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A series of sophisticated guidance systely as if it were being steered by a skilled pilot

The speeding ray-hulled ship anchored near the red-and-white buoy that marked the location of the undersea lab The naistered in the Marshall Islands as a survey ship The Proud Mary was anchored near the buoy waiting for the shuttle sub to return with Phelps

The ship’s oas a shadowy corporation that provided vessels to international security co froe enough to land an army of mercenaries anywhere in the world

Assigned to protect the undersea laboratory, the Proud Mary carried two dozen guards proficient in the use of every type of sear that could pick up vessels or planes approaching the lab The ship also served as a parking garage for the shuttle that ferried supplies and people to and from the lab

In its leap from the ocean, the cruise missile had blipped on the ship’s radar screen for only a few seconds Inactivity had dulled the operator’s edge, and he was engrossed in a azine when thefrom surveillance’s view The ship also had infrared sensors, but even if theat altitude they would have failed to pick up the low-teines

Undetected, thea half ton of high explosives in its warhead

LOIS MITCHELL AND GORDON PHELPS weretube to the control room when they heard a loud whump that seemed to come from far over their heads She stopped in her tracks and pivoted slowly, ears cocked, concerned that it indicated a systems failure

“I’ve never heard anything like that before,” she said “It sounded like a truck sla into a wall I’d better check toas they should be”

Phelps glanced at his watch “Fro a little ahead of schedule”

“I’d better check the situation in the control room”

“Good idea,” Phelps said amiably

They started walking toward the door at the end of the passageway A few steps froan burst through His pale face was flushed with excite

“Lois! I was coet you Did you hear that weird noise-”

Logan stopped short, his grin vanishing Lois turned to see what he was staring at

Phelps was holding a pistol in his hand, dangling it loosely next to his thigh