On the other hand, about 40 aircraft that had succeeded to take off dramatically, circled the sinking Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) several times in the air and then flew to Naha Air Force Base in Okinawa at the command of Captain Michael Sam. 16 Super Hornets and 2 EA-18G Growlers, including the E-2F AHE Hawkeye, which were returning from the mission of intercepting Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles from the southwestern part of Honshu, also turned to Yakushima Airport.

  “Make sure to find the enemy submarines! We can’t leave just like this!”


  Lieutenant General Michael Sam was barely able to stand, holding on to his chair, because the Blue Ridge (LCC-19) tilted to the starboard at about 15 degrees. He tried to calm a gush of anger and gave the order through the fleet communication network.

  “Sir, are you okay?” Captain Kevin Dylan, the captain of the Blue Ridge (LCC-19), asked, handing him a handkerchief.

  “Why are you asking that?”


  “Your head is bleeding.”


  As Captain Kevin Dylan said, Lieutenant General Michael Sam touched his forehead. There was a lot of blood.

  He rubbed his hand on his clothes and said, “I won’t die from this. Just go and find the enemy’s submarine!”


  At that time, the MH-60R (Block II), the antisubmarine helicopter, reported that they had detected the enemy submarine.

  ***

  February 15, 2021, 05:40

  The deep-sea, N 30° 1′ E 129°26′ at the northwestern tip of Nakano Island, Japan (the Yang Se-bong’s location (SSP-85))

  Meanwhile, the tactical control room of the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) was in a truly festive atmosphere. This was because there were reports of successive attacks by the sonar operators.

  “Ronald Reagan is hit! Hit! All 18 small-sized torpedoes that survived enemy interceptor torpedoes hit the Reagan starboard. Currently, it is sinking sharply to the starboard,” the sonar operator grabbed the headset with both hands and reported with delight.

  Accordingly, Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jin-jun and other crew members cheered with their arms raised.

  “Wow! We got it!”


  “Hooray!”


  Eight hours ago, the mission had been assigned by the Naval Operations Command to Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jin-jun of the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85). He had had to pursue the 7th Carrier Strike Group, to attack and destroy the Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). Accordingly, Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jin-jun performed the mission with half worry and half confidence. Luckily, he completed the mission without any danger. As the mission was resolved more easily than expected, he got a bit greedy. He wanted to catch the remaining Aegis cruisers and two Aegis destroyers.

  So, he asked the Torpedo Arms operator, “Are the Black Shark torpedoes all reloaded?”


  “Yes, all 12 launchers are loaded.”


  At that time, Gunnery Sergeant Kim Hyung-min, the sonar operator, cried, “Captain! It seems that the nuclear submarine has detected us. Also, several anti-submarine helicopters are approaching from above.”


  “That’s too bad.”


  Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jin-jun wanted to proceed with the second Black Shark torpedo attack and run away. But he recalled the last mission on the fifth where he had been chased by the antisubmarine helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft around Yokosuka. Also, he didn’t want to risk the lives of his crew members. He looked around the crew that was staring at him. It looked like they wanted to escape as soon as possible.

  “I shouldn’t be greedy, let’s take a rain check,” Lieutenant Colonel Kim Jin-jun thought and gave orders to Arms Operator Captain Lee Hyeong-oh. “Arms operator! Replace the 11th and 12th launchers with A-1 decoys!”


  “Replace the launchers 11 and 12 with A-1 decoys!”


  “Report it as soon as it’s completed.”


  Soon, Arms Operator Captain Lee Hyeong-oh reported, “Replacement of the 11, 12 launchers with A-1 decoys is done.”


  “Shoot out the decoys at 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock, change to silent submersion mode, and leave here immediately.”


  “The decoys are ejecting.”


  The muzzle doors opened and two A-1 decoys were ejected by air underwater pressure. They sailed to the preset route.

  “All two A-1 decoys have been successfully ejected!”


  “From now on, start the silent submersion. Over.” As Lieutenant Colonel Kim Kin-Jun received the report from the torpedo arms operator, he gave an order to the pilot in the steering house using silent communication.

  “We will leave here right now. Azimuth 2-6-0, hard port! Submerge angle 45 degrees downwards and dive up to the maximum depth at maximum power.”


  – Azimuth 2-6-0, the hard port! Submerge angle 45 degrees downwards and dive up to the maximum depth at maximum power.

  While the two A-1 decoys moved underwater in two directions, the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85) inclined to the port sharply, raising its maximum power, and began to disappear into the deep sea where nothing could be seen ahead.

  Meanwhile, the MH-60R (Block II) anti-submarine helicopters which were flying around the sea, dropping dipping sonars and sonar buoys to find the Yang Se-bong (SSP-85), were deceived by the A-1 decoys that sailed at 12 o’clock. They discharged an aerial torpedo, Mark 54. Also, the nuclear submarine, the New Hampshire (SSN-778), recognized the A-1 decoy, which sailed at 3 o’clock, as an enemy submarine, and launched the Mark 48 torpedo. But soon after, Lieutenant General Michael Sam, commander of the 7th Fleet, realized that he had been deceived and cursed furiously.

  ***

  February 15, 2021, 06:20 (US time 15:20 on 14th)

  Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, U.S.A. (underground bunker integrated control center)

  An hour ago, the U.S. had Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. It had been the pride of the U.S. Navy, showing off the dignity of the 7th Carrier Strike Group on the sea. However, the ship was slowly sinking into the sea at the moment, creating a swirling white foam. The only thing that could be seen was the front part of the ship. Also, the remains of the burnt aircraft were floating around it. Thousands of crew members floundered with life jackets.

  To rescue them, a total of 80 helicopters worked hard hovering over the sea. Many kinds of helicopters came to help from the 11th Carrier Strike Group nearby. There were the MH-60R (Block II) Sea Hawk anti-submarine helicopter, the MH-53E Sea Dragon minesweeping helicopter, and so on.

  The Aegis cruiser Shiloh (CG-67), which was the first to be attacked by the torpedoes, and the Aegis destroyer Lassen (DDG-82), which was attacked second, had already sunk into the sea and could not be found. Only the corpses, floats, and crew awaiting rescue floated in the sea, covered in black oil.

  The current status of the 7th Carrier Strike Group was broadcasted live to the Pentagon Integrated Control Center. About 100 military commanders, including Defense Minister John Wayne, watched the terrible scene and could not speak.

  While people were watching the rescue, President Trump, who had received a report that the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) had been sunk and had had a heated discussion with President Putin through the hotline, visited the Pentagon’s Integrated Control Center in person.

  The door to the operation briefing room, which was 264.46m2 large, opened, and the White House attendant secretary entered and announced, “Mr. President is here.”


  At that announcement, the Secretary of Defense and about 100 military commanders arose in unison.

  “What the hell is going on? The aircraft carrier sunk? Are you saying this fucking thing really happening?” President Trump entered the operation briefing room and rebuked with his unique gesture and facial expression.

  Defense Secretary John Wayne approached and spoke politely, “Mr. President! Please, take a seat first.”


  “Whether I sit or not is not important right now.”


  A hot-tempered President Trump stood in front of the big screen, put both hands on his waist, and glared at the military commanders.

  The commanders stood stiff like guilty men. They could not say anything.

  Among them, Joseph Wade, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the 3rd Army commander, carefully spoke out, “Mr. President! This attack occurred as a result of the failure of antisubmarine vigilance against enemy submarines because they were devoted to intercepting ballistic missiles across Japan.”


  “Who doesn’t know that? Where did the enemy submarine come from? Russia? Corea?” Trump asked.

  “It was Corea. It had the same sound pattern as heard in the last LA class nuclear submarine incident.”


  “Are you sure?”


  “Yes, I am sure.”


  “Alright. Then, did you prepare a countermeasure to this damage?” The voice of President Trump, who had been scolding with an angry voice a little while ago, cooled down.

  “Please sit down, I will start the briefing.”


  “Everybody, sit down.”


  Even though his voice had calmed down, his expression remained unchanged. He sat next to the Chairman of the Joint Staffs. The defense minister and military commanders sat down, and Strategy Analyst Lieutenant General Rhode Mackey stepped up to the briefing stage.

  “Then, I will now begin a briefing on the current status of the damage to the 7th Fleet and across Japan, as well as future retaliation measures.”


  ***

  February 15, 2021, 07:00 (US time 18:00 on 14th)

  Building outside Washington, D.C., U.S.A. (National Intelligence Service Safe House)

  In a shabby lonesome building outside Washington, D.C., the shadows of about 20 sturdy men moved. Those were 16 special forces of the 707 Special Missions Brigade and 8 National Intelligence Service agents who had arrived at Patuxent River Park, 35km from the center of Washington, D.C., on the previous day, by the CFS/A-31SP Three-toed Crow space fighter jet. They had used the transparent concealment system (TCS) and had made it safely. They were unpacking and resting in a safe house here under the guidance of an embassy employee who had been waiting for them.

  There was a total of eight national intelligence agents dispatched to Washington, D.C…… They consisted of two teams of four. The agents of Team A were field agents, and the agents of Team B were in charge of hacking and collecting information.

  Clank! Clank!

  Assistant Manager Park Gi-oong inspected the KS5 laser pistol by sliding it back and forth. Then, someone walked in and said, “Sir. The team leader said we will have a team meeting now.”


  It was the team’s youngest, Oh Seok-jin. He only stuck out his head from behind the door and spoke.

  “Is that so? Ok. I will go right now.”


  “Please come to the meeting room on the second floor.”


  Assistant Manager Park Gi-oong put the personal gear in a bag on the bed, put on a suit, and went down to the second floor.

  After a while, four on-site agents sat around the round table in the largest room on the second floor. Then, the man who seemed to be the team leader looked around at the agents and started speaking.

  “Nice to meet you. I am Team Leader Lee Ja-Sung. You would not know each other well since everyone was dispatched from different departments, but as our mission is so important, let’s get along quickly for teamwork!”


  The man who introduced himself as the team leader Lee Ja-sung was the man who had been in the same class as Namgoong-won from 122 collective trainings. Lee Ja-sung, who became the team leader in the 5th year of joining the company, was famous at the National Intelligence Service for his remarkable achievements.

  Firstly, in 2016, he made a great contribution to the exposure of Minister Ahn Sang-tae of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. Thanks to that, he was promoted to head office within a year after joining the National Intelligence Service. After that, he was promoted to assistant manager after serving as a researcher’s guard for two years at the underground research center of the 17th Fighter Wing, where Namgoong-won had been. Finally, he was transferred by the department to the North Korean Intelligence Agency and had smuggled into North Korea about ten times before unification, stealing confidential information from North Korea countless times. He was a veteran.

  “Currently, Information Analysis Team B is compiling a list of areas to be investigated today. Based on that list, Team A is going into the field to investigate from tonight.”


  Assistant Manager Park Gi-oong raised his hand.

  “Yes?” Lee Ja-sung asked.

  “Do we move separately?”


  “No. Assistant Manager Park and Assistant Manager Shin will move as a group, and Chief Oh and I will move as a group. Any other questions?”


  “No, sir.”


  “Good! Let’s continue, then. It is said that there are severe checks of Asian men in Washington since war was declared against Corea. Be aware of this and make sure to pretend to be Japanese. Everyone has a Japanese passport and ID card, correct?”


  “Yes, sir!” Chief Oh Seok-jin, who was the youngest in the team, answered loudly.

  “During the field survey, you will use a protective suit and spectacle-type shield glasses, and the X-2 silent communicator. Finally, you will use the Raptor, not the laser pistol.”


  * The Raptor: The most popular pistol in the United States. The official name was Kimber Stainless Micro Raptor. It was a small size handgun but powerful. It weighed only 368g, which was a great advantage, and easy to carry around.