Raise the Titanic! (Dirk Pitt 4)

"Hear, hear."

Sandecker then relaxed on a folding chair, sipped at his scotch, and idly wondered which of the men in that soggy room were on the payroll of the Soviet government.

53

Soviet General Secretary Georgi Antonov sucked on his pipe with short, violent puffs and regarded Prevlov with a pensive gaze.

"I must say, Captain, I take a dim view of the whole undertaking."

"We have carefully considered every avenue, and this is the only one left open to us," Prevlov said.

"It's fraught with danger. I fear the Americans will not take the theft of their precious byzanium lying down."

"Once it is in our hands, Comrade Secretary, it will make no difference how loudly the Americans scream. The door will have been slammed in their faces."

Antonov folded and unfolded his hands. A large portrait of Lenin floated on the wall behind him. "There must be no international repercussions. It must look to the world as though we were entirely within our rights."

"This time the American president will have no recourse. International law is on our side."

"It will mean the end of what used to be called détente," Antonov said heavily.

"It will also mean the beginning of the end of the United States as a superpower."

"A cheerful conjecture, Captain; I appreciate that." His pipe had gone out and he relit it, filling the room with a sweet aromatic odor. "However, should you fail, the Americans will be in the same position to say the same of us."

"We will not fail."

"Words," Antonov said. "A good lawyer plans the prosecutor's case as well as his own. What measures have you taken in the event of an unavoidable mishap?"

"The byzanium will be destroyed," Prevlov said. "If we cannot possess it, then neither can the Americans."

"Does that include the Titanic as well?"

"It must. By destroying the Titanic, we destroy the byzanium. It will be accomplished in such a way that another recovery operation will be totally out of the question."

Prevlov fell silent, but Antonov was satisfied. He had already given his approval for the mission. He studied Prevlov carefully. The captain looked like a man who was not used to failure. His every movement, every gesture, seemed thoughtfully planned in advance; even his words carried an air of confident forethought. Yes, Antonov was satisfied.

"When do you leave for the North Atlantic?" he asked.

"With your permission, Comrade Secretary, at once. A long-range reconnaissance bomber is on standby at Gorki Airfield. It is imperative that I be standing on the bridge of the Mikhail Kurkov within twelve hours. Good fortune has sent us a hurricane, and I will make full use of its force as a diversion for what will seem our perfectly legal seizure of the Titanic."

"Then I will not keep you." Antonov stood and embraced Prevlov in a great bear hug. "The hopes of the Soviet Union go with you, Captain Prevlov. I beg you. do not disappoint us.

54

The day began going badly for Pitt right after he wandered away from the salvage activity and made his way down to No. 1 cargo hold on G Deck.

The sight that met his eyes in the darkened compartment was one of utter devastation. The vault containing the byzanium was buried under the collapsed forward bulkhead.

He stood there for a long time, staring at the avalanche of broken and twisted steel that prevented any easy attempt to reach the precious element. It was then that he sensed someone standing behind him.

"It looks like we've been dealt a bum hand," Sandecker said.

Pitt nodded. "At least for the moment."

"Perhaps if we--"

"It would take weeks for our portable cutting equipment to clear a path through that jungle of steel."