‘The harness is a quick-release system . . . legs, hips, chest and head.’ Binning picked up the frame and turned it over. ‘It leaves your arms free to operate the recorder.’ He dug out a sturdy plastic-moulded waterproof box, unfastened the lid and took from it a complex-looking device that looked like a set of adapted night-vision goggles. ‘This is the recorder . . . it obviously fits over one’s face,’ he said. ‘You simply turn it on, look at the hull through the optics and the device will do the rest.’ He took a file of printed paper out of the box. ‘Here are the operating details. You’ll need to read them thoroughly before you play with it. One word of warning, though. This button here arms the device . . . yes, I did say arm. Once it’s activated, when you remove the memory card here - which is all you need to bring back with you once you’ve completed the task - the recorder will self-destruct. It’s not a big bang or anything like that. It releases a chemical inside that destroys all the hardware. Very important. We don’t think the Russians have anything close to its sophistication and we don’t want them getting their hands on it.’
Stratton held the device and scanned the first page of the instructions. He put them both down, more interested in the harness. That was the part his life would depend on.
‘Any burning questions?’ Binning asked.
Stratton picked up a bolt and placed it through one of the holes on the frame.
‘You’ll need all five in place to ensure stability,’ Binning advised him.
‘How do you release the frame afterwards?’ Stratton asked.
‘Good question,’ the young scientist said. ‘The eyelets detach from the frame itself,’ he said, demonstrating how.
‘You’re still left with the bolts in the rock,’ Stratton pointed out.
‘It’s the best we could do in the time we had. All I can suggest is that you cover the bolts with stones. I understand the value of the information gained on this operation will not be comprom - ised by the other side knowing we have it. Only complete deniability was on the wish list.’
Stratton wasn’t overjoyed. Masking an operative’s presence on target reduced the risk of pursuit. But he didn’t expect a scientist to think like an operative so he kept his criticisms to himself.
‘It’s all pretty straightforward,’ Binning added.
‘I’m glad you think so,’ Stratton muttered.
Mike scrutinised the scientist. ‘Who did the live trials on this?’
‘I did.’
‘How many?’
‘Five runs in all. On the last two the propeller was barely a metre above me.’
Stratton looked quizzically at the scientist who was wearing a cocky grin.
Binning picked his coat up from the back of a chair. ‘Why don’t I leave you to look it all over?’ he said. ‘I’ll be outside getting some fresh air if you need me.’ He paused at the door to look back at them. ‘If you don’t feel up to it, I’ll do it.’ Then he went out.
Stratton and Mike looked at each other, both wondering the same thing: was Binning Jervis’s alternative underwater specialist?
‘Couldn’t be,’ Mike said.
Stratton shrugged. ‘Jervis is a civvy as well, remember. That means he thinks like one.’ He went back to the equipment.
‘What do you think?’ Mike asked, holding up the frame and testing its strength.
‘It’s not a great plan,’ Stratton mused. ‘I hope the infil and exfil are tighter.’
‘Does that mean you’ll do it?’
Stratton was well aware of his own natural inability to refuse practically any operation, especially an unusual one. And as always he justified the decision by telling himself that he could pull out if things did not go to plan. But then, he wasn’t very good at doing that either. Other factors came into play in this case, though. The high-intensity work he had been busy with of late had become mundane. It was relatively simple. The weather and terrain of Afghanistan made the tasks challenging and their nature, either hits or observation posts, made them highly dangerous, yet they had become repetitive. The diving task sounded different. And it had something else that Stratton prized: he would be doing it alone. That gave the job a high score as far as he was concerned. If he passed on this he could be back in Afghanistan within the week. ‘We’ll give it a go,’ he said.
‘I’ll let the team know,’ Mike said, heading for the door. ‘The detailed briefing will be in about an hour. You’ll have to be