asked Frank.
“No, you want me to hail them?”
“Yes.”
Frank got on the radio. “USCG Hatchet to District
Command. Over.”
“ District Command receiving you loud. Over .”
“Requesting permission to carry out rescue mission
in New York Harbour. Injured civilians identified. Over.”
“ Negative. Please change course to U.S. Naval
Base Norfolk. Over. ”
Guy took the intercom. “Captain Guy Granger
speaking here. Can you explain why I am to redirect the Hatchet to Naval Base
Norfolk? Over.”
“ United States Navy has taken command of
District Coast Guard. We are to relinquish authority to Norfolk immediately.
Over .”
Guy had a bad feeling. The Navy only took control
of the Coast Guard during times of war or national emergency. “Command, there
are civilians here who need us. Requesting permission to stage a rescue attempt
before relinquishing authority to U.S. Navy. Over.”
“ Negative. Over .”
Guy stamped his foot. “Goddamn it, man. People are
drowning in the Hudson River. Are you telling me to leave American civilians to
die?”
There was silence on the line. Then came a shaky
reply, “You are in command of the Hatchet, Captain Granger. Do as you will.”
The line went dead.
Guy clenched his jaw and thought things through.
He didn’t understand what had happened in Manhattan, but Command had ordered
him to redirect to Norfolk. The Navy had taken control, and it would be foolish
to disobey them.
People continued hurling themselves into the
Hudson.
The Navy took lives. The Coast Guard saved them.
Guy made up his mind. “I want two teams of eight in
Rapid 1 and Rapid 2. There are too many birds in the sky to risk launching the
Jayhawk, so we concentrate on the people in the river. Tosco, get men on the .50
cals this second, but they don’t start firing without my word. If there are
enemies in the city, I want to be prepared.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” Tosco saluted, turned on his
heel, and raced to put words into action.
Guy turned to Frank next. “What are these people
so afraid of? Do you have any idea what’s happening?”
“I’ve never seen anything like it, Captain. There
are people on the docks with limbs missing. It’s a war zone.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration. Even now, Guy could see
mangled men and women throwing themselves into the water rather than facing
whatever was occurring behind them. They were drowning quicker than he could
spot them. “We need to move fast.”
Frank placed a hand on Guy’s shoulder and squeezed.
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
***
Considering half the men
serving aboard the Hatchet had never seen real action, they carried themselves
well. The rapid response boats dropped down onto the water and were away in
moments. Each sailor took a firearm, but only a handgun—rifles would only
frighten the civilians more. If bigger weapons were needed, the boats would
return to ship.
Within ten minutes, the two rescue crafts were
packed full of half-drowned people and on their way home. The first groups of
survivors were laid down on the launch deck and the ship’s doctor, Gonzalez—a loaner
from the U.S. Public Health Service—checked them over. The healthiest survivor was
escorted to the pilothouse and brought before Guy. The teenage Avengers fan—judging by his garish t-shirt—was stained with blood and mucky with Hudson
water, but he was free from injury aside from a superficial gash across his
left brow. Blood had leaked into his left eye and dried so that it was now
stuck half-closed. His long hair was so filthy that it appeared brown when it
was probably ash blond.
Guy handed the kid a coffee. “What’s your name,
sir?”
“Simon.”
“Hello, Simon. I am Captain Guy Granger, and this
is my ship. You are currently in the care of the United States Coast Guard. Are
you able to tell me what happened?”
“No. I mean… Yes , but you won’t believe me.
It’s crazy.”
“Allow me to be the judge of that. Please, tell me
as best you
“No, you want me to hail them?”
“Yes.”
Frank got on the radio. “USCG Hatchet to District
Command. Over.”
“ District Command receiving you loud. Over .”
“Requesting permission to carry out rescue mission
in New York Harbour. Injured civilians identified. Over.”
“ Negative. Please change course to U.S. Naval
Base Norfolk. Over. ”
Guy took the intercom. “Captain Guy Granger
speaking here. Can you explain why I am to redirect the Hatchet to Naval Base
Norfolk? Over.”
“ United States Navy has taken command of
District Coast Guard. We are to relinquish authority to Norfolk immediately.
Over .”
Guy had a bad feeling. The Navy only took control
of the Coast Guard during times of war or national emergency. “Command, there
are civilians here who need us. Requesting permission to stage a rescue attempt
before relinquishing authority to U.S. Navy. Over.”
“ Negative. Over .”
Guy stamped his foot. “Goddamn it, man. People are
drowning in the Hudson River. Are you telling me to leave American civilians to
die?”
There was silence on the line. Then came a shaky
reply, “You are in command of the Hatchet, Captain Granger. Do as you will.”
The line went dead.
Guy clenched his jaw and thought things through.
He didn’t understand what had happened in Manhattan, but Command had ordered
him to redirect to Norfolk. The Navy had taken control, and it would be foolish
to disobey them.
People continued hurling themselves into the
Hudson.
The Navy took lives. The Coast Guard saved them.
Guy made up his mind. “I want two teams of eight in
Rapid 1 and Rapid 2. There are too many birds in the sky to risk launching the
Jayhawk, so we concentrate on the people in the river. Tosco, get men on the .50
cals this second, but they don’t start firing without my word. If there are
enemies in the city, I want to be prepared.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” Tosco saluted, turned on his
heel, and raced to put words into action.
Guy turned to Frank next. “What are these people
so afraid of? Do you have any idea what’s happening?”
“I’ve never seen anything like it, Captain. There
are people on the docks with limbs missing. It’s a war zone.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration. Even now, Guy could see
mangled men and women throwing themselves into the water rather than facing
whatever was occurring behind them. They were drowning quicker than he could
spot them. “We need to move fast.”
Frank placed a hand on Guy’s shoulder and squeezed.
“Aye, aye, Captain.”
***
Considering half the men
serving aboard the Hatchet had never seen real action, they carried themselves
well. The rapid response boats dropped down onto the water and were away in
moments. Each sailor took a firearm, but only a handgun—rifles would only
frighten the civilians more. If bigger weapons were needed, the boats would
return to ship.
Within ten minutes, the two rescue crafts were
packed full of half-drowned people and on their way home. The first groups of
survivors were laid down on the launch deck and the ship’s doctor, Gonzalez—a loaner
from the U.S. Public Health Service—checked them over. The healthiest survivor was
escorted to the pilothouse and brought before Guy. The teenage Avengers fan—judging by his garish t-shirt—was stained with blood and mucky with Hudson
water, but he was free from injury aside from a superficial gash across his
left brow. Blood had leaked into his left eye and dried so that it was now
stuck half-closed. His long hair was so filthy that it appeared brown when it
was probably ash blond.
Guy handed the kid a coffee. “What’s your name,
sir?”
“Simon.”
“Hello, Simon. I am Captain Guy Granger, and this
is my ship. You are currently in the care of the United States Coast Guard. Are
you able to tell me what happened?”
“No. I mean… Yes , but you won’t believe me.
It’s crazy.”
“Allow me to be the judge of that. Please, tell me
as best you
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