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Surprise showed in Pitt's opaline green eyes "Epona, yes, of course, it would be her"

"Hiraer ran an extensive check on her She's at the top level of Odyssey and is reported to be Specter's right hand" He stopped and gazed at Pitt "You know her?"

"We met briefly when Al and I rescued the Lowenhardts and snatched Flidais It looked as though she was high in the Odyssey hierarchy I understand she wasn't killed during the fighting at Odyssey's research center"

"Apparently she slipped through the net before the center was destroyed Adents reported that her private plane was detected by satellite on a landing approach to the airfield on Branwyn Island"

Pitt was holding in his fear with difficulty Then he said in quiet certainty, with unshakable conviction in his voice, "If Epona is responsible for any harht come to Dirk or Summer, she'll never live to collect her retirement pay"

Dusk had turned to dark when the NUMA jet landed in Guadeloupe and taxied to a private hangar Moreau was standing beside the ground crew as Pitt, Giordino and Gunn exited the plane He introduced himself and quickly escorted the helicopter

"An old Bell JetRanger," said Giordino, ad the beautifully restored old helicopter "I haven't seen one of those in a while"

"It's used for tourist sight-seeing," explained Moreau "It was all I could arrange on short notice"

"She'll do just fine," said Pitt

He threw his duffel bag inside and entered the craft,to the cockpit, where he conversed briefly with the pilot, a man in his early sixties with many thousands of hours in the air in two dozen different types of aircraft After he lost his wife to cancer and retired as chief pilot on a major airline, Gordy Shepard had co tourists around the islands His hair was a neatly brushed bush of gray that complemented his black eyes

"That's ati Pitt's instructions "But I think I can handle it for you"

"If not," Pitt said with a taut grin, "my friend and I will hit the water with the force of cannonballs"

Outside, Gunn thanked Moreau and closed the door as the r

otor blades began to slowly revolve, increasing their beat until the pilot lifted the craft off the ground

It took less than fifteen minutes to cover the twenty-seven miles from the airport to the island At Pitt's request, once they were over water, the pilot fleithout lights Flying above the sea at night was like sitting blindfolded in a closet sealed with duct tape Using the light beacon on the island as a guide, Shepard flew an unerring straight line for the south shore