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have most of the materials they need to install the extended range tanks. He
assures me they will have them installed by dusk. They are being painted as
well. Some of the Keldara are assisting in that. Vil's team is considered
'marginally prepared' by Mr.
Holterman. Mr. Chatham has found a plane meeting your requirements but it is
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unavailable for rental.
They want a bit over a half million dollars for it."
"Buy it," Mike said, walking across the room towards the secure room that had
been set up.
"The captain of the yacht says that he's ready to move when you are," Daria
continued. "Gear has been moved to the yacht. The Hind is fueled and back
onboard. Yosif's team is ready to board. To refuel the boats off-shore the
yacht will need to take on aviation gasoline in Nassau. It is available and
the captain is
aware of the necessity."
"Anything I'm missing?" Mike asked.
"Lunch," Daria said. "It's being laid on right now. I suggest you eat before
you board the yacht, although there is food there as well."
"Thanks, mother," Mike said. "I'll take that under advisement. It's a pretty
long run."
"You should also sleep," Daria noted. "It's going to be a long night."
"I'll take that under advisement, too," Mike said, frowning.
He walked in the secure room and shook his head. Greznya had beaten him there
and most of the girls were crying.
"This is what I get for setting up an intel shop of nothing but women," Mike
said.
"Daria!" Irina said, ignoring him. "Sergeant Vanner has asked Greznya to marry
him!"
"Oh, that is wonderful news!" Daria said, running over and hugging the girl.
"He is so weak," Greznya sniffled. "He is so tired."
"He'll be out here in a few days," Mike said. "You can feed him up. He'll get
better. Trust me, I know."
"He knows," Britney said, nodding. "Boy does he know."
"Quiet, you," Mike said. "I hate to break up the party, but do we have
anything new?"
"It turns out the Ronald Reagan had already identified a probable contact,"
Irina said, wiping her eyes.
"A freighter is tracking back and forth north of Grand Island. They have
launched a plane to keep an eye on it."
"Excellent," Mike said. "Sort of."
"Sort of?" Irina asked. "I will not ask. We also have gotten information from
Jay." She handed Mike a form. "He believes he has a lead."
"Also very good," Mike said, nodding. "Anybody seen Dr. Arensky?"
"He is in an out-building," Daria said. "The other side from the harbor."
"I know it," Mike said. "Okay, Irina, who's on for tonight?"
"Myself and Creata," Irina said.
"Okay, be at the yacht in thirty minutes," Mike said then paused at a frown
from Daria. "Make that forty five. And get some lunch."
* * *
Mike walked in the door of the small coral building and paused. Most of the
interior was filled with plastic sheeting.
"Tolegen?" Mike called. He could see a shape through the plastic and assumed
it was the doctor.
The interior was very cool and smelly. There was an acrid stench that was
overlaid with various fruity odors. Mike didn't recognize any of them but
"cloves" came to mind.
"Ah, Kildar," the Russian scientist said, pushing aside some of the plastic.
"Welcome to my laboratory."
He said it the way any good mad scientist would: Lab-oooor-a-tory. Roll the
Rs.
"Just can't keep from tinkering?" Mike asked.
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"I have never had a chance to study some of the properties of tropical fauna,"
the Russian said. He had a
Petri dish in one hand and a glass beaker filled with a yellowish substance in
the other. "There are some very vile poisons to be found in tropical species.
I wonder if you're ever going to go to the Australia area?"
"At this rate I'd put it as 'likely,'" Mike said, sitting on the edge of the
room's desk. There was a small chemical lab set up on a table on the side.
While it was incredibly, almost unbearably, neat, the desk was littered with
papers. "Got a question for you; can you come up with something that will
incapacitate a large number of people. I'd prefer not to kill them because I'm
going to need to ask some questions. But just unconscious or very sick would
do."
"Easily," Tolegen said, frowning. "But how large an area? If you're talking
about a lot it would be logistically difficult."
"A small freighter," Mike said. "I'm not sure of the cubic footage. I can
probably get that for you. But I'd like something that's pretty potent and
portable. Getting it onto the freighter is going to be the bitch."
"That is harder," Arensky admitted. "Very high potency, but not killing. Sarin
for that area. . . With a good distribution system, which a freighter has, you
could do it with a tank the size of one of your
SCUBA tanks. There is one substance, a Russian product, that will act as a
hallucinogen. Would that do?"
"Probably," Mike said. "But I've got to be able to get something out of them."
"Oh, it is very fast acting but also very briefly effective," the Russian
said. "The effects pass in no more than thirty minutes. Inhalant so if anyone
realizes what is happening they need only put on a breathing apparatus. I'm
going to need some chemicals that are not here. You will also need a container
and a distribution system. I can make both from available materials but it
will be the equivalent of two of your
SCUBA tanks. In fact, that is exactly what it will be. . ." he added, looking
distant.
"That's perfect," Mike said. "Get with Daria on what you need. I'm going to
need it by tomorrow night."
"If I can get the materials, rapidly," Tolegen said, nodding. "Yes, that will
work. It is easy enough to make. If you know how," he added, grinning. "You
don't want them killed?"
"No," Mike said, walking out. "I'll take care of that."
* * *
"Oh, hello Juan," Mike said.
He had been wandering the Straw Market, just poking around. Anastasia had
wanted to take a look around and it was a good enough way to build the fact
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