The Pacific Rim Collection by Don Brown

Author:Don Brown [Brown, Don]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780310342854
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2014-01-15T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Harbin SH-5 maritime bomber

People’s Liberation Naval Air Force

altitude 2,000 feet

South China Sea

250 miles east of Da Nang, Vietnam

100 miles south of Paracel Islands (Xisha Qundao)

5:14 a.m. local time

Were it not for the adrenaline flowing in Senior Lieutenant Jung Hai’s veins, the roaring hum of the four turbojet engines hanging under the wings of the SH-5 could almost lull him to sleep.

But there would be no sleep this morning.

With his hands gripping the yoke in the cockpit and his plane flying due east over open water, all eyes were fixed on the ghastly green of the pre-dawn sea below in search of a missing freighter.

“Any sign of anything yet, sir?” His crew chief had stepped into the cockpit from the back of the plane.

“Not yet. Just miles of greenish open water. But my guess is one of three things.”

“You think the Taiwanese Navy, Skipper?”

“Either that or a total engine failure or rogue wave. Take your pick, Chief.”

“Sounds logical, sir.”

“But if they sent her to the bottom, that makes our job harder. It’s hard to spot isolated floating debris from this altitude. And if they took a civilian freighter out, you can bet they would fire their antiaircraft missiles at us too. Times like this? I wish I’d become a fighter pilot. At least we would stand a better chance if we get shot at.” He looked out the left side of the plane, out to an empty expanse of water, water that was now coming to light with the imminent appearance of the rising sun. “The enemy’s down there somewhere, Chief. I can feel it.”

Bridge

USS Vicksburg

South China Sea

108 miles south of Paracel Islands (Xisha Qundao) course 094 degrees

5:28 a.m. local time

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