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"Green Dashers?" Scudi asked

"We are the Green Dashers," Gallow said "These suits are the perfect cae underwater, particularly around the kelp And we spend a lot of tirunted, then said: "We should&039;ve let the kelp finish us We -"

Gallow silenced hiesture "We secured our outpost with one sub and a handful of men It&039;d be a pity to waste such talent in the kelp"

Brett saw that Galloas one of those types who love to hear the

"With one little sub and this foil," Gallow said with a sweep of his hand, "we can make sure there&039;s never any more land than we can control You don&039;t have to be in charge to run the show Just ruin it for those who do People will have to coh"

Scudi took a deep, relaxing breath "Is Kareen one of you?"

Gallow&039;s eyes shifted and almost met Scudi&039;s "She&039;sinsurance "

"Safe deposit box," Nakano blurted, and both hed in that loud way men have when they crack a crude or cruel joke

Brett realized froh that she was relieved at Gallow&039;s bragging Were her doubts about her father&039;s involvement with Gallow finally laid to rest?

"What about the doctor?" Nakano asked

Darkness had settled over the ocean and the cockpit was illuhts on the console A low filled the space around the two Mermen They stood near the control seats, put their heads close together and whispered while Scudi and Brett fidgeted Brett kept eyeing the hatchhere the Mermen had entered Was there a chance to escape down there to the main hatch? But Guemes had been destroyed by a sub These Mermen had not swum here from the Launch Base Their sub lay nearby, probably directly beneath the foil&039;s hull And they needed a doctor

"I think you need us," Brett said

"Think?" Gallow asked with a patronizing lift of his eyebrows "Mutes don&039;t think"

"You have an injury, soet help?"

"He&039;s quick for a Mute," Gallow said

"And you&039;re not strong enough to go in and take a doctor from Launch Base," Brett said "But you could trade us for a doctor"

"Ryan Wang&039;s daughter could be traded," Gallow said "You&039;re fishbait"

"If you hurt Brett, I won&039;t cooperate," Scudi said

"Cooperate?" Gallow snorted "Who needs cooperation?"

"You do," Brett said

"Nakano will break you two into sive the order," Gallow said "That&039;s cooperation"

Brett went silent, studying the two ? They said they needed a doctor Twisp had always said you had to look beyond words when dealing with people who postured and bragged Gallow certainly fitted that description Nakano seeerous unknoisp liked to probe such people with outrageous questions or statements

"You don&039;t need just any doctor," Brett said "You want a particular doctor"

Both Merlances on Brett

"What have we here?" Gallow muttered The smile he flashed across the dark cabin did not disar He knew the Merman fear that Islanders had mutated into telepathy, and played on it

Nakano said, "Do you think -"

"No!" Galloarned

Brett caught a bare flicker of hesitation in Gallow&039;s face, which did not show in the voice The man had superb control of his voice It was his tool forwith his ready s soon," Nakano said

A particular foil with a particular doctor and a particular cargo, Brett thought He glanced at Scudi Her tired face was clear to hihts of the cockpit

"You don&039;t need us as a trade, you need us as a diversion," Brett said He held his fingertips to his te an excited smile

One of Gallow&039;s eyebrows lifted, a dark ripple in the se

"I don&039;t like this," Nakano said There was fear in the bigout," Gallow said "That&039;s all Look at him Almost normal Maybe he has a brain after all"

"But he&039;s hit on -"

"Drop it, Nakano!" Gallow kept his attention on Brett "Why would we need you as a diversion?"

Brett dropped his hands and allowed the smile "It&039;s pretty simple You didn&039;t knoere the ones on this boat It&039;s dark out there and all you saas a foil Period"

"Pretty good for a Mute," Gallow said "Maybe there&039;s hope for you"

"You had to go forward and look at the identification plate on the control console before you realized this was the foil on watch-alert"

Gallow nodded "Go on"

"You hoped it was another foil, a particular one," Brett said "The other one will have a Security force aboard You came in armed and ready for that"

Nakano relaxed, visibly relieved Obviously, this reasoning had eli," Gallow said "Is therefor the other foil," Brett said "Why else waste time with us? If the Security force jumps aboard to capture Scudi and me, that&039;s your opportunity"

"Opportunity for what?" Gallow&039;s tone said he was enjoying this Nakano returned to his fidgeting

"You want someone in particular on that other foil," Brett said "A doctor And you want the cargo Now, you see the opportunity to get not only that but two foils intact And you would&039;ve had to wreck the other foil to stop it because all you have is a sub"

"You know, I ht be able to use you," Gallow said "You want to join up?"

Brett spoke without thinking "I&039;d sooner swiid Nakano snickered Slowly, Gallow&039;s face returned to its political best But there was a ht in his eyes, a red reflection that ed away froh she feared the consequences of his comment

Nakanointo the Merman&039;s ear Even as he whispered, Nakano shot a kick at Scudi&039;s hand, which had moved toward the eject lever between the co her wrist tight to her chest

Brett started to step toward Nakano, but the big Mer her Nothing&039;s broken"

"She was going for the eject lever," Gallow said There was genuine surprise in his voice He glared at Scudi Both ht seam that divided the forward part of the cabin from the rear

"It would&039;ve cut us to pieces when it blew," Nakano said "Not nice"

"She&039;s Ryan Wang&039;s daughter, all right," Gallow said

"Now you see why you need our cooperation," Brett said

"We need you tied up and gagged," Gallow snarled

"And what happens when that other foil pulls alongside for a look?" Brett asked "They&039;ll be very cautious if they don&039;t see us in here One or two of their Security will come aboard while the others wait in their own boat"

"Are you proposing a deal, Mute?" Gallow asked

"I am"

"Let&039;s hear it"

"Scudi and I stay inside in plain sight We act like our foil&039;s disabled That way, they won&039;t suspect anything"

"And afterward?"

"You deliver us to an outpost where we can get back to our people"

"Sound reasonable, Nakano?" Gallow asked

Nakano grunted

"You have a deal, Mute," Gallow said "You amuse me"

Brett wondered at the insincerity in the man&039;s voice Didn&039;t he realize his intentions were that transparent? A greased smile couldn&039;t hide a lie forever

Gallow turned to Nakano "Go take a look outside See if everything&039;s secure"

Nakano strode through the rear hatchway and was gone for severalHis expression was filled with self-satisfaction Scudiher wrist

"Are you all right?" Brett asked

"Just bruised"

"Nakano&039;s getting soft," Gallow said "He pulled that kick He can crush your throat, just like that!" Gallow snapped his fingers to illustrate

Nakano returned, drippingus pretty steady The sub&039;s stabilized directly under us and the foil&039;s shadow should hide it until it&039;s too late for the about it"

"Good," Gallow said "Nohere do we keep these two until it&039;s tiht for a hts on and put theht away"

"And ait beside the hatch," Nakano said "You kids understand?"

When Brett did not respond, Scudi said, "We understand"