Up ahead through the dark rain loomed the rugged atoll of an island. It
was not large enough to have any vegetation; it really was only a giant
granite outcropping that nearly disappeared every time a breaker washed
over it. This, Pierre reflected with chagrin, is going to be our
staging area, as well as our new home for a full day. A little
camouflage would handle the problem of detection by any snooping USN
flyovers, but the boys weren't going to get much sleep.
"This is a hell of a deployment base," Reggie was saying, his voice
barely audible over the sputter of the two out- boards. The two black
Zodiac rafts were now side by side, keeping together. His normally
florid complexion had turned even more deeply ruddy from the cold and
frustration. "How in bloody hell did it come to this?"
Armont was so frustrated he could barely manage a civil answer. "It
came to this because we let a client spec a job. We left a piece of
security to the client, always a bad idea." He climbed over the side of
the Zodiac, splashing through the surf, and began securing the first
line to a jagged outcropping. Around them the cold waves of the Aegean
lapped through the rain. Dawn was hours away, and there was nothing to
do now--except recriminate.
Dimitri Spiros, who had installed the security system for the SatCom
facility, waded ashore looking as sheepish as he felt. He had only
himself to blame for the penetration, he knew, and he had no intention
of trying to defend it now.
"What can I say?" He grimaced and caught the line Hans was tossing to
him. "I should have put my foot down. Sometimes pleasing the client up
front means not pleasing him at the end. If something goes wrong, it's
always your fault, not his. Human nature. I didn't listen to my own
better judgment. Bates claimed they had enough security, and I let him
get away with it."
"It's in the past now," Armont said, biting his tongue. "We all keep
learning from our mistakes. Just as long as the education doesn't get
too expensive."
Hans was setting up the camouflage that would cover them during the
daylight hours to come. They had prepared for most contingencies and
had brought enough camouflage netting to cover them and the rafts,
which they now had dragged onto the atoll to serve as beds. They would
take turns sleeping, letting whoever felt like it grab a few winks.
Now Armont was staring into the dark sky, thinking . . . thinking there
must be a better way to pay for your caviar.