The Project 05 - The Tesla Secret

pounding up metal stairs, heading for the bridge.
    A warning shot from the 76mm passed overhead. Klaxons sounded and a harsh voice in Russian came through the ship's speakers. The crew ran to their stations. The gun turrets rotated toward the oncoming ship.
    The Ob River was wide like the Mississippi, with plenty of room to maneuver. The engines went to full power. The boat heeled over to port and headed for the middle of the river. Nick grabbed the rail to keep his balance. Another round whistled past. The ship's guns fired. Then the boat swung back and headed straight at the other ship.
    Nick had never been in a naval battle. He'd never wanted to be in one. He felt helpless, at the mercy of the unseen Captain. He ran forward and watched as the two ships drew near on what looked like a collision course.
    Ronnie and Lamont came up beside him.
    "Jesus," Lamont said. "Like playing chicken with the Iranians in the Gulf."
    Svetljak class boats mounted two torpedo tubes. Two white trails shot from the bow of their ship and bored in a straight line toward the other ship as it began to turn. The 76mm gun boomed. The shell struck behind them on the superstructure. The blast knocked the three of them down. Something tore into Nick's back. Their ship veered away.
    The torpedoes ripped into the hull of the attacking boat and detonated in a burst of flame and light. A gigantic spout of water rose in the air. The vessel shuddered and slowed and began to go down by the bow as water poured into the breach.
    Nick had time to realize he'd been hit before he lost consciousness.

CHAPTER SIXTY- FOUR

    Three days later they were back in Virginia.
    Shrapnel had torn a chunk out of Nick's back by his right shoulder. Six inches to the left and it would have taken his head off. A Russian naval doctor had stitched him up. Vysotsky had gotten them to Chelyabinsk and out of Russia.
    Nick's arm was in a sling to discourage him from using it. He'd need some rehab once the stitches healed, but aside from a new scar, he'd been lucky. He was on painkillers. He liked the relief. He didn't like the side effects.
    "I wonder how Korov will deal with Vysotsky." Nick tried to get comfortable in the chair. "You were right about him."
    "I'm sure the Major will think of something," Harker said.
    "He's been promoted to Colonel."
    "Oh? That's smart on Vysotsky's part."
    "I've said it before. It's too bad Korov isn't one of ours."
    "What are we going to do about Foxworth?" Ronnie asked. "We still have him to deal with."
    "Where is Foxworth now?" Nick asked her. He rubbed his face. The pills made it feel numb.
    "Holed up in London. He's gotten paranoid since you hit him in Italy. When he comes out he's surrounded by bodyguards. He's got a new chief of security who used to work for the Bulgarian secret police."
    "Guess we made him nervous," Ronnie said.
    "Do we have any idea what he's planning?" Selena asked.
    She's looking better, Nick thought. She's recovering. A small piece of his guilt dissolved.
    "No. I want everyone to stay alert in case he comes after us again. He'll piece together what happened in Russia. Foxworth seems to take these things personally."
    "We have to take him out," Nick said.
    "You can't just kill him."
    "Why not?"
    "You know why not." Harker looked at him.
    "No, I don't. Because it's not politically correct?"
    "Because we don't assassinate people. Not since the 70s."
    "You don't believe that."
    "I have to believe that. For the most part, it's true. The Project acts outside the bounds all the time, but we have the evidence we need to act. Rules of engagement. We have to draw a line somewhere, otherwise we're just like Foxworth."
    "Foxworth is an evil son of a bitch and he has to be stopped."
    "There's a burden of proof we have to meet."
    "You don't think Foxworth meets that? As I recall, the burden of proof is that someone has to have taken violent action against us or represent a 'continuing and persistent, imminent threat' to the country. Foxworth is persistent as hell."
    Harker said nothing.
    "Director, I don't think legality is the issue anymore. He built a super weapon that could have targeted the White House. He was going to attack us. You didn't see that thing in the pyramid. It was beyond belief. He doesn't seem to care if he starts the next world war and he's going crazy with a brain tumor. What more do you need? He's a direct threat. Talk to Rice. Convince him."
    "I already talked to him. Rice agrees with you. He thinks Foxworth