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Chao checked the reading on the depth sounder "Fifty meters, or about a hundred and sixty feet"

The awful truth struck Mangyai's mind like a hammer He leaned over the chart table and plotted their course The keel of the Venice was passing over the Tzonston Bank, one of ean where the seabed rose to within a hundred feet of the surface Deep enough for a ship's safe passage, but shallow enough for a routine salvage operation

"Steer for deep water!" he shouted

Chao stared at the captain, hesitating in bewilderment "Sir?"

Mangyai opened his mouth to repeat the order but the words froze in his throat At that instant, two sound-tracking torpedoes horned in on the freighter's engine roo effect

Her botto holes, the sea rushed into her innards The Venice shuddered and entered her death throes

She took only eightbeneath the indifferent swells forever

The Venice was hardly gone when a subht on the fraging to the flotsaunned until their shredded bodies sank out of sight Boats were sent out, guided by the darting shaft of light

After searching for several hours until all the debris was pulled aboard, they returned to their ship

Then the light was killed and the sub returned to the darkness

THE President SAT AT THE CENTER of the oval any conference table in the White House Cabinet Room There were eleven men seated there besides himself A bemused expression shone in his eyes as he surveyed the somber faces around the table

"I know you gentlemen are curious about where I've been for the last ten days, and about the status of Vince Margolin, Al Moran and Marcus Larimer Let me put this fear to rest Our temporary disappearance was an event planned by me"

"You alone?" Douglas Oates put to him

"Not entirely President Antonov of the Soviet Union was also involved"

For several , the President's top advisers stared at him