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Pitt said nothing as the Sea Dog II e reen water, searching for the antenna line and Cabrillo's diver A vague silhouette wavering seventy to eighty feet ahead and slightly to port slowly evolved into the botto across the harbor

"We're almost home!" Pitt exclaimed, his spirits lifted

"Stubborn little devils," said Giordinolike sharks up our tail"

"Smart fellas to catch on so quick They must have kept oneout of the gunk, he alerted his pals by radio"

An explosive charge s IIs tail stabilizers and blew it away A second charge narrowly ht for control, urging, willing the subht course toward the launch The instant he saw one of Shang's divers out of the corner of his eyes, overtaking and co in from the flank of the sub, he kneas all but over Without battery power and help from Cabrillo, there was no escape

"So near, yet so far," Giordinoupward at the keel of the launch as he waited helpless but unperturbed for the inevitable final assault

Then suddenly a series of concussions swamped and reverberated all around the submersible Pitt and Giordino were thrown about the interior like rats inside a rolling pipe The water around theed crazily in all directions before heading for the surface The divers, ere about to close in on the Sea Dog II, died instantly, their bodies crushed to gelatin by the sledgehammer blows The men inside the sub were both stunned and deafened by underwater detonations They were saved from serious injury by the pressure hull

It took several moments for Pitt to realize that Cabrillo, forewarned of the chase in progress, waited until the subon's launch to throw concussion grenades into the water Through the ringing in his ears, Pitt heard so over the radio

"You guys all right down there?" came Cabrillo's welcome voice

"My kidneys will never be the sa ourselves"

"How about the vigilantes?"

"They look like they came out of a Jell-o mold," replied Giordino

"If ere attacked underwater," Pitt warned Cabrillo, "it stands to reason they'll come after you on the surface"

"Funny you should mention that," said Cabrillo airily "There just happens to be a s we can't handle, of course Sit tight I'll have reet our callers"

"Sit tight," Giordino repeated acidly "We have no power We're dead in the water He must think we're in an underwater amusement park"