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eserved in the fresh water of a lake all these years and was now within reach。 Zhu Kwan fervently hoped that he would live long enough to see the artifacts on display in a national gallery and museum。
〃You do nice work； St。 Julien；〃 said Sandecker as Perlmutter put down the phone。 〃You missed your calling as a used…car salesman。〃
〃Or a politician running for election；〃 Giordino muttered。
〃I feel like a low…down skunk； misleading that nice old man；〃 said Perlmutter。 He paused and looked around Sandeck…er's office at the four NUMA men seated around him。 〃Zhu Kwan and I go back many years。 We've always had the highest respect for each other。 I hated lying to him。〃
〃Fair is fair；〃 said Pitt。 〃He conned you； too。 All this time he's claimed his only interest in the Princess Dou Wan was strictly academic。 He knows damned well the ship sank with a fantastic fortune in art on board。 A fax line can be eavesdropped on。 Why else would he insist you send Gallagher's story by courier？ You can bet he's itching to give the news to j Qin Shang。〃 j
Perlmutter shook his head。 〃Zhu Kwan is a hard…nosed scholar。 He won't make any announcement to his boss until he's analyzed the document。〃 He looked into the other faces one by one。 〃Out of curiosity； who did write the report I'm sending him？〃
Rudi Gunn raised his hand almost sheepishly。 〃I volunteered for the chore。 And a rather good job； if I may say so。 Naturally； I took writer's liberty with the text。 A footnote makes mention of lan Gallagher's death from a heart attack in nineteen ninety…two。 So he and Katie's tracks are covered。〃
Sandecker looked at his special projects director。 〃Will we have enough time to properly bring up the art treasures before Qin Shang's salvage ship arrives？〃
Pitt shrugged。 〃Not if the Ocean Retriever is the only ship working the wreck。〃
〃Not to worry；〃 said Gunn。 〃We've already chartered two more salvage vessels。 One is from a private pany in Montreal and the other is on loan from the U。S。 Navy。〃
〃Speed is essential；〃 said Sandecker。 〃I want the treasure raised before word leaks out。 I want no interference from any quarter； including our own government。〃
〃And when the salvage work is pleted？〃 inquired Perlmutter。
〃Then the artifacts will be quickly turned over to facilities equipped to preserve them from damage after so many years of immersion。 At that time we'll announce the discovery and stand back while the bureaucrats from Washington and Beijing fight over it。〃
〃And Qin Shang？〃 Perlmutter probed deeper。 〃What happens when he shows up on site with his own salvage ship？〃
Pitt grinned deviously。 〃We'll give him a reception fitting for a man of his sterling qualities。〃
THE OCEAN RETRIEVER； WITH PITT； GIORDINO； GUNN AND Julia on board； was the first to arrive and position herself over the wreck of the Princess Dou Wan。 The Canadian salvage ship from Deep Abyss Systems Limited out of Montreal； Hudson Bay； arrived only four hours later。 She was an older vessel converted from a powerful oceangoing salvage and tugboat。 Aided by clear weather and smooth water； the salvage of the art treasures menced immediately。
The underwater part of the project was handled by submers…ibles using articulated arms in cooperation with divers encased in deep…water atmospheric diving systems called Newtsuits that were similar in appearance to the Michelin tire man。 Bulbous； constructed of fiberglass and magnesium； and self…propelled； the suit enabled a diver inside to work for long periods of time at the four…hundred…foot…plus depth without concern over depression。
The artifacts were beginning to e up systematically and with rapid regularity once a routine was established。 The operation continued at an even more rapid pace when the U。S。 Navy salvage vessel Dean Hawes came charging down from the north end of the lake two days earlier than expected and took up station beside the other two ships。 She was considered new； only two years from her launch date； and was constructed especially for deep…water work； the recovery of submarines in particular。
An immense open barge with long ballast tanks attached along its hull was parked in place by use of the global positioning system and sunk； falling to the lake bed a short distance from the forward section of the Princess Dou Wan。 Then crane operators； working from the ships on the surface and employing underwater cameras； manipulated the clamshell claws on the end of their winch cables； deftly recovering the crates exposed on the outer decks of the ship； those deep inside the cargo holds and the artifacts littering the bottom between the two sections of the broken hull。 The crates； together with their contents； were then lifted onto the sunken barge。 When it was fully loaded； the ballast tanks were filled with pressurized air and the barge rose to the surface。 A tugboat then took it in tow for the trip to the Port of Chicago； where it was met by a team of NUMA archaeologists who took charge of the art treasures。 They very carefully removed them from the waterlogged packing cases and immediately immersed them in temporary conservation tanks until they could be transported to a more permanent preservation facility。
No sooner was one fully loaded barge towed off site than another one was maneuvered into position and sunk； repeating the process。
Six submersibles； three owned by NUMA； one by the Canadians and two by the Navy worked in harmony； meticulously lifting the crates with their invaluable contents into the specially designed cargo partment of the sunken barge。
To facilitate the removal of the artwork from inside the hull； the divers in the Newtsuits cut through the steel plates with state…of…the…art torch systems that melted metal underwater at an incredible rate。 Once an opening was made； the submersibles moved in and lifted out the treasures； aided by the clamshell claws from the cranes on the surface。
The entire operation was observed and directed from a control room on board the Ocean Retriever。 Video screens linked to cameras set at strategic locations around the wreck revealed every stage of the recovery project。 The high…resolution video systems were carefully monitored by Pitt and Gunn； who managed the intricate deployment of men and equipment。 They worked twelve…hour shifts； as did the crews of all three vessels。 The around…the…clock project never stopped bringing up the seemingly endless mountain of artifacts on the bottom below。 Pitt would have given his right arm to have worked on the wreck in one of the submersibles or Newtsuits； but as project director his experience was required to coordinate and guide the operation from the surface。 He watched one of the monitors with envy as it showed Giordino being lifted into the Sappho TV submersible； broken leg and all。 Giordino had over seven hundred hours in submersibles； and the one he was piloting was his favorite。 On this shift； the wily little Italian planned to take his sub deep into the Princess Dou Wan's superstructure after the bulkheads were cut away by the divers inside the Newtsuits。
Pitt turned as Rudi Gunn stepped into the control room。 The early sun flashed through the d