Devil's Fork

  * * *

  Tom was walking back to the locker room with his M4 strapped across his chest. He could see a few helicopters taking off in the distance. They were probably training. He expected to ride one of them to the submarine in two days for the first leg of the mission.

  Suddenly Jiyeon walked out of a building to his right. She saw him, smiled and came over. She moved carefully like a cat. It emphasized her slim figure.

  “You really like being at this base, huh?” Tom said.

  “Yeah, Mr. Lee went back to the office but I met with some of the helicopter pilots here. I briefed them on North Korean naval activity. For when they fly you to the Virginia.”

  The importance of that did not escape Tom. Despite the fact that North Korea was technologically backwards, they employed their navy often. In recent years, they launched a torpedo at a South Korean naval boat which killed a significant number of sailors. The year before a North Korean ship entered the South’s waters and started firing at a South Korean naval vessel. The South Korean ship returned fire and the North Korean boat was significantly damaged. A similar incident took place several years earlier. Rarely reported by American media, these incidents showed that the North Korean navy was looking to pick a fight, and if they saw an American helicopter flying low, it would be within their logical process to think to shoot it down. Whoever was flying Tom would have to be aware of potential ships.

  “Let’s get dinner,” Tom said to Jiyeon.

  She smiled. “OK. But I have to drop off my files at the office. What should we do?”

  “I need to put my gear away and change anyway. Let’s meet in an hour.” Tom said, pointing to his rifle.

  “OK. See you soon then.” It pleased Tom to look at her smile.