The Layered World Pt. 09

"More than a fling?"

"Yes, more than a fling, which is not permitted."

She squeezed vigorously, which made him complain he was not lasting...

"Fine. I like this cock. When we finish off the jihadis without losses on our side, I might have to marry it."

He slowed the upward thrusts to prolong their pleasure and asked, "Are we compatible? Other than sexually, that is? I am a degenerate American, you know."

She giggled and squeezed harder, "Is that what I am fucking? A degenerate American?"

He had had enough and flipped them to bring her off. "Very degenerate. I can't get enough of this sexy body and fancy cunt!"

As their climactic wails filled the air, he realized the naked bodies were performing in view of the Captain, who was minding the helm and the gauges above them in the dark.

He stood and pulled her tight, "No calm here, lover. No calm at all. I'm not supposed to say I love you and will marry you, am I?"

Hot tears dropping on his chest, she whispered, "Just an innocent fling..."

She went in search of a shower while he kept an eye on the green lights and pulled on pants which were getting messed from the inside. No matter, he thought. No matter at all.

He climbed to the bridge and shook Henry's hand. "Thank you for not saying anything. She and I have a thing going."

"Not to worry, it is plenty dark." Laughing, he added, "After all, this is advertised as a pleasure jaunt."

Allan collected himself and inquired about the demolition plan for the end of the voyage.

"Dicey bit of work, that. Hugh knows four of us who did some EOD work in the Channel on WWII munitions. Fishermen keep dragging it up with their nets. Bad business because you don't know what originally worked or didn't work with the fuzing."

"You are still with us and seem to have your parts, so Hugh thought you were the one for our trip."

"Yes, I suppose he did. A lot of friendships cemented in the SAS. Anyway, we have no explosives with us now. Too hazardous, given risk of aerial or surface attack. And no armor anywhere on the boat."

He went on, "We will firm this up as we go, but the outline plan is to have my three buddies meet us at the pier in Palma on our return and assist with getting everyone and their gear off. The night before, the explosives will be boarded at the same location we used tonight. There is one complication, which is that these are three really fine engines, and we should do what we can to improve their salvage prospects. Everything shut down and secured before the balloon goes up. No explosive next to the engine room."

He paused for a look at the compass and automatic chart machine.

"If we actually get to the point of doing this, my thinking is that we position the Zodiac with two lifeboats on the far side of the hull away from the waterfront, using them to keep her moving after the engines are shut down and any stray nav gear is put in the lifeboats. The explosive is positioned to blow the devil out of the port side with flames, smoke, fire, the whole works. While that is happening, we are sinking the Zodiac and flopping in the lifeboats, victims of an untimely fume explosion in a fuel tank."

"Damn, what a sight that will be. Need cameras on full blast. And need Sybil's agent filing for salvage rights within minutes."

"Right you are. I thought at first of doing a scuba escape before the blast, but that would trigger an international search for bodies that we don't want or need. So, it will be just four crewmen, beaten up in a yacht explosion, paddling slowly to the pier."

Sitting quietly in the dark with no moon, Allan said, "Henry, this is the original playing with fire scheme, isn't it?"

"Yes, and I haven't even got to the part about the rocket launchers. Do you fancy yourself an armaments man?"

Jennifer had padded up in fresh clothes and a sweater. "Henry, you may not launch him! He is mine, at least for a while. Maybe longer." She pecked at Henry's cheek and pranced away.

* * *

Down in the spacious master bedroom suite, Jay sat naked on the edge of the bed, waiting for his women to finish their joint shower. He had warned about conserving scarce fresh water and they had pressed their own naked bodies together, claiming he was driving them into lesbian sex. He growled and Fina cried out, "He turned me! His great cock did me in a green grape orchard in California and I came. The very first time. I told him I had been ejected from the Girls Club and he laughed."

Lisa made a noise and asked, "If my fingers find your pussy, do I get slapped or kissed?"

Jay growled again and pointed to the shower. He roared, "Both of you will be ruled by my cock. Anything else is discretionary. Very discretionary." He smiled and tried fake frowns, which didn't work. Neither one was giving up a chance at Jay's impressive tool.

When he returned from his shower, the amorous females were sound asleep. He smiled, drew up the cover, and found a crew bunk for his own sleep.

* * *

A sweet kiss and fumes from a hot mug of coffee awakened him. Jennifer said quietly, "They are still sleeping and we will leave them be. Allan and I are too juiced for sleep at the moment. Do I have your approval to launch the first transfer at 9am New York time today, which is 6pm our time?"

Jay sat up and pulled her to his knee for another kiss. "I am not so sure..."

"Stop, I am in love with him. Real love, not just a fling. You said you would let me go..."

He stood, his stiff cock wilting. "Yes, I did, and yes, you may. It is actually none of my business. He is a terrific team player and I wish you the best. And yes, let's begin Orange this evening unless something comes up during the day. Do you care what course we set?"

She swatted at his limpness. "You must hide that thing or I will have to ask Allan about sharing. Did you get proper loving last night?"

Finding his drawers, Jay responded, "They talked a hot story but were sound asleep when I finished my shower."

She smirked, "What a terrible letdown. I think we are all business from now forward. There is some breakfast on the bridge."

* * *

The bridge was quiet, Mark at the helm and Stan checking the nautical map. But they were surrounded by nothing but steel gray water in the early sun. In the distance off the starboard quarter, Cabrera was fading. Three hundred miles ahead across open water lay Sardinia, their next planned destination.

Jay helped himself to thermos coffee and a fresh roll, nodding to the bridge crew. Allan and Jen were one deck down, both of them on laptops using satellite links. He walked in their direction, thinking that this was a marvelous luxury outing, but also perhaps a suicidal venture against Islamic radicals.

"News?" he asked.

"Nothing special. An in the clear message from Hugh wishing us a pleasant journey. He must be in place in London."

"When Sybil and the other PA's are available, you should have them pulse their offices with nothing inquiries that sound like relaxed bosses."

"Yes, sir. Is the real Boss relaxed this morning?"

"You will discover that Orange, like other military exercises, is marked by dull waiting interspersed with moments of sheer terror."

"This is pretty high quality dull waiting."

"Yes, it is. Thanks to your creative mind." His fingers wrapped in her hair and Allan smiled up at him.

"You need rest. Do I have to order you to bed?"

Lisa appeared on his shoulder. "Yes, order them to bed. I will mind all this."

The two grumbled, closed their machines and went below. Afterwards, Lisa stood close to Jay and said, "I received a cryptic message from home saying I would soon see mutual friends and hoped I would enjoy waterplay with them."

Her fingers grazed his hip and she inquired, "Do you suppose the subsurface navy plans to intercept us?"

Exposed on deck to the crew, Jay was not engaging in any foolishness.

"You are a very desirable female who is to keep her distance. If true, we wouldn't mind an underwater escort, would we?"

She sat in the chair in front of him and opened her own machine. "Fine idea. Especially if it is one of those small diesel electrics with a deck gun. That would definitely surprise a mosquito boat."

"There are night vision goggles in the air cargo shipment. Will come in useful, I suppose." She nodded and opened windows on her screen.

Violating his own rule, Jay's fingers massaged her scalp and neck. "What are your plans for the future once this endeavor is accomplished?"

In a very calm voice, barely audible over the sound of her fingers on the laptop keys, she responded, "Why, I will throw in my lot with you and these marvelous women. How could I go back to industrial espionage in boring Lisbon?"

"Assuming a lot of if's, I like the sound of that. You have already earned your keep. Your bosses will accept a change of employment?"

"If we pull this off, they will be delighted. The Brits and Americans, not so much."

He smiled and kept gently working her head to low hums of approval.

"Yes, it is truly a delicious thought to contemplate Langley's reaction, once they discover your true identity. We must make that difficult."

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Bodies with sunscreen absorbed Mediterranean sun and dipped now and then into a postage stamp pool filled with saltwater. In midafternoon, Henry appeared on the bridge to find Jay at the helm.

"Captain, it is good to see you refreshed. I have cut back to one engine and we are proceeding at all of five knots."

"Sir, this is hardly military protocol. But a good move, it will conserve fuel for more important moments."

Jay vacated the chair, motioning Henry to his rightful station. "I have news which is private among you and Lisa and me. We have reason to believe that underwater Mossad people may be in the process of navigating to shadow us. Nothing definite, which is why it is private for the moment."

"Well, this is news. We covert types have endless respect for Mossad."

"Yes, hard to think of better backup. But they will wish to be silent partners, so nothing may come of it."

"On another topic, Jennifer and Fina are about to launch their electronic attacks. For the first day or two, the Jihadis will no doubt be mostly confused about what is going on. After that, they are likely to be madder than hell and we can expect almost any kind of physical attack."

"Sir, is there a reason for us to be out here in open water, with nonmilitary people, on an essentially indefensible luxury yacht?"

Jay smiled, "Henry, that is an entirely sensible question. We should no doubt turn tail and head for Barcelona at high speed. However, there is an element of surprise in these plans, and we may in fact be able to inflict more damage out here than we could on shore. On dry land, we would need secure quarters, and they are hard to obtain without notice. Further, what we are about is electronic warfare, where we have superior advantages, whereas on land, we are in no position to engage in real fighting."

He paused, and continued, "That said, this is a dangerous enterprise, which I am sure Hugh impressed on you. Your willingness to Captain our ship is gratefully acknowledged."

Henry was shaking Jay's hand, "You are a remarkable leader and I am pleased to be part of taking down a few jihadis. You also have a good friend in Anthony, and he has good friends of his own."

Later, with the sun nearing the horizon, Jen waved from the deck below and shouted, "It's done!"

Chapter 36 - Suspense

The second night at sea was equally tense. Both a helm watch and an electronic watch had been set, but nothing occurred to mar the slow progress of Artemis eastward. Near midnight, unable to sleep, Jay and Jennifer occupied the sofa across from the flashing green lights.

"The message in response to our misdirected transfer should allow us to localize their server, and with luck, crack their money transfer system. If we do that, they will discover tomorrow morning that their accounts are empty and all sorts of other badness is happening, such as their trading margin accounts being frozen. I am hopeful they are hysterical enough to send traffic in the clear that opens other accounts to us. An expanding circle if you will."

"What about the information you have already collected?"

"Yes, the PA's have been very helpful, but ISIS is devious enough to change IP's and physical addresses constantly. After all, they have been trapped by the intelligence agencies numerous times and have gained agility from that."

"But you are more agile." He squeezed her hand.

"We will see about that... While you are here, we should talk about protecting this equipment."

"Yes, it is definitely our most vital asset at the moment. What are your thoughts?"

"On the deck below us, there is open galley space with tables. Also, air conditioning ducts, which will be needed. There is the hull and at least one partition wall to stop bullets from all directions."

"Would you accept a suggestion that a port and starboard row of mattresses be strapped to the partition walls?"

She rewarded the suggestion with a quick kiss just as Allan flopped to her side. "What is it this time? I thought we were engaged?"

She slipped to his lap and applied a proper fiancee kiss. "There, that must hold you. He just decided the women are to surrender their mattresses and sleep on the hard deck. The electronic equipment must be protected."

"Fine idea. Look behind you."

The PA's and Emily were sitting down on the deck with bottles of soda, smiling in the dim light.

Jay said, "When they all smile, it means trouble."

Sybil spoke for the group, as she usually did. "We have no guns except our pistols, which aren't much use out here. We've been talking and think we would be of more use to Orange at our offices than here. We know that seems disloyal, but it's a fact. If you wish to go one step further, consider sending Fina with Sam and me to London where we can establish something of a backup capability in case you are incapacitated out here for one reason or another. And I don't mean killed. A lucky hit on this tub could end its mission in minutes and leave you in lifeboats waiting for pickup."

Allan, Fina and Lisa were now present, so it was an all hands meeting.

Jay asked, "Lisa could become the new Fina? There have to be two operators of the equipment."

There was quiet while the group waited for Jay to speak. The quiet rumble of the one diesel engine filled the night air.

Jay didn't like to use his command voice, but this was a moment when it was needed. Modulated and firm.

"Something like this has been floating in my mind, but I consider you the best judges of where you should be when we face determined opponents. Nothing is for sure with Orange, but I think the balance of risks, and possible rewards, is on the side of your idea. In a minute, I will talk to Henry about timing. I doubt a vessel this size will be allowed to enter Cagliari at night, and I don't want attention from customs over a stealthy arrival either. You are still office workers on vacation."

Before Jay could rise, Scarafina was pounding on him. "You sold me down the river!"

He pulled her quickly over his head into his lap. "Actually, I sold you upriver. You get to hangout with two PA's, plus Hugh and Anthony. Your quick mind will need to provide quick answers to tough questions. And you will need to stay in sync with your partner out here."

As others watched, she buried her head in his shoulder, exclaiming, "You are the worst tough boss!"

Jay lay her carefully in Jennifer's lap to his side and climbed the ladder to the bridge to talk to the Captain.

There was a busy silence, wheels turning. Within minutes, the other diesels were starting and props turning. The bow began bouncing on the six inch waves of the calm night.

Not long after, Jay returned and said, "Henry thinks sixteen hours without running our fuel too low. Depends a bit on wind and waves, and also on your travel arrangements. It would be helpful if you could go directly from the port to the airport. We can sort that in the morning."

Allan, Jennifer and Fina sat tightly together, the hull now vibrating strongly. Allan said, "Just like that, it's done. My god, Langley wouldn't have even looked at the memo yet!"

The women pulled his hair and twisted his head back and forth. "Still happy you signed on with Jay Manco, agent? What if they reject your resignation?"

He let that hang in the air and said, "I don't think they do that. The first sign of disloyalty and you are gone."

"Gone," said Fina, "I like the sound of that."

Allan rose with them in his arms. "Tonight, I am sleeping with both of you. Tomorrow, the mattress is gone!"

Chapter 37 - Cagliari

When Jay arrived on the bridge the next morning, Henry was just turning the watch over to Mark and Stan.

"Jay, we made good about a hundred nautical miles overnight and have another hundred or so to port. That gets us in the vicinity of land after lunch. Why don't we take a few minutes to see about air travel options?"

Jay found the PA's on the lower deck, sipping coffee and keying rapidly into a laptop. In a few minutes, Sybil looked up, "Lufthansa to Heathrow. Connecting in Munich. Leaves at 1800, which will work fine. We will take carryons only. Overnight, but the departure fits what we need. They are very security conscious, especially in Munich."

"Fine. Go ahead." As he was turning to the bridge. Emily's hand fell on his shoulder. "I'm staying. You don't mind? The others need a helper now and then."

All he could think to stay was, "Damn, Emily, you are a real pro."

To the bridge crew, he said, "Let's request entry around 1400. Earlier if customs is going to take time. The PA's need to be at the airport by 1630."

Juiced up with black coffee, he hunted down the Four, who were huddled over laptops. Jennifer glanced at him and said, "Lots of stuff to decode. Talk later."

Sitting stiffly on a sofa, he was joined by Lisa. "Another message mentioning fine weather and saying the friends might see us tomorrow. Also mentioned the change in our cruising plans."

"Damn, they are tracking closely. Already picked up our beeline for Cagliari."

"Perhaps a reply about some folks asking for a stop at Nice or Monaco for gambling? That would give them a soft clue about a rendezvous to the north off the west coast of Sardinia or Corsica?"

He squeezed her thigh and gave her a blazing hot look. "Getting pretty damn good at this, aren't you?"

She poked a finger in the middle of his chest, "It's High Noon, Gary, and my response is "Aw Shucks..."

He wandered off, shaking his head. Damn smart women.

* * *

At noon, the southern tip of Sardinia was dead ahead, twenty miles off according to the radar scope. A half dozen other vessels were in view. Allan and Jay had binocs on everything that might be hostile. Henry was talking to the Harbormaster, who managed broken English. Mark and Stan were guiding Artemis forward at a good clip.

A few minutes later, Henry reported, "We are cleared direct to the main pier, where Customs will board. Am told only cursory inspection for contraband. He warmed up after I asked for a load of diesel, fresh water and so on. These islands need our hard currency."

Earlier, there had been a hesitant moment with Jennifer, deciding when to move the electronics gear. Finally, he said, "Let's leave it. You will explain good communications are essential to our worldwide insurance business. Do what you can to shield it from cameras on shore. If we set it up in the galley, someone in customs may assume we are pirates or worse. Don't need that."

Arriving, Jay decided public affection on the pier for four departing females was a fine idea and made a show of it, trying for some Italian style flourishes.