"Yeah, I've seen those. I'd like to blow one up--just to say I did."

Nolan chuckled. "You were the kid who stuffed fire-crackers in the frog's mouth."

"No, actually, Dad and I put on some world-class fireworks shows. People came from all over to see them." Hume's voice grew thin. "Dad would've loved to have seen this place, too."

Nolan's phone began to vibrate, just as Hume's began to ring. They checked their screens.

Hume sighed. "My brother's really going to flip out now."

"Dude, we have to be in Subic Bay, and they're timing us," said Nolan, already breaking into a jog. "Come on!"

Chapter Twenty.

USSMONTANA(SSN-823)

SOUTH CHINA SEA

THREE HUNDRED NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF

SUBIC BAY, PHILIPPINES

APRIL 2012

The crew of USS Montana, a Virginia-class nuclear fast-attack submarine, was bound for Sasebo, Japan, after a week's monitoring of supertanker traffic through the Malacca Strait linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Passage through the strait was the shortest sea route for India, China, and Indonesia, and the key choke point in Asia. To bypass the strait added 944 miles to any ship's transit.

"Emergency deep," ordered Captain Kenneth Gummerson.

Montana's control team immediately initiated a full-power dive toward a depth of 150 feet--deep enough to avoid collision with the bottom of any modern supertanker yet shallow enough to recover from flooding should a collision ensue.

"Worked perfectly, Captain," reported the chief petty officer copilot. "Touch screen control all the way, no need to go to minimum electronic mode and joystick control."

This fourth drill in the last twenty-four hours reassured Gummerson that a computer module swap-out had indeed tweaked the digital interface between the stern plane actuators and the sub's fly-by-wire (FBW) computer.

Gummerson, a twice-divorced forty-seven-year-old victim of long separations and short reunions, had tacked on silver eagles during this operation, but the promotion meant giving up his command. All hands knew their relief commander would be waiting on the pier in Sasebo. Change of command was a bittersweet event for all concerned.

"Incoming flash traffic, CO eyes only, Captain," reported the duty radioman.

Gummerson nodded. "Bring it back to my stateroom after it's logged in."

Minutes later, in the privacy of his quarters, Gummerson carefully studied his new orders:

100938ZAPR2012 FLASH FM: COMSUBPAC TO: USS MONTANA SSN-823 INFO: COMPACFLT USSOC SUBJ: OPORDER 2012-0410-TS-001 TOP SECRET //BT// 1. Upon receipt, terminate current ops, proceed Subic Bay. Arrive NLT 1000 local, 1204082. On arrival Subic onload dry stores, fresh provisions, thirty (30) day deployment.3. Offload Advanced Seal Delivery System (ASDS) and embarked SEAL DET minus two (2) qualified Lock Out instructor/operators.4. Inventory/update all nautical charts, aids to navigation, emphasis littoral east coast China, Taiwan Strait, and environs.5. Embark US Army SPECOPS team, rig for one (1) female rider.6. All traffic FLASH precedence action COMSUBPAC, info COMPACFLT, USSOC.7. Advise originator ASAP any/all mission degrading equipment/personnel concerns.8. Report ready for sea NLT 0001 local, 1504089. Mission details to follow.10. Acknowledge receipt this msg via SLOT11. Admiral Hendricks sends//BT//

Gummerson reread the message, signed for receipt, then smiled broadly. He hoped his relief had decent accommodations in Sasebo, because the man would be waiting a little longer before he could steal Gummerson's boat.

GHOST TEAM ISOFAC

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE, PHILIPPINES

APRIL 2012

When U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay was shut down back in 1992, the area was slowly converted into a tax- and duty-free zone not unlike those in Hong Kong and Singapore. Despite the naval base's closure, American warships continued taking advantage of the deep, natural harbor in order to resupply and provide their crews much-needed shore leave.

The Freeport Zone was operated by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, and it was with this organization that USSOCOM had negotiated to borrow an old navy office building currently under renovation to become a souvenir shop.

Captain Scott Mitchell stood near the door of what was once a conference room. Beside him sat piles of lumber, table saws, and sheets of drywall. He gazed out through the dust at the eight other operators who, like him, were hot and exhausted but eager to learn more about Operation War Wraith, the Ghosts' answer to Pouncing Dragon.

Other than the jet lag, the sore muscles, the blood-shot eyes, and the pounding headache, Mitchell felt great. His people felt likewise and lied about it exactly as he had.

He and Ramirez (now a master sergeant) had already set up the computer and projector so they could begin discussing the target intelligence package they had downloaded a few hours earlier. He began with the Situation Report.

SITREP: Chinese cabal about to escalate war in the Pacific.

Task: Conduct direct action mission to infiltrate into China and terminate Spring Tiger Group at Hakka castle location.

Purpose: Disrupt Spring Tiger Group attack plan, Pouncing Dragon.

Method: Infiltrate into China via submarine, link up with CIA operatives of Chinese descent who will help recon and get into position in and around castle where the cabal members plan to meet on 22 April at 0800.

"Sir, once we're onshore," began Diaz, "how far inland is the target?"

Mitchell brought up a series of satellite photos of the Hakka castle, with its four silolike buildings and single rectangular structure. "We'll cover all the details of our infil. But for now, have a look. These castles are scattered throughout the region. At least the Tigers picked one that's only a three-hour drive into the mountains. We've got good cover through the outer cordon. High-rising mountains to the west, and some nice hog-backs and saddles to the east. Forests look pretty dense, too."

Brown raised his hand. "Sir, the photos show lots of civilians."

Mitchell sighed. "Yeah, they do. The TIP confirms at least a hundred or more individuals living and working in the castle."

That drew a chorus of groans.

"There is a chance the Tigers will move out the civilians for their meeting--maybe for security reasons, but frankly, I doubt that."

"We do have at least one asset to help us deal with collateral damage," said Ramirez. He worked the computer's mouse and brought up a surveillance photograph of a skinny, gray-haired guy with pants hiked up to his belly button. "This is Huang. He's one of the village elders at the castle. Our two CIA guys have already gotten to him, and he'll be our eyes on the inside."

"That's right," added Mitchell. "We assume most of the Tigers will fly in, probably the night before the meeting. They'll be put up in various rooms. My problem with the initial OPORDER was we were being tasked to find these guys, who could be in five different buildings. That'd waste time and leave us too vulnerable. If Huang comes through for us, he'll indicate exactly where each commander is sleeping before we hit the place."

"And if he doesn't?" asked Beasley.

Mitchell snorted. "Then it's going to be a long night. Anyway, let's take a look at the targets."

Ramirez brought up another photograph depicting a cherub-faced, fifty-year-old Chinese man wearing thick glasses and a dark suit.

"The TIP suggests that this guy won't be at the castle, but he's the top dog. Deputy Minister Wang Ya from the Central Military Commission's political department. His military attache is the DIA operative who got us this intel."