Chapter 2 - The Missing Sailor Left Evidence
Claire Dawson stood dripping on the steel deck while Commander Reed’s
radio crackled again.
“Commander Reed, acknowledge.”
Reed lifted the radio.
“Understood.”
His voice sounded controlled.
His face did not.
Chief Petty Officer Harris handed Claire a towel.
“Who’s missing?”
Harris looked toward Reed.
Reed answered first.
“No one is missing.”
Harris’s jaw tightened.
“Petty Officer Second Class Aaron Blake hasn’t checked in since 0930.”
“He was reassigned.”
“To where?”
Reed said nothing.
Claire wrapped the towel around her shoulders.
“Who authorized the reassignment?”
Again, silence.
The young sailor who had seen Reed remove the red safety tag stepped
forward.
“Lieutenant, Blake was in Tank Three this morning.”
Claire looked at him.
“What?”
“Before you.”
Reed snapped, “Seaman Torres, that’s enough.”
Torres stood straighter.
“With respect, sir, it isn’t.”
Harris turned toward the control station.
Tank Three’s digital log showed two manual activations that morning.
One at 0912.
One at 1417.
Claire’s drill had begun at 1417.
The earlier activation lasted six minutes and forty-three seconds.
“Who was inside?” Claire asked.
Torres answered.
“Blake.”
Claire felt cold despite the warm air.
“Did he get out?”
“Yes.”
Harris looked confused.
“Then why is he missing?”
Torres swallowed.
“Because after he climbed out, he started yelling at Commander Reed.”
“What about?”
“The hatch.”
Blake claimed the emergency release had jammed.
Reed told him he had panicked.
Blake insisted the equipment was defective.
Then he said something Torres had not understood at the time.
“I’m taking this to the captain. And I’m bringing the drive.”
Claire looked at Harris.
“What drive?”
Nobody knew.
Reed started toward the passageway.
Claire blocked him.
“The captain said you don’t stay alone with anyone from this training
group.”
“I heard the order.”
“Then wait.”
Reed’s eyes hardened.
“You think you’re in command now, Lieutenant?”
“No.”
Claire met his stare.
“I think somebody nearly drowned me in a tank that was tagged unsafe.”
Before Reed could answer, two armed members of ship security arrived.
They were not there for Claire.
“Commander Reed, Captain Ellis wants you escorted.”
Reed looked around at the sailors.
For the first time, nobody looked away from him.
Then Torres noticed something beneath the control console.
A small black object had been taped underneath.
He pointed.
Harris carefully removed it.
A waterproof flash drive.
On one side, written in silver marker, were two initials.
A.B.
Aaron Blake had left the drive behind.
May you like
And if he had hidden it before disappearing, he had expected someone to
come looking for it.
