The Chameleon Factor. Don Pendleton

“Carry on.”

      “Aye, aye, skipper!”

      THE PAGER in McCarter’s breast pocket vibrated, and he hit the pager to turn it off. That was the signal. If they were in the vicinity, the Russians would be monitoring the military channels for transmission, and not be paying much attention to the civilian bands. Unless there was a lot of traffic. So all messages were being sent over pagers and cell phones, and consisted of a yes or no.

      “Let’s move,” McCarter said, starting along the railing toward the stern of the huge cutter.

      The deck was wet, but the rubberized covering made their footing secure, and Phoenix Force easily reached the aft helipad.

      Two crafts were there, lashed down tight under sheets of canvas by a web of ropes. Pulling knives, the men slashed the ropes free and hauled off the canvas to reveal two rather lumpy-looking rubber dinghies. Each was equipped with a set of tandem motors and filled with bags of supplies.