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Exercising a delicate touch, he rotated the balls in athe mouse on a computer He extended the arm, which was articulated at the elbow and wrist like hurip over the top of the g

rate and tightened the three hinged fingers

"One grate in hand," he announced "Give me all the vertical thrust in the cupboard"

Pitt tilted the thrusters upward and poured on every ounce of their re's security force closed to within twenty feet For a torrate slowly began to slip froreat cloud of silt as the sub pulled it free

"Twist the arrate is in a horizontal position," ordered Pitt "Then hold it over the front of the thruster intakes"

"They can still shoot an explosive up our tail"

"Only if they carrythe thrusters and tilting thereat billows of swirling silt "Now you see us, now you don't"

Giordino grinned approvingly "An armored shield, a self-induced set the hell out of here"

Pitt needed no coaching He sent the sub up silt as he went Traveling every bit as visually blind as the divers through the agitated sedie of an acoustics system that homed him in on the antenna buoy He had traveled only a short distance when the submersible experienced a hard thump

"They hit us?" Pitt asked

Giordino shook his head "No, I think you can scratch one of our attackers off as a road kill You al"

"He won't be the only casualty if they blindly miss and shoot each other-"

Pitt was cut off as an explosive thud rocked the Sea Dog II Two more followed in quick succession The submersible's speed fell off by a third

"There's that lucky shot I was talking about," said Giordino rate"

Pitt glanced at his instruht the port thruster"