Inca Gold

    After rounding the northern tip of San Lorenzo, the large offshore island that protects Callao's natural maritime shelter, Captain Stewart ordered slow speed as a launch came alongside the Deep Fathom and the harbor pilot jumped onto a boarding ladder and climbed on board. Once the pilot steered the ship safely inside the main cha

    Everyone lining the ship's rail was surprised to see over a thousand people jamming the dock. Along with an armed military security force and a large contingent of police, TV news cameras and press photographers quickly began jockeying for position as the gangway was lowered. Beyond the news media stood a group of smiling government officials, and behind them the happily waving parents of the archaeology students.

    "Still no Dixieland band playing `Waiting for the Robert E. Lee,' " Pitt said, feigning a disappointed tone.

    "Nothing like a cheering populace to snap one out of depression," said Giordino, gazing at the unexpected reception.

    "I never expected so grand a turnout," murmured Sha

    Miles Rodgers lifted one of three cameras hung around his neck and began shooting. "Looks to me like half the Peruvian government turned out."

    The dock was filled with an air of excitement. Small children were waving Peruvian and American flags. A roar came from the crowd as the archaeology students climbed out on the bridge wing and began waving and shouting as they recognized their parents. Only Stewart looked uneasy.

    "My God, I hope they all don't expect to storm aboard my ship."

    "Too many boarders to repel." Giordino shrugged. "Better to haul down your flag and plead for mercy."

    "I told you my students came from influential families," said Sha

    U

    "Why is it prudence and discretion are beyond your talents?"

    "We try not to fly in the face of public opinion," Pitt said before smiling broadly and embracing the little man. "Good to see you, Rudi."

    "Seems we can't get away from you," said Giordino warmly.

    Rudi Gu

    Without waiting for an answer, he stepped through a hatch and walked down an alleyway with ease. Gu

    Though Giordino and Gu

    Pitt was the first to speak. "Why the frenzy to send Al and me back to that rotten sinkhole to retrieve a body?"

    "The request came from U.S. Customs. They made an urgent appeal to Admiral Sandecker to borrow his best men."

    "And that includes you."

    "I could have begged off, claiming my present projects would grind to a stop without my presence. The admiral would not have hesitated to send someone else. But a canary let slip your little unauthorized mission to find a lost galleon in the wilds of Ecuador."

    "Hiram Yaeger," Pitt supplied. "I should have remembered you two are as close as Frank and Jesse James."

    "I couldn't resist dumping the routine of Washington to mix a little business with adventure, so I volunteered for the dirty job of briefing and joining you on the Customs project."

    `You mean you sold Sandecker a bill of goods and skipped town?" said Pitt.

    "Mercifully for everyone involved, he doesn't know about the hunt for the galleon. At least not yet."

    "He's not an easy man to fool," said Giordino seriously.

    Not for very long," added Pitt. "He's probably already on to you."

    Gu

    Giordino made a surly face. "And we call him a friend?"

    "What can NUMA do for Customs that's so special?" asked Pitt.

    Gu

    "Isn't that a little out of our line? Our business is underwater exploration and research."

    "Destruction for the purpose of looting underwater archaeological sites is our business," Gu

    "Where does recovering Dr. Miller's body enter the picture?"

    "Only the first step of our cooperation with Customs. The murder of a world-renowned anthropologist is the bedrock of their case. They suspect the killer is a highlevel member of an international looting syndicate, and they need proof for an indictment. They also hope to use the killer as a key to unlock the door leading to the masterminds of the entire theft and smuggling operation. As for the sacred well, Customs and Peruvian authorities believe a vast cache of artifacts was raised from the bottom and has already been shipped to black-market receiving stations around the world. Miller discovered the theft and was terminated to shut him up. They want us, you and Al in particular, to search the floor of the well for evidence."

    "And our plan to explore for the lost galleon?"

    "Complete the job on the well, and I'll authorize a small budget out of NUMA to fund your search. That's all I can promise."

    "And if the admiral shoots you down?" asked Giordino.

    Gu

    "I'm old air force," Pitt replied. "I question them."

    "Worry about it when the time comes," said Giordino. "Let's get the sinkhole probe out of the way."

    Pitt took a deep breath and relaxed in his chair. "Might as well do something useful while Yaeger and Perlmutter conduct their research. They should have some solid leads by the time we stumble out of the jungle."