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"Yes, it does seee this object wasn't placed with the others," said Moore "It almost looks as if it was thrown here"

Sarason pointed to gouges in the sand and calciued off the island"

"It has writing scratched on it," said Moore

"Can you decipher anything?" asked Zolar

"Doesn't need deciphering The lish"

Sarason and Zolar stared at hi the sidewalk and being asked by a homeless derelict if they could spare fifty thousand dollars "No jokes, Professor," said Zolar

"I'old on the bottom of the pedestal, quite recently by the looks of it"

"What does it say?"

Moore ineer to ailasses and began reading aloud

Welcoround thieves and plunderers annual convention

If you have any ambitions in life other than the acquisition of stolen loot, you have coht place

Be our guests and take only the objects you can use

Your congenial sponsors,

Dr Shannon Kelsey, Miles Rodgers, Al Giordino, & Dirk Pitt

There was a moment of sober realization, and then Zolar snarled at his brother "What in hell is going on here? What kind of foolish trick is this?"