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Yaeger had the s, complacent look of a Tyrannosaurus rex that had just dined on a brontosaurus "Nwned for seven hills, just like the capital of Italy Pretty low, insignificant hills, I admit But there are also reports of Ro up in the area Scoffed at by accredited archaeologists, of course, but what do they know?"
"Then the river is?"
"The Rio Bravo, as it's called in Spanish" Yaeger nodded "Better known on this side as the Rio Grande"
"The Rio Grande" Pitt repeated the words slowly, savoring each syllable to the full, finding it difficult to accept the truth after dozens of uesses and dead-end speculations
"It's really a great shaer suddenly said morosely
Pitt glanced at him in faint surprise "Why do you say that?"
Yaeger shook his head heavily "Because there'll be no living with the Texans as soon as they learn what they've been sitting on for the last sixteen centuries"
At noon the next day, after landing at the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Pitt and Lily, along with Admiral Sandecker, were driven by a Seaman First Class to NUMA!s ocean research center on the bay Sandecker directed the driver to stop beside a helicopter squatting on a concrete pad beside a long dock There were no clouds, the sun was alone in the sky The tean to sweat after exiting the car
NUMAs chief geologist, Herb Garza, gave a friendly wave and approached
He was short, pluleaels baseball cap and a fluorescent orange shirt that was so blasting Pitt could still see it after he momentarily closed his eyes
"Garza," said Sandecker curtly "Good to see you again"
"I've looked forward to your arrival," Garza said warmly "We can take off as soon as you board" He turned and introduced the pilot, Joe Mifflin, ore "S about as animated as a door knob
Pitt and Garza had worked together on a project along the western desert stretch of coast in South Africa "How long has it been, Herb?" said Pitt "Three, four years?"
"Who counts?" Garza said with a broad smile as they shook hands "Good to be on the saain"
"May I introduce Dr Lily Sharp"