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He continued digging； lifting out coral clumps。
The sand pletely obscured his vision； like the roil of white clouds； it had to be extremely deep here； he thought。 A mountain of sand and below him the valley of darkness。 He plunged in his hands； the fingers closing around a rock； and pulled it out from the mound。 When he did； sand cascaded in sheets off the sides of the mountain and on into the Abyss。
Then Moore saw something exposed a few feet away from the strange cylinder and the iron tower。 He pulled at the new object。 It was a large barrel of some kind； also made of scarred； dented metal。 He freed it and it began to slide down the sand slope； and as he clung to it he saw the detonation cap of the device； and the chill of fear raised hair on the back of his neck。
It was an unexploded depth charge。
Moore wrenched his hands back as if they'd been burned。 His tank clanged sharply against coral debris； and he fought his way up the mountain away from it； his fins churning water。 He could see himself turned inside out by the thing's blast； his body reduced to a mass of bloody shreds。 Then the predators would e； and there would be nothing left。 He half…sank into the sand； fought himself free in a blinding mist； looking back over his shoulder to see the forgotten charge pitch off the ledge。 Then it began to fall into the depths； spinning end over end。 Moore reached the summit； the charge had vanished into the dark mists and he stared fearfully after it； praying that if it did explode it would go off hundreds of feet below； where the shock might not kill him。 Otherwise。。。
And then there was a burst of white light far below。 The shock came roaring out of the depths； an undersea whirlwind that reached inside him； through the flesh； gripping the bones and twisting。
He gritted his teeth against the pain and roaring noise that almost shattered his eardrums； a fissure split open in the sand； releasing a pulsating globe of air that tore past him and rocketed up toward the surface。 The blast echoed all around； the water crazily shifting in all directions； trying to rip him to pieces。 The sand parted； cracked open in a dozen seams。 It slid under him； an avalanche of it covered Moore and he fell backward； toppling toward the wild Abyss； his tank slamming against coral。 Great bubbles of air were roaring all around him； some of them ripping their way free of the sand。 Something struck him like the blow of a fist； his mask was torn from his face and the water blinded him。 When he felt for a grip； frantically； his hands closed around a solid object。 He held on； the currents twisting at him； the noise a throbbing pain at his temples。 And then a realization came to him that almost caused him to shout out in terror： he was rising。
There was a shudder beneath him； and through the blue…green distortion he saw a dark； massive shape towering above him。 His lungs were filling； he was rising too quickly。 He let go his grip and kicked out with his fins against a hard surface that slid past him。 He was thrown away from the thing； twisted and turned and mauled by the fierce currents； lost in the explosion of sand and sea。 When he could see again he was looking toward the surface into the sun。
Or where the sun had been。
For now it was obscured by the huge shape； the thing was rising to the surface； trailing sand； its shadow covered him； and he felt lost in its darkness。 He watched it； eyes stinging。 The shape broke through the surface in a roil of foam； and through the ringing in his ears he heard the thunder of sea surging against iron。 It hung there； rocking slowly from side to side。
Get up！ Moore screamed to himself。 No； no。 Control。 Control。 He swam furiously out of the thing's ominous shadow and began to stroke very slowly for the top。 He had been thrown almost to the rim of the Abyss； and he concentrated on following the slope of the shelving bottom。 He found his anchor line； pulled the anchor free and began to climb。 He stopped for depression at ten feet； watching the hull of his skiff being battered by the waves。 When his head finally broke water； he spat out his mouthpiece and hung on to the skiff's gunwale； staring at what lay not more than thirty yards from him。
〃Dear God；〃 he whispered。
Its hull was over two hundred feet long； red sunlight had settled into splices in the iron flesh； like the bleeding wounds of a giant saurian。 Water foamed around a sharp； evil…looking prow。 Remnants of an iron railing hung twisted over the side； partly submerged； there were long dents and gashes in the superstructure and in the bulwark of a conning tower。 Moore could hear the sea hissing against its sides。
A submarine。
One of the old World War II types； with a flat deck and a hungry…for…battle look about it。 It seemed to be a monstrous predator reawakened； eager for prey。
Moore hung from the skiffs gunwale； unable to think what he should do。 And as he watched； he saw the bow of the thing begin to turn。 The currents had it now； shoving against its mass。 Alive again； the submarine began to move slowly and inexorably toward the island of Coquina。
Two
WHEN MASON HOLBE picked up his next card he knew Lady Luck with her shining golden hair and dress of crackling folding money was standing at his right shoulder。 He tried to keep the look of the barracuda out of his eyes； but it was damned hard to do。 He had a pair of queens and triple jacks； he raised his eyes very carefully。。。oh； mon； he told himself； do keep that look innocent！。。。to Percy 〃Pudge〃 Layne； who sat across from him at the up…ended； rusted fuel drum they used as a card table。 Percy； a rotund black with a high forehead and close…set oval eyes； regarded him in silence。
〃e on； mon！〃 said Mason carefully； trying to affect an off…handed aggravation。 〃How many cards？〃
〃Three。〃 He tossed the three down； took another three off the top of a dog…eared pack that had been used in boatyard games for as long as both men could remember。
〃Okay； what you puttin' up？〃 Mason said； ready to get on with it。
Percy shook his head； his face wrinkled up and worried。 He gazed out across Mason's broad shoulder at the plain of the sea beyond； then dropped his eyes back to his hand。 Without a word he reached beside him to a pack of cigarettes that had been broken in half。 He put four halves before him。
〃Fine。〃 Mason put out his four cigarette halves； raked out three more。 〃And three。〃
Percy shrugged； met the raise。
〃What you got； my fine friend？〃 Mason asked； ready to leap。
〃Not so good； I doan think；〃 said the other man。 He laid down his cards in a fan shape。 〃You can beat that； I know。〃 Before him on the drum were two aces； two wild deuces； and a six。
Mason sat； numb from the neck up。 He dropped his cards down。 Percy laughed out loud and took the cigarette halves to add to a growing heap。 〃Came up lucky as all hell on that draw；〃 he said quietly。
〃I ain't playing no more with these old cards！〃 Mason said。 〃You can just damned see through the back of 'em！ Jesus Christ！〃
〃Oh shaddup；〃 Percy said； 〃and lay down your ante。〃
The afternoon breeze off the sea was cool and fresh。 It was a w