see some H&Ks, some Uzis and Galils, and homegrown models.'
'One, Six,' Clayton said. 'Are they using silencers?' 'Everyone I've seen so far, boss, yes. And night-vision goggles.'
Jeffrey turned to Clayton. 'It's like we thought,' Jeffrey said. 'Stealthy security. Nothing excessive or obvious. No hostage encampments nearby, to draw attention or make for witnesses.'
'That must be why they put a missile bunker here,' Clayton said. 'An excuse for the fence and patrols.' 'Six, Three,' came over the circuit.
'Go ahead, Chief,' Clayton said.
'Four sentries on the roof. They shift around a lot, trading off the corners.'
'Chief,' Jeffrey said, 'what about inside?'
'IR shows a bunch of them in some kind of meeting on the second floor. In a conference room, I think, watching TV.'
'That sounds like research staff,' Jeffrey said.
'There are also two people in offices, on the downhill side of the structure, near the overhang by the entrance.
They're sitting, haven't moved in a while.'
'First floor?' Jeffrey said as sweat and rainwater dripped from his nose.
'Two soldiers inside the front door,' the SEAL chief said, 'two by the back exit, two by the stairs to the basement. Two more in the pantry area — one of 'em's making coffee, the other just lit up a smoke.'
'Anyone else on one?' Jeffrey said.
'No roving patrols or staff.'
'The audiovisual center?'
'The auditorium wing is empty.'
'The boat workshop and garage?'
'Wait one, some heat sources in there…Okay, that's just machinery. It's empty.'
'The relief shift must bivouac down in the village,' Jeffrey said, 'by the disused hotels and shopping malls… What's the total number of outside guards?' 'Twelve right now,' the SEAL chief said.
'Three, Four, wait one,' Jeffrey said. 'Break break. One, Four, what's happening to the east?'
'Four, One, Umhlanga Rocks Drive is totally dead, no sign of reinforcements. One vehicle in front, soft- skinned truck, light-duty Samil-20 four-by-four, engine's cold.'
Jeffrey turned to Clayton. 'That makes two dozen shooters, half a platoon, plus whatever they have in the bunker and basement.'
'Unfair odds,' Clayton said. 'For them.'
'Three and One, Four,' Jeffrey said. 'Can you tell which one is their officer?'
'Four, One, negative. No one's been acting in charge.'
'Four, Three, no obvious sergeant either. If one of 'em's actually present, he's smart enough not to show'
Jeffrey turned to Clayton again. 'So their HQ squad could be downhill, or here but somewhere hardened.'
'Yeah,' Clayton said.
'I want Ilse to take a look,' Jeffrey said. Clayton got out of the way. Jeffrey slid sideways and watched Ilse crawl through the mud to the viewscope.
'It's just like it used to be,' she said. 'Except for the fence and the bunker…and the soldiers, of course.'
'You sure?' Jeffrey said. 'One, pan around again. Ilse, watch for anything strange, bumps in the ground, things sticking out of the building.'
'Those video cameras,' Ilse said. 'The ones covering the lawn. That's new. This was a low-crime area.' 'Okay,' Jeffrey said.
'Six, Seven,' another SEAL called.
'Go ahead, Seven,' Clayton said.
'Ground-penetrating radar sweep is complete. Water and sewage go downhill, east, as expected. Gas comes in that way too. No PVC conduits or buried pipes on the other exposures.'
'Seven, Four,' Jeffrey said. 'Are you sure? Have you confirmed all phone and power and data lines lead out above the ground?'
'Four, Seven, roger, Commander. Wires and high-baud optic lines go up the utility pole by the workshop.' 'Six, Eight. Six, Eight.'
'Eight, Six,' Clayton said. 'Go ahead, Eight.'
'The box is in place,' SEAL Eight said, 'on the biggest palm tree that overlooks the outdoor amphitheater.'
'Eight, Four,' Jeffrey said, 'is the main building roof covered?'
'Affirmative. There's a great line of sight from the box.'
'Eight, Four, acknowledged,' Jeffrey said.
'All numbers, Six,' Clayton said. 'Pull back and get behind solid terrain.' Jeffrey and Ilse and Clayton withdrew to the gully. SEAL One soon joined them there. They hugged the ground as water sloshed over their bodies and gear.
'All numbers, Six. Status check, comms check, sound off.' Everybody was ready.
'With your permission, Commander?' Clayton said.
'Let's do it,' Jeffrey said. He gripped his pistol in both hands, keeping it out of the mud. The power diode glowed discreetly, green because the safety was on. The round-count said 18, a full clip. Jeffrey looked to his left. Ilse had her weapon out too.
'All numbers, Six. Safeties off, weapons tight.' Jeffrey worked the switch with his thumb. The diode changed to red.
'Eight, Six,' Clayton called.
'Six, Eight, g'head.'
'Eight, on my mark you'll be weapons free with the box. On the next lightning flash after that, fire the box… Mark.'
In seconds there was more lightning. It flickered strangely this time, and there was an immediate boom as if the lightning was right overhead.
'Eight, Six, status?'
'Wait one, LT.'
There was popping and whistling on the circuit now, and Jeffrey crossed his fingers that their little trick had worked. A flux compression generator just set off a nonnuclear electromagnetic pulse device.
It was over in microseconds. The gigantic current produced emissions across most of the spectrum, propagating horizontally. Power lines, antennas, radios, laptops, and phones, everything with unshielded circuits in line of sight was destroyed, even if it wasn't turned on. Within the short range of the box, protection required thick metal or concrete, with sealed surge protectors on all leads and feeds. The raiding party loitered outside the area covered. Inside the Sharks Board's perimeter only the basement lab and the missile bunker were safe.
'Confirmed detonation,' Eight said. 'The treetop is shattered and burning.'
'Effect on the installation?' Jeffrey said.
'Looks like a winner, Commander. Power lines are down and took the fiber optics with them. The building's been blacked out and I see small fires inside. Call it a hard kill. People are reacting now, using CO, extinguishers. Jesus, that stuff's cold — it's blue on my visors.'
'Four, Three,' the chief called, 'the guards are milling around. They're starting to gather near the tree. The ones on the roof are leaning over the parapet.'
'Naturally, Chief,' Jeffrey said. 'How often do they get to see something struck by lightning?' Over the noise of the rain, Jeffrey heard shouting between the guards, since their radios were fried, but their voices sounded curious more than alarmed.
'All numbers, Six,' Clayton said. 'Status check, sound off quickly.' No one had equipment damage, and radio reception was clearing. 'All numbers, Six, prepare to commence the assault.'
'Okay,' the SEAL chief called, 'they're starting to calm down, going their separate ways now. The rain's put
