This is episode twenty-five of the fifth book in the Trace Troy Adventures in Paradise series. The Title is A Cult in Paradise
. It will be featured in episodes over the next few months. It will eventually be published in full on Amazon. All of the Trace Troy books, as well as my other novels, can be purchased on Amazon by clicking the Bookstore tab above. I hope you enjoy. And thanks for stopping by.
Island Landing
Near sundown, everyone but Makani prepared to go ashore. They dressed in camouflaged wear. They assembled on the deck and passed a jar of green face paint. They smeared it on. They hoisted on their gear and grabbed their weapons.
“Anybody have any questions?” Trace asked.
Everybody looked at each other and back at Trace. They shook their heads.
“Let’s go,” Sage said, and grabbed hold of the rubber boat.
Coyote helped, and they tossed the rubber boat overboard. Adam and Pete did the same. The outboard engines were placed in the boats. Sage and Coyote climbed into one boat. Trace, Adam, and Pete climbed into the other. The engines were pull-started and the boats raced away in opposite directions. Sage and Coyote went south. They planned to come ashore on the southern tip of the island and work their way to the middle. Trace’s boat would go ashore north of the center point of the island. Trace and Adam would work their way to the northern tip. Pete would remain near the compound and radio if anything detrimental to the mission occurred there.
Adam steered the engine while periodically checking his compass. Pete sat in the middle of the boat. Trace sat on the bow, peering toward the island and checking his watch.
Trace timed half an hour and waved to Adam. He gave a cut sign across his throat, and Adam cut off the engine. Without a word, Trace and Pete grabbed an oar and began rowing. Adam grabbed the binoculars and began scanning the shore.
The waves carried them ashore. Quickly, they dragged the boat across the sandy beach and into the palms. They covered it with whatever foliage was in reach.
Trace and Adam walked among the palms and thick plants, north. They didn’t speak. They only listened. They came to the north observation tower. They crawled until they were under it. Indistinct human voices came from the tower. They strapped the explosive devices to two of the four posts supporting the tower. They flipped the switches.
Trace and Adam gave each other a thumbs up and stealthily moved south through the palms. They stopped after fifteen minutes and sat amid the green brush and palms.
They spoke only above a whisper.
“Sage and Coyote ought to have their devices in place by now,” Trace said, looking at his watch.
They waited for a couple of minutes.
“Ready?” Adam said.
“Ready,” Trace said.
“I’m going to get in position,” Adam said.
“I’m going to plant the device in Demeter’s yacht,” Trace said. “And I’ll head to the stockade.
Trace switched on the handheld radio. “Ready,” he said. Trace waited for a tap that meant the message had been received. He heard it.
Trace and Adam stooped low and headed toward their assignments. Trace and Adam split. Trace headed to the yacht docked on the east side of the island. Adam huddled in a hidden position in the brush to provide support and reconnaissance if needed.
Trace reached the yacht. He claimed aboard and quietly moved around the deck. He climbed to the upper deck and looked inside the pilothouse. Only a small green light lit the control panel. He found the door leading to the engine room. He used a flashlight to find a good place for the explosive. He placed it below the propeller shaft. He thought, ‘Not only will it damage the propeller and engine, but it will blow a nice-sized hole.”
He hurried from the engine room and back up on deck. He slowly climbed over the rail of the yacht and onto the dock. He crouched and walked straight ahead into the palms.
He stopped when he reached the stockade. He eased around to the front, remaining hidden among the palms. The guard, dressed in white trousers and a button shirt, sat on a chair beside the door. He didn’t have a weapon. Behind him, just above his head, was a large red button attached to the building.
‘The escape alarm,’ Trace thought.
He inched closer for a better look.
‘Somebody is in there,’ Trace thought. ‘It has to be them.’
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