Over an hour later, after two waves of Zero attacks on the battleships, and major airfields, Edwin steps out of the building seeing the Zeros flying off.
"Sir, where are they going?" Kimmel's Aide asked.
"Back to their carriers." Edwin said without a doubt. "Drive out to the radio direction finder and report back to me."
"Yes, sir." The Adie said and rushed off.
Many sailor and Navy men were on the sidewalk all clamoring as many were tending those who were wounded in the attack as Edwin watches.
In open water, the USS Enterprise sails on.
"Admiral Halsey on deck." A man announced.
Vice Admiral William "Bull" F. Halsey Jr. soon steps inside the bridge as Miles Browning turns to him and they both saluted.
"Pearl found something?" Halsey asked.
"Intelligence managed to get a line of bearing on the attacking fleet." Browning reported.
Halsey then heads into a room.
"But's a bilateral reading." Browning said. "The Japanese are either at 343 degrees or 163 degrees."
"Oh, for Christ sake." Halsey complained drawing a line of the Japanese fleet's position. "Pearl is under attack and we don't even know if the bastards are north or south?"
"Army bombers also reported a possible ship sighting here." Browning added pointing to a spot in the south.
Halsey turns to him.
"We're gonna place our bet right there." Halsey said drawing an "X" in the south.
Later, the pilots were in the briefing room as McClusky stood by a chart with Lieutenant Torpedo Squadron Six Commander Eugene E. Lindsey next to him.
"We have a possible location on the Jap fleet." McClusky informed and gestured to the chart. "Fly a grid on bearing 185. If you make contact, Best and his men will put down a smokescreen and then the torpedo bombers will make their runs. Lindsey has command."
"Smokescreens?" Hiccup said in disbelief.
"Eh, to hell with smoke." Best said clearly pissed.
Lindsey walks by as Best and Hiccup got up following him.
"Let me go after those carriers with a real bomb." Best said.
"Torpedoes sink ships, not bombs, and my men need a screen." Lindsey said.
"I get that, but a bomb can still slow a carrier down." Hiccup said as they wandered through the hall.
"Yeah, even if you get close enough, your torpedoes don't work." Best said.
"That's a rumor." Lindsey said turning to them.
"Yeah, it's a rumor, 'cause the damn things have never been tested." Best argued as McClusky turns to them.
"And you know it's true, Lindsey." Hiccup said. "And a TBD can barely compete with a Zero."
Best then turns to McClusky. "Look, the Japs are out there killing our friends. Let me put a 500-pound bomb right down their goddamn smokestack."
"You know those torpedoes haven't been tested, McClusky." Hiccup said.
"We're not changing tactics just because you want revenge." McClusky said making himself clear.
Begrudgingly, Best and Hiccup soon left.
They soon head outside onto the deck as their SBDS were being prepared as Best got to his meeting with Murray already in his seat.
"Going after the Japs, sir?" Murray asked.
"Yeah, we're gonna smoke 'em to death." Best said.
Murray grabs his headgear and Best got in his seat and brought out a photo of Ann and Barbara and stares at it for a moment. And then placed it in a slot, once secured, Best brought out a piece of gum and chew it as the crewman signals him out for takeoff.
And Best pushed the throttle lever forward as his Dauntless rolls forward gaining speed and takes off into the air it's landing gear retracts up as he flies off.
Hiccup in his Dauntless looks at a family photo of him with Astrid, Zephyr, and Nathan and soon takes off as well.
Back at Pearl Harbor, now sunset, Edwin enters the main room as Kimmel was there as the ships in flames can be seen outside.
"Japanese are attacking on multiple fronts." Edwin reported. "We captured a radio log from a downed Japanese plane. They hit us with all six of their fleet carriers. At least they didn't destroy our oil tanks. The whole fleet would have had to withdraw to the West Coast."
Kimmel turns to Edwin. "You are the best intelligence officer I've ever known, Layton." He said. "They'll probably burn you for this, too. But if they don't, swear to me, you'll make the next man in this chair listen to you."
Edwin remains silent.
Back out over the Pacific, airplane engines whirring is sounded in the distance as the fleet of SBD Dauntlesses and TBD Devastators were still on the hunt for the Japanese fleet, but found no trace of them so far.
"See anything, sir?" Murray asked Best as he looked through binoculars trying to spot them.
"Not even a goddamn whale." Best said annoyed.
Even Hiccup and his radioman, Fredrick, weren't having much luck.
"Fred, you see them?" Hiccup asked.
"Nothing." Fredrick said.
"Should've seen them by now." Hiccup muttered. "And I've seen whales easier up here from time to time."
Over with Lindsey, he was looking through his binoculars, but saw no sign of the Japanese fleet. He looks over to his 1:00 view, and checks his map for bearings, knowing they should have ran into the fleet by now.
He then grabs his microphone. "Six baker 10,-"
"-this is six torpedo one." He called to Best. "Lead us back to Enterprise."
Best grabs his mic. "Six torpedo one, your pilots aren't trained for a night carrier landing with live ordnance."
"Go land at Pearl."
"He's right, Lindsey, the Zeros are long gone by now." Hiccup responded.
"We can't clear the mountains." Lindsey said. "Take us back to Enterprise, lieutenant."
"That's an order." Lindsey said.
"Six torpedo one, I'm dropping my smoke tanks and returning to Enterprise." Best responded pulling the bomb release as the smoke tank was released. "Follow me if you want."
The leading SBDs begins to head back to Enterprise.
Towards dusk, Best's plane nears Enterprise making a landing approach and soon touches down on the deck. He soon climbs out of his plane joining by Murray as Hiccup and Fredrick join them.
"Well that was a bust." Hiccup said.
The other pilots gathered as McClusky steps out.
"We got word from Pearl." McClusky said. "The Jap fleet was north, not south."
"How the hell did they mess that that?!" Hiccup complained.
Best was equally upset as well feeling like they came back from a wild goose chase. "God damn it!"
Then one of the TBD Devastators from Lindsey's team lands, but was rather hard as it's right landing gear got damaged as the torpedo came loose and slides towards the carrier island. Everyone quickly backed away but Lieutenant William E. "Slim" Townsend rushed in and got on the torpedo trying to stop it, and McClusky saw this and rushes down. Slim frantically plants his feet on the deck trying to stop the skidding torpedo grunting as it got closer but quickly placed his foot against the staircase as it finally stops.
And cheering fills the deck as everyone cheered on his quick act and applause as some men work to secure the torpedo.
"Good job, man." A pilot patted Slim's shoulder.
Best hands Murry the map.
"Frickin' torpedo." Hiccup muttered angrily shoving his map to Fredrick.
"Hey, Lindsey, this is what I was afraid of." Best said as he and Hiccup approached Lindsey. "One of your men almost blows up the damn carrier, because you were too afraid to get shot down flying into Pearl."
"We told you to go to Pearl for a reason." Hiccup said. "You almost could've gotten us all killed!"
McClusky watches them argue.
"Do I have to remind you that I am your superior officer, lieutenant?" Lindsey said.
McClusky then made his approach knowing it's about to get physical.
"You gonna hide behind your rank?" Best challenged looking to punch him.
Hiccup then gripped his shirt hard. "Was that a sorry excuse?" Looking he might actually punch him.
"Save it for the Japs." McClusky said breaking it up getting between them.
"We're at war now, McClusky." Best argued. "When that guy screws up, people die!"
"You better wipe that overconfidence attitude off your face before I do it myself!" Hiccup yelled at Lindsey.
"Listen to me." McClusky said to both of them. "You wanna keep flying? I suggest you knock off the cowboy bullshit."
Best turns making the wise choice to leave. "Come on, Murray."
Hiccup glared at Lindsey, but soon turns away and walks off.
Early the next morning, Enterprise sails into Pearl Harbor, and everyone saw the aftermath of yesterday's attack as smoke continues billowing from the ships. And Best and Hiccup join by Murray.
"Jesus." Murray said.
"I know." Hiccup said. "And Oklahoma's flipped over."
They saw the USS Oklahoma flipped over from it's eight torpedo strikes as it looked like an upturned whale carcass as a team of six men were on it's underside welding the plates trying to get through and hoping to free anyone trapped inside.
"What are they doing?" Murray asked.
"When she went over, everyone below deck was probably trapped inside." Best said.
The welders worked to get a plate free.
"Hope they get at least a handful out that are still alive." Hiccup said.
Best and Hiccup then saw what was left of the Arizona as smoke continues billowing heavily.
"Wish we can say the same for the Arizona." Hiccup said knowing it's a greater loss.
"Did you know anyone aboard Arizona?" Murray asked.
"Yeah, my roommate from the Academy." Best said. "Lieutenant Roy Pearce."
Smoke billows heavily from the burning wreck as the Arizona lies in her resting place.
They were soon docked, and Best and Hiccup walked off the gangplank and met with Dickinson with his left arm in a sling and the three hugged each other.
"Glad you're okay, Clarence." Hiccup said.
"I heard you jumped out of a perfectly good plane." Best said.
"Well, it was on fire." Dickinson said in defense. "And the controls were dead."
Best then noticed Miller was missing. "Where's Miller?"
Dickinson shook his head.
"Ah, hell." Best said feeling sorry.
"He was a good man." Hiccup said feeling the same.
"Yeah." Dickinson said. "Hey, Ann and Astrid's by the gate."
"Thanks." Hiccup said wanting to see his wife.
Best nodded. "Are you okay?"
Dickinson nodded. "Yeah, I'm all right."
Best and Hiccup soon went up to the gate as they saw their wives waiting for them.
"Hiccup." Astrid said gratefully relieved.
"Astrid, thank God, you're okay." Hiccup said equally relieved and held her hand.
"Hi." Ann said to her husband.
"Hey." Best said getting to the fence and held Ann's hand.
"Come home tonight." Ann begged.
"I wish." Best said. "We sail as soon as we're refueled."
"You okay?" Hiccup asked his wife.
"A little shaken and scared, but yeah." Astrid reassured. "Same with the kids."
"Look, I want you and Barb to go back to your parents' places in Jersey." Best said.
"No." Ann shook her head.
"It's not safe here." Best said.
"Everyone is saying this is gonna be a long war." Ann said.
"What if..." Best tried.
"You're not shipping us off to Jersey and that's final." Ann said.
"Astrid, are you sure I can't..." Hiccup tried.
"Hiccup, the day I married you, I swore to follow you wherever you go, for better or worse." Astrid said making herself clear. "It'll take more than an attack and you to send back to the mainland."
Hiccup then sighed. "All right. If you're sure."
"We're staying." Astrid said. "All of us."
"Did you talk to Sarah?" Best asked Ann. "Was Roy aboard the Arizona?"
"Yes." Ann confirmed.
"Oh, man." Hiccup said already fearing the worse.
"We're checking all the hospitals, but nothing yet." Ann said.
"Tell her I'll find him." Best said.
"Hey, I'll be home as soon as I can." Hiccup said and held Astrid's hand comforting. "Okay?"
"Okay." Astrid said nodding.
Hiccup then kissed her hand.
Best and Hiccup followed a nurse in a hospital as many survivors of yesterday's attack lay in beds. And the nurse leads them to where Sully as he had bandaged-covered hands and on his head.
"Thank you." Best said to the nurse and walks off and turns back to Sully. "Hey. I heard you were with Lieutenant Pearce during the attack."
Sully then nodded.
Best bends down to him. "Sully... what happened to him?"
"I don't know." Sully softly cried and starts sniffling. "I don't know."
Best then stood up.
"We'll find him." Hiccup said assured the young sailor. "Just try to get some rest. Okay?"
Best and Hiccup soon followed Dr. LT. JG into a room where victims are kept.
"We're doing our best." LT. JG said. "But they've been bringing body parts... in pillow cases."
Best and Hiccup were silently shocked as they saw more than two dozen covered bodies.
"There's too many." LT. JG said.
He walks down the room as Best and Hiccup followed him.
"He was a blonde guy." Best said. "Tall. Probably wearing an officer's uniform."
"Officers down here." LT. JG gestured to a section of bodies.
He then kneels down covering a burnt body.
"Is there anything else you can give me?" LT. JG asked standing back up. "Identifying features? Tattoos?"
"No, no tattoos?" Hiccup said.
"Well, he would have been wearing our class ring from Annapolis." Best said showing his class ring.
LT. JG was silent and turns as he walks and they followed a few bodies down as LT. JG kneels to one body, and moves back the case revealing a charred burnt body. And Best and Hiccup were silently disturbed, and LT. JG grabs a bundle and stood up.
"We, uh... took this off the body when he came in." LT. JG informed opening the bundle.
He reveals a charred wristwatch, and a familiar Annapolis class ring. And Bests grabs it and he and Hiccup soon realized it was Pearce's ring.
"I'm sorry." LT. JG said with full condolence. "I'll give you a moment."
Best and Hiccup remained sadly silent of their friend's death.
"December 7th, 1941..."
In Japan, many people went about their daily lives as usual.
"a date which will live in infamy. President Franklin Roosevelt spoke through a radio. "The United States of America was suddenly and deliberately by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. The United States was at peace with that nation... and, at the solicitation of Japan..."
Yamamoto remains silent as Geisha placed a dish down.
"Turn it off." Yamamoto said.
Geisha nods.
"...was still in conversation with its government and its..."
Geisha turns the radio off as the broadcast stops, and turns back to Yamamoto.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
Yamamoto was silently concerned and turns back to her. "We have awakened a sleeping giant... and filled him with terrible resolve."
Author's Note:
And Yamamoto sure had no idea how big the sleeping giant was.