Donlan held up the checklist. Most items on the long list were already marked off. “Almost. Nav systems are up and stabilized. Battery is fully charged. Flight control computers checked out.” He reached forward and flipped a couple of switches on the instrument panel in front of him. Two CRTs jumped to life. Letters and figures danced across their screens. “Running pre-underway diagnostics on the sonar systems.”

Gonzales gave Donlan a thumbs-up and fastened his seat belt and shoulder harness.

Except for the lack of any windows, the space looked like the cockpit of any military aircraft. Switches, knobs, and screens filled the bulkhead in front of the two pilots. Strategically located at eye level in front of each pilot was a multifunctional display screen where he could select the information he needed to “fly” this boat. Centrally placed on the bulkhead was a large flat-panel screen that displayed the forward-looking navigation sonar display and bottom-contour/mine-avoidance side-looking sonar. It doubled as a display for the periscope when they were using that.

Gonzales reached down to the console between the two. His hand danced across the controls for the lithium-ion polymer batteries and propulsion system. Everything looked to be normal. The atmosphere purification system controls, on the overhead above them, also checked out fine.

Gonzales keyed a switch on the communications console above his head and spoke into the throat mike. “Toledo, this is Little Boy. All systems check. Ready to begin disconnect sequence.”

The answer came back immediately. “Toledo, aye. Verified electrical power disconnect.”

Gonzales glanced over at Donlan. The copilot nodded and gave him a double thumbs-up.

“Verified electrical power disconnect,” he answered.

“Roger. Verified hatch systems checked shut and locked.”

Gonzales looked over at the hull systems status panel. All the lights were green. “Verify, green board.”

“Roger. Begin hull unlock sequence.”

Gonzales flipped a pair of switches that started the sequence of operations that broke the mechanical lock that held the two subs together. The metal locking dogs rolled free. The ASDV was ready to float away. Only the communications connection was still in place. It would break as the mini-sub moved upward a few centimeters.

Gonzales heard Glass’s voice just before the comms link was broken.

“Vaya con Dios, my friend. Good hunting. See you in two days.”

The link went dead as the ASDV floated free from the Toledo. That was the last contact the pair would have with any friendly voice until they finished the mission, but neither man had time to ponder such things.

Gonzales flipped on the main propulsion motor and steered the little boat clear of Toledo. He could hear the faint hum of pumps as the automatic buoyancy control moved water around to balance the sub at neutral buoyancy.

The pilot watched the navigation sonar paint a picture of the route in front of them. He spun the wheel to point the boat south and opened the throttle.

It was time to go to work.