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The monitors dimmed until their screens showed only blackness They looked cold and dead, but occasionally a faint, undefined er had walked into the control room he would have written everyone off asenraptured by dark TV screens was a psychologist's dream

Ten minutes becae Anticipation hung heavy in the air Nothing and still nothing Then very gradually, so gradually nobody noticed it at first, the screens began to lighten "What do you make of it?" Pitt asked Hoker

"No way of telling Without power, I can't read the systems"

"Activate the instruh for the computers to record the data"

"You're talking in microseconds"

"Then go for it"

The dexterity in Hoker's index finger ran a poor second to the incomprehensible speed of the data systenals were received by the RSV and returned to the coital dials on the console before the switch clicked to OFF

"Position, four hundred rees Depth, thirteen meters"

"It's co up," Gunn said

"Surfacing about a quarter mile off our starboard stem," Hoker verified

"I cana deep blue"

The haze in front of the calare burst frouished now, blurred as though anih a frosted

"We have sun," declared Hoker "Baby is on the surface"

Without a word, Pitt ran froe He snatched a pair of binoculars hanging by the helm and aimed them across the river

The sky was free of clouds and the late ht breeze caed the short furrows upriver The only vessels in sight were a tanker stea boats to the northeast, fanned out on different headings