“Possibly more,” Thomas said. “How much to buy it?”
“Five five,” the salesman said. “I mean, it’s practically straight out of the upgrade. Cherry.”
The basic airplane had been built in 1956 but Beavers were considered eternal. One of the best small bush planes ever made, most of the original run that had not crashed, and given the conditions under which they flew a lot had been destroyed over the years, were still in use. Recently, new engines and avionics had been developed for them that extended their range and improved their survivability. With the upgrades, the new class of Super Beaver might still be in the air when the original airframe was pushing the century mark.
This Beaver had been configured for amphibious operations, with pontoons that featured small wheels for strip landings. It would be perfect for use in the islands. Although with a Gulfstream and two helicopters, Thomas wasn’t sure what the Kildar needed it for.
“I’ll need to call my… supervisor,” Chatham said. He didn’t need a Super Beaver, that was for sure. “That was more than we were looking at. I’ll get back with you. By the way, do you take cash?”
“I got the materials,” Oleg said as Mike, pushing Adams in a wheelchair, approached the Gulfstream.
“Good,” Mike said. “You ready to walk, yet, crybaby?”
“I’m fine,” Adams said, standing up and then swaying. “God damn.”
“I’ve got you,” Oleg said, grabbing the master chief’s arm. “I was the same way. It is not something to be ashamed of.”
“I’m not ashamed,” Adams said. “I’m pissed.”
With Oleg’s help he was loaded on the plane. Mike climbed onboard, followed by Greznya, who had clearly been weeping.
“You okay, Grez?” Adams asked, grimacing in pain as he settled in the seat.
“I am, in fact, very good, Master Chief,” the girl said, then burst into tears again.
“Vanner finally popped the question,” Mike said, grinning. “Hey, Grez, how you fixed for a dowry?”
“Thanks to you, Kildar, just fine,” the girl said. “And I hate to say it, but the one condition that Patrick put on the marriage is that I not enter the Rite.”
“Fine by me,” Mike said. “I was wondering when he’d finally get off the stick. Damn, that boy can be slow sometimes. Besides, he’s good genes, too. The Mothers should be well satisfied.”
“Damn,” Adams said. “Color me clueless.”
“Like I said,” Mike replied. “You weren’t hired for your brains.”
“Daria!” Mike yelled as soon as he was in the house.
“Here, Kildar,” the girl said, walking into the main room.
“Where are we—”
“The boats have been surveyed,” Daria said, almost simultaneously. “The senior chief says they are all in good working order but he is ‘tuning’ them. They 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 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 offshore 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 outbuilding,” 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.
“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?”