Seal Team Seven #20: Attack Mode Read Online Free Page B

and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are up to their armpits in deep shit.”
    “Nuclear, sir?” Murdock asked.
    “More than nuclear. Ten tons of pure plutonium packed in lead transfer tanks. The whole damn ship with the plutonium is missing, and we don’t have a clue where she might be.”
    “Where did she sail from?” Gardner asked.
    “That we know. A little atoll fifteen hundred miles almost due west of Honolulu. Draw a circle from there for ten days of travel at eleven knots and the ship should be in that circle somewhere.”
    “Damn big circle,” Murdock said. “Say she makes eleven knots for twenty-four, that’s two hundred and sixty-four nautical miles. Ten days of that and she could be two thousand, six hundred and forty miles from that atoll. That’s a lot of ocean to search.”
    “That’s what they’re doing,” Masciareli said. “I understand they have repositioned two satellites to scan the area so they can log in and chart every ship of that size or larger. The Navy had a carrier group at Pearl, and it pulled out six hours ago and headed to the southwest. That’s where the brains think the hijackers may be headed. They could try to get lost down there in that maze of South Pacific islands.”
    “So we’re on standby?” Murdock asked.
    “Your platoon is on a six-hour travel alert. It could take them three or four days to find the ship. When they think they’re getting close, we’ll ship you to Pearl and then probably to the carrier, whichever one they sent down there.”
    “Is Don Stroh involved?” Murdock asked.
    “Yes, he’s your control and he’ll be on base before ten hundred today. He’ll be going with you whenever you leave.”
    “He opens a lot of doors for us,” Murdock said.
    “We’ll get our travel gear ready and tell the men to stay within arm’s reach of a phone when they’re off duty,” JG Gardner said. “They say anything about special weapons or equipment?”
    “Not yet. I’m suggesting they fly your Turtle over to Pearl and have it nearby in case you need it on some of those atolls and islands out there,” Masciareli said. “I talked with the CNO this morning and he’s authorized the transfer of the Turtle by air to Pearl. We have it, we might as well get some good out of it.”
    “Agreed,” Murdock said. “We’ll get her dried out and ready to fly. When does she leave?”
    “Tomorrow at ten hundred from North Island.”
    “We better alert the men and get putting some travel packs together. Is there anything else, Commander?”
    “I’ll keep you informed. Oh, be sure to keep your cell phones turned on when you’re not in the water.”
    “Yes, sir,” both men said, then turned and walked out of the office. Gardner went to bring the SEALs back to the platoon area. Murdock went to his office to start getting gear lists made out for the expected trip. He found Don Stroh sitting in his chair waiting for him.
    “Commander, I’ve decided I don’t want to trade places with you. The damn chair isn’t right, and then if I sat here, somebody would want to shoot at me sooner or later. How’s it going, big, tough SEAL?”
    “Around and around, Stroh. I hear you’re going with us this time, so I’m getting a set of combat gear all ready for you. What weapon do you want, a submachine gun?”
    “Hey, hold on there, Petruchio. I’m support, not backup. I don’t like getting shot at. What do you think of this new job?”
    “Sounds impossible. How can you find the ship?”
    “Satellites and AWACS for starters. Then we’ve contacted every island in the South Pacific with a radio or telephone, telling them about the hijacking, and they are watching. We’ve also put out a million-dollar reward for whoever finds the ship. All of the big ports are covered like a security blanket. Now we concentrate on the little islands that are populated. We have a chance. But it could take a couple of days.”
    “We’ll be ready.”
    “Murdock, your guys can be ready