stretched like the support wires of a suspension bridge; if one snapped the rest would part strand by strand until the whole Structure swayed and dropped into oblivion. Like a gambler who has bet his last big stake on a ten-to-one horse, he felt his heart pound against his rib cage, driven beyond its regular beat by the deep fear of uncertainty.
“Excuse me, Major.” The radioman’s low, resonant voice seemed far away. “These communications are for you.”
Pitt said nothing. He merely extended his hand and took the messages.
“The one from Munich came in at 6:00.” The black man’s tone was hesitating and unsteady. “It was followed at 7:00 by two transmissions from Berlin.”
“Thank you,” Pitt murmured woodenly. “Anything else?”
“This last one, sir, it’s… well It’s really weird.
No call sign. no repeat, no sign off, just the message.”
Pitt stared down ‘at the top paper. A grim smile slowly moved his lips.
‘Major Dirk Pitt, NUMA ship First Attempt. One hour down, nine to go. H.Z.’
“Any… any reply, Major?” the voice stammered unevenly.
Suddenly Pitt became aware of the sickly expression on the radio operator’s face. “You feel all tight?”
“To tell the truth, Major. no. Ever since breakfast I’ve had the worst case of bowel drizzlies in my life, and I’ve barfed twice.”
Pitt could not help grinning “Compliments of the ship’s cook. Is that it?”
The radioman shook his head and rubbed his eyes in one easy movement. “Can’t be. Cocky’s the greatest — strictly gourmetsville Nah, it’s probably the local version of the flu. Could even be a skunky bottle of beer or something.”
“Stay with it,” Pitt said. “We need a good man on the radio for the next twenty-four hours.”
“You can count on me.” The radioman forced a faint smile. “Besides, that chick you brought on board has been clucking over me like a mother hen. With that kind of attention, how much could I suffer?”
Pitt raised an eyebrow. “You must see something in her I don’t”
“She’s not bad. Not my usual fancy, but not bad.
Anyway, she’s been bringing tea all morning — a regular Florence Nightingale.”
The young black suddenly broke off. His eyes went wide and he threw a hand to his mouth. Then he jumped to his feet, knocking over the chair, ran outside and hung like a dead man over the railing.
Animal-like grunts carried back into the cabin, accompanied by low, agonizing moans.
Pitt walked out and lightly patted the ailing radioman on the back.
“I need you by the radio my friend. Hang in there while I send for the ship’s doctor.”
The radioman slowly nodded his head and said nothing Then Pitt turned and left, making sure he walked upwind.
After a few minutes spent looking for the ship’s physician and asking him to look in on the radio operator, Pitt entered Gunn’s cabin and found it dark, the curtains drawn. Cool air flowed from the ventilator, giving the steel cubicle a comfortable, inviting atmosphere, a vast improvement over the intolerable heat of yesterday. In the dim light he made out Teri sitting on the desk. Her chin was resting on a drawn up knee. She looked up at him and smiled.
“What kept you?”
“Business,” he replied.
“Monkey business I’ll bet.” Her face bore a distinct feminine pout. “Where is the big adventure you promised me? Everytime I turn around you’ve disappeared.”
“When duty calls, dearheart, I must answer.” Pitt straddled a chair and leaned over the backrest. “A very intriguing bit of apparel you’re wearing. Where did you get it?”
“Nothing to it really—”
“I can see that”
She smiled at his remark and went on. “I simply snipped out a pattern from some pillow ticking. The halter is tied in the back with a bow and the pants are knotted on each side. See!” She stood and undid the knot over her left hip, letting the diminutive cloth dangle teasingly.
“Very, very clever. What do you do for an encore?”
“How much is it worth to you?” she asked seductively.
“How about an old Milwaukee streetcar token?”
“You’re impossible,” she pouted. “I’m beginning to think you’re daft.”
He had to force his eyes to ignore her body. “Right now I've got some details that need clearing up.”
She stared at him blankly for a few seconds, started to say something, then thought better of it; his face was unsmiling and serious. She shrugged, slowly retied the bikini and settled into a vacant chair.
“You’re acting terribly mysterious.”
“I'll revert to my old sweet, lovable self after you’ve answered a few simple questions.”
She scratched at an imaginary itch above her left breast. “Ask away then.”
“Question number one: what do you know about your uncle’s smuggling operations?”
Her eyes went wide. “I don’t know what you’re talking about”
“I think you do.”
“You’re insane,” she said, glaring at him. “Uncle Bruno owns a steamship line. Why should a man of his wealth and social standing stoop to petty smuggling?”
“Nothing he does can be considered petty,” Pitt said. He paused a moment monitoring her expression, and then continued. “Question number two: before you came to Thasos, when was the last time you saw von Till?”
Not since I was a little girl,” she answered vaguely. “My mum and dad were drowned when their sailboat overturned in a sudden storm off the Isle of Man. Uncle Bruno was with them at the time. So was I. He saved my life. Since that awful accident he has been very good to me; the best boarding schools, money when I needed it. He always remembers my birthday.”
“Yes, he’s all heart,” Pitt said sarcastically. “Isn’t he a bit old to be your uncle?”
“Actually, he was my grandmother’s brother.”
“Question three: how come you never paid him a visit before now?”
“Whenever I wrote and begged him to let me come to Thasos, he always wrote back and said he was too busy, involved with some vast shipping transaction or something.” She giggled softly. “I fooled him this time though. I simply popped in and surprised him.”
“What do you know about his past?”
“Nothing really. He talks very little about himself. But I do know he’s not a smuggler.”
“You beloved uncle is the worst scum that a mother ever dropped.” Pitt’s voice was tired. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he was certain she was lying.
“God only knows how many rotting corpses owe their present condition to him; hundreds, thousands more likely. And you’re in it with him right up to your lovely little neck. Every rotten dollar you’ve spent in the last twenty years was soaked in blood. In some cases with the blood of, and yes tears, especially tears, of innocent children. Young girls who were stolen from their parents arms and who finished their adolescence on a filthy, lice ridden pile of straw in a North African whorehouse.”
She jumped to her feet “Things like that don’t happen any more. You’re lying, you’re lying. you’re making this up.” She was scared now, but playing a magnificent scene, Pitt thought. “I told you the truth.
I know nothing. Nothing!”
“Nothing? You knew von Till was planning to murder me at the villa. Your tearful little act on the terrace, I admit, had me fooled. But not for long. You missed your calling — you should have been an actress.”
“I didn’t know.” Her voice was low and desperate. “I swear I didn’t—”
Pitt shook his head. “I can’t buy it. You gave yourself away outside the labyrinth when we were arrested by the tourist guide. You weren’t just surprised to see me, you were goddamned shocked to see me in one piece.”
She came over and knelt beside him and held his hands in hers. “Please, please… Oh God! What must I do to make you believe me?”
“You might begin by offering me facts.” He raised up from the chair and stood directly over her. Then he tore
