Page 60 (1/2)

"Any reason for the melodramatics?" Pitt tilted his head at the revolver poised in Bass's left hand

"It seems you've exhumed an excessive as buried I had to be certain of your identity"

"Then you're satisfied that I'm who I say I am?"

"Yes, I called your boss at NUMA Ji World War Two He gave me an impressive list of your credentials He also wanted to knohat you were doing in Virginia when you were supposed to be on a salvage tender off the coast of Georgia"

"I've not s"

"Which, as you claimed earlier, at the pond, were the remains of Vixen 03"

"She exists, Admiral I've touched her"

Bass's eyes flashed with hostility "You're not only bluffing, Mr Pitt, but you're also lying I demand to knohy"

"My case is not built on lies," said Pitt evenly "I have two other reputable witnesses and videotaped pictures as proof"

A look of incomprehension shadowed Bass's face "Impossible! She disappeared over the ocean We spentfor her and didn't find a trace"

"You looked in the wrong place, Admiral Vixen 03 lies under a mountain lake in Colorado"

Bass's tough facade seeht Pitt suddenly saw him as a tired, worn old man The admiral lowered the pistol and swayed drunkenly toward a bench at the edge of the overlook Pitt reached out a hand to steady him

Bass nodded thanks and sank onto the bench "I suppose it had to happen soh to think the secret could last forever" He looked up and clutched Pitt's aro?"

"The canisters have broken their s, but otherwise they seemed reasonably intact"

"Thank God for that, at least," sighed Bass "Colorado, you say The Rocky Mountains So Major Vylander and his crew never made it out of the state"