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〃Base； time is now 1956 hours。 Dive time since leaving the diving bell is fifty…four minutes。 We have a visual on the surface。 We are ing up to the cavern。〃
〃Dive Team； be aware。 We have Intel that there are four hostile agents inside that cavern waiting for you。 I repeat； there are four hostile agents inside the cavern waiting for you。 Use appropriate action。〃
〃Copy； Base。 We will。 Dive Team out。〃
Gant and Montana came sprinting back into the main cavern。
They came up alongside Santa Cruz； who was manning the tripod…mounted MP…5s。 He pointed down into the pool。
Several ominous black shadows could be seen rising up through the clear aqua…colored water。。
The three Marines took up positions behind various boulders； MP…5s in their hands。 Montana told Sarah Hensleigh to stay behind him and stay down。
〃Don't be impatient；〃 Montana's voice said over their helmet inters。 〃Wait for them to breach the surface。 It's no use firing into the water。〃
〃Got it；〃 Gant said as she saw the first shadow rise steadily through the water toward the surface。
A diver。 On a sea sled。
He came closer and closer； up and up； until strangely； just below the surface； he stopped。
Gant frowned。
The diver had just stopped there； about a foot below the surface。
What was he doing…
And then suddenly the diver's hand shot up out of the water and Gant saw the object in his hand instantly。
〃Nitrogen charge！〃 she yelled。 'Take cover！〃
The diver tossed the nitrogen charge and it bounced onto the hard； icy floor of the cavern。 Gant and the other Marines all ducked behind their boulders。
The nitrogen charge exploded。
Supercooled liquid nitrogen splattered everything in sight。 The gooey blue poxy smacked against the boulders the Marines were hiding behind； splattered against the walls of the cavern。 Some of it even hit the big black ship standing in the middle of the enormous cave。
It was the perfect diversion。。
Because no sooner had the nitrogen charge gone off than the first SAS mando was charging out of the water with his gun pressed to his shoulder and his finger jamming down on the trigger。
The diving bell was almost at the surface now。 It continued its slow rise upward。
After Schofield had seen Barnaby feed Book Riley to the killer whales； his anger had bee intense。 He wanted to kill Barnaby。 He wanted to rip his heart out and serve it up to him on a…
Schofield untied the length of cable wrapped around his waist and ripped the two bulky sixties wet suits off his body。 Then he grabbed his MP…5 and chambered a round。 If he didn't kill Barnaby； then he was damn well going to take out as many of them as he could。
As he readied his gun； Schofield saw a small Samsonite carry case on one of the shelves of the diving bell。 He opened it。 And saw a row of blue nitrogen charges sitting in a cushioned interior； like eggs in an egg box。
The SAS must have left them here when they went down to the cave； he thought as he grabbed one of the nitrogen charges and put it in his pocket。
Schofield looked outside。 The killer whales； it seemed； had disappeared for the moment。 For a brief instant； he wondered where they had gone。
〃What are you doing？〃 Renshaw said。
〃You'll see；〃 Schofield said as he stepped around the circular pool at the base of the diving bell。
〃You're going out there？〃 Renshaw said in disbelief。 〃You're leaving me here？〃
〃You'll be OK。〃 Schofield tossed Renshaw his Desert Eagle pistol。 〃If they e for you； use that。〃
Renshaw caught the gun。 Schofield didn't even notice。 He just turned around and； without even a second glance back at Renshaw； stepped off the metal deck of the diving bell and dropped into the water。
The water was near freezing； but Schofield didn't care。
He kept hold of the diving bell and climbed up one of its exterior pipes； pulled himself up onto its spherical roof。
They were almost up at the station now。
And as soon as they got there； Schofield thought； as soon as they broke the surface； he was going to let rip with the most devastating burst of gunfire the SAS had ever seen… aimed first and foremost at Trevor J。 Barnaby。
The diving bell rose through the water； approaching the surface。
Any second now； Schofield thought as he gripped his MP…5。
Any second。。。
The diving bell broke the surface with a loud splash。
And there； standing on top of it； holding onto its winch cable； dripping with water； was Lieutenant Shane Schofield； with his MP…5 raised。
But Schofield didn't fire。
He blanched。
The whole of E…deck was lined with at least twenty SAS troopers。 They stood in a ring around the pool； surrounding the diving bell。
And they all had their guns trained on Shane Schofield。
Barnaby stepped out from the southern tunnel； smiling。 Schofield turned and saw him； and as he did so； he cursed himself； cursed his anger； cursed his impulsiveness； for he knew then that in the heat of the moment； in the pure anger that he had felt following Book's death； he had just made the biggest mistake of his life。
Schofield tossed his MP…5 over to the deck。 It clattered against the metal decking。 The SAS mandos caught hold of the diving bell with a long hook and pulled it through the water toward the deck。
Schofield's mind was working again； and with crystal clarity。 In the moment that he had broken the surface and seen the SAS troops with their guns pointed at him； his senses had returned with all their force。
He hoped to hell that Renshaw was keeping himself hidden inside the diving bell。
Schofield jumped down off the diving bell and landed with a loud clang on E…deck。 He breathed a hidden sigh of relief when the SAS mandos released the diving bell and let it float back out into the center of the pool。 They hadn't seen Renshaw。
Then two big SAS men grabbed Schofield roughly； pinned his arms behind his back； and slapped a pair of handcuffs around his wrists。 Another SAS soldier frisked him thoroughly and pulled the nitrogen charge out of his pocket。 He also took Schofield's Maghook。
Trevor Barnaby came over。 〃So； Scarecrow。 At last we meet。 It's good to see you again。〃
Schofield said nothing。 He noticed that Barnaby was wearing a black thermal wet suit。
He's planning on sending another team down to the cave； Schofield thought； with himself included。
〃You've been watching us from the diving bell； haven't you；〃 Barnaby said； grinning。 〃But so； too； have we been watching you。〃 Barnaby smiled as he indicated a small gray unit mounted on the edge of the pool。 It looked like a camera of some sort； pointed down into the water。
〃One never leaves any flank unguarded；〃 Barnaby said。 〃You of all people should know that。〃
Schofield said nothing。
Barnaby began to pace。 〃You know； when I was told that you were leading the American protective force on this mission； I'd hoped that we might get a chance to meet。 But then； when I arrived； you flew the coop。〃 Barnaby stopped his pacing。 〃And then I heard that you were last seen flying off a cliff in a hovercraft and suddenly I was sure we wouldn't be meeting。〃
Schofield said nothing。
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