Robert Thomas - The Bear - Red Star Rising

“Such as room size, large room and small room venues.”

“Exactly,” Donald replied. “If it does come down to a firefight in an area like this, the training you’ve done will come in handy.”

“And if it’s somewhere else?”

“Then you rely on your military training, and we improvise.”

“We?”

“You never know sir. I may be along for the ride,” Donald said. “You just never know.”

They pulled open the door next to where they stood as three young ladies approached. Sasha nodded as they giggled and stepped inside. He shrugged his shoulders with a slight grin and extended his arm, pointing the way in.

“When in Rome,” he said with a smile.

The club was dingy, the burning neon filtered by the smoke that hung in the stale air. Sasha thought it was just like any other dive bar he had ever been in. Change the language to English, and young people were just that all over the world, young people looking to hook up with other young people. They slid up to the bar and ordered a beer.

“Not quite what I’m used to,” Sasha said.

“You get used to it.”

“How long do you think we’ll have to wait?”

“Hard to say, actually. I suppose it depends on how impatient they really are.”

“Greed begets greed, I suppose,” Sasha replied. “If what’s really happening is happening, that’s big money. The faster things ramp up, the faster the money lines the pockets. But at some point, someone has to realize that money won’t just gush in. It has to be rolled.”

“And that’s what organized crime does. They roll money. They bury money where no one else can find it.”

“Just like the cop shows?”

“Just like them, Sasha. Art imitates life.”

“Commander, flash traffic on ELF.”

“Take her up slowly, Flip. Let’s see what the message is.”

“Aye sir.”

“Captain to the conn.” The boat’s XO placed the mic back in its clip. He knew the captain would be in shortly. “Flip, let me know when we have it.”

The USS Columbus rose slowly in the dark waters of the Baltic Sea. The hum of the communications mast was barely audible within the conn as the shaft broke the surface of the water. They were up and down in less than five minutes, the boat riding near the surface in the relatively shallow sea. The captain of the boat walked into the conn as Ensign ‘Flip’ Morse handed the communication to the XO.

“What’s it say, Tull?”

“Good evening sir.” The XO looked up as the captain made the scope. “I guess we know why we’re here now,” Tull said as he handed the message over. “We’re to move up the coast, standby and prepare for support of an ongoing mission within Russia. And we’re to stay covert.”

“No shit,” Captain Dawson replied. “I wonder what the hell is going on?” He looked at the waterfall display to see their position. He’d been asleep for a couple hours. He felt slightly better, but this cold was still hanging on. “We’re not all that far from the Polish coast,” Dawson wondered aloud. “I wonder if we’re to get as close to Russia as possible? That would mean near the Gulf of Riga.” Dawson looked down at the message again before handing it to his XO. “Make these coordinates, Commander.”

“Aye sir.” Tull turned to issue the order. “Conn, make your heading zero two zero.” Tull looked at the sounding below the hull. It was deeper here than anywhere they had been coming through the Belt. “Make your depth one hundred feet. All ahead one-third. Let’s not hit anything on the bottom if we don’t have to.”

“New heading zero two zero, dive planes down five degrees, come to depth one hundred feet, conn aye.”

Dawson nodded, giving Tull a quick ‘thumbs up’. His young XO had the boat for another two hours. He would take the conn at the headwaters of the gulf. He turned and headed back out the opening. Time for something to eat.

Two days passed, the time dragging as the mission team had little to occupy their time outside of the farm. With only one device that could track the cell number, there wasn’t much for them to do. Ivan sat on a dingy couch in a safe house, flipping cards towards a bowl. He sighed as he missed for the sixth consecutive time.

“You just gonna sit there and do that all night?” Commander Jen ‘Polina’ Lewis asked. She looked around the room. It was as spartan as any she could remember. “God I wish I had something to do.”

“Why don’t we go out and just check out the neighborhood?”

“We have our orders, Anya.”

“Our orders didn’t include dying from boredom.”

“It’s part of what happens in covert situations,” Donald replied as he entered the room. “I’m not immune to your situation. I’ve spent many a night just sitting, doing nothing. It’s also not good for the body. I don’t know how long it will be before we get another hit from the cell, so all of you need to get out for a bit.”

“Where to?”

“Since Sasha and I have been hanging around the bar locale, we thought it might be a good idea to get your eyes on it too.”

“Why,” Anya asked.

“We’ll get to know the area better, the buildings, the setting.”

“That’s a lot to ask in just a couple hours.”

“True, but it’s better than just sitting here letting your mind vegetate.”

“I’m up for it,” Ivan exclaimed.

“That’s cause you suck as throwing cards,” Polina smirked.

“Let’s get to it then.” Donald turned, but stopped short of walking out of the room. “I want everyone to get their gear and strap it on.”

“Why? What good will that do?” Sasha seemed genuinely puzzled. “I didn’t agree to that.”

“You didn’t, but it will do them good to feel what it’s like to walk around with concealed weapons. If you’re not used to it, it doesn’t feel natural. You need to be able to walk down the street, to sit in a restaurant like nothing is wrong.”

“And if someone drops a gun?”

“It happens all the time in Russia,” Donald chuckled. “The majority of people wouldn’t think anything of it.”

“Let’s go then. Everyone get loaded up.” Sasha looked at his team as they stood in the center of the safe house. “Let’s just call it a dry run.”

“Mission practice,” Ivan yelled. “Let’s suit up everybody.”

\“Man, back home I’d call this place a dump.”

“Careful about back home references, Ivan.” Polina rolled the glass of dark ale in her hands, letting its base slide around the counter. She looked behind the bar as she lifted the glass to her lips. She sipped slowly, not allowing the taste to show on her face. It really wasn’t her drink of choice, but she couldn’t let strong alcohol go to her head. She wasn’t a good drunk.

“They really think this is a fun joint? Tell me you think this place is hopping?” Ivan looked around at the small crowd. Perhaps it was just an off night. “I wonder if there are better nights to come here? This place is kinda boring.”

“I’m not a good judge of most places. Remember,” she smiled, “I grew up in a small town with nothing else to compare things too.”

“Not much where I came from either, but they were better than this.” Ivan spun on the seat, propping his elbows on the bar behind. He felt the small assault rifle hidden beneath his coat shift. It was everything he could do not to reach down and grab it. He took notice of Donald, Anya and Sasha sitting at a table in the corner. They didn’t look too thrilled either. “Wonder what they think about this place?”

“Probably discussing the mission,” Polina replied. “I don’t see smiles on their faces.