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oom on the way。 When she got to the pool deck； she saw Renshaw's thirty…year…old scuba gear； lying on the deck； with a cable attached to it。
A steel cable that had led…with the help of the last remaining British sea sled…all the way back to Little America IV； one mile off the coast。
Schofield was amazed。 He congratulated Mother and said his good…byes； said he would see her back at Pearl。 And as they took Mother away at the other end to sedate her； Schofield heard her shout； 〃And I remember you kissed me！ You hot dog！〃
Schofield just laughed。
Five days later； the USS Wasp sailed into Pearl Harbor in Hawaii。
A cluster of TV cameras was waiting on the dock when it arrived。 Two days earlier； a charter plane flying over the South Pacific had spotted the Wasp and seen its damaged flight deck。 One of the pilots had captured the damage on video camera。 The TV news stations had eaten it up； and now they were keen to find out what had happened to the great ship。
At the top of the gangway； Schofield watched as two midshipmen carried Gant off the ship on a stretcher。 She was still in a a。 They were taking her to the nearby military hospital。
Renshaw and Kirsty met Schofield at the top of the gangway。
〃Hey there；〃 Schofield said。
〃Hi；〃 Kirsty said。 She was holding onto Renshaw's hand。
Renshaw put on a bad Marlon Brando accent。 〃Who'd have thought it？ I'm the Godfather。〃
Schofield laughed。
Kirsty spun around。 〃Say； where's…〃
At that moment； Wendy slid out from a nearby doorway。 She loped straight up to Schofield and began nuzzling his hand。 From tip to tail； the little fur seal was dripping wet。
〃She's； ah； taken a bit of a liking to the ship's dive preparation pool；〃 Renshaw said。
〃So I see；〃 Schofield said as he gave Wendy a gentle pat behind the ears。 Wendy preened； then she dropped to the deck and rolled onto her back。 Schofield shook his head as he dropped to his haunches and gave her a quick pat on her belly。
〃The captain even said she could stay here until we found somewhere else for her to live；〃 Kirsty said。
〃Good；〃 Schofield said。 〃I think it's the least we can do。〃 He gave Wendy a final pat and the little seal leaped to her feet and dashed away； heading back downstairs toward her favorite pool。
Schofield stood up again and turned to face Renshaw。 〃Mr。 Renshaw； I have a question for you。〃
〃What？〃
〃What time did the people from your station dive down to the cave？〃
〃What time？〃
〃Yes； the time；〃 Schofield said。 〃Was it day or night？〃
〃Uh；〃 Renshaw said。 〃Night； I believe。 I think it was somewhere around nine o'clock。〃
Schofield began to nod to himself。
〃Why？〃 Renshaw said。
〃I think I know why the elephant seals attacked us。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Remember I said that the only group of divers to have approached that cave unharmed was Gant's group？〃
〃Yeah。〃
〃And I said that it was because her group had used low…audibility breathing gear。〃
Renshaw said； 〃Yeah。 So did we。 And as I recall it； the seals attacked us anyway。〃
Schofield smiled a crooked smile。 〃Yeah。 I know。 But I think I figured out why。 We dived at night。〃
〃At night？〃
〃Yes。 And so did your people； and so did Barnaby's men。 Your people dived at nine o'clock。 Barnaby's at around 8：00 p。m。 Gant's team； however； went down at two in the afternoon。 They were the only dive team to go down to that cavern in the daytime。〃
Renshaw picked up what Schofield was saying。 〃You think those elephant seals are diurnal？〃
〃I think that's a good possibility；〃 Schofield said。
Renshaw nodded slowly。 It was quite mon among unusually aggressive or poisonous animals to operate on what is known as a diurnal cycle。 A diurnal cycle is essentially a twelve…hour passive…aggressive cycle…the animal is passive by day； aggressive by night。
〃I'm glad you figured that out；〃 Renshaw said。 〃I'll keep it in mind for the next time I stumble onto a nest of radiation…infected elephant seals who want to defend their territory。〃
Schofield smiled。 The three of them descended the gangway。 At the bottom； they were met by a middle…aged Marine Sergeant。
〃Lieutenant Schofield；〃 the Sergeant saluted Schofield。 〃There's a car waiting for you； sir。〃
〃Sergeant。 I'm going nowhere but the hospital； to check on Lance Corporal Gant。 If anybody wants me to go anywhere else； I ain't going。〃
〃That's OK with me； sir；〃 the Sergeant smiled。 〃My orders are to take you； Mr。 Renshaw； and Miss Hensleigh to wherever you want to go。〃
Schofield nodded； looked to Renshaw and Kirsty。 They shrugged； sure。
〃Sounds good to me；〃 he said。 〃Lead the way。〃
The sergeant led them to a navy blue Buick with dark tinted windows。 He held the car door open and Schofield got in。
A man was already sitting in the backseat when Schofield sat down。
Schofield froze when he saw the gun in the man's hand。
〃Have a seat； Scarecrow；〃 Sergeant Major Charles 〃Chuck〃 Kozlowski said as Schofleld sat down in the backseat of the Buick。 Renshaw and Kirsty got in behind Schofield。 Kirsty inhaled sharply when she saw Kozlowski's gun。
Kozlowski was a short man； with a clean…shaven face and thick black eyebrows。 He was wearing a khaki Marine day uniform。
The sergeant got into the driver's seat and started the car。
〃I'm terribly sorry； Scarecrow；〃 the highest…ranking nonmissioned officer in the Marine Corps said。 〃But you and your friends here represent a loose end that cannot be allowed to stand。〃
〃And what's that？〃 Schofield said； exasperated。
〃You know about the ICG。〃
Schofield said； 〃I told Jack Walsh about the ICG。 Are you going to kill him； too？〃
〃Maybe not immediately；〃 Kozlowski said。 〃But in good time； yes。 You； on the other hand； represent a more immediate threat。 We wouldn't want you going to the press； now； would we？ No doubt； they will find out about what went on down at Wilkes Ice Station； but the media will get what the ICG tells them； not what you tell them。〃
〃How can you kill your own men？〃 Schofield said。
Kozlowski said； 〃You still don't get it； do you； Scarecrow。〃
〃I don't get how you can kill your own men and think you're doing the country a favor。〃
〃Jesus； Scarecrow； you weren't even supposed to be there in the first place。〃
That stopped Schofield。 〃What？〃
〃Think about it；〃 Kozlowski said。 〃How did you e to get to Wilkes Ice Station before anybody else？〃
Schofield thought back； right to the very beginning。 He had been on the Shreveport； in Sydney。 The rest of the fleet had gone back to Pearl； but the Shreveport had stayed down there for repairs。 It was then that the distress signal had e through。
〃That's right；〃 Kozlowski said； reading Schofield's thoughts。 〃You were in for repairs in Sydney when the Shreveport received the distress signal from Wilkes。 And then some dumb…fuck civilian sent you down there right away。〃
Schofield remembered the voice of the Undersecretary of Defense ing in over the speakers of the briefing room on board the Shreveport； instructing him to go down to Wilkes and protect the spacecraft。
Kozlowski said； 〃Scarecrow； the Intelligence Convergence Group doesn't set out to kill American