Missing in Action

Chapter Seventeen

Missing in Action

Chapter Seventeen

Captain Johnson's P.O.V

*30 minutes earlier*

"Captain Johnson, would you kindly explain why there are planes from my ship heading towards the no-fly zones?" Vice Admiral Harrison demanded as he stalked into my office.

I stood up a bit straighter.

"I have bigger problems Nick!" I hissed.

The Vice Admiral and I had travelled together since we had both joined the Royal Navy.

"I don't care about your problems George! I've got the Defence Secretary on the phone; the Russians are getting nervous!" Nick growled.

"And I've pilots in the air! I've already lost three today, and I've got another one who I don't think will make it back here! I don't care about the damn Russians, I care about my pilots!" I bellowed.

The Vice Admiral glared at me for a moment.

"They want to know how they are supposed to cover-up your team's little mishap," the vice admiral sighed.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because nuclear debris is heading right for Afghanistan. That's where there are over however many thousand American troops. The media will be all over this by the morning," Vice Admiral Harrison said slowly.

"We can't all make the Navy look brilliant Nick," I snapped.

"It's not the Navy I'm worried about, it's the Falcon Squadron," Nick replied.

"And why not the others?" I asked.

"I never wanted your little... experiment on my ship George, and you know I didn't," Nick said.

"And the objections were duly noted, but you know that I can't scratch my nose out here without 600 people agreeing to it," I said.

"I don't care! You've put the best pilots in the goddamn Navy at risk and you want me to just let it go," Nick growled.

"It was human error!" I exclaimed.

"No it wasn't! They knew exactly what they were doing! You haven't even told the Falcon Squadron about what you are trying to do have you?" he sighed.

"And what would they have done if I had?" I demanded.

"Not gone up there! Lieutenant Purcell has died because of your stupidity. This is on your head George. Your experiment went wrong," he said.

"Planes malfunction all the time! You should know that better than anyone!" I exclaimed.

He didn't answer me, but his eyes flickered slightly.

"Then what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Hope Lieutenant Davis survives and Lieutenant Oak doesn't get shot down," Vice Admiral Harrison said before he stalked out of my office.

I walked across the ship and into Combat Control.

Everyone in the Combat Control was focused on the remaining screens.

I took a long look at the blank screen that had displayed Henry's stats. He had died in a way that no pilot should.

The Vice Admiral was right, he had died because of me, but the Falcon Squadron didn't need to know that.

*Present*

The line beeped as it clicked off. We had lost all contact with Cassidy.

"Where did she go down?!" I demanded.