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Since he didn’t have many options, Zavala decided to put his rabbed Phelps by the arm, and said, “We need to talk, soldier”

CHAPTER 42

THE SEAHAWK HELICOPTER FLEW WITHOUT ITS RUNNING lights twenty-five feet above the sea, al the wave tops, as it sped toward the atoll at two hundred miles an hour Tension in the cockpit mounted as the chopper neared its destination, but Austin reer’s seat dressed in a lightweight wet suit, his eyes fixed on a satellite-generated hybrid chart spread out on his lap, etching every detail into his brain

He had rease pencil The first X showed the position, a quarter mile from the atoll, where the helicopter would drop him off The second X showed the narrow breach in the coral reef The third X, frooon

The pilot’s voice came over the headphones

“Five-, Kurt”

Austin folded the chart and put it in a waterproof chest pack He pulled a plastic pouch that protected his Bowen revolver out of the pack, checked the load, and tucked it back inside Then he unbuckled his seat belt and stood by the Seahawk’s open door The helicopter slowed, then hovered over the predetermined point of insertion

“Showtime, Kurt!” the pilot said

“Thanks for the ride,” Austin said “We’ll have to do it again soer”

The chopper’s copilot helped Austin push a six-foot-long inflatable boat out the door, and they lowered it into the sea using a mot

orized winch Austin grabbed a two-inch line rigged to the helicopter’s hoist bracket and slid down the rope, his hands protected by thick gloves He then lowered hio

The Seahawk moved away fro up the water Austin breaststroked over to the inflatable and cliear pack secured to its makeshift wooden platforht fro over the water, and blinked it several tinal that he was set

Its job done, the Seahawk darted off and, within seconds, disappeared into the night

Austin undid the tie-downs holding the supply pack and pulled out a paddle He found a waterproof pouch that contained a handheld GPS and pushed the POWER button

The tiny green screen blinked on, and it showed his position in relation to the island He tucked the GPS back in its pouch and began to paddle