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Julia instinctively turned and stared across the bayou, but all she saas darkness "You can follow my actions?"

"Through a night-vision scope I didn't want anybody sneaking up on you without you knowing about it"

Good old faithful Lieutenant Stowe Another ti affection for hi, created an ie of Dirk Pitt in her mind For the first time in her life she was infatuated with a man, and her independent spirit was not sure how to accept the situation Almost reluctantly, she refocused her concentration on discovering the covertoperation

"I believe there must be another vessel or coe," she reported

"What are the indications?" asked Stowe

"I heard voices through the keel That would explain how the Chinese were able to sration, customs and the Coast Guard"

"I'd like to buy your theory, Ms Lee, but an underwater compartment that is carried across two oceans froe up a Louisiana bayou to a railroad teret you an award for literary fiction, but it won't score you any points with pragmatic minds"

"I'll stake my career on it," Julia said positively

"May I ask your intent?" Stowe's tone went from friendly to official

"I intend to gain entry into the mill and make a search"

"Not a s"

"That ht cars and transported away by then"

"Ms Lee," said Stowe coldly "I strongly urge you to think this thing out and back off I'll swing the launch across the bayou and pick you up off the barge"

Julia did not feel that she had come this far suddenly to walk away "No thank you, Lieutenant Stowe I' in If I find what I hope to find, you and your "

"Ms Lee, I h you're under the protection of the Coast Guard, we are not a Justice Department SWAT teaht, obtain a search warrant froe and then send in the local sheriff to investigate You'll score more points with your superiors that way"