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ks。 He made a few sketches on a pad of paper and sat back in his chair； a smug smile on his face。 He had figured out a way to set onto the Ataman Explorer。 It was a long shot and depended on how close he could get to it The vessel would run for cover at the first sight of a NUMA ship。 He thought about the problem for a few minutes； recalling his Black Sea experience with Captain Kemal； then picked up his phone； called Yaeger and asked where Jenkins was。
〃Doc Reed is giving him the NUMA VIP tour。 He's offered to put Jenkins up for the night before he catches a plane back to Maine tomorrow。〃
〃See if you can track them down and give me a call。〃 Austin's phone rang a few minutes later。 Austin outlined his plan to Jenkins； making no effort to soft pedal its possible dangers。 Jenkins didn't hesitate for a second。 When Austin was through describing his wild scheme； Jenkins said； 〃I'll do anything you can think of to get back at the bums who ruined my town。〃
Austin told Jenkins to enjoy his tour while he made a few phone calls。 The first call was to the NUMA transportation section to see if fast transportation was available。 The second was to the Trout's Georgetown town house。 Gamay had left a message saying she and Paul were home from Istanbul and were standing by for orders。 Austin got Paul on the phone and brought him up to date。
In the meantime； Jenkins started calling those local fishermen whose boats were still afloat and asked if they would like to do a job。 At Austin's suggestion； Jenkins told the fishermen that NUMA needed their boats for a deep…ocean species study。 As a bonus； the substantial sums they were being paid would be matched by no…strings grants to get their port back into shape without going through the usual government red tape。
Jenkins had no trouble recruiting fishermen； and when the Kestrel left port shortly after dawn； six other lobster boats and trawlers trailed behind him single…file。 Charlie Howes had insisted on going along； and Jenkins was glad to have him。 The chief had trapped lobsters for a living before joining the police department and hadn't lost his sea sense。
The fishing fleet passed the rock…ribbed promontory that gave the town its name； and entered the open ocean。 The sea was a bright bottle green。 Only a few whispery cirrus clouds marred the azure sky； and the breeze was a gentle westerly。 The line of boats plodded east； then south； climbing the rolling swells and sliding down the other sides in an easy rhythm。 Periodically； Gamay called from NUMA headquarters with the Ataman Explorer's position as seen by satellite。
Austin penciled the positions on a chart of the Gulf of Maine； the expansive stretch of water between the long Maine coast and the curving arm of Cape Cod。 The ship seemed to be moving in a big； lazy circle。 Austin guessed it was in a holding pattern。 Gamay used a simple code so anyone listening would think they were hearing fishermen's chatter。 Jenkins and Howes politely ignored Gamay's butchering of the Maine dialect。 But when the voice that over the speaker said； 〃Catching some good haaadik floundah soweast of my last set； ayup；〃 they could remain silent no longer。
〃Ayup？〃 Jenkins cringed。 〃Did she say； 'ayup'？〃
Howes shook his head。 〃I've lived Down East my whole life； and I've never heard anyone say 'ayup。' Wouldn't know what it means。〃
Trout suppressed a smile。 Mumbling an apology； he explained that Gamay had seen too many episodes of Murder； She Wrote； which had been set in the Hollywood version of a Maine town。 Jenkins cut him off。 With clear excitement in his voice； he pointed to a large blip on the radar screen。 '〃There she is。 No doubt about it。〃
Austin； who was leaning over his shoulder； looked at the target to the southeast。 〃Ayup；〃 he said。
Jenkins gunned the throttle； picking up speed。 The other boats did the same。 It was more than a matter of impatience。 Jenkins wasn't lulled by the playfulness of the sea。 He had been studying the fetch； the distance between waves； with an experienced eye； assessing the situation as a fisherman and a scientist。 〃We've got some weather ing in。〃 he said。
Austin said； 〃I've been listening to the NOAA report on the radio。〃
〃I don't need the squawking of a puter…generated voice to tell me there's a storm on the way；〃 Jenkins said； with a grin。 〃You just have to know how to read the signs。〃
Since leaving port； Jenkins had watched the clouds gather and thicken and the sea spectrum shift to an oily gray。 The breeze had moved a couple of pass points to the east。 〃If we get our work here done quickly； we can get back to port ahead of the storm。 Problem is that if the sea and the wind kick up； it could be dangerous hauling back on our net。〃
〃I understand；〃 Austin said。 〃Paul and I will get ready。〃
〃Might be a good idea。〃 Chief Howes said； his easygoing voice gaining an uncharacteristic tautness。 〃We've got pany。〃
The chief was pointing at a huge； dark shape that loomed from the gathering fog。 As the amorphous mass grew closer； it lost its spectral aspect； and the lines that had been softened by the vaporous mists hardened into the silhouette of a very large ship。 The vessel was pletely black； from the waterline to the top of the single funnel protruding from the high superstructure。 Derricks and cranes bristled from the deck like the quills on a porcupine。 The dull； light…absorbing paint made the ship hard to see and gave it an evil； brooding aspect that wasn't lost on the other fishermen。
The radio crackled with excited voices。 One fisherman said； 〃Jeez； Roy； what's that thing？ Looks like a floating hearse。〃
〃Hearse；〃 said another voice。 〃Looks like the whole damned funeral parlor。〃
Austin smiled at the chatter。 Anyone listening to the ments would know they hadn't been rehearsed。 Jenkins warned his fellow fishermen to keep a sharp eye out so they wouldn't be run down。 They didn't have to be told twice and gave the monster ship a wide berth。 Austin estimated the ship's speed at around ten knots。
The Ataman Explorer seemed to slow as it came nearer。 A dot detached itself from the deck。 The speck grew larger； buzzing like a hornet stirred from its nest。 Moments later； the black helicopter flew low over the fishing fleet。 Jenkins and Howes gave the aircraft a friendly wave。 The chopper circled the fishing fleet a few times； then headed back to the ship。
From inside the pilothouse； where he and Trout were donning their scuba gear； Austin watched the departing aircraft with calm eyes。
〃Guess we passed inspection；〃 Austin said。
〃That was a lot friendlier than the reception Gamay and I got when we poked around Ataman's property in Novorossiysk。〃
〃You can thank Jenkins for that。 It was his idea to have lots of witnesses so Ataman would stay on the straight and narrow。〃
Austin was glad that he had listened to Jenkins when he'd asked if he'd be willing to offer his services。 Jenkins pointed out that there was safety in numbers。 Since the vessel was sitting in prime fishing grounds； it was not all that suspicious for boats to be trawling in the area。 In fact； Austin could see a half dozen fishing boats tending their nets on the way out。
Austin had based his plan on the successful infiltration of the sub base from Captain Kemal's fishing boat。 Penetrating the sub pens had been easy pared with what he had in mind now。 Unlike the scruffy Cossacks； who were more interested in playing people polo than standing guard； watchful and well…armed sentries would be manning the Ataman vessel。
Then Austin caught the break he was looking for。 The ship plowed to a stop and floated dead in the water。 Jenkins ran his boat as a trawler when he wasn't going after lobsters； and it was fitted out with a drumlike stem hauler to handle the net。 With the help of the chief； he got the net in the water。 Then the Kestrel got under way again and made a sweep by one side of the ship； a hundred yards off。 The maneuver gave those on the ship a chance to inspect the fishing boat at close range。 What they didn't see were the two divers hanging off the opposite side of the boat。
After traveling about halfway