheartedly on his task in an attempt to reclaim his position within the cell and left Lee to his own devices. Now freed from the man’s constant attention Lee stole into the room where the plutonium was stored and swapped out the container with one he had fabricated.

Lee smuggled the container out in the large leather briefcase he carried with him wherever he went. He had built the story that the case contained all his notes and tools needed to create the bomb and he didn’t feel safe having it out of his control. As he exited the lab the guards performed their usual cursory search and let him go on his way. He made his way back to his quarters then set in motion his plans to escape the mountain bunker.

One of the first things he had done when he arrived was scout out exit routes so he could expeditiously depart the facility when the time came. Located deep within a cave the RJ had drilled several air shafts to supply fresh air required by so many people in a confined space, Lee had to laugh at the irony of the escape route presented him. Now in possession of his prize, he quickly transferred the container to his backpack, hoisted himself into the shaft and started the long climb to the surface.

The shaft had been camouflaged to prevent detection by satellites which worked to his benefit. Under the cover of night, he deftly eased his way out of the shaft and worked his way down the side of the hill. He had to put as much distance between him and the facility as possible before he was found to be missing along with the plutonium.

At some point the following morning, his absence was discovered and the RJ sent out patrols to track down and capture the missing man. Lee kept a wary eye out for the patrols as he made his way to the coast. It took him the better part of the day to cover the 30 miles due to the rugged terrain and the need to travel undetected. Once he reached the coast he activated his secreted transmitter and called for retrieval.

As he waited for his ride, much to his dismay, he spotted a roving patrol high on the hillside above the cove he had chosen. He tracked the team as they moved slowly down towards the water. Unfortunately Lee had been unable to get his hands on a gun and had no means to take them out of the picture. The last thing he wanted was for them to get the drop on his extraction team and injure or even worse kill them.

His worst fears were realized as he spotted Chip and Kowalski easing their way onto the beach at the far end of the cove. The patrol likewise noticed the men and immediately took aim at their unsuspecting quarry. There was no way Lee was letting them get injured, these were his men, his responsibility and he would do everything within his power to protect them. He knew that if he could draw their fire Chip and Ski would be able to lock in on them and eliminate the threat. They would be able to grab his package and successfully complete the mission.

His course of action decided Lee sprang to his feet and bolted out onto the beach alerting his friends to the danger above. He felt the first shot tear through his chest and as he stumbled forward the second shot caught his leg and he dropped to the sand. Those two shots were answered by at least ten by his count then all was quiet. The next thing he remembered was Chip at his side, telling him they were safe and they had his package. At those words he sighed in relief knowing his mission was complete and his men were safe; he let the darkness claim him.

ooOOOoo

As Lee finished relating what he had been through the room was silent. The three men privy to his tale let out a deep sigh each marveling at their friend’s ability to pull off the seemingly impossible but not without a terrible price.

“Well I would say that all your preparation paid off,” Harri finally said breaking the solemn silence.

“Yes sir it did, but I never want to do that again aboard Seaview; the cost to you and the crew was too high.” Lee answered sincerely.

“The cost to the crew,” Chip echoed incredulously. “What about the cost to you Lee? How long do you think you can keep putting yourself through that kind of hell? You scared the bejeezus out of me when you turned into that monster we released. I’m ashamed to admit it but for a moment there on the beach I actually considered the possibility you had switched sides and were setting us up.”

Lee smiled at his brother. “Thanks Chip that’s the nicest compliment you could give me. I must have done something right to get you doubting me. As far as the cover, it’s sometimes needed to get the job done, I don’t enjoy it but if we can achieve the ends were after then it’s worth the price.”

Chip glared at him not buying the end at any price and was about to let Lee know his views on that when Nelson placed a hand on his shoulder cutting off his rant before he could get started. He sighed deeply and let the matter drop, for now. He grabbed a quick look at his watch and noticed it was time for him to relieve O’Brien. “Luckily for you I have to go on duty,” he said with slight smile. “We will discuss this later.”

“Not until he’s better able to defend himself,” Jamie interjected as he rose from his chair. “On your way Chip, it’s time I tuck the captain in for the night anyway.”

“Rest easy bro, I’ll see you next time you surface.” Chip said as he patted Lee on the shoulder and made his way to the door.

“You know where I’ll be for the next day or so,” Lee replied with an impish grin that garnered an exasperated sneer from Jamie as intended.

“You just keep believing that Skipper; you’ll be lucky to see the outside of Sick Bay before we dock.” Jamie said as he moved to the next room to gather up the appropriate sedative to ensure his most challenging patient got all the rest he needed.

Harri sat there quietly watching Lee. He had a feeling that there was something he was holding back from his report but it could be that it was something that Chip and Jamie weren’t cleared to hear. Somehow he doubted that as he saw a troubled and unsettled look cross his captain’s face. He could tell he was exhausted otherwise Lee never would have let his uncertainty show. Harri decided not to push the issue for the moment; if Lee needed to tell him something or just talk he would let him do it in his own time. Coming down off these types of missions was hard enough but he knew Lee was also most likely worried about how his crew would receive him now that it was all over.

Jamie returned momentarily and injected the sedative into Lee’s IV. As he started to drift off Jamie took his vitals then pulled up the blankets effectively tucking in the captain for the night. He saw the worried look on the admiral’s face and gave him a small smile. “He’s going to be fine Harri; he just needs time to rest and recover.”

“Thanks again, Jamie,” Nelson replied as the doctor exited the room. Harri looked over at his son and brushed one of the long wayward curls off his forehead. “Sleep well son, you’re home and we’ll keep you safe.” With that he shut off the light above the bed and left for his quarters to pass on what Lee had reported. A formal debrief would occur when they returned and Lee was strong enough to provide it, but the powers that be needed something to ease their minds and Harri was more than happy to deliver the news.

ooOOOoo

Six days later Jamie released Lee to his cabin with the provision that he was to rest and no excessive wandering about the boat. The first couple of days Lee seemed almost reluctant to leave his quarters afraid to find his crew no longer trusted him because of his actions at the start of the mission. That fear was quickly dispelled as they all seemed to go out of their way to welcome him back and ask how he was doing.

Harri noticed the relief on Lee’s face as he found his crew fully granted him the patience and forbearance he had asked for as he morphed into his cover and he still had a place on Seaview. He still had the impression there was something lingering beneath the surface, something that was bothering him deeply. He was decidedly withdrawn and more quiet than usual; brooding more than he was prone to do. It was tough coming back out from deep cover but he thought Lee should have dispelled most of that by now. Chip and Jamie had both noticed Lee’s continued funk and remarked on his uncharacteristic behavior. Jamie was to the point of recommending counseling once they returned to shore.

Harri was deeply disturbed by Lee’s emotional withdrawal to the point he found himself unable to sleep. After finding no relief within his cabin, he got dressed and wandered down to the control room and found the crash doors shut. “Mr. O’Brien is there a reason why the crash doors are shut?”

“Good evening sir. Yes, the captain wanted them closed; I believe he’s sitting in the nose and just wanted some quiet.” Bobby replied.

“Very well, thank you,” Nelson responded. He quickly backtracked to the deck above then descended the spiral staircase from officer’s country to see if he could get Lee to talk to him. As he walked down he saw Lee sitting in the dark just staring out the great windows. He turned his head slightly as he tracked Nelson’s steps down the staircase.

“Evening sir,” Lee said without looking back. “You’re up late.”

“Couldn’t sleep, what’s your excuse? Jamie’s not going to be pleased you aren’t in bed resting.” Harri replied as he walked over and took a seat next to Lee.

“That’s about all I seem to do lately, I just needed to get out for a bit.” Lee explained.

They sat there quietly for a few minutes just staring out the windows. Finally Harri decided he needed to broach the subject and asked the question most on his mind. “Son, what’s wrong, what’s bothering you about this mission?”

Lee turned his head and stared at Harri for a moment and then smiled slightly. “You read me pretty well any more. Harri there’s something I need to tell you about this mission,” he said very quietly almost fearfully.

“Yes Lee, what is it? Are you upset about blowing up the cave?” Nelson inquired.

“No, what was in that cave had to be destroyed. You know I don’t like killing but the men in that cave were there by choice and the attacks they were planning would indiscriminately kill millions of innocent people; they were a casualty of war they chose to start.” Lee paused for a moment deciding whether to reveal his secret or not. If he couldn’t trust Nelson, who could he trust?

“Sir… once I actually started working with their bomb I suddenly realized what you left out during your instruction and what you had altered. I can build one Harri; given all the correct materials I can build a fully functional atomic bomb.” Lee replied quietly. “The thought of that scares the hell out of me. As soon as I realized what I now knew, I really pushed to complete my fake so I could get out before I was discovered as a mole and tortured for my secrets.”

Harri stared at Lee somewhat stunned at the revelation. After taking a moment to digest the information he placed his hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I can’t say that I’m too surprised Lee. I could see once we got into this that you were grasping it all very easily and it wouldn’t take much for you to correct the errors, spot the gaps and fill in the missing pieces. To your credit son, you’re only one of a handful of people that have made all the connections and reached the point where you could complete the device.”

“I don’t want this knowledge Harri, but like Pandora once the box is open there’s no putting things back.”

“Ah but with you, like Pandora, Hope remains and hope will temper the ills that have escaped. I know how you feel Lee, believe me; I’ve faced that same revelation myself and it is a frightening thought. Yes, you hold the keys to massive destruction but take solace in the fact the materials needed to build such a weapon are extremely difficult to come by. I personally can think of no one I would rather have in possession of those keys than you son. Your moral compass is so strong that you would never allow that knowledge to be used to further evil purposes,” Harri answered.

Lee stared at Harri for a moment mulling over what he said. “I find myself with a dilemma sir and hopefully you can help me with it. Do I report that I am able to build the bomb? I’m inclined to keep that just between us but would truly like your advice.”

Harri sat silently considering Lee’s question. He quickly ran through all the implications that a revelation like that could mean to his young friend. On the plus side, ONI might deem him too much of a risk to send out on missions and quit using him as an operative. On the minus side ONI might deem him too much of a risk and virtually or actually imprison him to ensure that the information stayed safe. If Lee told them of his new found skills that information would most likely be written down somewhere and given past experiences they’d had with moles within ONI it could get out and make him a target.

As long as no one else knew Lee could build the bomb, he wouldn’t be questioned about it. If Lee were captured and interrogated in the course of his ONI activities Harri couldn’t see his captor ever asking him for the instructions on how to construct the device. Those who had seen him in the bunker were now dead so they could never reveal his secret and if perchance someone did survive they would most likely think of him as just a spy sent in to sabotage their efforts and not someone in possession of the knowledge to actually build a working bomb.

Harri felt the intensity of Lee’s scrutiny as he mulled over the pros and cons of full disclosure to ONI and the Navy. Finally resolving his internal debate he smiled slightly at Lee had laid his hand on his shoulder. “I’m inclined to agree with your assessment Lee. The fewer people who know the less likelihood it could ever become an issue. And as I said earlier there’s no one on this earth I’d rather have in possession of that knowledge than you because you will always protect it and this country,” Harri said, the sincerity of his words written clearly across his face.

For the first time since this entire mission had started Lee felt the tension and disquiet he held inside begin to melt. A relaxed and easy smile spread across his face feeling as though a massive weight had finally been lifted from his shoulders. Somehow he had managed it all, the successful completion of the mission, acceptance and welcome from his crew and friends and reassurance from the man he respected most in this world that what he wanted to do with his new found knowledge was the right thing.

After a moment he fought hard to stifle a yawn but finally gave in to the weariness. “I think I’m ready for bed now sir. How about you?”

Harri smiled broadly at the man he also respected more than any other and clapped him lightly on the shoulder. “That sounds like an excellent suggestion son; I think sleep will come very easily now. Let’s put everything to rest and call it a night and a mission.”

With that Harri assisted Lee to his feet and followed him slowly to the staircase. As they made their way up the stairs, Harri once again marveled at the younger man before him and his chameleon like abilities to change to meet any need yet the inner strength of conviction and force of personality to retain his true identity regardless of the challenges. He wondered not for the first time how many times Lee had forced himself into a new identity and how many unwanted memories or how much unwanted knowledge he kept locked away deep inside. As of now Lee was Lee again, as the last of the demons were dispatched and he completed his metamorphosis back into the man Harri knew as his captain, his friend, his son.

The End

*Man of Many Faces