"The last three letters are fillers, to fill the five-character block.
What he's replying is none of your business." The dials came to life.
Steve's hand worked the key.
FRD1, FRD6. FRD1, FRD6.
Coastwatcher Radio, this is Ferdinand Six.
FRD6, FRD1, GA.
Ferdinand Six, go ahead.
Steve sent the reply, and then showed it to Reeves.
28x38x25x10x10
M e T o o
OlxO2xO4xl5xO5
B a b y a
Townsville came right back:
FRD6, FRD1. AK
lOx23x28x32xlO
35x38x37x38xOl
02xl2xl3x3Ox38
END
FRD1, FRD6. AK. SB.
Coastwatcher Radio, acknowledged. Standing by
"Go pump the bike," Steve said. "Let him decode this.
Maybe there's more." There was:
3OxO2x35xl3xO7
31x17x11x19x22
Steven sent the reply:
FRDI, FRD6. AK. MORE??
The reply came immediately:
FRD1. CLR.
"That's it," Steve said as he made the cutting motion across his throat.
Reeves stopped pumping.
Steve turned the radio off, stood up, and handed the last message to Howard. After that he hovered over Howard, watching him as he finished decoding the previous message.
10x23x28x32x10
S A M E S
35x38x37x38xOl
T E V E B
02xl2xl3x3Ox38
A P H N E
"What the hell does that say?"
"'Same Steve, signed Daphne,"' Howard said.
"Daphne is spelled with a `D,' not a `B,"' Steve said.
"There's no `B' in the substitution, Steve," Howard solid.
"What sounds closest?"
He started working on the final block of numbers and finally handed that to Steve.
"Take a look at that, Jacob," Howard said. "What do you make of it?"
30x02x35x13x07
N A T H A
31xl7xllxl9x22
N I E L W
17xl9xl9xlOx22