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"She's yours" Gold's acceptance came without hesitation

"Burns?"

"Sir?"

"What in hell's gone wrong?"

"Can't tell for sure with all this sen mask "It looks like a short in the area of the radio transmitter"

"Buckley Tower, this is Vixen 03," Gold persisted "Please come in"

"It's no use, Lieutenant," Burns gasped "They can't hear you No-body can hear you The circuit breaker for the radio equipment won't stay set"

Vylander's eyes atering so badly he could hardly see "I' her around on a course back to Buckley," he announced calmly

But before he could coree turn, the C-97 started to vibrate abruptly in unison with a ic and a frigid blast of air tore into the s the men's exposed skin like a thousand wasps The plane was shaking herself to pieces

"Nuine threw a propeller blade!" Burns cried

"Jesus Christ, it never rainsShut down three!" snapped Vylander, "and feather what's left of the prop"

Gold's hands flew over the control panel, and soon the vibration ceased His heart sinking, Vylander gingerly tested the controls

His breath quickened and a growing dread mushroomed inside him

"The prop blade ripped through the fuselage," Hoffo-cabin wall Cables and hydraulic lines are dangling all over"

"That explains where the smoke went," Gold said wryly "It was sucked outside e lost cabin pressure"