Hunter Killer - Alex King Series 12 (2021), A BATEMAN [urban books to read TXT] 📗

the rigs. It’s my company’s submersible, and it cost ten-million quid, so they’ll have to accept my terms because the next useable submersible is still a week away. We have to return with some data… film, confirmation of depth, water temperature etc. Technically we’re a reconnaissance party.”

“Your company?” Rashid asked.

“Yes. I work for a company called Total Marine Solutions based in Southampton, but we have been subcontracted by Aurora and that’s why I’m here. I’m actually one of four partners in the company, but I’m in the habit of saying I work for them, it’s far simpler really.”

“And embedded by the Security Service…” King added quietly, although they were on their own in the small galley. “You’re a rather busy bloke.”

Grainger smiled. “It’s nice to be in demand.” He paused. “I’m helping Simon, keeping my ear to the ground, or the sea that is. Some people in government are not taken in by all of Aurora’s green energy claims, and then of course, there is the question of start-up capital. As in, there’s no trail…”

King nodded. “Okay, so what about today? How far can we take this?”

Grainger leaned forwards conspiratorially. “We can use today as a recce if you like. But that puts the emphasis on tomorrow. It has got to be done then. If it all looks good when we get down there, and you have time, I would suggest getting on with it. How long will it take you?”

King shrugged. “There’s a lot of weight, so it will mean multiple trips between the two vessels. I’m not entirely sure what I’ll find, either. Simon told you about the circumstances in which the submarine lost contact, didn’t he?”

“Simon is Simon. In that he says little, infers less and admits to nothing.”

King nodded. He felt it only fair to put the man in the picture. “Alright. There was a person put on board, and we suspect she was infected with a virus.”

“Well, that changes a few things…”

“Just wait,” King interrupted. “The experts down at Porton Down…”

“Hold on, Porton Down?” Grainger interrupted. “So, this isn’t like Covid or Flu, this is a biological weapon of some sort…”

 King shrugged. “All I can say is the experts at Porton Down assure us that the virus is not airborne. It certainly is an airborne pathogen, but only from a live source. Outside of test conditions and without a live host, the virus dies quickly.” King paused. “It won’t be pleasant, though. There will be signs of gruesome deaths.”

“Well, I have to remain on the controls of the submersible, so it’s all down to you.” Grainger nodded. “But tell me. Did these experts ever consider that without communication and with a system failure, the submarine could still have survivors?”

“Survivors?” Rashid commented.

“Yes,” said Grainger turning to him. “This is a nuclear submarine. If it rested on the bottom of the ocean, with the reactor still functioning, then water, air and power systems for the lights, heating and air-conditioning would still be functioning. The scrubbers may clog with mud on the seabed, but it’s a possibility…”

“Shit…” King shook his head. “No, the Royal Navy will have considered all of that, surely?”

“Yes, but the Royal Navy think their submarine is going to be salvaged by hippy marine engineers and towed to the Faroe Islands.” Rashid paused. “What if the crew are still alive?”

King shook his head. “The virus would mean that they did not survive,” he said emphatically. “We saw the footage from the facility, saw what the effects were on the test subjects.”

“Test subjects?” Grainger asked.

“Better you don’t know,” replied King curtly. “Shit, I thought this was a demolition mission, I hadn’t given the thought to the possibility of there being survivors…”

“We can tap on the hull when we get down there using the retractable hands,” said Grainger. “It’s proof positive. If we hear anything back, then you’ll know.”

“And that presents a whole new set of problems…” said King.

Rashid shrugged. “Not really. The mission to destroy the submarine can’t go ahead. Simple as that.” He stared at King. “Can it?” he asked edgily.

“Of course not,” King replied. “But if that virus spread…”

“From what I saw of it, if the virus took hold, there being survivors would not be an issue.” Rashid paused. “It either spread and everybody died, or the submarine sank because of another issue. That scenario means there could still be survivors. In theory.”

“I suppose,” King sat back in the chair and frowned. “What a crappy mission,” he announced. “Blowing one of our own submarines to kingdom come and destroying all chances of families getting their loved one’s bodies back because MI5 and MI6 need to cover their tracks. Because the world, fresh off a pandemic doesn’t need to hear that a far worse one could have been released, or still could be in the future.”

“It’s a bit late now for a crisis of morality,” said Rashid.

Grainger smiled. “Sir Galahad once told us that when you work in the shadows and lie to the public for a living, the lies only ever get larger and the shadows only ever get darker…”

“I’m beginning to think Sir Galahad is a very wise man,” said King.

Grainger looked up as the boat’s engines reversed and cut out. Anchor chains rattled forward and aft. “Anyway, we’re here now. So, in a few hours, you’re going to find out what the hell happened to that submarine, and the poor souls onboard.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

 

Lake Como, Italy

 

“Any problems?”

“No,” Sally-Ann Thorpe replied. “Why, should there have been?”

Caroline went to get out of the chair but winced. She looked up at Thorpe somewhat dejectedly. “You wouldn’t unwrap it, would you?”

Thorpe looked at her for a moment. She could see that Caroline was suffering and looked thoroughly exhausted. She shook her head somewhat unsympathetically and said, “No,