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"How long do we have?"

"The reaction would be i depends on when the people who've been causing the whirlpools and giant waves decide to pull the switch"

"I may be able to offer a ray of hope" He told Trout about his encounter with Barrett, and the possibility of an antidote for a polar shift

"Encouraging When will you get back to Washington?"

"We'llI'll call e're in the air to give you an ETA"

"I'll be standing by"

After hanging up, Austin sat in his darkened stateroo the slowness of ocean travel He had been unaware of the urgency of the situation when Captain Ivanov invited hione back with Petrov, but he politely refused the offer, saying it was iiven hi smile, and told Austin to call on him anytime

Since co aboard Austin had spent very little time with Karla After she and Maria had a tearful reunion, and Uncle Karl got patched up, everyone retired to their respected staterooms to catch up on badly needed sleep

Austin got dressed and went out on the deck, which was bathed in the subdued arctic light The Kotelny was plowing through the ocean at a steady clip The cold air hit his lungs like the blast froerator Fully awake now, heof coffee The place was deserted except for a couple of creere co onto a shift He found a corner table, slipped the phone froiven him After a few seconds, a woman answered and said hello

"I'd like to speak to Barrett," Austin said

"This is Barrett I programmed a woman's voice to take the place of mine"

"Aren't you taking this electronic cloak-and-dagger stuff a bit too far?"

"Hell, Kurt, you're not the one who got shot," Barrett said "You don't know the kind of people you're dealing with"

"That's why I called Do you think Gant and Margrave are open to reason?"

"Gant is about as reasonable as a rattlesnake Tris could be reached, hteous cause he doesn't care who he hurts Why do you ask?"