The Mediterranean Caper (Dirk Pitt 2)

Lewis sat on the edge of the bed and twisted one end of an immense red handlebar moustache. His large rosy face and twinkling blue eyes along with the large bush on his upper lip gave him the appearance of a jolly lumberjack. His movements and his speech were rapid, almost jerky, giving Pitt the impression that the Colonel had a pound of ground glass in his crotch.

“Sorry to break in on you like this,” boomed Lewis. “But I’m interested in knowing whether or not you’ve run onto anything substantial concerning the attack yesterday.”

Pitt was nude, but he didn’t give a damn. "No, nothing positive. I’ve several hunches and a couple of ideas, but very few absolute facts to build an airtight case with.”

“I was hoping you might have stumbled on a lead. My Air Investigation Squadron has struck out.”

“Have you found any remains of the Albatros?’ asked Pitt.

Lewis rubbed a hand across his sweaty forehead. “If that old crate crashed into the sea, it left no trace; not even a small oil slick. It and its pilot must have vanished into thin air.”

"Maybe it reached the mainland,” said Giordino. “Negative,” replied Lewis. “We can’t find a soul over there who saw it going or coming.”

Giordino nodded in agreement. “An old plane painted bright yellow with a top speed of only one hundred and three miles an hour couldn’t help but be noticed if it crossed over the strait into Macedonia.”

Lewis took out a package of cigarettes. “What really confuses me is the fact that the attack was well planned and executed. Whoever raided the field knew no aircraft were scheduled to land or take off during his strafing runs.”

Pitt buttoned his shirt and adjusted the gold oak leaves on his shoulders. “Obtaining information w

ould be easy since everyone on Thasos probably knows that Brady Field becomes a ghost town on Sundays. Actually this whole affair is very similar in strategy to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese down to the detail of sneaking in through a pass in the island mountain range.”

Lewis lit his cigarette, being careful not to singe his moustache. “You’re right, of course but there’s no doubt that your unexpected arrival in the flying boat: caught our attacker, as well as ourselves, off guard. Our own radar failed to track your Catalina because you flew the last two hundred miles on the deck.” He exhaled a cloud of smoke. “I can’t begin to tell you what a welcome surprise it was to see your old bird come thundering down out of the sun.”

“It must have surprised our friend in the Albatros too,” Giordino grinned. “You should have seen his jaw drop when he turned and saw us for the first time.”Pitt finished knotting his tie. “No one expected us because my flight plan did not include Brady Field. I originally planned to set down in the sea next to the First Attempt. That’s why our flying ghost and Brady Control were both unaware of our ETA.” He paused, reflecting as he looked down at Lewis. “I strongly suggest, Colonel, that you take extreme defensive measures. I’ve a feeling we haven’t seen the last of the yellow Albatros.”

Lewis stared up at Pitt curiously. “What makes you so certain he’ll return?”

Pitt’s eyes glinted. “He had a definite purpose for attacking the field, and it wasn’t to kill men or destroy aircraft belonging to the United States. His plan was simply to throw you into a panic.”

“What would he gain by that?” asked Giordino.

“Stop and think about it for a moment.” Pitt glanced at his watch, then to Lewis. “If this situation looked truly threatening and perilous, Colonel, you’d have to evacuate all American civilians to the mainland.”

“Yes, that’s true,” admitted Lewis. “But at the moment I see no reason to take such steps. The Greek government has assured me they’re offering, their complete cooperation in finding the pilot and plane.”

“But if you thought you had reason,” pressed Pitt. “Wouldn’t you also order Commander Gunn to remove the First Attempt from the Thasos area?”

Lewis’ eyes narrowed. “As a safety precaution, of course. That white ship makes one hell of an inviting target for an aerial sniper.”

Pitt flicked his Zippo and lit a cigarette. “Believe It or not, sir, that’s your answer.”

Giordino and Lewis looked at each other and then at Pitt, puzzled.

Pitt continued. “As you know, Colonel, Admiral Sandecker ordered Giordino and myself to Thasos to investigate the strange mishaps that have occurred during the NUMA’s offshore operations. This morning, while conversing with Commander Gunn, I discovered evidence of a sabotage which leads me to believe that there’s a definite connection between the raid and the accidents aboard the First Attempt. Now, if we take this assumption one step further, we begin to see that Brady Field was not the main objective of our reincarnated adversary. The raid was only an indirect means of removing Commander Gunn and the First Attempt from Thasos.”

Lewis looked at Pitt thoughtfully. “I suppose the next question is why?”

“I don’t have an answer yet,” said Pitt. “But I’m certain our mysterious friend and his flair for dramatics has a high powered reason behind his game. He wouldn’t go to such devious lengths for penny ante stakes. He’s most likely hiding something of great value and the NUMA researchers on the ship are in a position to stumble onto it.”

“That something you speak of could be sunken treasure,” Lewis’ lips gleamed wetly.

Pitt pulled an overseas cap out of his suitcase and set it jauntily on his head. “That’s one obvious conclusion.”

A faraway look came Into Lewis’ eyes and he said softly, “I wonder what it could be and how much it’s worth?”

Pitt turned and faced Giordino. “Al, contact Admiral Sandecker and ask him to research all possible lost or sunken treasure troves in the Aegean Sea within spitting distance of Thasos and send us the data as soon as possible. Tell him it’s urgent.”

“Consider it done,” Giordino said. “It’s eleven o’clock in the morning in Washington so we should have an answer by breakfast.”