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"Negative"

"A chance passing by one of our own subs then," Sandecker suggested optimistically

King sounded concerned "The contact isa parallel course, distance four thousand

"Not good"

"I'll have a firrasp on the situation when the computers spit out a more detailed analysis of our unknown caller"

Sandecker went silent He sipped at the buttermilk, his mind meditative Finally, he said, "Call the security desk and tell them to track down Al Giordino I want him in on this"

King spoke hesitantly "Is Giordino acquainted withah, does he?"

"He knows," Sandecker assured King "I personally briefed hi its inception in the event he had to substitute for Pitt You'd better get on with it I'll be there in fifteen minutes"

The ad up His worst fear had put in its appearance He stared at the white liquid within the glass as if he could visualize the

Then he set the glass aside and hurried out the door, unaware that he was still in his stocking feet

Deep beneath the surface of the Labrador Sea not far from the northern tip of Newfoundland, Pitt stood in stony silence, studying the electronic readout across the display screen as the unidentified sub's instrue He leaned forward as a line of data flashed on Then, suddenly, the display screen blinked out as contact was lost

Bill Lasky, the panel operator, turned to Pitt and shook his head "Sorry, Dirk, our visitor is a shy one

He won't sit still for a scan"

Pitt put his hand on Lasky's shoulder "Keep trying Sooner or later he's bound to step on our side of the fence"

He h the ear, his feet silent on the rubber deck covering Dropping down a ladder to a lower deck, he entered a s phone booths