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Austin ell aware this could be one of the toughest assignments in his varied career More difficult in its oay than raising that Iranian container ship or the Russian sub

"Thanks for the warning, Captain My idea is to approach this as if ere looking for a target where the bottom's been littered recks Like the East River, for exaht, that the job is irinned "Maybe we'll even find Mr Donatelli's car jack"

McGinty let out a whooping laugh "Well, if it's a fool's errand, you're my kind of fool What say we offer a toast to our success?"

Donatelli opened the grappa and poured drinks all around using a waiter's flourish that hadn't deserted him

"By the way, that was the boys down below calling froh the hull I told thes ready for to in theto do the job"

Austin raised his glass "Here's to lost causes and impossible missions"

The quiet laughter was cut short as Donatelli soleh "And here's to the Andrea Doria and the souls of all those who have died on her"

When they tossed their drinks down, it was done in silence

42 LIFE IS NEVER DULL AROUND THE Andrea Doria for the schools of silver-scaled fish that claihts in luxurious cabins that cost their previous occupants thousands of lira But nothing could have prepared the denizens of the blue twilight world for the arrival of two creatures more bizarre than any inhabitant of the depths Their plump bodies were covered with shiny yellow skin, their backsides protected by a black carapace In the center of their bulbous heads was a single eye Twin stumps protruded from the bottoms of their rotund bodies Near the top were si in a claw Most curious were the softly whirring fins on each side

The creatures hung in the water like balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving parade The soft laughter of Zavala's voice cackled in Austin's headset

"Have I ever told you how much you resemble 'the Michelin man?"

After the ht I wouldn't be surprised at anything My gyut"

The Ceanic Hard Suit must have been nicknayed aluminum skin was technically a hull Vertical and lateral propulsion thrusters on each side were activated by foot controls With its oxygen recirculation and carbon dioxide scrubbing capability, the suit was good for six to eight hours of dive tiency life support It topped the scales at nearly half a ton, yet in water the suit weighed less than eight pounds The Hard Suit provideddive tie was its bulkiness Penetrating the interior following Donatelli's route would be suicide They would become ensnared on wires or lines within minutes

In for a dive plan, Austin reviewed all past dives on the

Doria, successful or not Austin thought the Giht idea The 1975 attempt tried to use a submersible for reconnaissance, but the craft lacked the power to fight the current The diving bell intended for use as an elevator and work station was ierously out of control What i froreat deal against fore The 1981 Gimbel expedition was better prepared The bell systeh it ran into all sorts of probleled the ued to find the safe and hook it up to a crane