She then goes outside to begin her watch, and gives herself a hug against the chill. "Damn it's cold out here!"...

After Sue fixes the satellite comm gear, you head back out into the cold. "Hey, I'm on watch..."

You find somewhere private just outside the shelter and, using the sat phone's personal audio pickup, you bounce your signal through Jack's repeater, piggybacking on his carrier signal and uplinking into the satellite phone network.

You check in with Miss Hemingway's answering service, looking for any other important messages.

- [Another agent, I can't remember who, you'll get it on Monday] put a call into Miss Hemingway, leaving a message with her secretary. "She may have a lead on our leak."

- An anonymous tip from "your friends" say that the CIA as been nosing around into the backgrounds of both Miss Hemingway and Kristin Jones.

- Supplemental information from your "employer" contains information about another known CON member.

"Colonel Martin Strikewell had been a well respected US military officer for many years, before we his most recent exploits. Namely, heading a covert operation to build a floating dry-dock in the northwest pacific.

"US government agents investigating the activities of Colonel Martin 'Mad Merc' Strikewell at a small atoll in the Northwest Pacific uncovered another CON construction. A floating dry-dock used to construct floating islands confirmed the existence of CON and increased the possibility of additional floating islands. The Mercenary Atoll Mission also hinted at the existence of another CON construction in Antarctica.

"Strikewell is currently working for Ambrosia Importers, a seemingly legit importer/exporter of teas, herbs and natural flavorings, based in Australia; although this is probably just a front for the ultra-survivalist group, CON.

"Colonel Martin Strikewell had been a well respected US military officer for many years. He got the nickname 'Mad Merc' due to his one-man army and decidedly non-chain of command approach to completing missions. His men were fanatically loyal, which contributed to how well his off-the-wall orders were executed, and thereby how well missions were accomplished."

"Miss Hemingway" then calls her mob contact, the one who got you this job. [confusing, ain't it? ;) ]

When the contact finally picks up, you address him, hostile and cold. "You are going to give me some information. You WILL tell me how you got word of the Antarctica mission - who from, what they said, how they acted, everything.

"Now. If you can't answer these questions for me, you are going to go, immediately after we're done here, and find them for me."

After a few moments of silence, you add "Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?"

The wide-eyed and startled little man answers her question and agrees to read a fax on additional Billeter background before hanging up the phone.

"We knew something was going on early on. CON being nearly a criminal organization, they were hard-pressed to find sources for some of their more dicey materials. Bulletproof quonset, illegal and exotic live plants, plutonium for power.

"Recently, however, some of the more influential Dons have become more interested in the possible criminal implications of their 'work' in the Antarctic. Your information gathering mission goals are the same as SCAR's; only you report to us."

The fax reads:

"Atlantis Enterprises is a publicly traded corporation, although nearly 70% of its outstanding stock is held by CON members. The company is indeed a natural foods and farming resources company, with nearly 200 privately owned franchises worldwide. Atlantis Enterprises has no subsidiaries or holdings, has the standard banking accounts for a corporation its size, various warehouses spread across the country, and even holds a few patents for alternative hydroponics planting techniques. Currently, there are no pending legal actions against the company, and the better business bureau gives them a B+ rating.

"Atlantis II is believed to be involved in agriculture research as the CON organization practices natural food farming, supply hoarding, and other survivalist techniques. These activities, coupled with the shuttling of prefabricated heavily insulated housing units, components for a geodesic dome, thousands of feet of pipe, tones of assorted non-perishable supplies, live plants, food, clothing, and laboratory equipment from Chile, all seem to confirm the initial assessment.

"William Billeter is a former Arctic explorer who decided to cash in on his good name and accomplishments by hawking various dubious products. A dynamic speaker and shrewd businessman, he always managed to disband failing endeavors before marring his reputation, or his wallet. Most recently, he became involved with the Children of Neptune, and have been steadily guiding their mentality to the extreme survival mentality. Along the way, he has increased membership and revenues of CON worldwide.

"Billeter has standard banking accounts as one would expect in respect to upper-level management. There is some indication that he may have accounts hidden from the US government. Currently, there are no pending legal actions against Billeter, although he and CON are suspected of an attempted Swiss counterfeiting scheme.

More info is available on Billeter's accounts that he 'may have hidden from the US government.' Initially, the picture seems to point to Billeter profiting off of this whole thing personally. However, it is just the opposite. The accounts seem to be a nestegg should some sort of disaster strike CON's primary source of income-- proceeds from the Atlantis Enterprise franchise."

Hanging up the phone, you turn back looking toward the tent, pondering all you've just learned.

The remainder of your watch is uneventful.