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l orange。 The blimp had an eerie quality about it； or so it seemed in Pitt's imagination； an aluminum ghost unsure of where it was supposed to haunt。
He'd been awake most of the time during the flight from Washington to Key West； poring over Buck Caesar's charts of the Old Bahama Channel and retracing Raymond LeBaron's carefully marked flight path。 He closed his eyes； trying to get a clear picture of the Prosperteer's spectral wanderings。 Unless the gas bags inside the blimp were reinflated from a ship； an extremely unlikely event； the only answer to Raymond LeBaron's whereabouts lay in Cuba。
Something nagged at his mind； a thought that kept returning after he unconsciously brushed it aside； a piece of the picture that became increasingly lucid as he began dwelling on it。 And then suddenly it crystallized。
The flight to trace LeBaron's trail was a setup。
A rational and logical conclusion remained a dim outline in a thick mist。 The trick was to try to fit it into a pattern。 His mind was casting about for directions to explore when he sensed a shadow fall over him。
〃Well； well；〃 said a familiar voice； 〃looks as though Snow White fell for the old apple routine again。〃
〃Either that or he's hibernating；〃 came another voice Pitt recognized。
He opened his eyes； shielded them from the sun with one hand； and looked up at a pair of grinning individuals who stared down。 The shorter of the two； a barrel…chested； muscled character with black curly hair and the ironbound look of a man who enjoyed eating bricks for breakfast； was Pitt's old friend and assistant projects director at NUMA； Al Giordino。
AI reached down； grabbed an outstretched hand； and pulled Pitt to his feet as effortlessly as a sanitation worker picking up an empty beer can from park grass。
〃Departure time in twelve minutes。〃
〃Our unnamed pilot arrive yet？〃 Pitt asked。
The other man； slightly taller and much thinner than Giordino； shook his head。 〃No sign of one。〃
Rudi Gunn peered through a pair of blue eyes that were magnified by thick…lensed glasses。 He had the appearance of an undernourished assistant bookkeeper toiling for a gold watch。 The impression was deceptive。 Gunn was the overseer of NUMAs oceanographic projects。 While Admiral Sandecker waged pitched battles with Congress and the federal bureaucracy； Gunn watched over the agency's day…to…day operation。 For Pitt； prying Gunn and Giordino from under Sandecker had been a major victory。
〃If we want to match LeBaron's departure time； we'll have to wrestle it aloft ourselves；〃 said Giordino； unconcerned。
〃I guess we can manage；〃 said Pitt。 〃You study the flight manuals？〃
Giordino nodded。 〃Requires fifty hours of instruction and flying time to qualify for a license。 The basic control isn't difficult； but the art of keeping that pneumatic scrotum stable in a stiff breeze takes practice。〃
Pitt couldn't help grinning at Giordino's colorful description。 〃The equipment loaded on board？〃
〃Loaded and secured；〃 Gunn assured him。
〃Then I guess we might as well shove off。〃
As they approached the Prosperteer； LeBaron's crew chief climbed down the ladder from the control car。 He spoke a few words to one of the ground crew and then waved a friendly greeting。
〃She's all ready to go； gentlemen。〃
〃How close are we to the actual weather conditions of the previous flight？〃 asked Pitt。
〃Mr。 LeBaron was flying against a five…mile…an…hour head wind out of the southeast。 You'll buck eight； so figure on pensating。 There's a late…season hurricane moving in over the Turks and Caicos Islands。 The meteorological guys christened her Little Eva because she's a small blow with a diameter no more than sixty miles wide。 The forecasters think she'll swing north toward the Carolinas。 If you turn back no later than 1400 hours； Little Eva's outer breeze should provide you with a nice fat tail wind to nudge you home。〃
〃And if we don't？〃
〃Don't what？〃
〃Swing back by 1400 hours。〃
The crew chief smiled thinly。 〃I don't remend getting caught in a tropical storm with fifty…mile…an…hour winds； at least not in an airship that's sixty years old。〃
〃You make a strong case；〃 Pitt admitted。
〃Allowing for the head wind；〃 said Gunn； 〃we won't reach the search area until 1030 hours。 That doesn't leave us much time to look around。〃
〃Yes；〃 Giordino said； 〃but LeBaron's known flight path should put us right in the ballpark。〃
〃A tidy package；〃 Pitt mused to no one in particular。 〃Too tidy。〃
The three NUMA men were about to climb on board when the LeBaron limousine pulled up beside the blimp。 Angelo got out and smartly opened the passenger door。 Jessie stepped into the sun and walked over； looking outdoorsy in a designer safari suit with her hair tied in a bright scarf； nineteen…thirties style。 She was carrying a suede flight bag。
〃Are we ready？〃 she said brightly； slipping past them and nimbly hustling up the ladder to the control car。
Gunn gave Pitt a grim look。 〃You didn't tell us we were going on a picnic。〃
〃Nobody told me either；〃 Pitt said； gazing up at Jessie； who had turned and was framed in the doorway。
〃My fault；〃 said Jessie。 〃I forgot to mention that I'm your pilot。〃
Giordino and Gunn looked as if they had swallowed live squid。 Pitt's face wore an amused expression。
He said； 〃No kidding。〃
〃Raymond taught me to fly the Prosperteer；〃 she said。 〃I've logged over eighty hours at the controls and have a license。〃
〃No kidding；〃 Pitt repeated； being intrigued。
Giordino failed to see the humor。 〃Do you also know how to dive； Mrs。 LeBaron？〃
〃Sky or scuba？ I'm certified for both。〃
〃We can't take a woman；〃 said Gunn resolutely。
〃Please； Mrs。 LeBaron；〃 pleaded the crew chief。 〃We don't know what happened to your husband。 The flight might be dangerous。〃
〃We'll use the same munication plan as Raymond's flight；〃 she said； ignoring him。 〃If we find anything interesting we'll transmit in normal voice。 No code this time。〃
〃This is ridiculous；〃 snapped Gunn。
Pitt shrugged。 〃Oh； I don't know。 I'll vote for her。〃
〃You don't really mean it！〃
〃Why not？〃 replied Pitt with a sardonic grin。 〃I firmly believe in equal rights。 She has just as much right to get herself killed as we do。〃
The ground crew stood as silent as pallbearers； their eyes following the old blimp as she lifted into the sunrise。 Suddenly she began dropping。 They held their breath as the landing wheel touched the crest of a wave。 Then she slowly bounced back into the air and struggled to rise。
Someone muttered anxiously； 〃Lift； baby； lift！〃
The Prosperteer agonizingly rose a few feet at a time until she finally leveled out at a safe altitude。 The ground crew watched motionless； staring until the blimp became a tiny dark speck above the silent horizon。 They stood there when she was no longer in view； instinctively quiet； a sense of dread in their hearts。 There would be no volleyball game this day。 They all herded inside the maintenance truck； overburdening the air conditioning system； clustering around the radio。
The first message came in at 0700 hours。 Pitt explained a