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Their strategy session done, they crept through a rear door that led froe onto the stern deck Just behind the towering science storage structure, two portable container vans had been lashed ,to the deck for use as extra lab space The three men made their way around the vans and across the deck until they were at the very stern of the ship under the massive beams of the aft A-frame that was used to lift the submersible in and out of the ocean

The deck appeared to be deserted, but Austin knew they wouldn't re on having company

"What do you want me to do?" the captain asked Austin

Austin regretted that he ever had any doubts about the doughty old sea dog

"You're the only one with thole ars Since brainpower doesn't count with this phase of the operation, you

get to do the grunt work"

Under Austin's one-arasoline tanks used by the workboats fro them evenly spaced in a line across the deck about halfway between the Aframe and the van labs Each allons

The captain felt dizzy after the work and had to rest Austin, as lightheaded from the blood he'd lost, couldn't blame him Zavala had located a short wooden paddle to use as a cane and was thu John Silver He said he was fine, but he clenched his teeth as he eased himself onto a cable drum of a deck winch

"Guess on't be giving to a blood bank anyti before we all keel over It's vital that we make them come to us"

"1 can try greeting theain That worked the last time"

Re the violent reaction Zavala's taunts provoked on the upper deck, Austin said, "Let 'em have it"

Zavala drew a deep breath and in the loudest voice he couldof insults that called the character of the listeners' fainable Fathers, brothers, and sisters, assigning to each an iinative array of perversions Austin had no idea what he was saying, but the sarcastic needling tone left noof the scornful barbs

While Zavala threw out the bait, Austin got a tight grip on one of the deck hoses and signaled the captain to turn on the water The hose jerked as if it were alive Austin walked across the deck, sweeping the spray back and forth

The water hit the deck with a spattering hiss that was drowned out by Zavala's insults Barely visible in the an to advance Austin kept the as tanks

Zavala's taunts failed to work their scatalogical ic this tirew i, pointed it in the air, and fired If his sche to help hosts that were ht of the o containers and began to advance slowly toward them