The Bouncing Buns Gentleman's Club

Chapter 21

2250 hours, or ten-fifty pm, was chosen to allow the team to work in total darkness, but the operation needed to happen as quickly as possible. Orders had to be given, equipment staged, faces painted, and positions taken so the operation could go off by the deadline set, or earlier if the opportunity presented itself.

Ensign Adams had taken personal responsibility for ensuring the readiness of each man. His team included one petty officer and four seamen, all equipped with collapsible stock commando-style rifles, Beretta 9mm side arms, plastic explosives, night vision goggles that would seal out tear gas, and small gas masks to protect them as they entered the boat. All equipment was carefully sealed in waterproof carriers for the short swim. Adams left Seaman Davis, the patrol boat's helmsman, aboard with orders to tie onto the Azimut as soon as it was secured.

Thanks to the thickly clouded sky, it had become dark enough to proceed before the appointed hour and the Ensign was prepared to take advantage of it. He was mindful of the need to move quickly, to ensure the operation wouldn't be preempted by the need for the Azimut crew to abandon the slowly sinking vessel. At 2215 hours, the team quietly slid into the murky gulf waters and began to cross the short distance to the Azimut's swim platform.

The waves and current had died down significantly and were less of an impediment to their progress than expected. As they neared the larger boat, Ensign Adams raised his hand to get the team's attention and put his finger to his mouth. Silence was critical at this point. The slightest noise could give them away and sabotage the mission, endangering both the team and the girl.

Back on the Triton, Lieutenant Murrain was watching their progress closely through a pair of night vision capable binoculars, and reported it to Tom and Beverly.

"OK, they've reached the swim platform now. I just saw Ensign Adams caution the men against noise. It looks like they're ready to climb onto the platform... they're on it now and pulling up their equipment bags."

"No indication of awareness from the boat so far?" Tom asked.

"No sir, things appear to be good to go. I can see they're taking their equipment out of the transport bags now. This is a critical step. If they hit the hull with something, it would all be over."

The Lieutenant, Tom and Beverly all had enough experience on boats to know that any sound on deck could be magnified inside, as if the boat were a big sound box. Beverly looked down and discovered she had her hands nervously wrapped around the nearest handhold, knuckles blanched white as tension continued to rise on the bridge.

"It looks like they're on the move now," the Lieutenant said. "I see three men heading forward, likely toward the forward hatches. Ensign Adams and one other man are remaining in the rear and are headed toward the large salon door off the boat's cockpit. I can't see what the three forward are doing, but it looks like the Ensign and the other man are pulling out plastic charges. Yes, they're putting them on the latch and hinges, now."

"I can't imagine they could do all that and not be seen," Beverly said.

"They have the lights on in the boat. Dumb of them but lucky for us, and it's pretty dark out," Tom said. "That, along with black wet suits and camouflage paint for their faces and hands helps out a lot. Chances are that someone would notice movement rather than something they could definitely identify. Let's hope that doesn't happen."

"I'll second that," the Lieutenant said, "at least we'll know soon. It looks like they have the charges set and have backed off to their safety positions. Once the door and hatches are blown, they'll throw in tear gas and then go in themselves. That's when they'll be the most exposed and in the most personal danger. The three men going into the forward hatches have to drop in feet first without knowing what's below. There's no other way though, they certainly can't dive in head first. It's at times like this that they earn the hazardous duty pay they've been drawing every month. Ensign Adams and the other man on the door might have it a little better not having to drop down a hatch, but they're more exposed initially."