The Hunt for Red October: alternate ending

[Drake 53]

Hey kids. I just recently wrote an alternate ending to Tom Clancy's The Hunt for Red October for a creative writing assignment. Hope you like it...

The Red October

A gunshot was heard and Lieutenant Williams fell with a thud to the deck of the bridge, a gaping hole in the back of his head.

Jack looked up, shocked, to see who the attacker had been, if there was another Soviet spy aboard the Red October.

It was Ramius.

?Ramius, why did you...? gasped Jack.

?Shut up Yankee!? Ramius cut him off, ?You fell right into our trap.? He laughed.

Jack was stunned and couldn?t speak. Thoughts of betrayal raced through his mind. Ramius really was a madman.

The Soviet captain walked up to Ryan and pointed his weapon at Jack?s head. ?No,? he lowered the pistol; ?You cannot die yet. Not until you have witnessed the end of the world.?

?What are you going to do?? Jack was still shocked and confused over Williams? death and could barely spit out the words.

?Is it not obvious? I am about to start World War III and you shall be the one to blame for it.? Ramius chuckled again then said something again in Russian that Jack didn?t quite catch and the rest of the Soviet crew on the bridge laughed.

?Borodin,? Ramius took the second missile key from his pocket, ?The key.? He tossed it to Borodin and then removed his own key from around his neck.

Jack lunged forward, ?No!?

Ramius spun around and caught Ryan with a hook to the side of the head. ?Restrain him.? Muttered Ramius. Two of the crew grabbed Jack and tied him to his chair with some spare cables.

?Don?t do this Marko! You don?t know what you?re doing.? Jack pleaded.

Ramius ignored him. ?Prepare to fire missile tube one-A,? Ramius spoke to his crew in Russian. ?Set target coordinates for Washington D.C.?

Ryan understood that much, ?No! You can?t!?

One of the crewmen whacked Ryan in the side of the head with his pistol, just enough to shut him up.

It was now clear what Ramius was about to do. He was about to start the next World War by firing a nuclear missile at the American capital. Even if Russia had not ordered Ramius to do this, the United States would surely retaliate with missiles of their own. Then the trade-off would begin. Russia would detect the incoming missiles and fire their own back at the States. Both superpowers would be destroyed and the nuclear fallout would decimate the rest of the world.

Borodin spoke, ?Missile ready Comrade captain.?

?Good. Turn your key in five...four...three...two...one.? Ramius counted down.

Borodin and Ramius turned their keys at the same moment and a small panel flipped open between them. There was a red switch inside. Ramius put his hand on it but did not turn it.

?Comrades!? He spoke in English for Jack?s sake. ?We have come this far and will not be stopped. We have seen the faults in the Motherland and in the imperialist nations of the world. Today we will wipe that slate clean.?

Jack laughed in his daze, his voice a barely audible whisper, ?You?ll kill us all. Everyone?s gonna die. I have something to say to you!?

The crewman raised his arm to deal Jack another blow but Ramius injects, ?No, let him speak. Tell us Mr. Ryan, what do you have to say??

Jack smiled slightly, ?You know, before I came here the fine people on the Dallas gave me a little toy that will transmit a special frequency that will notify them in case I was wrong about you. That frequency will tell them that you?ve come to destroy the world.? He chuckled out of the side of his blood-caked mouth, ?It will tell them to blow you to high hell.?

He continued to laugh as he dropped a small radio out of his hands. A red LED light blinked, showing that it has been activated.

The Dallas

Sonarman Jones sat at his station listening to anything that might go wrong outside the confines of his submarine when a signal comes through over the radio, the most important signal he was ordered to listen for. ?Captain!?

Captain Mancusco rushed in, ?What is it Jonesy??

?Sir, it?s the Armageddon signal. It?s been activated.? Jones said with a depressed tone.

Mancusco was startled but calmed down, ?You?re sure??

?I wish I wasn?t, sir, but that?s it. Clear as day.?

The captain stood and went to his chair. ?Attention all hands, this is the captian. Doctor Ryan?s efforts have failed. The crew of the Red October is preparing to fire their missiles. It is our job to make sure that doesn?t happen.? He paused a moment then spoke, ?Fill tubes one and two and open the torpedo doors.?

The Red October

?What have you done?? Cried Ramius.

?I just saved the world.? Jack said just before he lunged forward, still tied to the chair. He rammed right into Ramius, knocking him away from the missile control panel and onto the ground.

The Dallas

After a moment, confirmation came that the tubes were filled and the doors were opened.

Mancusco spoke softly, ?God speed Jack.? His voice took on a commanding tone, ?Fire one and two.?

At his command two torpedoes sped from their tubes toward the Red October.

The Red October

?Comrade Captain!? The sonar officer blurted in Russian, ?Two torpedoes in the water, they are acquiring! One-hundred meters!?

Jack smiled as Ramius gave up his struggle with him. ?See you in hell Ramius.?

Then the torpedoes hit one after another. The force of the explosions ripped apart the hull.

The last thing Jack thought was that he never had a chance to give his daughter her Christmas present.

[Andy 60]

Dunno the real ending, so I can't really compare, lol.

[chozen 1]

Nice... Silly Sovie should have just blow everyone up.. Or one of the crewmen.. pfft..

[Radioactive Isotope 29]

woo hoo! great job, Drake. :D

[Drake 53]

Too bad I had to wait a year to get replies to this. :p

[Andy 60]

Well, I was bored... :p