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ere will be justice for this vicious crime 。 。 。〃
〃Jesus。〃 Toland stopped translating and looked over at his senior。
〃Yeah。 There's going to be a war。 We have a linguistic team across the street doing a full translation； Bob。 Let's go see the boss。〃
〃You're sure？〃 CINCLANT asked。
〃It's possible they will settle for something less； sir；〃 Toland replied。 〃But I don't think so。 Everything about this exercise has been run in such a way as to inflame the Russian population to a degree I've never seen before。〃
〃Let's put this all the way on the table。 You're saying that they deliberately murdered these people to foment a crisis。〃 CINCLANT looked down at his desk。 〃It's hard to believe； even for them。〃
〃Admiral； either we believe that or we believe that the West German government has decided to precipitate a war against the Soviet Union on their own hook。 In the second case the Germans would have to be totally out of their fucking minds； sir；〃 Toland blurted； forgetting that only admirals swear in front of admirals。
〃But why？〃
We don't know the why。 That's a problem with intelligence； sir。 It's a lot easier to tell the what than the why。〃
CINCLANT stood and walked to the er of his office。 There was going to be a war； and he didn't know why。 He wanted the why。 The why might be important。
〃We're starting to call up reserves。 Toland； you have done one hell of a good job over the past two months。 I'm going to request that you get bumped up a grade to full mander。 You're outside the normal zone； but I think I just might be able to handle it。 There's an open intel billet with Second Fleet staff。 He's put in a request for you if things go sour； and it looks like they are。 You would be number three on his threat team； and you'd be out on a carrier。 I want you out there。〃
〃It sure would be nice to have a day or two with the family； sir。〃
The Admiral nodded。 〃We owe you that much。 NIMITZ is in transit anyway。 You can meet her off the Spanish coast。 Report back here Wednesday morning with your bags packed。〃 CINCLANT came over to shake his hand。 〃Well done； mander。〃
Two miles away； PHARRIS was tied alongside her tender。 As Ed Morris watched from the bridge； ASROC rocket…boosted torpedoes were being lowered onto his bow by crane； then fed into the magazine。 Another crane was lowering supplies onto the helicopter hangar aft； and a third of his crew was hard at work moving them into proper storage spaces throughout the ship。 He'd had the PHARRIS for nearly two years now； and this was the first time they'd had a full weapons loadout。 The eight…cell 〃pepperbox〃 ASROC launcher was being serviced by shoreside technicians to correct a minor mechanical glitch。 Another team from the tender was going over a radar problem with his own crew。 This was the end of his own checklist of problems to be fixed。 The ship's engineering plant was functioning perfectly； better than he would have expected for a ship nearly twenty years old。 In another few hours； USS PHARRIS would be pletely ready 。 。 。 for what？
〃Still no sailing orders； skipper？' his executive officer asked。
〃Nope。 I imagine everybody's wondering what we'll be doing； but for my money even the flags〃…Morris always referred to admirals as flags…〃don't know yet。 There's a meeting of COs tomorrow morning at CINCLANTFLT。 S'pose I'll find out something then。 Maybe；〃 he said dubiously。
〃What do you think of this German stuff？〃
〃The Krauts I've worked with at sea have been all right。 Trying to blast the whole Russian mand structure…nobody's that crazy。〃 Morris shrugged； a frown spreading across his dark face。 〃XO； there ain't no rule that says the world has to make sense。〃
〃Damn if that ain't the truth。 I think those ASROCs are going to be needed； skipper。〃
〃I'm afraid you're right。〃
CROFTON； MARYLAND
〃To sea？〃 Martha Toland asked。
〃That's where they want me； and it's where I belong； like it or not。〃 Bob had trouble meeting his wife's eyes。 Listening to the brittle edge on her voice at the moment was bad enough。 It wasn't his job to bring fear into her life； but that was precisely what he'd just done。
〃Bob； is it as bad as I think？〃
〃There's no telling； babe。 It might be； but there's no telling。 Look； Marty； you remember Ed Morris and Dan McCafferty； right？ They both have their own mands now； and they have to go。 Am I supposed to stay in a nice safe place on the beach？〃
His wife's reply was devastating。
〃They're professionals； you're not；〃 she said coldly。 〃You play weekend warrior and serve your two weeks a year just to pretend that you're still in the Navy； Bob。 You're a civilian spook； you don't belong out there。 You can't even swim！'' Marty Toland could give lessons to sea lions。
〃The hell I can't！〃 Toland protested； knowing that it was an absurd thing to argue about。
〃Right！ I haven't seen you in a pool in five years。 Oh； dammit； Bob； what if something happens to you？ You go out there to play your damned games and leave me behind with the kids。 What do I tell them？〃
〃You tell them I didn't run away； I didn't hide； I…〃 Toland looked away。 He hadn't expected this。 Marty came from a Navy family。 She was supposed to understand。 But there were tears on her cheeks now； and her mouth was quivering。 He took a step forward to wrap his arms around her。 〃Look； I'm going to be on a carrier； okay？ The biggest ship we have； the safest； best…protected ship we have； with a dozen other ships surrounding her to keep the bad guys away； and a hundred airplanes。 They need me to help figure out what the bad guys are up to so they can keep them as far away as possible。 Marty； what I'm doing is necessary。 They need me。 The Admiral asked for me by name。 I'm important…at least somebody thinks so。〃 He smiled gently to hide his lie。 A carrier was the best…protected ship in the fleet because she had to be： the carrier was also the number…one target for the Russians。
〃I'm sorry。〃 She broke out of his grasp and walked to the window。 〃How are Danny and Ed？〃
〃A lot busier than I am。 Danny's sub is somewhere up…well； right now he's a lot closer to the Soviets than I'll ever be。 Ed's getting ready to sail。 He's got a 1052…an escort ship…and he'll probably be out protecting convoys or something from submarines。 They both have their own families。 At least you get a chance to see me before I go。〃
Marty turned and smiled for the first time since he had unexpectedly walked through the door。 〃You will be careful。〃
〃I'll be damned careful； babe。〃 But would it matter？
13。 … The Strangers Arrive and Depart
AACHEN； FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
It was the traffic that did it。 The envelope came as promised to the proper post office box； and the key worked as he'd been told to expect。 Minimum personnel involvement。 The major grumbled at having to expose himself in the open this way； but it wasn't the first time he'd had to work with the KGB； and he needed this up…to…date information if his mission were to have any chance of success。 Besides； he smiled briefly； the Germans are so proud of their postal service 。 。 。
The major folded the oversized envelope and tucked it into his jacket pocket before leaving the building。 His clothing was entirely German in origin； as were the sunglasses which he donned on opening the