A massive vermilion crane lifted one container of munitions after another, steadily transferring them to the foredeck of the *Cristo*. Compared to the towering crane that loomed over the dock, stretching as high as a 20-story building, the 5,000-ton cargo ship moored below seemed as small as a sampan.
Mark and Sernechevich stood on the dock, and this orderly scene somewhat eased the tension he’d been feeling. Since morning, he’d been anxious, worried that something had gone wrong. Different scenarios kept flashing through his mind: the "end-user certificate" being exposed, the South African government blocking the weapon sale, customs seizing the ship and cargo, or being arrested by police who appeared at the dock out of nowhere.
“Ahem—” Just then, an exaggerated cough sounded behind him. He turned around to see John Schlink’s pudgy face.
The bulky Belgian glanced down at the short, round man, asking coldly, “Is there a problem?”
Schlink shivered involuntarily, forcing out, “The exit procedures for the cargo are complete, and the loading is almost done. I was wondering if you might… hand over the documents?”
“You mean these?” Mark held up a stack of shipping documents, waving them slightly.
“Yes, yes, those.” Schlink said, reaching out.
Mark handed him the pile of papers without hesitation. These documents would be given to Daniel & Co., serving as proof for redeeming the letter of credit from the bank.
Schlink scrutinized the documents from start to finish before carefully storing them. He plastered a grin on his face that looked more painful than pleasant and continued, “If it’s convenient, could we settle the remaining fees?”
“Fees?” Mark said dismissively, “We’re still loading the cargo, aren’t we?”
“Well, yes, but when I made the initial arrangement with Mr. Deylek…”
“The agreement you made with him was—‘The fees will be settled once the cargo is loaded FOB.’ Am I wrong?” Mark interrupted sharply, his tone turning unfriendly.
“You’re correct.” Schlink replied, a bit stiffly.
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“Then there’s no problem.” Mark grinned, baring two rows of gleaming white teeth. “Deylek has a great memory; he remembers everything anyone says or does, down to the last detail. You can rest assured—you won’t miss out on anything you’re owed.”
This veiled warning left Schlink feeling uncomfortable. Instinctively, he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat off his forehead.
“Anything else?”
“No, no—” The short man reflexively replied, then added, “I’ll take these documents to the folks at Daniel. Excuse me.”
“Mm.” Mark nodded indifferently as Schlink scurried off toward the far end of the dock.
Watching the short figure retreat, Mark pulled out a stuffed Luzon paper envelope. Inside was thirty thousand dollars in cash, procured by Du Preez through black-market contacts.
He handed the envelope to Sernechevich, saying, “There’s ten thousand in here for you; the rest, divide among the crew.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Sernechevich replied, slipping the envelope away with practiced ease.
Meanwhile, in Durban, Keith had also made preparations to set sail. Under the pretense of hosting a sea party, he rented a sixty-foot yacht from a local charter company, named *Gramma*. The mortar crew, helicopter pilot, and mechanic would board this yacht and rendezvous with the *Cristo* on open waters.
The plan to use Europa Island as a transit point had been studied by Keith and proven feasible, even receiving approval from Harrowby. To support the mission, Jansen scoured Durban’s water sports stores and managed to acquire three heavy-duty inflatable rubber dinghies, each with a carrying capacity exceeding a ton. Since they were sourced from two different stores, one dinghy not only differed in color and brand but was also relatively smaller in size and load capacity.
Each of these dinghies had a modular aluminum floor, designed to increase the vessel’s rigidity and load-bearing capacity. Originally developed for military landing craft, this design was now commonly used in water sports equipment for its durability and stability. Jansen also equipped each dinghy with a fifty-horsepower Yamaha outboard motor, and altogether, this gear cost nearly two hundred thousand rand.
Transporting the rifle was an An-26 transport plane, owned by a company named "Ice Cargo," registered in Richards Bay. Founded by two retired South African Air Force pilots, the company mainly ran day-old chick transport routes between Durban and Mahajanga.
Due to the uprisings and political upheaval in Madagascar, their operations had been suspended for four months, putting them in a financial crisis. Keith, through Du Preez, reached out to the company, promising to help them through their financial trouble on the condition that they accepted this job.
After the deal was made, the company issued Du Preez an employment certificate, allowing him to board the plane as an “air cargo loader.” The plane would first transport the three dinghies to Antananarivo and then load the rifles and accessories at Ivato International Airport. During the return trip, it would make an "emergency landing" on Europa Island due to “mechanical issues,” providing an opportunity to unload the cargo.