CHAPTER XII
Mr Hispania and Mr Nordic sat facing one another, beads of sweat on their blackened faces. Their goggles raised onto their helmets, they reflected the red light of their enclosed space,
There was calm reflective silence between the two men, the occasional glance at a watch, a quick check of their gear, a tightening of a buckle, the repositioning of a strap.
Mr Africa approached, walking stooped down in the low space , sheets of paper in hand and crouched between the other two men, wincing slightly, his ribs reminding him of his role in the gunfight between the men in front of him and Miss Asia, Lucy.
"This is the latest met data... still light winds from the south west, sea state unchanged..." Africa explained, tapping his chart.
"And thee for-acast for egress?" Hispania asked.
"Well within parameters for the helo lift." Africa confirmed.
"Any changes on target assets?" Nordic asked.
"They seem to be holding station to the north east, on the lee side which suits us fine..." Africa replied as he glanced over a satellite photo.
"That eez gud for us amigo.... " Hispania grinned.
"Now DONT FORGET...." Africa said assertively...."the priority is that this looks like an accident and ....AND?"
Africa paused dramatically...."AND?"
"Avoid casualties....." Nordic said, rolling his eyes.
"UNLESS?" Africa added. He was in charge now until a replacement for CrewCut was found and he didn't want any screw ups.
"Unless we are discovered....the accident takes precedence" Nordic replied.
"Good...you have....." Africa glanced at his watch, " 2 minutes...."
"Bottle check..." Nordic said, pulling his mask to his face, his colleague mirroring him.
PSSSSHT PSSSSSHHHT
The pair nodded to each other as they drew their goggles to their faces.
"Radio check. ONE TWO THREE...ok...ok...." the pair said one after the other.
Mr Africa crackled into their ears.... "Thirty seconds...."
VWHIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRR
A ramp door began to lower and the sound of the wind began to howl, the air temperature starting to tumble rapidly inside.
"FIFTEEN..." Africa said.
PSSSSHT PSSSSSHHHT
"Ok ...." Nordic said into the radio, rising to his feet facing the ramp with Hispania turning in behind him.
"FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE ... GO GO GO...." Africa shouted.
The leap into the darkness brought a roar of sound first, the aircraft leaving them behind, then the steady woosh of wind rushing past the men's ears. Arms outstretched their wingsuits began to slow their decent and convert it into forward motion. Flying in an inverted arc, their fall being converted into a glide the two men kept vigil over one other.
PSSSSHT PSSSSSHHHT
"Heads up" called Nordic
"Heads up" replied Hispania.
Nordic crooked his arms in front of him and tapped on a little keypad strapped to his forearm, Hispania did the same.
PSSSSHT PSSSSSHHHT
In their goggles the glide slope was projected into their view, a chain of target squares indicated the desired path. They were a little high and a little left of optimal and with some effort they re shaped their bodies, correcting their course.
"Cloud boundary TEN....................prepare for turbulence...." Nordic said.
Usually where clouds were found there was turbulence, little vortices of air that tumbled with rising warm air below and cool air falling.
PSSSSHT PSSSSSHHHT
The pair of men whooshed into the cloud, beads of water trailing across their view a moment.
"Visual in FIVE, FOUR, THREE , TWO....ONE..." Nordic said and, as if on command, they were through the clouds.
"Altee-tude eez a gud....line gud..." Hispania confirmed.
"I see the target..." Nordic said, relief evident in his voice.
PSSSSHT PSSSSSHHHT
"Me too..." Hispania said as he glanced back to Nordic.
In the distance the lights of a small ship, it's red and green navigation lights just visible and just to the side and in front.....the oil rig standing proud above the almost invisible ink black water of the treacherous North Sea.