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"Unless we feel a treasonable act has been committed, it is Mountie policy not to become involved with the domestic privacy of Canadian citizens" Then he added, "That, of course, includes the Prime Minister and the members of Parliament"

"A sound policy," Sarveux said tightly "Thank you, commissioner That will be allfor the moment"

Daybreak found a dark pall over the St Lawrence

Two of the critically injured had died, bringing the death toll to twelve The body of one of thedivers washed up on the southern shore six miles downriver The other man was never found

Numb with exhaustion and sick of heart, the crew of the Ocean Venturer lined the railings in silence as their dead were solee home To some it was a bad dreaedy would remain in vivid clarity forever

After Collins was extricated and hauled aboard with only three hours of breathable air left in his JIM suit, Pitt closed down all further operations on the wreck Metz reported that the engine roo its own, the list now being only ten degrees The dae control specialists fro hoses of their support pumps withdrawn The research ship would ine The propeller shaft of the other had been bent out of alignment

Pitt went down into the well-deck area and donned a ther the harness on his air tanks when Gunn ca down," he said flatly

"After all that's happened, it would be cri e came for," Pitt replied

"Do you think it wise to dive alone? Why not let Dunning and his o with you?"

"They're in no condition," said Pitt "They went beyond repetitive dive lien buildup is excessive"

Gunn knew he could have e a stubborn Dirk Pitt He shrugged off the abortive atterinned "I appreciate the joyous send-off"

"I'll keep an eye peeled on the monitors," said Gunn "And if you're a bad boy and co down the air bottles for your decompression stops myself"

Pitt nodded a wordless thanks Unexcitably patient, quiet and unassu, Gunn was the eternal insurance policy, the one who saw to the endless details overlooked by the rest He never had to be asked He planned with deep forethought and then simply accomplished what had to be done

Pitt adjusted his face mask, threw Gunn a casual salute and dropped into the cold abyss

At twenty feet he rolled over on his back and gazed upward at the bottoreat dark blione The world of sky and clouds seeht-years away