Valhalla Rising (Dirk Pitt 16)

Gunn adjusted his glasses. "We're sending an expedition to French Frigate Shoals northwest of the Hawaiian Islands to survey and examine the widespread death of the coral. We'd like Al to head up the investigation."

"And me?" asked Pitt.

"I hope you saved your cold-weather gear from the Atlantis Project," said Sandecker wryly. "You'll be returning to Antarctica in an attempt to penetrate the ice down to the vast lake scientists believe is under the ice cap."

A shadow of dissent crossed Pitt's face. "I will, of course, follow your directives, Admiral, without argument. But I respectfully request five days for Al and me to clear up a mystery concerning Dr. Elmore Egan."

"The search for his secret laboratory?"

"You know?"

"I have my sources."

Kelly, Pitt thought. The old devil had played sympathetic uncle while protecting her from harm by Zale's henchmen. She must have told him about their search for the Norsemen and the puzzle behind the legend of the lost cave.

"I strongly believe it is a matter of national security to find out what Dr. Egan was working on when he died, before Zale gets there first."

Sandecker looked over at Gunn. "What do you think, Rudi? Should we give these two scoundrels five days to search for an illusion?"

Gunn peered over the tops of his glasses at Pitt and Giordino like a fox eyeing a pair of coyotes. "I think we can be magnanimous, Admiral. It will take at least five days to finish equipping and supplying the survey ships I've scheduled for the projects, anyway."

Sandecker exhaled a cloud of blue aromatic smoke. "That's it, then. Rudi will inform you where and when to report on board your survey ships." Then he dropped his gruff edge and said, "I wish you luck on your quest. I'm also curious as to what Egan was conjuring up."

Yaeger was slouching in his chair, feet stretched out, in front of his keyboard conversing with Max, when Pitt arrived from the football stadium. "You wanted to see me, Hiram?"

"I'll say." Yaeger straightened and pulled Egan's leather case from a nearby cabinet. "You're just in time for the next act."

"Act?"

"Three more minutes."

"I don't follow."

"Every forty-eight hours, at precisely one-fifteen in the afternoon, this case turns to magic."

"It fills with oil," Pitt said hesitantly.

"Exacdy." Yaeger opened the case, and waved his hand over the empty contents like a magician. Then he closed it and snapped the latches. He studied the sweep hand on his wristwatch, counting the seconds. Then he said, "To reverse the old cliche: Now, you don't see it- and now you do." He carefully unlatched and lifted the lid. The interior of the case was filled with oil less than an inch from the upper edge.

"I know you're not performing black magic," said Pitt, "since the same thing happened to Al and me after Kelly Egan gave me the case on the Deep Encounter.'"

"It has to be some sort of trick or illusion," said Yaeger, befuddled.

"It's not an illusion," said Pitt. "It's real enough." He dipped his finger in the oil and rubbed it between his thumb. "Feels frictionless. My guess is that it's Dr. Egan's super oil."

"The million-dollar question is: Where's it coming from?"

"Does Max have a read on it?" Pitt asked, staring at the holograph figure on the other side of Yaeger's desk.

"Sorry, Dirk. I'm as mystified as you," said Max. "I have a few ideas I'd like to pursue if Hiram doesn't shut me down when he leaves for home tonight."

"Only if you promise not to enter confidential or private sites."

"I will try to be a good girl." The words were there, but the delivery had a conniving tone to it.

Yaeger did not think it was funny. Max had gotten him in trouble before, going where she was forbidden to go. But Pitt could not help laughing.

"Have you ever regretted not making Max a male?"