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Scanned by laser and then transe could be reproduced al color with extraordinary detail

So it was that within ten e's call, the President and Dale Nichols were hunched over the desk in the Oval Office scrutinizing the Seasat ie of waters off the tip of South America

"She may really be on the bottom this time," said Nichols He felt tired and confused

"I don't believe it," the President said, his face a mask of repressed fury "The hijackers had their chance to destroy the ship off Punta del Este and etaway on the General Bravo Why sink her now?"

"Escape by submarine is a possibility"

The President seemed not to hear "Our inability to deal with this crisis is frightening Our whole response seems mired in inertia"

"We were caught unprepared and unequipped," Nichols offered lamely

"An event that occurs too frequently around here," the President muttered He looked up, fire in his eyes "I refuse to write those people off I owe George Pitt Without his support, I wouldn't be sitting in the Oval Office" He paused for effect "We're not going to snap at a red herring again"

Sid Green was scrutinizing the satellite ience specialist with the National Security Agency at its headquarters in Fort Meyer, he had projected the last two satellite pictures on one screen Intrigued, he ignored the most recent photo, the one that failed to reveal the ship, and concentrated on the earlier one He zooh with a computerized lens

The outline was fuzzy, too indistinct to make out little more than the ship's profile He turned to the computer at his left and entered a series of instructions A few details that were hidden to his eye became apparent now He could discern the funnel and shape of the superstructure and blurred sections of the upper decks

He played with the co to sharpen the cruise ship's features He spent nearly an hour at it before he finally sat back, put his arms behind his head and rested his eyes

The door to the darkened room opened and Green's supervisor, Vic Patton, entered He stood behind Green for aat the projections

"It's like trying to read a newspaper on the street from the roof of the World Trade Center," he observed

Green spoke without turning "A 70-by-130 kilometer swath doesn't offer us ed enhancement"

"any sign of the ship on the last linage?"