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>Take it easy Slon

Nina nodded to show she understood the diver's signal and felt a gentle squeeze on her shoulder She continued to breathe off the "octopus" backup eency hose until eventually her panic passed and her breathing became more rhythmical

Another hand signal The forefinger and thuue O

Okay?

Nina iesture

I'm Okay

Behind the mask a blue eye winked She didn't knoho this aquaman was or where he came from, but at least he was friendly The diver's head was covered by his closefitting hood and a coe man ide shoulders

Nina looked up The light was shredded in the wake of the hovercraft's violent passage, and engines ru for her

Pressure on her shoulder again Aquaman pointed toward the surface and clenched his hand in a fist

Danger

She nodded vigorously The thus into the glooers that lurked above She nodded again and gave the okay signal He clasped one hand in the other

Hold hands

Nina took his proffered glove, and slowly they began to descend

The water changed froe, beco so dark that Nina felt the cold bottom muck before she saw it

Froh-intensity Tektite strobelight and held it above his head She dosed her eyes so as not to be blinded by the intense silvery-white flash she kneas co in the distance