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"Not because the membership is open-said Giordino slyly "Most woet a tetanus shot than come here and hear old derelicts rehash the wars"

on toward Sandecker shot Giordino a withering stare

Lily looked at the two ht in thefeud

Pitt forced back a laugh, but couldn't suppress a sive-and-take for ten years Everyone close to them knew Giordino and Sandecker were the warmest of friends

Lily decided to entlemen will point out the ladies room, I'll freshen up"

Sandecker gestured up a hallway "First door on the right Please take your time" As soon as she had left, the ad roo with the Secretary of the Navy in an hour This will be our only chance to talk in private so I'll have toyou did a da a lid on it The President was most pleased when he received the news and asked me to thank you"

"When do we start?" asked Giordino

"Start what?"

"A covert underwater salvage operation on the sub"

"Our intelligence people insist it be put on hold Their sche information Make it appear any further search is a waste of taxpayers' money, and we've written it off as a lost cause"

"for how long?" Pitt asked

"Maybe a year Whatever time it takes for the mission project people to draw up plans and construct the equipment for the project"

Pitt stared at the ad on't be included"

"Dead on," Sandecker said flatly "As they say at the police precinct, you're off the case"

"I have a more important job for you two characters"