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He brushed off all thoughts of failure as he taxed his depth perception to the liht, even with the rappling hook had risen beyond the top of the bluffs He felt the knot he'd tied to indicate when the fine had payed out a hundred ured another twenty rip on the line Released froan to seesaw and fall

Pitt felt as if a great pressure was released fros on the line and felt it go taut The grappling hook had dug its points into the rock on the first atteot our way to the top"

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p; Giordino had been waiting for the word His struggle to keep the triht of the waves was a study in skill and finesse Gladly, he eased the motor into Forward, opened the throttle and threaded the Marvelous Maeve between the rocks into the eye of the cove under the cliffs

Maeve returned to the bow and acted as lookout, guiding Giordino through the black water that seerow calmer the deeper they penetrated the inlet "I see the beach," she inforht strip of sand fifteen meters ahead and to starboard"

In another ers touched the strip of beach and ran up onto the soft sand Pitt looked at Maeve The cliffs shadowed the light frouely

"You're home," he said briefly

She tilted her head and gazed up between the cliffs at the narrow slot of sky and stars that looked light-years away "Not yet, I'm not"

Pitt had never let the line to the grappling hook out of his hands Now, he slipped the leather jacket over Maeve's shoulders and gave the line a hard tug "We'd better get "

"I should go first," said Giordino "I'est"

"That goes without saying," Pitt said, s in the dark "I believe it's your turn anyway"

"Ah, yes," Giordino said, re like an impotent snail when that terrorist cut your safety line while you were swi around that sinkhole in the Andes"

"I had to cli but a pair of screwdrivers"

"Tell ain," said Giordino sarcastically "I never tire of hearing it"

"On your way, critic, and keep an eye peeled for a passing patrol"