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〃I'll try to share your optimism； Mr。 President。 Thank you。〃
If there was one doctrine Sandecker believed in with all his heart； it was 〃Never trust a politician's word。〃 He placed another call on the limousine's phone。
〃Admiral James Sandecker。 I'd like to speak with Admiral Monfort。〃
〃Right away； sir。〃
〃Jim； is that really you？〃
〃Hello； Clyde。 Good to hear your voice。〃
〃Damn； it's been nearly two years。 What's on your mind？〃
〃Tell me； Clyde； have you been alerted for a rescue mission in the Bahamas？〃
〃Where did you hear that？〃
〃The rumor mill。〃
〃News to me。 Most of our Caribbean forces are conducting an amphibious landing exercise on Jamaica。〃
〃Jamaica？〃
〃A little muscle…flexing display of military capability to shake up the Soviets and Cubans。 Keeps Castro off balance； thinking we're going to invade one of these days。〃
〃Are we？〃
〃What in hell for？ Cuba is the best advertising campaign we've got running that promotes munism as a big economic bust。 Besides； better the Soviet Union throws twelve million dollars a day down Castro's toilet than us。〃
〃You've received no orders to keep an eye on a blimp that left on a flight from the Keys this morning？〃
There was an ominous silence on the other end of the line。
〃I probably shouldn't be telling you this； Jim； but I did receive a verbal order concerning the blimp。 I was told to keep our ships and aircraft out of the Bahama Banks and to put a blackout on all munications ing from the area。〃
〃The order e direct from the White House？〃
〃Don't press your luck； Jim。〃
〃Thanks for setting me straight； Clyde。〃
〃Any time。 Let's get together next time I'm in Washington。〃
〃I'll look forward to it。〃
Sandecker hung up； his face red with anger； his eyes fired with fury。
〃God help them；〃 he muttered through clenched teeth。 〃We've all been had。〃
Jessie's smooth； high cheekboned face was tense from the strain of fighting the wind gusts and rain squalls that pounded against the skin of the blimp。 Her arms and wrists were turning numb as she orchestrated the throttles and the big elevator pitch control。 With the added weight from the rain it was being nearly impossible to keep the wallowing airship level and steady。 She began to feel the icy caress of fear。
〃We'll have to head for the nearest land；〃 she said； her voice uneven。 〃I can't keep her aloft much longer in this turbulence。〃
Pitt looked at her。 〃The nearest land is Cuba。〃
〃Better arrested than dead。〃
〃Not yet；〃 Pitt replied from his seat to the right and slightly behind her。 〃Hang on a little longer。 The storm will sweep us back to Key West。〃
〃With the radio out； they won't know where to look if we're forced to ditch in the sea。〃
〃You should have thought of that before you spilled coffee on the transmitter and shorted its circuitry。〃
She stole a glance at him。 God； she thought； it was maddening。 He was leaning out the starboard window； nonchalantly peering through a pair of binoculars at the sea below。 Giordino was observing out the port side； while Gunn was taking readings off the VIKOR navigating puter and laying out their course on a chart。 Every so often； Gunn calmly examined the stylus markings on the recorder of a Schonstedt gradiometer； an instrument for detecting iron by measuring magnetic intensity。 All three men looked at though they didn't have a care in the world。
〃Didn't you hear what I said？〃 she asked in exasperation。
〃We heard；〃 Pitt replied。
〃I can't control her in this wind。 She's too heavy。 We've got to drop ballast or touch down。〃
〃The last of the ballast was dumped an hour ago。〃
〃Then get rid of that junk you brought on board；〃 she ordered； gesturing to a small mountain of aluminum boxes strapped to the deck。
〃Sorry。 That junk； as you call it； may e in handy。〃
〃But we're losing lift。〃
〃Do the best you can。〃
Jessie pointed through the windshield。 〃The island off to our starboard is Cayo Santa Maria。 The landmass beyond is Cuba。 I'm going to bring the blimp around on a southerly course and take our chances with the Cubans。〃
Pitt swung from the window； his green eyes set and purposeful。 〃You volunteered for this mission；〃 he said roughly。 〃You wanted to be one of the boys。 Now hang in there。〃
〃Use your head； Pitt；〃 she snapped。 〃If we wait another half hour the hurricane will tear us to pieces。〃
〃I think I have something；〃 Giordino called。
Pitt moved from his seat over to the port side。 〃What direction？〃
Giordino pointed。 〃We just passed over it。 About two hundred yards off our stern。〃
〃A big one；〃 Gunn said excitedly。 〃The markings are going off the scale。〃
〃e about to port；〃 Pitt ordered Jessie。 〃Take us back over the same course。
Jessie didn't argue。 Suddenly caught up in the fervor of the discovery； she felt her exhaustion fall away。 She slammed the throttles forward and rolled the blimp to port； using the wind to crab around on a reverse course。 A gust slammed into the aluminum envelope； causing a shudder to run through the ship and rocking the control car。 Then the buffeting eased and the flight smoothed as the eight tail fins came around and the wind beat from astern。
The interior of the control car was as hushed as the crypt of a cathedral。 Gunn unreeled the line from the gradiometer's sensing unit until it dangled four hundred feet below the belly of the blimp and skimmed the rolling swells。 Then he turned his attention back to the recorder and waited for the stylus to make a horizontal swing across the graph paper。 Soon it began to waver and scratch back and forth。
〃ing up on target；〃 Gunn announced。
Giordino and Pitt ignored the wind stream and leaned farther out the windows。 The sea was building and foam was spraying from the wave crests； making it difficult to see into the transparent depths。 Jessie was having a tougher time of it now； struggling with the controls； trying to reduce the violent shaking and swaying of the blimp； which behaved like a whale fighting its way up the Colorado River rapids。
〃I've got her！〃 Pitt suddenly shouted。 〃She's lying north and south； about a hundred yards to starboard。〃
Giordino moved to the opposite side of the control car and gazed down。 〃Okay； I have her in sight too。〃
〃Can you detect any sign of derricks？〃 Gunn asked。
〃Her outline is distinct； but I can't make out any detail。 I'd say she's about eighty feet under the surface。〃
〃More like ninety；〃 said Pitt。
〃Is it the Cyclops？〃 Jessie asked anxiously。
〃Too early to tell。〃 He turned to Gunn。 〃Mark the position from the VIKOR。〃
〃Position marked；〃 Gunn acknowledged。
Pitt nodded at Jessie。 〃All right； pilot； let's make another pass。 And this time； as we e about into the wind； try to hover over the target。〃
〃Why don't you ask me to turn lead into gold；〃 she snapped back。
Pitt came over and kissed her lightly on the cheek。 〃You're doing great。 Stick in a little longer and I'll spell you at the controls。〃
〃Don't patronize me；〃 she said testily； but her eyes took on a warm glow and the tension lines around her lips softened。 〃Just tell me when to stop the bus。〃
Very self…willed she was； thought Pitt。 For the first time he felt himself envying Raymond LeBaron。 He returned aft and put a hand on Gunn's shoulder。
〃Use the clinometer and see if you can get a rough measurement of her dimensions。〃
Gunn nodded。 〃Will do。〃
〃If that's the Cyclops；〃 said Giordino happily； 〃you made a damned good guess。〃
〃A lot of luck mixed with a small amount of hindsight；〃 Pitt admitted。 〃That； and the fact Raymond LeBaron and Buck Caesar aimed us toward the ballpark。 The puzzle is why the Cyclops lies outside the main shipping lane。〃
Giordino gave a helpless tilt to his head。 〃We'll probably never know。〃
〃ing back on target；〃 Jessie reported。
Gunn set the distance on the clinometer and then sighted through the eyepiece； measuring the length of the shadowy object under the water。 He managed to hold the instrument steady as Jessie fought a masterful battle against the wind。
〃No way of accurately measuring her beam because it's impossible to see if she lies straight up or on her side；〃 he said； studying the calibrations。
〃And the overall length？〃 asked Pitt。
〃Between five hundred thirty and five hundred fifty feet。〃
〃Looking good；〃 Pitt said； visibly relieved。 〃The Cyclops was five hundred and forty…two feet。〃
〃If we drop down closer； I might be able to get a more precise reading；〃 said Gunn。
〃One more time； Jessie；〃 Pitt called out。
〃I don't think so。〃 She lifted a hand from the controls and pointed out the forward window。 〃A weling mittee。〃
Her expression appeared calm； almost too calm； while the men watched in mild fascination as a helicopter materialized out of the clouds a thousand feet above the blimp。 For several seconds it seemed to hang there； fastened in the sky like a hawk eyeing a pigeon。 Then it swelled in size as it approached and banked around on a parallel course with the Prosperteer。 Through the binoculars they