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Dawn broke over an empty sea The radar disclosed no vessels within thirty hts of a helicopter that passed over an hour earlier, the search for the source of the brown crud went uninterrupted Just to be on the safe side, they had run without lights the entire night

Turning south soon after their confrontation with the bogus ghost ship, they were now sailing in Bahia Punta Gorda, where the trail of increasing toxicity in the seawater had led theood weather, with just the slightest hint of a breeze and loinds

The Nicaraguan coastline was only two miles distant The lowlands were a faint line across the horizon, as if so a T square and a pen with black ink Mists covered the shore and drifted against the foothills in the low mountains to the west

"Most strange," said Gunn, peering through binoculars

Pitt looked up "What?"

"According to the charts of the bay of Punta Gorda, the only habitation is a se called Barra del Rio Maiz"

"So?"

Gunn handed the glasses to Pitt "Take a look and tell me what you see"

Pitt focused the lenses for his eyes and scanned the shoreline "That's no isolated fishing village, it looks like a major deepwater container port I count two containerships unloading at a huge dock with cranes, and another two ships anchored and waiting their turn"

"There is also an extensive area devoted to warehouses"

"It's a beehive of activity, all right"

"What's your take on the situation?" asked Gunn

"My only guess is equiph-speed railroad between the seas"

"They've been damned quiet about it," said Gunn "I've read no reports that the project was actually funded and under way"