〃Glad to；〃 said Pitt。
〃And this is the interrogator with the heavy hand； Foss Gly？〃
Pitt nodded at the second photograph。 〃He's a good ten years older than the face in the picture； but that's him。〃
〃An American mercenary； born in Arizona；〃 said the analyst。 〃You say you two met before？〃
〃Yes； during the Empress of Ireland project in search of the North American Treaty。 I think you may recall it。〃
Brogan nodded。 〃Indeed I do。〃
〃Getting back to the layout of the installation；〃 said the woman。 〃Levels of the pound？〃
〃According to the elevator indicator； five； all underground。〃
〃Idea as to extent？〃
〃All I saw was my cell； the hallway； Velikov's office； and a motor pool。 Oh； yes； and the entry to the upper living quarters； which was decorated like a Spanish castle。〃
〃Wall thickness？〃
〃About two feet。〃
〃Quality of construction？〃
〃Good。 No leakage or noticeable cracking of the concrete。〃
〃Type of vehicles in the motor pool？〃
〃Two military trucks。 The rest construction a bulldozer； a back hoe； and a cherry picker。〃
The woman looked up from her notes。 〃Excuse me。 The last one？〃 〃Cherry picker；〃 Pitt explained。 〃A special truck with a telescoping platform to work at heights。 You see them used by tree trimmers and telephone linemen。〃
〃Approximate dimensions of the antenna dish？〃
〃Difficult to measure in the dark。 Approximately three hundred yards long by two hundred yards wide。 It lifts into position by hydraulic arms camouflaged as palm trees。〃
〃Solid or grid？〃
〃Grid。〃
〃Circuitry； junction boxes； relays？〃
〃Didn't see any； which doesn't mean they weren't there。〃
Brogan had followed the questions without intruding。 Now he held up a hand and stared at a studious…looking man seated halfway down the table。 〃What do you make of it； Charlie？〃
〃Not enough technical detail to pinpoint an exact purpose。 But there are three possibilities。 One is that it's a listening station capable of intercepting telephone； radio； and radar signals across the United States。 Two； a powerful jamming facility； just sitting there waiting for a crucial moment； like a nuclear first strike when it is suddenly activated； scrambling all our vital military and mercial munications。 The third prospect is that it might have the capability to transmit and feed false information throughout our munications systems。 Most worrisome； the size and elaborate antenna design suggests the ability to perform the functions of all three。〃
The muscles in Brogan's face went taut。 The fact that such a supersecret spy operation had been constructed less than two hundred miles from the shores of the United States did not exactly thrill the chief of the Central Intelligence Agency。
〃If worse es to worse； what are we looking at？〃
〃What I'm afraid we're looking at；〃 answered Charlie； 〃is an electronically advanced and powerful facility capable of intercepting radio or phone munications and then using time…lag technology to allow a new…generation puterized synthesizer to imitate the callers' voices and alter the conversation。 You'd be amazed how your words can be manipulated over a telephone to another party without your detecting the change。 As a matter of fact； the National Security Agency has the same type of equipment on board a ship。〃
〃So the Russians have caught up with us；〃 said Brogan。
〃Their technology is probably cruder than ours； but it seems they've gone a step further and expanded it on a grander scale。〃
The woman intelligence official looked at Pitt。 〃You said the island is supplied by submarine。〃
〃So Raymond LeBaron informed me；〃 said Pitt。 〃And what little I saw of the shoreline didn't include a docking area。〃
Sandecker played with one of his cigars but didn't light it。 He pointed one end at Brogan。 〃Appears the Soviets have gone to unusual lengths to throw your Cuban surveillance off the track； Martin。〃
〃The fear of exposure came out during the interrogation；〃 said Pitt。 〃Velikov insisted we were agents on your payroll。〃
〃Can't really blame the bastard；〃 said Brogan。 〃Your entrance must have shocked the hell out of him。〃
〃Mr。 Pitt； could you describe the people at the dinner party when you entered？〃 asked a scholarly…looking man in an argyle sweater。
〃Roughly I'd say there were sixteen women and two dozen men
〃You did say women？〃
〃I did。〃
〃What type？〃 asked the only woman in the room。
Pitt had to ask。 〃Define type。〃
〃You know；〃 she answered seriously。 〃Wives； nice single ladies； or hookers？〃
〃Definitely not hookers。 Most were in uniform； probably part of Velikov's staff。 The ones wearing wedding rings appeared to be wives of the Cuban civilians and military officers who were present。〃
〃What in hell is Velikov thinking？〃 Brogan asked no one in particular。 〃Cubans and their wives at a top…secret installation？ None of this makes any sense。〃
Sandecker stared pensively at the tabletop。 〃Makes sense to me； if Velikov is using Cayo Santa Maria for something besides electronic espionage。〃
〃What are you hinting at； Jim？〃 asked Brogan。
〃The island would make a perfect base of operations for the overthrow of the Castro government。〃
Brogan looked at him in astonishment。 〃How do you know about that？〃
〃The President briefed me；〃 Sandecker replied loftily。
〃I see。〃 But it was clear Brogan didn't see。
〃Look； I realize this is all highly important；〃 said Pitt； 〃but every minute we spend speculating puts Jessie； Al； and Rudi that much closer to death。 I expect you people to pull out all the stops to save them。 You can begin by notifying the Russians that you're aware of their captivity because of my rescue。〃
Pitt's demand was met with an odd quiet。 Nobody except Sandecker looked at him。 The CIA people； especially； avoided his eyes。
〃Forgive me；〃 said Brogan stonily。 〃I don't think that would be a smart move。〃
Sandecker's eyes suddenly flashed with anger。 〃Watch what you say； Martin。 I know there's a Machiavellian plot jelling in your mind。 But take warning； my friend。 You've got me to deal with； and I'm not about to let my friends be literally thrown to the sharks。〃
〃We're looking at a high…stakes game；〃 said Brogan。 〃Keeping Velikov in the dark may prove most advantageous。〃
〃And sacrifice several lives for an intelligence gamble？〃 said Pitt bitterly。 〃No way。〃
〃Please bear with me a moment；〃 Brogan pleaded。 〃I'll agree to leak a story saying we know the LeBarons and your NUMA people are alive。 Next； we'll accuse the Cubans of imprisoning them in Havana。〃
〃How can Velikov be expected to fall for something he knows is crap？〃
〃I don't expect him to fall for it。 He's no cretin。 He'll smell a rat and wonder how much we know about his island。 And that's all he can do wonder。 We'll also muddy the waters by claiming our knowledge es from photographic evidence showing your inflatable boat washed up on the main island of Cuba。 That should take the pressure off our captives and keep Velikov guessing。 The piece de resistance will be the discovery of Pitt's body by a Bahamian fisherman。〃
〃What in hell are you proposing？〃 Sandecker demanded。
〃I haven't thought it through yet；〃 Brogan admitted。 〃But the basic idea is to sneak Pitt back on the island。〃
As soon as Pitt's debriefing had concluded； Brogan returned to his office and picked up the phone。 His call went through the usual batting order of buffers before the President came on。
〃Please make it quick； Martin。 I'm about to leave for Camp David。〃 〃We've just finished interrogating Dirk Pitt。〃
〃Could he fill in any pieces？〃
〃Pitt gave us the intelligence breakthrough we discussed。〃
〃Velikov's headquarters？〃
〃He led us straight to the mother lode。〃
〃Nice work。 Now your people can launch an infiltration operation。〃 〃I think a more permanent solution would be in order。〃
〃You mean offset its threat by exposing its existence to the world press？〃
〃No。 I mean go in and destroy it。〃
The president had a light breakfast after reaching Camp David。 The weather was unseasonably warm； there was Indian summer in the air； and he was dressed in cotton slacks and short…sleeved sweater。
He sat in a large wing chair with several file folders in his lap and studied the personal histories of the 〃inner core。〃 After reading the last file he closed his eyes； pondering his options； wondering what he would say to the men who were waiting in the camp's main dining room。
Hagen entered the study and stood quietly until the President opened his eyes。
〃Ready when you are； Vince。〃
The President slowly pushed himself from the chair。 〃Might as well get on with it then。〃
They were waiting around the long dining table as the President had arranged。 No guards were present； none were required。 These were honorable men who had no intent to mit crime。 They respectfully rose to their feet as he entered the room； but he waved them down。
Eight were present and accounted for General Fisher； Booth； Mitchell； and Busche sat on one side of the table opposite Eriksen； Senator Porter； and