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"I'm sure you will be more than pleased with the interior as well," said Morton in a patronizing tone "If you will please followyou to the royal penthouse suite"

Specteracross the deck to the hotel with his retinue bringing up the rear

In the communications room across a wide hallway fro and relaying the satellite calls that were co in frouna, Brazil, and offices around the world A light blinked on his console and he answered the call

"Ocean Wanderer, how may I direct your call?"

"This is Heidi Lisherness from the NUMA Hurricane Center in Key West May I speak to the director of your resort?"

"I' the owner and founder of Ocean Wanderer on a private tour of the hotel"

"This is extreent Let me talk to his assistant"

"Everyone in the executive office is on the tour also"

"Then will you please," Heidi pleaded, "please, inforory Five hurricane is headed in the direction of the Ocean Wanderer It is traveling at incredible speed and could strike the hotel as soon as dawn to your hotel I will give you frequent updates and will stand by at this number for any questions your director may have"

The operator dutifully jotted down the Hurricane Center's number and then answered several other calls that ca seriously, he waited until he was relieved two hours later before he tracked down Morton and relayed the e

Morton stared at the e typed out by the operator's voice printer and reread it thoughtfully before handing it to Specter "A weather warning fro in our direction and suggest we evacuate everyone in the hotel"

Specter scanned the warning azed toward the east across the sea The sky was free of clouds and the water surface looked quite calht "We'll make no hasty decisions If the storm follows the usual hurricane track, it should veer north and miss us by hundreds of miles"

Morton was not so sure A cautious and conscientious man, he preferred to be safe rather than sorry "I do not believe, sir, it would be in our best interest to risk the lives of our guests or eest that we instruct everyone to begin evacuation procedures and arrange transportation to a safe haven in the Dominican Republic as soon as possible We should also alert the tugboats to launch an operation to tow us from the worst of the storm"

Specter stared out theagain at the serene weather as if reassuring himself "We'll wait another three hours I do not wish to harht the news media will blow out of proportion and co ship Besides," he said, throwing up his ar edifice like a balloon with long thin ears, "my hotel was built to resist any violence the sea can throw at her"

Morton briefly considered ht better of it He left Specter in the penthouse suite and returned to his office to begin preparations for the evacuation he was sure would come