Read Online The Somali Deception Episode I (A Cameron Kincaid Serial) by Daniel Arthur Smith - Free Book Online

the safari vest
barked, a breath from the ear of the other.
    “Really,” said the goggled man,
he jabbed his elbows up to his sides.
    “Sorry,” scowled safari as he
eased back from the table.   He then
turned his attention to the group at the entrance, “You made it from the
States.   You must be exhausted.   How about a little pick up, eh?   Arabica, grown local.”   Safari gestured to the espresso machine
then began to move toward the kitchenette.
    “Cameron, Pepe,” said Alastair,
“this is Isaac and at the table is Ezekiel.”
    “Pleasure,” said Isaac, “and he
likes to be called ‘Eazy’.   Being so
relaxed and all.”
    Eazy again raised his hands from
his work, this time to acknowledge the group.   Without removing his magnified goggles
he spoke, “Hello, sorry.   The
pleasure is mine Pepe and ... uh.”
    “Cameron,” said Cameron, “a
pleasure,”
    “I’m sure,” said Eazy, already
back to his work.
    “Excuse him.   He went ahead and armed that thing and
now the timer is not functioning the way he wants,” said Isaac.
    “That device is armed?” asked
Pepe.   He craned his neck to see if
he could identify what Eazy was working on.
    “I told him the thing was not
ready, he went ahead and armed it.”
    “I unarmed it,” said Eazy,
intently focused on the small screwdriver and pliers in his hand.
    Isaac raised his voice, “I was
standing right next to you.   You did
not unarm it.”
    “There, the timer is fixed and I
did too unarm it.   See right here,”
said Eazy, and then he paused and leaned in, “you are right.   The thing is armed.”
    “I told you I was standing next
to you.”
    “Yes, here we go.   I forgot I had to rearm the device in
order to disengage and then reengage the timer.   All better now.”
    Cameron and Pepe shared an
intent glance with Alastair and then shifted their concerned gaze to
Isaac.   Isaac looked blankly back.
    “You know we are messing with
you,” said Isaac.   He, Eazy,
Alastair and Dakarai all began to laugh, Ari merely grinned.
    Cameron and Pepe collectively
sighed.
    Cameron glanced at
Alastair.   “They do this often?”
    “Any chance they get,” said
Alastair.   “Isaac and Easy are also
former Mossad.   Their expertise is
demolition.”
    “I get that,” said Pepe.   “They have what we need? ”
    “We will hook you up,” said
Eazy.
    “We are more than happy to do
so,” said Isaac.
    “I would love to have some of
that coffee you offered,” said Cameron.
    “Me as well,” said Pepe.   “Though now I am feeling quite awake.”
     
    * * *
* *
     
     

Chapter 13
    Laikipia Plateau
     
     
    The group had moved into a large
canvas tent in another section of the tunnel.   The tent created a sense that they could
be anywhere other than below the earth in the abandoned mine turned
bunker.   They sat along one side of
a table that held current weather charts and a paper model of a seaside
compound.   Before them, a large
physical map of the Somali and Kenyan coast hung on the wall draped with a
plastic overlay.   The southern
Somali coast was heavily marked with coordinates, circles, and crosses in red
and black colored pen.   The Indian
Ocean portion of the map along the right side was plated with several satellite
images of the target area terrain and close-ups of the buildings from the
compound modeled on the table.   On
the left side of the map were photographs of the Kalinihta, her crew, Nikos,
and Christine.
    Cameron recognized the photo of
Christine.   The image was from a
magazine advertisement she had appeared in a few years before for Estee
Lauder.   Her face had been cropped
and enlarged to fill the photo.   There were eight pairs of eyes on the wall next to Christine’s yet
Cameron was drawn to hers alone.
    “They call this the Tactical
Center,” said Alastair.
    “I can see why,” said Cameron.
    Isaac raised himself from the
table and approached the map.   “I
have to tell you that when Alastair