Shock Wave (Dirk Pitt 13)

"Pitt is a man of infinite resourcefulness," said Gunn indisputably. "Together with Giordino, I wouldn't be surprised if they washed up on a beach in Tahiti and are relaxing in a grass shack."

Sandecker stepped to the side of the path to allow a woman pushing a small child in a three-wheeled carrier to jog past in the other direction. After he resumed running, he murmured, "Dirk always used to say, the sea does not give up its secrets easily."

"Things might have been resolved if Australian and New Zealand search-and-rescue forces could have joined NUMA's efforts."

"Arthur Dorsett has a long reach," Sandecker said, irate. "I received so many excuses as to why they were busy on other rescue missions I could have papered a wall with them."

"There's no denying the man wields incredible power." Gunn stopped pedaling and paused beside the admiral. "Dorsett's bribe money reaches deep into the pockets of friends in the United States Congress and the parliaments of Europe and Japan. Astounding, the famous people who work for him."

Sandecker's face turned crimson, not from exertion but from hopelessness. He could not restrain his anger and resentment. He came to a stop, leaned down and gripped his knees, staring at the ground. "I'd close down NUMA in a minute for the chance to get my hands around Arthur Dorsett's neck."

"I'm sure you're not alone," said Gunn. "There must be thousands who dislike, distrust and even hate him. And yet they never betray him."

"Small wonder. If he doesn't arrange fatal accidents for those who stand in his way, he buys them off by filling their Swiss bank safety deposit boxes with diamonds."

"A powerful persuader, diamonds."

"He'll never influence the President with them."

"No, but the President can be misled by bad advice."

"Surely not when the lives of over a million people are at stake."

"No word yet?" asked Gunn. "The President said he'd be back to you in four days. It's been six."

"The urgency of the situation wasn't lost on him--"

Both men turned at the honk of a horn from a car with NUMA markings. The driver pulled to a stop in the street opposite the jogging path. He leaned out the passenger's window and shouted. "I have a call from the White House for you, Admiral."

Sandecker turned to Gunn and smiled thinly. "The President must have big ears."

As the admiral stepped over to the car, the driver handed him a portable phone. "Wilbur Hutton on a safe line, sir."

"Will?"

"Hello, Jim, I'm afraid I have discouraging news for you."

Sandecker tensed. "Please explain."

"After due consideration, the President has postponed any action regarding your acoustic plague."

"But why?" Sandecker gasped. "Doesn't he realize the consequences of no action at all?"

"Experts on the National Science Board did not go along with your theory. They were swayed by the autopsy reports from Australian pathologists at their Center for Disease Control in Melbourne. The Hussies conclusively proved that the deaths on board the cruise ship were caused by a rare form of bacterium similar to the one causing Legionnaires' disease."

"That's impossible!" Sandecker snapped.

"I only know what I was told," Hutton admitted. "The Hussies suspect that contaminated water in the ship's heating system humidifiers was responsible."

"I don't care what the pathologists say. It would be folly for the President to ignore my warning. For God's sake, Will, beg, plead or do whatever it takes to convince the President to use his powers to shut down Dorsett's mining operations before it's too late."

"Sorry, Jim. The President's hands are tied. None of his scientific advisers thought your evidence was strong enough to run the risk of an international incident. Certainly not in an election year."

"This is insane!" Sandecker said desperately. "If my people are right, the President won't be able to get elected to clean public bathrooms."

"That's your opinion," said Hutton coldly. "I might add that Arthur Dorsett has offered to open his mining operations to an international team of investigators."

"How soon can a team be assembled?"