Chapter 4
Thirty minutes later, Nelson, Morton, and the WHOI dive team assembled in the wardroom. They all quickly filled their plates and cups and grabbed a seat around the table. The first few minutes were spent on introducing hot coffee into chilled bodies and then a hot meal. As the cook's assistant cleared away the dishes, they all sat back ready to debrief the dive.
"So Dr. Weems, how do you think the dive went? Is this site suitable for additional dives or will you need us to move to another location?" Nelson inquired.
"I think we all thought the dive went well, Admiral. We chatted briefly about it as we were cleaning up. There appears to be substantial coral colonies in the area to warrant an excursion by the other two teams. Captain Morton proved to be very helpful in locating outcrops for us," Weems replied.
"I'm curious that you didn't collect any samples, and according to Captain Morton your review of the area seemed cursory at best," Nelson stated bluntly.
"That's wholly intentional on our part, Admiral," Weems said, shooting Morton a somewhat annoyed glance. "The first dive is meant to get a general feeling for the area, cover as much ground as possible and reserve sample collection for the subsequent teams. We make the decision whether additional time should be spent here or to pick up stakes and move elsewhere."
Nelson stared at him dubiously for a moment. He wasn't ready to call him a liar outright, but it definitely was sitting on the tip of his tongue. "That's an interesting approach. If it's something that works for you and your team, then so be it. So what varieties of black coral have you identified thus far?"
"We did see some healthy colonies of abyssopathes lyriformis shortly after we exited the boat, thanks to Captain Morton. There were some smaller outcrops of paracorillium thrinix and some antipathies galapagensis," Weems responded.
"You did indeed hit the jackpot then Dr. Weems," Nelson responded and shot a quick look at Chip.
"We have indeed, Admiral. Well, if you'll excuse us, I need to go brief my next team on where to start their survey and collection activities. When will the next team be going out?"
"Team two is scheduled to dive at 1500. If you would pass that information on, I would appreciate it," Chip answered.
"Gladly, Captain. See you at three," Weems said, then he and his team rose from the table and departed.
Once he was sure the WHOI team was out of earshot, Chip looked at Nelson and shook his head. "What did you think of his responses, sir?"
"His investigative process may work for him, but at least one of the corals he listed as a black coral is of the gorgonian family, not a black coral variety. Paracorillium thrinix is significantly different than black corals. He could have just misspoken but then again…"
"Should we continue with the dives?"
"Let's get one more dive under our belts. Let Kowalski in on your concerns and have him observe them closely. If he's not comfortable with their methods, then I think we're going to have a very pointed discussion with Dr. Weems before we go any further," Harri answered.
"I agree sir. I'll go get with Kowalski now."
As Chip left the wardroom, Harri sat back in his seat and pinched his lower lip deep in thought. This was getting curiouser and curiouser by the minute, and he was not a person that let puzzles pass by without trying to solve what was going on.
ooolo)
Weems stormed back to his cabin, collecting the rest of his team as he went. Once they were all inside he shut the door and dropped heavily into the chair behind the small desk.
"What's up?" Hillman asked.
"For some damn reason they're suspicious of us. Nelson just subjected me to an interrogation of sorts trying to figure out why we're really here. He's not buying our research and I don't think Morton is either," Weems replied scowling as he thought over their lunchtime discussion.
"So what do you want to do?" Roberts asked. "Do we keep with the plan?"
"I think we need to accelerate things by a day. We don't need him deciding to cut short the mission and turn us around. We go during the next dive instead of waiting for tomorrow," Weems began. "Bridger, you develop a problem with your regulator about 45 minutes into the dive. That should focus everyone's attention on the emergency and draw people away from the areas we need to access. Once you alert to the diver emergency, we go. Is everyone ready for that?"
The rest of the team nodded that they were ready to carry out their assignments and take control of Seaview. Weems smiled and pushed back in his chair. "All right, let's get everything staged and ready to go. Hillman, you and Norris see to taking the crew out of action. Everyone make damn sure you synch your watches with the start of the dive. Got it?"
Once again he was greeted with a sea of nods. "Good. Timmons, you and your team need to be ready to dive at 1500. Get moving." The men quickly exited Weems cabin and returned to theirs to either prepare for their dive or for capturing control of Seaview.
(olooo
At precisely 1500, the second dive team entered the dive chamber and were released to the open ocean to conduct their second survey. Kowalski had his orders and paid close attention to the activities the scientific team was carrying out. Unlike the earlier dive, this time the WHOI members focused in on the coral patch Morton had noticed on the first dive and actually collected small portions of the coral.
Everything was pretty much proceeding as expected. Having photographed and explored the area around the boat, the team then headed off in the opposite direction of the first dive team to determine if there were areas of interest. Their pace was slow and deliberate as they carefully checked out the surrounding area as they went, unlike the whirlwind tour that occurred on the first dive.
Forty-five minutes into the dive Kowalski's attention was drawn to a frantic waving of a dive light from one of the team members. He and the other two divers immediately converged on the signaling diver. As they arrived it was obvious that he was in some sort of severe distress as he signaled that he was having difficulty breathing then within moments passed out.
"Emergency! Emergency! Emergency!" Ski called out over the dive channel. "Seaview we have a diver in distress. He indicated he was having problems breathing and then just passed out. I am terminating the dive now and we are returning to Seaview. Have the doc there to meet us."
"Copy that, Kowalski. Will you require any assistance outside?" Morton replied.
"Negative, we are able to bring him back ourselves."
"Very well. Sick Bay personnel will be there to meet you when you arrive." Morton double clicked the mike, clearing the channel. "Doctor Jamieson report to the missile room immediately, diver in distress."
"Jamieson, here," came the immediate acknowledgement. "We're on our way."
As Jamie mobilized his staff to the missile room, the rest of the crew assumed emergency response duties. Extra crewmen moved to the nose to help spot the incoming divers and additional men reported to the missile room to assist with the recovery of the divers and help the medical team as needed.
"Bobby, you have the con," Chip called out as he headed for the aft hatch, followed closely by Nelson.
With all eyes focused on the dive emergency outside the boat, Weems and his men galvanized into action. Two of them grabbed two small cylinders of compressed gas and made their way to the air revitalization station and quickly ducked inside. Two more made their way down towards the armory, while Weems and Roberts headed towards the con.
At the designated time, the men in the revitalization space cracked open the valves on their cylinders and flooded the unit with a powerful sedative that was quickly circulated throughout the boat. The WHOI team then pulled on their gas masks and waited for the odorless gas to render the crew of Seaview unconscious.
As the crew fell like leaves, the team immediately went into action securing weapons and taking control of critical areas of the boat like the control room and the engine room. Once certain that everyone was down, Weems made his way to the missile room and waited for the return of his dive team.
Meanwhile outside the boat, Kowalski and the other two divers hustled the stricken diver back to Seaview. Reaching the dive chamber hatch, they immediately entered and Ski triggered the switch sealing the hatch above them and draining the chamber. As the chamber emptied, the stricken diver seemed to strangely recover and no longer required assistance.
Ski stared quizzically at the man, amazed at the sudden change in his condition. As he was about to question him, the chamber door opened and they began to file out. As he stepped out he was immediately greeted by two men wearing gas masks holding guns on him. He quickly scanned the room and found it littered with the unconscious bodies of his shipmates.
"What the hell…" Ski started but was cut off as Roberts indicated he should raise his hands and step away from the chamber.
Ski stepped carefully over the bodies of the admiral and Morton as he moved to the dive bench. He glared at the men around him, furious at their actions and concerned about his friends and COs lying motionless on the floor.
The divers stood there, their dive gear still in place until they received a signal from Roberts that the air was now safe. Then Roberts removed his mask, the divers their dive helmets, and then he indicated Ski should do the same.
Ski waited for a moment checking to see if the air was indeed safe. When the returning divers seemed okay he too divested himself of his helmet.
"You want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Ski demanded. "Are they all right?!"
"I would think it quite obvious that we have taken over the boat," Weems replied as he entered the missile room. "As for your comrades, yes they are fine for the moment. They've just been rendered unconscious."
"You mind telling me why?" Kowalski inquired.
"All in good time, all in good time. You three get out of your gear and start getting these men tied up. Once you've finished here, bring Nelson and Morton up to the nose. Hillman, Roberts help the others secure the rest of the crew then report to the control room so we can move this boat," Weems ordered.
"Move the boat? Where are you taking her?"
"Just deeper Kowalski. We want them to know where we are, just not able to easily get to us at the moment," Weems answered with a sneer.
ooolo)
It had been nearly six hours since Weems had initiated his plan and taken control of Seaview. He and his crew had, in that time, moved the boat deeper to 3,400 feet. He was standing in the nose, looking out into the black abyss when his attention was drawn to the two men secured to chairs behind him, as they fought their way back to consciousness.
"Ugghh," moaned Chip, as he rolled his head slowly from side to side. His eyes felt glued shut and as he tried to raise his hand to rub them he found he couldn't move. His eyes shot instantly open and he quickly noticed the ropes holding him to the chair. "What the hell?!"
He immediately surveyed the scene around him and spotted the admiral likewise tied to a chair but currently unconscious. He turned his head towards the control room which was devoid of his crew, and spotted only a couple of the WHOI team, one at the radio station and the other watching the sonar screen. As he turned his gaze towards the windows he saw Weems smiling condescendingly at him, amused at the predicament Chip found himself in.
"Weems, what's the meaning of this?" Morton sputtered.
"Once the admiral has joined us, I will gladly answer all your questions, Captain," Weems replied smugly. As if on cue, Nelson moaned quietly and gently shook his head as if trying to shake out the cobwebs. His reaction to his bonds was similar to Chip's and he was instantly awake looking for the reason why he couldn't move.
"Ah how good of you to join us, Admiral," Weems purred.
"Weems. What the hell is going on? Why are we restrained?!" Nelson demanded.
"Not the most original response, but I suppose it hits all the high points," Weems replied. "In answer to your questions, and yours too Captain Morton, we have taken over your boat. We intend to use this vessel as a bargaining chip to attain our ends," he continued cryptically.
"What ends?" Nelson inquired.
"Bridger, place my call to COMSUBPAC. I believe an Admiral Starke is currently occupying that position," Weems called out to the man in the radio shack. After 10 minutes and no contact Weems walked back. "What's taking so long?"
"He's back in DC and they're trying to track him down. I told them Nelson had an emergency and needed to speak with him immediately," Bridger said. He raised his hand to his headphone as he heard some static on the other end. "I think he's coming on now."
"Good, put it on the overhead," Weems ordered. Bridger complied and after a squawk of static the irate voice of Jiggs Starke echoed through the con.
"Harriman, what the devil is going on? What's so all fired important that you had to pull me out of a meeting with SECNAV?"
"Admiral Starke, you don't know me, but I am calling you to let you know I have taken over Seaview, and if you don't see to it that my demands are met, I will kill each and every man on this boat and then detonate one of her nuclear weapons. At best that will spark a tsunami that will drastically impact residents on the California coast and at worst set off a shift along the tectonic plate in this area making things even worse," Weems responded.
"Who are you?" Starke inquired. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"
"My name is unimportant. As far as telling the truth, I will let Admiral Nelson tell you exactly what his situation is. Go ahead Admiral speak to your friend, let him know that both you and your vessel are under my complete control."
"Jiggs, it's Harri. At the moment, I and Commander Morton are tied up here in the nose of Seaview. There are no other crewmen present so my assumption is that they are being held elsewhere on the boat."
"Harri, are you all right? Do you know what this madman wants?" Starke responded.
"As best I can tell Morton and I are fine. As far as what Weems wants, he's yet to share that with us."
"I was just waiting for all the parties to be assembled. I don't enjoy repeating myself, Admiral," Weems said with a chuckle. "To get down to business Admiral Starke, my demands are simple. I want Emeril Logan released from the Federal Penitentiary in Marion, Virginia and delivered to me here onboard Seaview. I also want Commander Lee Crane to accompany him."
"Who the hell is Emeril Logan?" Starke inquired.
Chip and Nelson shared a confused look until finally the answer popped to mind. "Emeril Logan is the man that took over Seaview about four years ago and stole the Mona Lisa," Nelson expounded. "Once we took back control of the boat, he was put on trial and sentenced to life for the crimes of murder and piracy."
"Very good Admiral. Yes, that is the very man we want delivered to us at this location."
"Why the hell do you want Crane? Isn't he there with you?" Starke blustered.
"No, Lee was on a training mission with the reserves when it came time to sail. He was late in returning and I was unable to get in contact with him," Harri answered.
"Captain Crane was a big part of why Mr. Logan's plans were derailed. I think you're smart enough to figure out why he wants the captain here with the admiral," Weems added.
"And if I say no?" Starke countered.
"I've already given you the 'or else' scenario, Admiral. I'll give you 24 hours in which to agree to my demands or I will start firing crewmen out the torpedo tubes," Weems stated, then drew his hand across his throat indicating Bridger should terminate the connection.
(olooo