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〃There's more than one way of blasting you out of the water。〃 Cronkite sounded very sure of himself。 〃In the meantime I'm going to offload the Torbello's oil； then sink it。〃 In point of fact； Cronkite had no intention of sinking the tanker： the Torbello was a Panamanian registered tanker； and Cronkite was not lacking in Panamanian friends。 A tanker could be easily disposed of for a very considerable sum。 The conversation； if such an acrimonious exchange could be so called； ended abruptly。
Mitchell said： 〃One thing's for sure。 Cronkite is a fluent liar。 He's nowhere near Central America。 Not with that kind of reception。 And we heard him talking to his friend Durand。 He elected not to e on that helicopter flight…which lasted only fifteen minutes。 He's lying out there somewhere just over the horizon。〃
Lord Worth said： 〃How did things go down there？〃
〃You heard what Cronkite said。 There was no trouble on our part。〃
〃Do you expect more？〃
〃Yeah。 Cronkite sounds too damn confident for me；〃
〃How do you think it'll e？〃
〃Your guess is as good as mine。 He might even try the same thing again。〃
Lord Worth was incredulous。 〃After what happened to him？〃
〃He may be counting on the unexpected。 One thing Tm sure of。 If he does try the same again he'll〃 use different tactics。 I'm sure he won't try an air or submarine approach； if for no other reason than that he doesn't…he can't…have skilled men。 So I don't think you'll need your radar or sonar watchers tonight。 In any case； your radio operator may need a rest…after all； he's got an alarm call…up in his cabin。 Td keep Simpson on duty； though。 Just in case our friends try for one of the legs again。〃
Palermo said： 〃But they'd be waiting this time。 They'd be operating close to the surface。 They'd have armed guards waiting to protect the divers； maybe even infrared searchlights that we couldn't see from the platform。 You and Sawyers were lucky the first time； and luck depends on surprise： but there wouldn't be any surprise this time。〃
〃We don't need luck。 Lord Worth wouldn't have had all those depth charges stolen and brought aboard unless one of your men is an expert in depth charges。 You've got such a man？〃
〃Yeah。〃 Palermo eyed him speculatively。 〃Cronin。 Ex…petty officer。 Why？〃
〃He could arrange the detonator setting so that the…depth charge would explode immediately or soon after hitting the water？〃
〃I guess so。 Again； why？〃
〃We roll three depth charges along the platform to within； say； twenty…five yards of each of the legs。 Your friend Cronin could advise us on this。 My distance could be wrong。 If Simpson detects anything on his sensors we just push one of the depth charges over the side。 The blast effect should have no effect on the leg。 I doubt if the boat with the divers would get anything more than a hard shaking。 But for divers in the water the concussive shock effects could hardly miss being fatal。〃
Palermo looked at him with cold appraising eyes。 〃For a man supposed to be on the side of the law； Mitchell； you're the most cold…blooded bastard Fve ever met。'*
〃If you want to die just say so。 You'd find it a bit unfortable nine hundred feet down in the Gulf。 I suggest you get Cronin and a couple of your men and get going on the depth charges。〃
Mitchell followed to watch Palermo； Cronin and two of their men at work。 Cronin agreed with MitchelTs estimate of placing the depth charges twenty…five yards from the legs。 As he stood there Marina came up to him。
She said： 〃More men are going to die； aren't they； Michael？〃
〃I hope not。〃
〃But you are getting ready to kill； aren't you？〃
〃I'm getting ready to survive。 I'm getting ready for all of us to survive。〃
She took his arm。 〃Do you like killing？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then how e you're so good at it？〃
〃Somebody has to be。〃
〃For the good of mankind； I suppose？〃
〃Look； you don't have to talk to me。〃 He paused and went on slowly。 〃Cops kill。 Soldiers kill。 Airmen kill。 They don't have to like it。 In the First World War a guy named Marshal Foch got to be the roost decorated soldier of the war for being responsible for the deaths of a million men。 The fact that most of them were his own men would seem to be beside the point。 I don't hunt； I don't shoot game； I don't even fish。 I mean； I like lamb as much as the next man； but I wouldn't put a hook in one's throat and drag it around a field for half an hour before it dies from agony and exhaustion。 All I do is exterminate vermin。 To me； all crooks； armed or not； are vermin。〃
〃Is that why you and John got fired from the police？〃
〃Do I have to tell you that？〃
〃Have you ever killed what you； what I； would call a good person？〃
〃No。 But unless you shut up…〃
〃In spite of everything； I think I might still marry you。〃
〃I've never asked you。〃
〃Well； what are you waiting for？〃
Mitchell sighed； then smiled。 〃Marina Worth； would you do me the honor…〃
Behind them； Lord Worth coughed。 Marina swung round。 〃Daddy；〃 she said； 〃you have a genius for turning up at the wrong moment。〃
Lord Worth was mild。 〃The right moment I would have said。 My unreserved congratulations。〃 He looked at Mitchell。 〃Well； you certainly took your time about it。 Everything shipshape and secured for the night？〃
〃As far as I can guess at what goes on in Cronkite's mind。〃
〃My confidence in you； my boy； is total。 Well； it's bed for me…I feel； perhaps not unaccountably； extremely tired。〃
Marina said： 〃Me； too。 Well； goodnight； fiance〃。〃 She kissed him lightly and left with her father。
For once； Lord Worth's confidence in Mitchell was slightly misplaced。 The latter had made a mistake； though a pletely unwitting one； in sending the radio officer off duty。 For had that officer remained on duty he would undoubtedly have picked up the news flash about the theft of the nuclear weapons from the Netley Rowan Arsenal： Mitchell could not have failed to put two and two together。
During the third hour of Lord Worth's conscience…untroubled sleep Mulhooney had been extremely active。 He had discharged his fifty thousand tons of oil and taken the Torbello well out…to sea； far over the horizon。 He returned later with two panions in the ship's only motorized lifeboat with the sad news that； in the sinking of the tanker； a shattering explosion had occurred which had decimated his crew。 They three were the only survivors。 The decimated crew were； at that moment； taking the Torbello south to Panama。 The official condolences were widespread； apparently sincere and wholly hypocritical： when a tanker blows up its motorized lifeboat does not survive intact。 The republic had no diplomatic relations with the United States； and the only things they would cheerfully have extradited to that country were cholera and the bubonic plague。 A private jet awaited the three at the tiny airport。 Passports duly stamped； Mulhooney and his friends filed a flight plan for Guatemala。
Some hours later they arrived at the Houston International Airport。 With much of the ten million dollars still remaining at his disposal； Cron…kite was not the man to worry about incidental expenses。 Mulhooney and his friends immediately hired a long…range helicopter and set out for the Gulf。
In the fourth hour of his sleep； which had remained undisturbed by the sound of a considerable underwater explosion； Lord Worth was unpleasantly awakened by a call from a seethingly mad Cronkite； who accused him of killing two more of his men and warned that he was going to extract a fearful vengeance。 Lord Worth hung up without bothering to reply； sent for Mitchell and learned that Cronkite had indeed made another attempt to sabotage the western leg。 The depth charge had apparently done everything expected of it； for their searchlights had picked up the bodies of two divers floating on the surface。 The craft that had been carrying them could not have been seriously damaged for they had heard the sound of its diesels starting up。 Instead of making a straight escape； it had disappeared under the rig； and by the time they had crossed to the other side of the Seawitch it was long gone into the darkness and rain。 Lord Worth smiled happily and went back to sleep。
In the fifth hour of his sleep he would not have been smiling quite so happily if he had been aware of certain strange activities that were taking place in a remote Louisiana motel； one exclusively owned by Lord Worth himself。 Here it was that the Seawitch's relief crews spent their time off in the strictest seclusion。 In addition to abundant food； drink； films； TV and a high…class bordello； it offered every amenity off…duty oil…rig men could ever have wished for。 Not that any of them would have wanted to leave the pound gates anyway： nine out of ten of them were wanted by the law； and total privacy was a paramount requirement。
The intruders； some twenty in all； arrived in the middle of the night。 They were led by a man named Gregson： of all Cronkite's associates； he was by far the most dangerous and lethal and was possessed of the morality and instincts of a fer…de…lance with a toothache。 The motel staff were all asleep and were chloroformed before they had any opportunity of regaining consciousness。
The rig relief crew； also； were all asleep but in a somewhat different fashion and for different reasons。 Liquor is forbidden on oil rigs； and the relief crews on the night before returning to duty generally made the best of their last chance。 Their dormant states ranged from the merely befuddled to the paralytic。 The rounding up of them； most of whom remained still asleep on their feet； took no more than five minutes。 The only two relatively sober members of the relief crew tried to offer resistance。 Gregson； with a silenced Beretta； gunned them down as if they had been wild dogs。
The captives were transported in a pletely standard； albeit temporarily purloined； moving van to an abandoned and very isolated warehouse on the outskirts of town。 Somewhat less than salubrious； it was perfectly fitted for Gregson's purpose。 The prisoners were neither bound nor gagged； which would have been pointless in the presence of two armed guards who carried the customary intimidating machine carbines。 In point of fact； the carbines too were superfluous： the besotted captives had already drifted off into a dreamless slumber。
It was in the sixth hour of Lord Worth's equally dreamless slumber that Gregson and his men lifted off in one of Lord Worth's helicopters。 The two pilots had been reluctant to accept them as passengers； but Schmeissers are powerfully persuasive agents。
It was in the seventh hour of Lord Worth's slumber that Mulhooney and his two colleagues touched down on the empty helipad of the Georgia。 As Cronkite's own helicopter was temporarily marooned on the Seawitch； he had no punction in impounding both the helicopter and its hapless pilot。
At almost exactly the same moment another
helicopter touched down on the Seawitch and a solitary passenger and pilot emerged。 The passenger was Dr。 Greenshaw； and he looked； and was； a very tired elderly man。 He went straight to the sick bay and； without even trying to remove his clothes； lay down on one of the cots and posed himself for sleep。 He should； he supposed； have reported to Lord Worth that his daughter Melinda and John Roomer were in good hands and good shape； but good news could wait。
On the eighth hour； with the dawn in the sky； Lord Worth； a man who enjoyed his sleep； awoke； stretched himself luxuriously； pulled on his splendidly embroidered dressing gown and strolled out onto the platform。 The rain had stopped； the sun was tipping the horizon and there was every promise of a beautiful day to e。 Privately congratulating himself on his prescience that no trouble would occur during the night； he retired to his quarters to perform his customary and leisurely morning ablutions。
Lord Worth's self…congratulations on his prescience were entirely premature。 Fifteen minutes earlier the radio operator； newly returned to duty； had picked up a news broadcast that he didn't like at all and gone straight to MitchelTs room。 Like every man on board； even including Larsen and Palermo； he knew that the man to contact in an emergency was Mitchell： the thought of alerting Lord Worth never entered his head。
He found Mitc