Codename Angel (The Angel Chronicles Book 1) by Jason Chapman Page A

D
Roosevelt was clearly visible on the horizon. The Illustrious had just taken
part in a mock battle in which a simulated attack was carried out by the
Americans. Berkshire smiled as he looked out to sea. He had never been fond of
promotion and always felt that his place was on the deck of a ship, not stuck
behind some bloody desk in Whitehall. He missed the sea and always jumped at
the chance to step aboard any ship.
    Standing at the
Admiral’s side was commanding Officer Timothy Watson a World War Two veteran.
The ship’s communications personnel sat at their posts talking and coordinating
battle drills with other sea traffic. A loud squawk sounded over the main
speaker and the voice of a pilot could be heard.
    ‘Illustrious, Golf
Alpha Sierra over .’
    ‘Roger golf alpha.’ A
young looking communications officer replied.
    ‘I’m twenty seven
miles out and tracking five unidentified contacts heading towards your
location, over .’
    Berkshire and
Frederick took up position behind the communications officer and peered into
the radarscope.
    ‘Roger that golf
alpha I’m tracking you and the contacts, stand by.’
    Frederick looked at
Berkshire. ‘Do we have anything else in that area?’
    The Admiral shook his
head. ‘Besides that vampire all other aircraft have been recalled.’ He leaned
forward, the communications officer handed him the microphone. ‘Golf alpha, how
far away are the contacts, over?’
    ‘I’d say about
fifteen hundred feet above me, over.’
    ‘What can you see, over ?’
    ‘They’re flying in
formation , similar to the spots on a side of a dice. I can see that
they’re circular, the object at the centre of the formation is very large. I’d
say about a hundred and fifty feet in diameter maybe more. The smaller objects
look as if they’re flying escort, over .’
    ‘Roger that Golf
Alpha, stand by.’ Berkshire looked at another communications officer. ‘Scramble
four of our vampires.’
    The officer
acknowledged the order and spoke into his mike. Less than ten minutes later
four Vampire jets screamed off the flight deck heading out to sea. Another
communications officer handed a sheet of paper to Commander Watson who joined
Berkshire and Frederick. ‘The Americans have just scrambled six of their
fighters, and the USS Midway is heading for our area.’
    Berkshire moved to the
command deck window and peered through his binoculars. The outline of another
aircraft carrier could be seen heading towards the position of the Roosevelt.
    ‘Contact our escorts
have them form a tight formation around us, what’s the position of the HMS Eagle?’
    ‘She’s deployed at
the outer edges of the fleet.’ The officer replied.
    ‘Contact her and
brief her on the situation, tell her to have her vampires on standby.’
    Berkshire was still
peering through his binoculars while mulling the situation over in his head. He
thought back to the committee’s first meeting and his defiance with what
Richard Wilks had suggested. ‘Huh, pure fantasy.’ He muttered to himself, then
looked at Frederick.  ‘Professor may I have a word please.’
    Both the Admiral and
Frederick retreated to a side room. Berkshire shut the door behind them. ‘I
need to know if you have any thoughts about what could be heading for our
position.’
    Frederick shrugged.
‘I have no idea what we’re about to face.’ He replied innocently.
    ‘Given your
experience at Church Fenton a few weeks back I thought you might be able to
lend some insight on what we could be up against.’
    ‘I trust you read the
report I submitted.’
    ‘I did, I just want
to know if you have anything extra to offer this moment in time.’
    ‘I’m afraid I don’t
Admiral.’ Frederick said. ‘I do not think we are in any immediate danger if
that’s your fear.’
    The admiral nodded
thoughtfully. ‘No, but I am relieved to know you are confident we’re not in any
kind of peril.’
    Both men returned to
the bridge and Berkshire resumed looking