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〃Up scope！〃 McCafferty met the eyepiece at deck level and worked it up slowly。 〃That's a kill。 We broke her back。 Okay 。 。 。〃 He turned to the bearing of the near Grisha。 Okay； target number two is turning…wow； there go his engines。 Increasing speed and going left。〃
〃Skipper； the wire's cut on the fish。〃
〃How long on the run？〃
〃Another four minutes； sir。〃 In four minutes at full speed the Grisha would be outside the torpedo's acquisition radius。
〃Damn； it's going to miss。 Down scope。 Let's get out of here。 We'll go east this time。 Make your depth four hundred； all ahead two…thirds。 e right to zero…five…five。〃
〃Must have been the shock of the explosion； sir。 Half a second later； the control wires let go on the number…two fish。〃 McCafferty and his weapons officer reexamined the plot。
〃You're right。 I cut that one too close。 Okay。〃 The captain stepped over to the chart table。 〃Where do you figure our friends are？〃
〃Right about here； sir。 Twenty… to twenty…five miles。〃
〃I think we've taken enough heat off them。 Let's see if we can get back up there while Ivan tries to figure out what's going on。〃
〃We've been lucky； skipper；〃 the exec observed。
〃That's true enough。 I want to know where their submarines are。 That Victor we got just walked across our sights。 Where are the rest of 'em？ They can't just be chasing after us with these。〃 Of course not； McCafferty realized。 The Russians set up hunting preserves； sectors limited to specific types of ships。 Their surface ships and aircraft would be in one sector； and next to it their submarines would have exclusive hunting rights 。 。 。
He told himself that he'd done well to date。 Three patrol boats； a fullsized frigate； and a sub； quite a week in anybody's book。 But it wasn't over。 Not until they got Providence to the ice。
38 … Stealth on the Rocks
ICELAND
The first leg of the trip was only eight miles in a straight line； but the line they traveled was straight in no dimension。 The terrain here was volcanic also； littered with rocks large and small。 The large ones made shadows； and whenever possible they stayed in them； but with every step they had also to detour； uphill and down； left and right； until every yard of forward travel was acpanied by a yard in another direction； and eight miles became sixteen。
For the first time； Edwards knew that he was under possible observation。 Even when the hilltop they skirted was hidden by a ridge； who could say that the Russians did not have another scouting party out？ Who could be sure that they were not being watched； that some Russian sergeant with binoculars had noticed their rifles and packs； then picked up his portable radio and sent out a call for an armed helicopter？ The effort of the walk made their hearts beat fast。 Fear made their hearts beat faster still； pounding their fatigue like interest on a usurer's loan。
Sergeant Nichols proved an efficient leader； and a hard one。 The oldest member of the party； his stamina…sore ankle and all…amazed Edwards。
They all kept quiet； no one wanted to make noise； and Nichols was unable to growl at those too slow to keep up。 His contemptuous look was enough。 He's ten years older than me； Edwards told himself； and I'm a track man。 I can keep up with this bastard。 Can't I？
Nichols managed to keep them clear of the coast road for most of their journey； but there was one point where the road looped around a small cove to within a mile of their path。 Here they faced a cruel choice： risk observation from the road； where the traffic was probably Russian； or from the mountaintop。 They risked the road； slowly and gingerly as they watched traffic motor along every fifteen minutes or so。 The sun was low in the northwestern sky as they crept up a ravine with steep walls。 They found a rockpile to rest in before their dash below the observation post。
〃Well； that was a nice day's walk； wasn't it？〃 the sergeant of Royal Marines asked。 He wasn't even sweating。
〃You trying to prove something； Sergeant？〃 Edwards asked。 He was。
〃Sorry； Leftenant。 Your friends told me you were in proper shape。〃
〃I don't think I'll have a heart attack just yet； if that's what you mean。 Now what？〃
〃I'd suggest that we wait an hour； until the sun sinks lower； then press on。 Nine more miles。 We'll want to move as quick as we can。〃
Sweet Jesus！ Edwards thought。 He kept his face impassive。 〃You sure they won't see us？〃
〃Sure？ No； I am not sure； Leftenant。 Twilight is the hardest time to see； however。 The eye cannot adjust from the bright sky to the dark ground。〃
〃Okay； you got us this far。 I'm going to go and check on the lady。〃
Nichols watched him walk off。 〃I would not mind seeing 'the lady' myself。〃
〃That wasn't a good thing to say； Nick；〃 Smith observed quietly。
〃e on； you know what he's…〃
〃Nick； talk nice about the lady；〃 Smith warned。 He was tired； but not that tired。 〃She's had a bad time； man。 And the skipper's a gentleman； y'dig？ Hey； I thought he was a wimp； too。 I was wrong。 Anyway； Miss Vigdis； man； that's one hell of a lady。〃
Mike found her curled in a fetal position next to a rock。 Rodgers was keeping an eye on her； and moved off when the lieutenant arrived。
〃How are you？〃 Mike asked。 She turned her head fractionally。
〃Dead。 Michael； I am so tired。〃
〃Me； too； babe。〃 Mike sat down beside her and stretched his legs out； wondering if the muscle tissue would just fall off the bones。 He was strong enough to stroke her hair。 It was matted with sweat； but Mike was past noticing such things。 〃Just a little while longer； Hey； you're the one who wanted to stay with us； remember？〃
〃I am fool！〃 There was a note of humor in her voice。 As long as you can laugh； Mike remembered his father saying； you are not defeated。
〃e on； you better stretch those legs out or they're gonna knot up。 e on； roll over。〃 Edwards straightened her legs and massaged her calves briefly。 〃What we need is some bananas。〃
〃What？〃 Her head came up。
〃Bananas have lots of potassium。 Helps to prevent cramps。〃 Or was it calcium for pregnant women？ he wondered。
〃What do we do when we get to our new hill？〃
〃We wait for the good guys。〃
〃They e？〃 Her voice changed slightly。
〃I think so。〃
〃And you leave then？〃 Mike was quiet for a moment； measuring his boldness against his shyness。 What if she says…
〃Not without you； I don't。〃 He hesitated again。 〃I mean； if that's…〃
〃Yes； Michael。〃
He lay down beside her。 Edwards was startled by the fact that he desired her now。 She was no longer the victim of rape； or a girl pregnant by another man； or a strange person from another culture。 He was awed by her inner strength and other things for which he had no names； and needed none。
〃You're right。 I do love you。〃 Son of a bitch。 He held her hand as both rested for the task ahead。
USS CHICAGO
〃That's one of 'em； sir。 Providence； I think。 I got some funny transients； like metal pieces beating against each other。〃
They'd been tracking the target…every contact was a target…for two hours； closing very carefully as the possible noise source changed into a probable one。 The overhead storm degraded their sonar performance measurably； and the target's stealth prevented their developing a signature identification for an agonizing period。 Might she be a Russian sub creeping in search of her own target？ Finally the faint rattles from the damaged sail betrayed her。 McCafferty ordered his boat to close the target at eight knots。
Had Providence repaired her sonar systems？ Certainly they'd try； McCafferty thought； and if they then detected a submarine approaching very cautiously from the rear； would they think this was their old friend Chicago； or another Victor…III？ For that matter； how sure were they that their target was Providence？ That was why American subs were trained to operate alone。 Too many uncertainties attached to cooperative operations。
They'd left the Soviet surface forces behind。 McCafferty's hit…and…run maneuver had fooled them； and before the noise faded out； they listened to a spirited hunt involving aircraft and surface forces； now thirty miles astern。 That was a positive development； but the absence of any surface ships in this area made McCafferty uneasy。 He might now be in a submarine…dedicated sector； and submarines were by far the more dangerous opponents。 His earlier success against the Victor had been pure luck。 That Soviet skipper had been too interested in starting his own hunt to check his flanks。 It was a mistake he did not expect to be repeated。
〃Range？〃 McCafferty asked his tracking party。
〃About two miles； sir。〃
That was the fringe of gertrude range； but McCafferty wanted to get a lot closer than that。 Patience； he told himself。 Submarining was a continuous exercise in patience。 You spent hours in preparation for a few seconds of activity。 It's a wonder we don't all have ulcers。 Twenty minutes later； they had closed to within a thousand yards of Providence。 McCafferty lifted the gertrude phone。
〃Chicago calling Providence； over。〃
〃You took your time about it； Danny。〃
〃Where's Todd？〃
〃He went off west after something two hours ago。 We lost him。 No noise at all from that direction。〃
〃What's your condition？〃
〃The tail works。 Rest of our sonar's shot。 We can shoot fish from the torpedoroom control systems。 Still raining in the control r