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〃There can be no doubt about this？〃 Simpson shook his head。 〃Seems damnably odd that Cronkite would try to bring down the Seawitch with his own men on board。〃
Mitchell said： 〃Maybe he doesn't want to bring it down； just damage the leg enough to destroy the buoyancy in the leg and the adjacent members and tilt the Seawitch so the drill and pump…hug mechanisms don't work。 Maybe anything。 Or maybe he would be prepared to sacrifice his own men to get you。〃 He turned to Palermo。 〃I know you've got scuba equipment aboard。 Show me。〃 They left。
Marina said： 〃I suppose he's off to murder someone else。 He's not really human； is he？〃
Lord Worth looked at her without enthusiasm。 〃If you call being inhuman wanting to see that you don't die； then he's inhuman。 There's only one person aboard this rig he really cares for； and you damned well know it。 I never thought Fd be ashamed of a daughter of mine。〃
Palermo had； in fact； two trained scuba divers with him； but Mitchell chose only one to acpany him。 Palermo was not a man to be easily impressed； but he had seen enough of Mitchell not to question his judgment。 In remarkably quick time Mitchell and the other man； who went by the name of Sawyers； were dressed in scuba outfits and were equipped with reloadable pressed…air harpoon guns and sheath knives。
They were lowered to the water by the only available means on such a giant TLP…a wire…mesh cage attached to the boom of the derrick crane。 At water level they opened the hinged door； dived and swam to the giant western leg。
Simpson had made no mistake。 They were indeed at work down there； two of them； attached by airlines and cables to the shadowy outline of a vessel some twenty feet above them。 Both wore powerful headlamps。 They_ were energetically engaged in attaching limpet mines； conventional magnetic mines and wraparound rolls of beehive amatol to the enormous leg。 They had enough explosives there； Mitchell figured； to bring down the Eiffel Tower。 Maybe Cronkite did intend to destroy the leg。 That Cronkite was unhinged seemed more probable than not。
The two saboteurs were not only energetically engaged in their task； they were so exclusively preoccupied with it that they failed to notice the stealthy approach of Mitchell and Sawyers。 The two scuba divers pressed their masks together； looked into each other's eyes…there was sufficient reflected light from the other divers to allow them to do this…and nodded simultaneously。 Not much given to squeamishness where potential killers were concerned； they harpooned the two saboteurs through their backs。 In both cases； death was instantaneous。 Mitchell and Sawyers reloaded their pressed…air harpoons then； for good measure； sliced their two victims* breathing tubes； which also contained the munication wires。
On the Starlight； Easton and his crew were instantly aware that something had gone drastically wrong。 The dead men were pulled up； the harpoons still imbedded in their backs； and as the corpses were being hauled over the gunwales two of the crew cried out in agony： Mitchell and Sawyers had surfaced and picked off two more targets。 Whether either had been mortally or grievously injured was impossible to say； but far more than enough had happened for Easton to take off at speed； this time on his much faster diesels： the engines were admittedly noisy； but the darkness was so intense that it was impossible for the alerted gunners on the platform to obtain an accurate fix on them。
The two scuba divers； their own headlights now switched on； swam down to the spot where the mines and explosives had been attached to the legs。 There were time fuses attached to both mines and explosives。 Those they detached and let fall to the bottom of the ocean。 For good measure they also removed the detonators。 The explosives； now harmless； they unwound and let them follow the time fuses。 The mines they prudently left where they were。 Both men were explosives experts but not deep…water explosives experts。 Mines； as many ghosts can attest； can be very tricky and unpredictable。 They consist of TNT； amatol； or some such conventional explosive as the main charge。 In their central tube they have a primer； which may consist of one of a variety of slow…burning explosives； and fitted to the top of the primer is a traveling detonator； activated by sea pressure； which usually consists of seventy…seven grains of fulminate of mercury。 Even with this detonator removed； the primer can still detonate under immense pressure。 Neither diver had any wish to blow up the pile…driven anchors or the tensioning cables attached to the anchors。 Via the derrick crane they made their way back to the platform and reported to the radio room。 They had to wait for some time before making their report； for Lord Worth was in a far from amicable telephone conversation with Cronkite。 Marina sat apart； her hands clenched and her normally tanned face a grayish color。 She looked at Mitchell； then averted her eyes as if she never wished to set eyes on him again； which； at the moment； she probably didn't。 Cronkite was furious。 〃You murderous bastard； Worth。〃 He was clearly unaware that he was talking in the presence of ladies。 〃Three of my men dead； harpooned through the back。〃 Involuntarily； Marina looked at Mitchell again。 Mitchell had the impression that he was either a monster from outer space or from the nethermost depths： at any rate； a monster。
Lord Worth was no less furious。 〃It would be a pleasure to repeat the process…with you as the central figure this time。〃
Cronkite choked； then said with what might have been truth： 〃My intention was just temporarily to incapacitate the Seawitch without harming anyone aboard。 But if you want to play it rough you'll have to find a new Seawitch in twenty…four hours。 That's if you're fortunate enough to survive： I'm going to blast you out of the water。〃
Lord Worth was calmer now。 〃It would be interesting to know how you're going to achieve that。 My information is that your warships have been ordered back to base。〃
〃There's more than one way of blasting you out of the water。〃 Cronkite sounded very sure of himself。 〃In the meantime I'm going to offload the Torbello's oil； then sink it。〃 In point of fact； Cronkite had no intention of sinking the tanker： the Torbello was a Panamanian registered tanker； and Cronkite was not lacking in Panamanian friends。 A tanker could be easily disposed of for a very considerable sum。 The conversation； if such an acrimonious exchange could be so called； ended abruptly。
Mitchell said： 〃One thing's for sure。 Cronkite is a fluent liar。 He's nowhere near Central America。 Not with that kind of reception。 And we heard him talking to his friend Durand。 He elected not to e on that helicopter flight…which lasted only fifteen minutes。 He's lying out there somewhere just over the horizon。〃
Lord Worth said： 〃How did things go down there？〃
〃You heard what Cronkite said。 There was no trouble on our part。〃
〃Do you expect more？〃
〃Yeah。 Cronkite sounds too damn confident for me；〃
〃How do you think it'll e？〃
〃Your guess is as good as mine。 He might even try the same thing again。〃
Lord Worth was incredulous。 〃After what happened to him？