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"Merker was there all right After he gave Doc Bailey the slip, he kept away from his own cabin and made for brother Dru, including a pair of cowboy boots Then he sneaked onto the helicopter, threw out the eency life raft, and hid under its cover Unfortunately for Dana, she happened along in search of her ht Merker's boots protruding from under the life raft cover Not about to let her screw up his escape, he popped her on the head with a ha around somewhere, wrapped her in a tarpaulin, and crawled back into his hiding space"

"That o coram"

"No By then he was gone If you recall, after you switched open the cargo door, aited for a fewfor any movement inside There was none because Merker had already crept into the control cabin under the cover of the noise from the door-actuator motors Then when you and I played Keystone Kops and entered the cargo compartment, he dropped down the cockpit ladder outside and walked peacefully into the night"

"But why throw the hais persisted "What was the purpose?"

"Since you flew the copter froht to unload, I couldn't risk the chance of your taking off again without opening the cargo door You had me trapped back there and didn't know it

"You became a busy little beaver after that," Pitt said to Merker, "flitting about the ship, guided no doubt by a diagram

provided by Dru and burned off the tow cable while Chief Bascoy lines to the helicopter, taking great satisfaction, I' that it ept over the side of the ship with me in it"

"Two birds with one slice," Merker admitted "Why deny-"

Merker was cut short by a un that echoed froed and looked at Sandecker

"I fear your arette from its holder and crushed it out with his boot "I think this discussion has lasted long enough The stor in a few hours and the Mikhail Kurkov will move into position for the tow Admiral Sandecker, you will see to it yourthe pumps Drummer will show you the locations where he's pierced the hull below the waterline so that the rest of your crew can stee"

"So it's back to the torture games," Sandecker said contemptuously

"I aames, Admiral" Prevlov had a deteruards, a short uard who had shoved his gun into Sandecker's side "This is Buski, a very direct felloho happens to be the finestof English, enough at any rate to translate nuoing to begin counting When I reach five, you will shoot Mrs Seagraht knee; and so on until Admiral Sandecker mends his uncooperative ways"

"A businesslike concept," Pitt added "And you'll shoot the rest of us after we've served your purpose, weight our bodies, and dump them in the sea so they're never found Then you'll claim we abandoned the ship in the helicopter, which, of course, conveniently crashed You'd even provide titnesses, Drummer and Merker, ould testify after their miraculous survival about how the benevolent Russians plucked the down for the third time"

"I see no need to prolong the agony any further," Prevlov said tiredly "Buski"

Buski raised his machine pistol and took aim at Dana's arm