by John Muir
CHAPTER 37
INTERNAL SUSPICION
MT. KANLAON, NEGROS
Warvic knew that it would take five and a half hours for reports to come in from the 66 resorts. She had to be patient. It was only mid-afternoon. Her planning gave the five minute gap between each report to allow for variation between individuals' watches.
Later tonight, at 7:00P.M., the second round of calls would start. There would be gaps between many reports as some groups had already withdrawn. Their call-in times would therefore be vacant. The third round of reporting times was 1:00A.M. Each successive call-in time was six hours later and as more withdrawals took place each round would have more gaps. The total run through would still take five and a half hours.
She would make her initial assessment of success after the last report at 6:30P.M.
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APUAO GRANDE
Heidi sat back in her lounge chair staring out through the tinted window. Holding the walkie-talkie in her right hand, she wondered what the reactions would be from the other Libyans if, no when, another of their colleagues were killed.
Even if there had been no AFP interest in the resort before this evening, she would have to release the 35 remaining NPA irregulars. She wondered how the colleagues of the irregular killed by Pater would be explained by his friends. They could escape with the cover of darkness. That would halve her manpower. If there was no internal dissent and resulting suspicions, her remaining group would just be enough to control the hostages, even manage any minor skirmishes. But if the Libyans caused trouble, her remaining regulars could be occupied in the wrong type of activities. They were needed for defence of the island and guarding the hostages. There were too few to spare to hunt for Libyans hiding in the forest.
Nearly five minutes had passed since Boy had left. Heidi clicked on the w/t to channel 2. It was time to discuss options with Helmut. Domingo walked to her side.
"Do you want me to call someone in Tagalog?" he offered.
"Thank you, but no. I don't think anyone will understand what I am saying," Heidi replied.
Domingo nodded and stepped back to allow Heidi some privacy. When he heard Heidi begin to speak, he wondered at the strange guttural utterings she was making into the w/t. It was like nothing he had heard before. The male responses on the w/t were in the same accent. He had to assume Heidi was talking in German.
At the end of the communication, Heidi turned to Domingo.
"Call Rico at the barrio. Tell him I want him here as fast as he can run."
Domingo took the w/t offered, switched channels, and called Rico's name.
This time the response was only seconds in coming back, not like the long delays of the earlier call.
Domingo hid a grin as he spoke to Rico in Tagalog. He could see Heidi's eyes show curiosity as to what he was saying. It was now her time to be confused at the language.
The men in her group suddenly scrambled to replace their masks when they saw a masked figure approaching their house. Heidi swung around at the activity. Despite his being masked, she knew it was Helmut at the door.
Neither showed any sign of affection toward the other as he entered. There really was none to display, merely mutual acceptance. Each had sexual needs, and each had used the other in their time together. That was all there was. Both preferred a partner to self masturbation.
Gunther nodded his greeting.
"We have some problems," said Heidi.
Then in German, she proceeded to relate the events of the morning to him. At the end he just nodded again.
Domingo was surprised. It was the first time, apart from the earlier w/t discussion, that he was aware there was another German on the island. Then he was even more amazed to watch Heidi listen intently to Gunther, without comment, for the next few minutes. She only occasionally nodded affirmatively, though he did not know what for. All the conversation was in the guttural language she had used before.
A puffing masked figure appeared at the door. It was Rico, so out of breath he could not gather sufficient wind to announce his arrival. Heidi was satisfied at his maximum effort to get here as fast as he could. While she waited for him to regain some breathing control, Helmut said a few more words in German and began jogging out before he had even reached the door.
Heidi repeated to Rico only some of what she had told Helmut. Except this time she used English.
"Yes, I knew some of it," said Rico. "Boy, Dandan and two others were at the barrio and arranging to borrow a small banca and paddles."
Heidi knew she would have to clarify what Boy's plan was. She had guessed at most of it. Knowing more detail might be wise, without disclosing anything of her talk with Helmut to anyone else.
"You get back and tell Lorna what has happened. All transmissions to me must be in Tagalog," said Heidi.
"Boy has also asked us to keep a close eye on Canton to give him covering fire if we spot the Libyan on the hill. He told us his group will be wearing floppy scarves for identification."
"Scheisse, you'd better get back, quicker than you got here. Make sure the proper target is identified before anyone shoots. I'll hold you responsible for all mistakes."
Rico nodded and without further comment ran out the door. Heidi hoped that the scarves would be easily seen.
She picked up the w/t again, told Domingo what she needed to learn from Boy, and let him do the translations. As soon as she had the information she appeared to need, she signalled Domingo to wind up his talk. Taking the w/t from him, she switched to channel two and started speaking in German again. The only response that came back was "Danka."
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4:30P.M. arrived; then passed. Boy and Dandan watched and waited at the barrio until the first banca passed west of the southern tip of Apuao. Within a few minutes it was out of sight on the southern and far side of Canton. They watched as the other bancas and scooters did their first run past the western side of the island. No reaction came from Canton to reveal if the Libyan and his hostage were there.
From their position, they could clearly see the wide cleared expanse at the top of the hill. They knew that Rico and Lorna too would be able to see any movement on the bare high part of the north of Canton, but not in the forest cover below it. Some expats called the island Monk’s Head because of its likeness with the bald shaven patch at the top of the scalp.
Boy, Dandan and the two regulars eased the banca out from the shore by the barrio and scrambled aboard. The distance was greater than Dandan had previously guessed, more like eighty metres. They were very exposed. Though the water was not deep, Boy did not want to check it out while being shot at. If they were spotted, their intentions were obvious. They would be an easy target.
Coordination of the paddlers was not good. Their paddling abilities had never been tried before. At some other time they could have laughed about going in circles, but panic was forcing more misdirection than control. Boy began to count in a subdued voice so they would dip the paddles simultaneously. It seemed to work and they began to progress in the right direction toward the eastern side of Canton.
As they got mid-stream their progress slowed considerably. Boy thought it was merely an illusion until he saw that they were actually being moved backwards by the strong sea current running between the islands. He started to count faster, but it only slowed the banca's backward motion. Within minutes he knew they would all be too exhausted to put up any further resistance and the current would take them out to the western side of Canton. Any surprise of an attack on the island from the east would be lost. The plan was going awry.
He looked up toward the cleared area of Canton. Still no sign of life, but he did not feel any more secure. Any shots could come from the forested area if the Libyan was on the northern side. He still suspected the Libyan would be on the top of the hill as it was only from there that a full 360 degree view was possible.
The rip between the islands had taken the small banca out to one hundred metres west of Canton. Boy glanced at his
watch. It was now 5:15P.M., only 15 minutes before sunset. A good light cast by the moon tonight would help a landing after dark, but even if the Libyan did not have night glasses, the moonlight would make their approach highly visible. The night was too silent to hide the noisy approaching sound of motorised bancas. In this action he had already used up Dandan's diversionary ploy.
Boy looked at Dandan. The latter nodded back and cocked his head in the direction of the shore. Boy nodded back in the affirmative. Then, taking the risk of offering a full target to anyone on Canton, Boy stood up and waved to the other bancas to come and get them. By tomorrow they might have another plan.
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Heidi knew that there was virtually no chance of making the scheduled 6:30P.M. call-up. It was already 5:30P.M. Boy and Dandan's mission appeared to be a failure, making little chance that the radio equipment could be recovered in time. The resorts r/t was not capable of transmitting on the selected wavelengths. She had checked that out soon after her arrival. The possibility of problems would have been foreseen by the organiser, so they would expect some groups to miss a call in. If the equipment was found and recovered undamaged, she could still meet the second call time of 12:30A.M. After that it was 6:30A.M. She would use the period before the second call to arrange the departure of the 35 irregulars. Maybe she could dismiss the Libyans early too? They also had a timetable for withdrawal. Only they knew where their rendezvous was to be. Heidi was not privy to that detail, though she would feel more secure if she did and if the Libyans' were gone.
Missing the first call meant she would not be able to delegate the second call. But having to stay awake for the call, she would be starting to suffer sleep deprivation mood swings and other symptoms. Her judgement in all matters would be different. She would have to consult Helmut on all critical matters if she thought her judgement was affected.
Both of them had undergone sleep deprivation training. Nobody ever successfully passed that course. It was a case of failing by as little as possible.
After Helmut completed his unexpected solo mission, one of them might have the chance to snatch a bit of sleep.
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From the ridge-top of Apuao Grande, those guarding there had seen the first banca leave from near the restaurant and head south and west past Canton Island. They knew they were not to interfere with normal comings and goings from the island, but any movement was a distraction from the dull guard and watch routine they had already established.
More interest was taken when, minutes later, they saw two more bancas and two motorised skis depart in the same general direction as the first banca. Most of the hill group members wondered if the second group was chasing some escapees in the first banca. After the first banca passed out of sight behind Canton, they saw the second group of bancas pause offshore from Canton, then, start to move back and forth along a fixed line. The hilltop viewers all had to shield their eyes against the setting sun.
Further intrigue began when someone noticed a small banca pull out from the barrio. Though going east and away from the other bancas at first, it drifted back toward the others.
They listened intently to the words of one of the snipers with his telescopic sights trained on the events. He told them that all the people on all the bancas and scooters were wearing the same masks as them. Whatever was happening, nobody had informed them.
Aziz was thinking that perhaps Heidi might be having trouble with the w/t, or even worse, with another of the Libyans in the restaurant. In case it was worse than w/t problems, he did not want to risk direct w/t contact with her. It was nearly 5:00P.M., close to dinner time. Under the pretext of collecting food from the restaurant, he instructed four of his group to take the path past the pump-house to the restaurant. As they left, he warned them something might be wrong and to ensure they were prepared for any action on the way. When they reached the top of the path and started to head downhill, Aziz again checked the position of the two Libyans on the hill. Until his group returned he would not take his eyes off the Libyans.
In the sea, east, behind and below them on the rocky side of the island, nobody spotted the large drifting log. If they had seen it, maybe they would have noticed it was moving much faster than would be expected, even with a helping current. It had originated from the north-east point of Apuao Grande and was drifting speedily to the east side of Canton.
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CANTON ISLAND
Helmut remained under the protection of the log until he felt his fins touch against the rocks beneath the surface. Immediately the log made contact with the rocks on the eastern shore of Canton, he lifted the log to make sure it became firmly embedded on higher rocks. He needed a stable platform. From underneath it he carefully looked around at the nearby surroundings of the gentle slope. Slipping his diving mask down to around his neck, he gingerly looked up the slope from between the tree forks from where he had been controlling the log.
As satisfied as he could be that he had not been seen, he removed his fins. Then lifting the waist rope clear of the water, he pulled the waterproof packages on the other end of the short rope, into his hands. He picked out a position between two large rocks, above the high water mark, where he could leave his scuba tank, weight belt and other unneeded gear. He carefully noted his position in relation to nearby landmarks so he could easily find them again in the dark.
