The Sixteenth Day, Saturday, 18 December Summary

The crew of the Red October are transported to Washington. They are amazed by the things they see around them. The Americans tell each of them that they have an opportunity to defect if they wish. In Washington, the Russian ambassador accuses the Americans of trying to kidnap the crew. The President argues that the presence of the nuclear submarine is a violation of an agreement between the two countries. After he leaves, the President discusses the alternatives of the Soviets, including the need to believe the false stories planted by Henderson.

In Russia, a weather station detects something odd at sea that they suspect is a submarine. The New Jersey reports that the Russian fleet is returning home. The remaining crew from the Red October are interrogated during a special flight home to Moscow. The defectors are healing...