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The man was not quite as tall as Moore but stockier； with iron…gray hair and a firm； chiseled face。 He looked into the white man's eyes and then gazed the length of the thing； as if unsure of what he was seeing。
〃It came up from the Abyss；〃 Moore said； still shaken。
〃Christ Jesus！〃 The black shook his head； peering down with deep…set； wary eyes through the broken planking at the pressure hull。 〃Tell me what happened。〃
〃I was salvaging； looking for stuff off that freighter down there。 This was buried beneath a mound of sand and coral； there was an explosion。。。〃
〃An explosion？〃 He looked up； sharply。
〃An old depth charge。 The shock blew it free； and this thing corked for the surface。 God only knows how long it's been under there。〃
〃You're okay？〃
Moore nodded。 〃Got a hell of a headache and my ears are ringing like Sunday at the Vatican； but mostly the bastard just scared hell out of me。〃
〃I've told you before about diving in the Abyss； David；〃 said the man in a West Indian accent polished with a British veneer。 Steven Kip had been Coquina's constable of police for some seven years。 He stabbed a finger at Moore。 〃I've warned you about all that junk lying underwater； all that war crap。 It could've been your bones at a thousand fathoms。 So you found one damned brass pass。 So what？ Now this！ You're a fool to go diving alone in there！〃
Moore said nothing； because he knew the constable was right。 The currents were dangerous； the risks great for a group of divers and astronomical for one alone。 What was it； he thought grimly； not looking at the other man。 His death wish？ Damn it to hell！
〃She's an old one；〃 Kip said quietly； staring at the deck gun。 〃Sand's kept her as clean as a new tooth。〃 There was a sudden sharp clatter。 One of the islanders was pulling at a cable that snaked off into the water at the stern。 〃Hey！ Let that be！〃 The islander looked up； dropped the cable； and backed away from it。 〃How deep？〃 Kip asked Moore。
〃Hundred and fifty。 Pretty close to the surface for one of these。〃
Kip shook his head。 〃Didn't want to stay down； did it？ There's supposed to be a main hatch up on the tower。 Did you check it？〃
〃No；〃 Moore said。
〃Then let's get at it。〃 Kip turned from him and made his way past two more islanders who had e aboard。
〃Watch your step；〃 Moore called to his friend。 〃Deck's weak in places。〃
They stepped over the tangle of cables； reached a ladder； and climbed up to the tower bridge。
The bridge was ankle…deep in gray sand and seawater； littered with pieces of planking and clumps of coral。 Droplets splattered onto them from the periscope shafts above； ricocheting off the iron bulwark。 Kip bent down into the water and parted sand with his hands until at last he uncovered the slab of a hatch。 〃Sealed tight；〃 he said； wiping his forehead with a dripping hand。 〃If we want to get in we'll have to burn through； and I'm not so certain we want to do that。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Still anxious to do some salvaging today； are you？〃 Kip fixed him with a cynical stare。 〃You might be doing your salvaging in Heaven if this thing's carrying live torpedoes。〃 He stood up； looking toward the stern。 〃There should be a crack somewhere in this boat's guts。 Otherwise what was it doing in the Abyss？〃
〃It seems to be stable enough now；〃 Moore said。 〃No indication that it's sinking。〃
Kip grunted。 〃I can understand a dead boat going down。 I can't understand a dead one ing back up。 This beats all I've ever seen。 One thing's for sure； though。 Kiss Bottom's got a hold on it； and the hulk's not going anywhere soon。〃 He looked closely at Moore as he leaned back against the bulwark and ran a hand over his face。 〃You want to see Dr。 Maxwell； David？〃
〃No； I'm okay。 I guess I'm still a little shaky。 I knew the storm would have uncovered a lot down there； but I never figured on anything like this。〃
The constable was silent for a moment； gazing along the wide decks。 〃World War II crate； I'd say。 No markings。 Could be British； American； Italian； German。。。 who knows？ They all prowled these waters during the war。 Now that it's up we're going to have to do something with it。 I can't leave it out here； but for the life of me I'm stumped as to。。。〃
There was another sharp noise of something striking iron。 Kip peered over the bulwark； expecting to see one of the islanders again trying to gather up that heavy…duty cable。
But the men were all standing together at the bow。 They had been talking quietly； and now they stared up at the constable； their faces frozen； their lips drawn into tight lines。 The others on the trawler stood where they were； watching and listening。
And all around a deep； hollow booming…something striking iron with a rising； feverish intensity。
One of the islanders cried out in fear； they all backed away from the tower； moving toward the gangplank and the safety of the trawler。
Moore felt a chill streaking up his spine。 〃What the hell。。。？〃
〃Get off it！〃 a bearded man on the trawler called out。
〃It's the sea！〃 Kip said loudly； so they could all hear。 〃What's wrong with you men？ The sea's ing up and banging around underneath the hull； for God's sake！〃 But now their eyes were wide and terrified； they were chattering among themselves； and even as they did the noise grew louder and sharper； more frenzied； out of pace with the sea's rhythm。
Then nothing。 And the silence was ten times as bad。
〃It's about to e apart；〃 Kip said quietly。 〃Let's get off this thing。〃 He swung himself easily over the bulwark and descended the ladder to the deck； then stepped back for Moore to e down。 Kip paused a few seconds； looking over the side where the currents churned about under the hull； while Moore cast off the lines of his skiff。 One of the men secured it so the boat would drag along with the trawler。
〃Let's get out of here；〃 Kip said。
They took the trawler's gangplank back aboard； freed the lines； and pulled them back。 With a throb of its engines the trawler veered away from the submarine； swinging around for the clear entrance through the reef。 Moore turned to look back at the thing。 Its bow jabbed the sky； the maw of a beast。 It unnerved him to think he'd been underwater with something like that； clinging to it； his unprotected network of flesh； nerves； muscle； and bone so close to an armor…plated creature of cables； gears； rivets； iron beams。
He was unable to turn his eyes away。 Where have you e from？ And why are you here？
No one spoke aboard the trawler。 The sun beat down on the men； and the safety of harbor lay just ahead。
The eerie hammering noises still echoed within Moore's head。 Had it been the sea； as Kip had said？ He'd heard the same thing underwater； as he worked around that exposed periscope。 But it had seemed to him then that the noise had e from inside the thing； as if something were striking metal over and over again； with a terrible strength。
Something trying to get out。
Three
THERE WAS LAZY WATER within the harbor； Kiss Bottom held back the swell and surge of the waves。 Moore stood on the deck of the fishing trawler watching his own reflection break into h