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〃Must we get nasty？〃
〃No；〃 Pitt said approvingly。 〃Why don't you be a good girl and scrounge me up a change of clothes； Let's see if you're as observant of my dimensions as I am of yours。〃
Tidi said nothing in reply； just stood there looking forlorn and curious。 Finally she shook her head 'm a feminine display of irritation and left。
Exactly two hours later； clad in surprisingly wellfitting slacks and sport shirt； Pitt sat across a desk from Admiral James Sandecker。 The admiral looked tired and old； far beyond his years。 His red hair was tousled in a shaggy unkempt mane； and it was obvious from the stubble on his chin and cheeks that he hadn't shaved for at least two days。 He held one of his massive cigars casually in the fingers of his right hand； stared at the long cylindrical shape for a moment； and then set it in an ashtray without lighting the end。 He granted something about being glad to see Pitt alive and still connected in all the right places。 Then the weary； bloodshot eyes studied Pitt intently。
〃So much for preliminaries。 Your story； Dirk。 Let's have it。〃
Pitt didn't give it to him。 Instead； he said： 〃I just spent an hour writing a detailed report of what occurred from the time Hunnewell and I lifted off from the NUMA pad at Dulles International until the farmer and his boy brought us to the consulate。 I also included my personal opinions and observations。
Knowing you； Admiral； I'venture to guess you've read it at least twice。 I have nothing to add。 All I can do now is answer your questions。〃
What little of Sander…ker's face was open for expression seemed to indicate a certain interest； if not downright curiosity at Pitts flagrant； insubordinate behavior。 He stood up； all five foot six inches of him； revealing a blue suit that cried out for a pressing； and peered down at Pitt； a favorite tactic when he was ready to orate。
〃Once was all I needed； Major。〃 No 〃Dirk〃 this time。 〃When I want sarcastic remarks； I'll book Don Rickles or Mort Sahl and be assured of a professional job。 I appreciate the fact that you've been harassed by the Coast Guard and the Russians； had your butt frozen off on an iceberg looking at incinerated cadavers； not to mention getting shot at； crashing in the Atlantic Ocean； and having a man die in your arms since I pulled you off that nice warm beach in California just seventy…two hours ago。 But that does not give you the unmitigated right to hard…ass your superior。〃
〃I apologize for the disrespect； sir。〃 The words were there； but the tone was sadly lacking。 〃If I seem a bit testy； it's simply because I smell a put…on。 I have the distinct impression that you dropped me into an intricate maze without benefit of a road map。〃
〃So？〃 An eighth of an inch lift of the heavy red eyebrows。
〃To begin with； Hunnewell and I were on damn thin ice when we swindled the Coast Guard into using its finest cutter for a refueling base； or at least I thought we were。 Not Hunnewell。 He knew the whole setup was fixed from beginning to end。 I thought we'd bought a jail cell when mander Koski signaled Coast Guard mand in Washington for confirmation of our presence。 I studied Hunnewell； he pored over his charts as if nothing was happening。 No quiver of the hand； no indication of sweat on the brow。 He was pletely at ease with the situation； knowing that you had taken care of everything before we left Dulles。〃
〃Not quite。〃 Sandecker picked up the cigar and lit it and gave Pitt a shrewd look。 〃The mandant was inspecting a damn hurricane warning facility in Florida。
You were already crossing Novascotia before I could get to them。〃 He blew a huge cloud of smoke toward the ceiling。 〃Please continue。〃
Pitt slouched back in his chair。 〃A dim； nearly undistinguishable outline of a ship turns up in an iceberg。
The Coast Guard doesn't have the slightest idea what registry it is。 Yet four days go by and there is no investigation。 The Catawaba is only hours away but is never notified of the sighting。 Why？ Somebody in the capitol with the authority； high authority； ordered hands off； that's why。〃
Sandecker toyed with the cigar。 〃I suppose you know what you're talking about； Major？〃
〃Hell； no 。 。 。 sir；〃 Pitt answered。 〃Without the facts； I'm guessing。 But you and Hunnewell didn't guess。 There wasn't the slightest doubt in your minds that the derelict was the Lax； a ship that had been listed as missing for over a year。 You had absolute proof。
How or where it came from I can't say； but you had it。〃
Pitts green eyes blazed into Sandecker's。 〃At this point my crystal ball gets foggy。 I was surprised； but Hunnewell was genuinely stunned when we found that the Lax was burned to junk。 This factor wasn't in the script； was it； Admiral？ In fact； everything； including your wellplanned scheme； began to go down the drain。 Someone you didn't count on was working against you。 Someone with resources you or whatever agency in our government that is cooperating with you never considered。
〃You lost control。 Even the Russians were thrown off the track。 You're up against a shrewd mind； Admiral。 And the message is written in neon lights； this guy doesn't play for ice cream and cake at birthday parties。
He kills people like an exterminator kills tetes。 The name of the game as advertised is zirconium。 I don't buy it。 People might kill one or two persons for a fortune； but not in wholesale lots。 Hunnewell was your friend for many years； Admiral； mine for only a few days； and I lost him。 He was my responsibility and I failed。 His contributions to society outstrip anything I'm capable of。 Better I'd have died on that beach'instead of him。〃
Sandecker showed no reaction to any of this。 His unblinking eyes never left Pitts face as he sat behind the desk thoughtfully tapping the fingers of his right hand on the glass top。 Then he stood up； came around the desk and put his hands on Pitts shoulders。
〃Bullshit！〃 he said quietly but firmly。 〃It was a miracle you both made it to shore。 There isn't a bookmaker in the world who would give odds on an unarmed helicopter knocking a machine…gun…toting jet out of the sky。 I'm the one to blame。 I had a hint of what was going to happen and I wasn't smart enough to read the cards。 I didn't deal you in on the action because it wasn't necessary。 You were the best man I could lay my hands on for a tricky chauffeur job。 As soon as you got Hunnewell here to Reykjavik； I was going to put you on the next flight back to California。〃 He paused to check his watch。 〃There's an Air Force reconnaissance jet leaving for Tyler Field； New Jersey； in one hour and six minutes。 You can make connections for the West Coast when you get there。〃
〃No； thanks； Admiral。〃 Pitt rose from the chair and walked to the window； staring over the city's peaked and sun…splashed roofs。 〃I've heard that Icelandic women are coolly beautiful。 I'd like to see for myself。〃
〃I can make that an order。〃
〃No good； sir。 I understand what you're trying to do； and I'm grateful。 The first attempt on my life and Hunnewell's was only half successful。 The second was much more elaborate and cunning and was reserved for me alone。 The third should be a masterpiece。 I'd like to stick around and see how it's going to be staged。〃
〃Sorry； Dirk。〃 Sandecker was back on friendly terms again。 〃I'm not going to throw your life away with the wave of a hand。 Before I stand at your graveside； I'll have you locked up and standing in front of a court…martial for willful destruction of government property。〃
Pitt smiled。 〃I've been meaning to talk to you about service regulations； Admiral。〃 He came across the room and casually sat on the edge of the desk。 〃For the past year and a half； I have faithfully carried out all directives issued from your office。 I've questioned none of them。 However； the time has e； the walk in； to get a few facts straight。 Number one： if it was possible…and it isn't…for you to court…martial me； I doubt if the Air Force would take it lightly if one of their officers was tried by a naval court。 Second； and most important： NUMA is not the bridge of the flagship of the fleet。 Therefore； you are not my manding officer。
〃You are simply my boss…no more； no less。 If my insubordination infuriates your senses and naval traditions； then you have no other choice but to fire me。 That's the way it is； Admiral； and we both know it。〃
For several seconds Sandecker made no ment； but his eyes glinted with a strange sort of amusement。
Then he threw back his head and began to laugh； a roaring； deep laugh that filled the room from carpet to ceiling。 〃God！ If there is anything worse than a cocky Dirk Pitt； I hope it bees infected with syphilis and rots in hell。〃 He returned to the chair behind the desk and sat down； hands clasped behind his head。 〃OK； Dirk； I'll put you in at first string； but you'll be required to play straight ball； no fancy independent plays。 Agreed？〃
〃You're the boss。〃
Sandecker winced noticeably。 〃Okay； out of respect for your ah 。 。 。 superior； suppose you give me the whole story from the beginning。 I've read the written words； now I want to hear it orally； direct from the horse's mouth。〃 He peered at Pitt with an expression that dared argument。 〃Shall we mence？〃
Sandecker heard Pitt out； then said： 〃 'God save thee；' that's what he said？〃
〃That's all he said。 Then he was gone。 I'd hoped Dr。 Hunnewell might have offered me a clue to the whereabouts of the Lax between the time it vanished and the time it became inbedded in the iceberg； but he volunteered nothing except a historical sketch of Kristjan Fyrie and a lecture on zirconium。〃
He did as he was told。 I didn't want you involved 〃That was two days ago。 Now I'm involved up to my neck。〃 Pitt leaned over the desk toward the older man。 〃Let's have it； You sly old fox。 What in hell is going on？〃
Sandecker grinned。 〃For your sake； I'm going to take that as a pliment。〃 He pulled out a bottom drawer and propped his feet on it。
〃I hope you know what you're letting yourself in for。〃
〃I don't have the vaguest idea； but tell me anyway。
〃All right then。〃 Sandecker leaned back in his swivel chair and puffed several times on his cigar。 〃This is what took place as far as it goes…too many pieces are missing for even a fifty percent glimpse at the overall picture。 About a year and a half ago； Fyrie's scientists successfully designed and constructed a nuclear undersea probe that could identify fifteen to twenty different mineral elements on the ocean floor。 The p e opera y posing elements to neutrons given off by a laboratory…produced element called celtinium…279。 When activated by the neutrons； the elements on the ocean's bottom gave off gamma rays； which were then analyzed and counted by a tiny detector on the probe。 During tests off Iceland； the probe detected and measured mineral samples of manganese； gold； nickel； titanium； and zirconium…the zirconium in huge and unheard…of amounts。〃
〃I think I see。 Without the probe； the zirconium could never be found again；〃 Pitt said thoughtfully。
〃The prize then is not the rare elements； but rather the probe itself。〃
〃Yes； the probe opens a vast and untapped frontier for undersea mining。 Whoever owns it won't control the world； of course； but possession could lead to a direct reshuffling of private financial empires and a healthy shot in the arm for the treasury of any country with a continental shelf containing a rich storehouse of minerals。〃
Pitt was silent for a few moments。 〃God； is it worth all the killing？〃
Sandecker hesitated。 〃It depends upon how bad somebody wants it。 There are men who wouldn't kill for every cent in the world； and there are others who wouldn't hesitate to slit a throat for the price of a meal。〃
〃In Washington； you informed me that Fyrie and his scientific team were on their way to the U。S。 to open negotiations with our defense contractors。 I take it that was a little white lie？〃
Sandecker smiled。 〃Yes； that was actually an understatement。 Fyrie was scheduled to meet with the President and present him with the probe。〃 He looked at Pitt； and then said more Positively： 〃I was the first One Fyrie notified when the tests on the probe proved successful。 I don't know what Hunnewell told you about