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〃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？〃
〃He may be counting on the unexpected。 One thing Tm sure of。 If he does try the same again he'll〃 use different tactics。 I'm sure he won't try an air or submarine approach； if for no other reason than that he doesn't…he can't…have skilled men。 So I don't think you'll need your radar or sonar watchers tonight。 In any case； your radio operator may need a rest…after all； he's got an alarm call…up in his cabin。 Td keep Simpson on duty； though。 Just in case our friends try for one of the legs again。〃
Palermo said： 〃But they'd be waiting this time。 They'd be operating close to the surface。 They'd have armed guards waiting to protect the divers； maybe even infrared searchlights that we couldn't see from the platform。 You and Sawyers were lucky the first time； and luck depends on surprise： but there wouldn't be any surprise this time。〃
〃We don't need luck。 Lord Worth wouldn't have had all those depth charges stolen and brought aboard unless one of your men is an expert in depth charges。 You've got such a man？〃
〃Yeah。〃 Palermo eyed him speculatively。 〃Cronin。 Ex…petty officer。 Why？〃
〃He could arrange the detonator setting so that the…depth charge would explode immediately or soon after hitting the water？〃
〃I guess so。 Again； why？〃
〃We roll three depth charges along the platform to within； say； twenty…five yards of each of the legs。 Your friend Cronin could advise us on this。 My distance could be wrong。 If Simpson detects anything on his sensors we just push one of the depth charges over the side。 The blast effect should have no effect on the leg。 I doubt if the boat with the divers would get anything more than a hard shaking。 But for divers in the water the concussive shock effects could hardly miss being fatal。〃
Palermo looked at him with cold appraising eyes。 〃For a man supposed to be on the side of the law； Mitchell； you're the most cold…blooded bastard Fve ever met。'*
〃If you want to die just say so。 You'd find it a bit unfortable nine hundred feet down in the Gulf。 I suggest you get Cronin and a couple of your men and get going on the depth charges。〃
Mitchell followed to watch Palermo； Cronin and two of their men at work。 Cronin agreed with MitchelTs estimate of placing the depth charges twenty…five yards from the legs。 As he stood there Marina came up to him。
She said： 〃More men are going to die； aren't they； Michael？〃
〃I hope not。〃
〃But you are getting ready to kill； aren't you？〃
〃I'm getting ready to survive。 I'm getting ready for all of us to survive。〃
She took his arm。 〃Do you like killing？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then how e you're so good at it？〃
〃Somebody has to be。〃
〃For the good of mankind； I suppose？〃
〃Look； you don't have to talk to me。〃 He paused and went on slowly。 〃Cops kill。 Soldiers kill。 Airmen kill。 They don't have to like it。 In the First World War a guy named Marshal Foch got to be the roost decorated soldier of the war for being responsible for the deaths of a million men。 The fact that most of them were his own men would seem to be beside the point。 I don't hunt； I don't shoot game； I don't even fish。 I mean； I like lamb as much as the next man； but I wouldn't put a hook in one's throat and drag it around a field for half an hour before it dies from agony and exhaustion。 All I do is exterminate vermin。 To me； all crooks； armed or not； are vermin。〃
〃Is that why you and John got fired from the police？〃
〃Do I have to tell you that？〃
〃Have you ever killed what you； what I； would call a good person？〃
〃No。 But unless you shut up…〃
〃In spite of everything； I think I might still marry you。〃
〃I've never asked you。〃
〃Well； what are you waiting for？〃
Mitchell sighed； then smiled。 〃Marina Worth； would you do me the honor…〃
Behind them； Lord Worth coughed。 Marina swung round。 〃Daddy；〃 she said； 〃you have a genius for turning up at the wrong moment。〃
Lord Worth was mild。 〃The right moment I would have said。 My unreserved congratulations。〃 He looked at Mitchell。 〃Well； you certainly took your time about it。 Everything shipshape and secured for the night？〃
〃As far as I can guess at what goes on in Cronkite's mind。〃
〃My confidence in you； my boy； is total。 Well； it's bed for me…I feel； perhaps not unaccountably； extremely tired。〃
Marina said： 〃Me； too。 Well； goodnight； fiance〃。〃 She kissed him lightly and left with her father。
For once； Lord Worth's confidence in Mitchell was slightly misplaced。 The latter had made a mistake； though a pletely unwitting one； in sending the radio officer off duty。 For had that officer remained on duty he would undoubtedly have picked up the news flash about the theft of the nuclear weapons from the Netley Rowan Arsenal： Mitchell could not have failed to put two and two together。
During the third hour of Lord Worth's conscience…untroubled sleep Mulhooney had been extremely active。 He had discharged his fifty thousand tons of oil and taken the Torbello well out…to sea； far over the horizon。 He returned later with two panions in the ship's only motorized lifeboat with the sad news that； in the sinking of the tanker； a shattering explosion had occurred which had decimated his crew。 They three were the only survivors。 The decimated crew were； at that moment； taking the Torbello south to Panama。 The official condolences were widespread； apparently sincere and wholly hypocritical： when a tanker blows up its motorized lifeboat does not survive intact。 The republic had no diplomatic relations with the United States； and the only things they would cheerfully have extradited to that country were cholera and the bubonic plague。 A private jet awaited the three at the tiny airport。 Passports duly stamped； Mulhooney and his friends filed a flight plan for Guatemala。
Some hours later they arrived at the Houston International Airport。 With much of the ten million dollars still remaining at his disposal； Cron…kite was not the man to worry about incidental expenses。 Mulhooney and his friends immediately hired a long…range helicopter and set out for the Gulf。
In the fourth hour of his sleep； which had remained undisturbed by the sound of a considerable underwater explosion； Lord Worth was unpleasantly awakened by a call from a seethingly mad Cronkite； who accused him of killing two more of his men and warned that he was going to extract a fearful vengeance。 Lord Worth hung up without bothering to reply； sent for Mitchell and learned that Cronkite had indeed made another attempt to sabotage the western leg。 The depth charge had apparently done everything expected of it； for their searchlights had picked up the bodies of two divers floating on the surface。 The craft that had been carrying them could not have been seriously damaged for they had heard the sound of its diesels starting up。 Instead of making a straight escape； it had disappeared under the rig； and by the time they had crossed to the other side of the Seawitch it was long gone into the darkness and rain。 Lord Worth smiled happily and went back to sleep。
In the fifth hour of his sleep he would not h