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“And the laboratory staff? Where are they?”

“They’re all tucked away in their quarters”

“Make sure they stay there You have disabled the minisubs, as I ordered?”

Phelps dug out four flat, rectangular boxes tucked in his belt

“These circuits control the subs’ power supplies,” he said

Chang snatched the circuit boards froround them to pieces with his heel He barked an order to hiswooden boxes in their arms They stacked the boxes near the console and then returned to the cargo hold for more

Printed on the boxes in big bold red letters was

HANDLE WITH CARE EXPLOSIVES

Phelps rapped the top of a box with his knuckles

“What’s going on with the firecrackers, Chang?” he asked

“It’s fairly obvious,” Chang said “You’re going to use your expertise with explosives to blow up the lab It has fulfilled its function”

Phelps poked at the smashed electrical circuits with the toe of his boot

“One probleet off the lab with the minisubs disabled?”

“The scientists have fulfilled their function They’ll stay with the lab”

Phelps stepped in front of Chang and faced off