Launch Code by Michael Ridpath

Author:Michael Ridpath [Ridpath, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Yarmer Head
Published: 2019-11-06T22:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Nine

November 1983, Norwegian Sea

A petty officer, flanked by two sailors, flung open the door to the XO’s stateroom and shoved me inside.

The missile chief had grabbed me as Craig crumpled to the floor, next to Morgan who was groaning in pain. I dropped the wrench. We all stared at the blood seeping through Craig’s hair. I didn’t know if he was dead. He looked it.

Within a minute the XO was in the missile compartment, taking control. A minute later, I was in his stateroom. With Lars.

Lars was pacing the tiny room. He stopped and stared at me. He grinned, but his eyes were wild. ‘I heard the announcement terminating missile launch,’ he said. ‘Did you do it?’

‘Do what?’ I said, although I knew what he meant.

‘Kill Driscoll?’

I shook my head and lowered it.

‘Weps?’

I nodded.

‘Thank God,’ Lars said.

I looked at him. Part of me thought he was crazy. Part of me thought he was the only sane one on board.

‘Actually, I’m not sure he’s dead,’ I said.

‘What do you mean?’

‘I hit him hard over the head. With a wrench, like you tried to do.’

‘And you don’t think you killed him?’

‘He’s out cold, that’s for sure.’ I felt my throat constrict and my eyes water. It took me by surprise; I never cried.

Lars threw his arm around me. ‘Well done!’ he said. ‘Well done, Bill.’

I pushed him away and slumped on to the XO’s bed. ‘I probably killed him, Lars.’

‘And stopped a war.’

‘We don’t know that!’

Lars bent down and grabbed my shoulders. ‘Look! If there’s a war, we’re all dead. But if there isn’t, it’s just Craig.’

‘Just Craig? But he was my friend. Our friend.’

‘Yes he was,’ said Justin. ‘But you did the right thing.’

‘I don’t know. But I’ve done it now.’

I sat and Lars paced. I looked around the XO’s stateroom. It was freakishly neat. With so many people crammed into a submarine, everything on board had to be tidy. But the XO’s desk was completely clear, with the exception of a black-and-white photograph of a woman set at a forty-five degree angle; the books on his shelf were perfectly vertical. It was as if he had used a protractor to adjust the placement of his things.

I stared at Mrs Robinson, if that’s who she was. She was beautiful. An open face, wide clear eyes, a smile that made your heart leap.

How long did she have to live? Was she dead already?

I sat on the bed, hoping. But I wasn’t sure what to hope for. That the launch order was an error, obviously. But that meant that I had to hope that Craig was dead, so that he couldn’t pass on the combination to his safe to anyone.

I didn’t want to hope for that.

But what difference did it make what I hoped for? I had done what I had done. If I was lucky I would live with the consequences.

The door was flung open and the XO entered.

I leaped to attention. Lars glanced at me and did the same.

Lieutenant Commander Robinson’s dark eyes flashed with anger.

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