"We can't dive that," Lamont said. "The deepest anyone has ever gone using gas mixtures is a little over five hundred meters. Even an atmospheric diving suit can't go that far down."
Selena said, "We'll use an ROV to survey the site. If we find something we need to examine, Jeff has a DSV that can reach two thousand meters."
"A Deep Submergence Vehicle? This guy must be rolling in dough."
"I told you he was wealthy," Selena said. "It's a Pisces class, built in British Columbia. The NOAA has two of them."
"Those ruins are twenty-four hundred feet down," Nick said. "I don't like the idea of you going down there. What if something happens?"
"We won't be going deep enough to test the limit."
"Unless something happens."
"It's the only way if something has to be studied."
"I still don't like it," Nick said.
"It might not be necessary. It depends on what we find with the ROV."
"Those ruins are pretty spread out. It's going to take time to search through them."
Lamont looked at his watch. "It's 1600. We're not going to get down there today."
"Let's get the gear squared away," Ronnie said.
"While you do that, I'll go talk to Sexton," Nick said.
He headed back up to the bridge and found Sexton studying the sonar scans.
"Look at this."
Sexton pointed at a progression of shapes on the ocean floor below. The shapes ended in a ragged line. After that there was only blackness.
"Whatever's down there is right on the edge of the abyssal plain," Sexton said. "The depth of the ruins is consistent at about eight hundred meters up to that point. At the edge there's a sharp drop off. After that, it's a long way down."
"Selena says you have a DSV that can go deep."
"That's right. We have a Pisces class two-man submersible that can reach two thousand meters. Are you thinking of going down there?"
"I don't know yet. It depends on what we find tomorrow. I'd like you to send down an ROV so we could take a look. We'll decide what to do after that."
"I've got the perfect unit for the job. Camera, lights and small enough to get into some tight places."
Nick smiled in spite of himself. Sexton's enthusiasm was infectious. Nick saw why Selena had been attracted to him. He was hard not to like.
The thought didn't help much.
CHAPTER 36
The windows of the R/V Tolstoy's bridge looked out from five stories above the main deck. The view would have been spectacular, if there had been anything to see except the sun reflecting off an empty ocean. Valentina watched water foam past the bow and wished she were someplace where she didn't have to deal with Katerina Rostov. The two women stood on the bridge, waiting for the captain to complete a calculation.
"At our present rate of speed we will reach the coordinates you specified about 0300 tomorrow," he said.
"We should have gotten there sooner," Katerina said. "If you had left when ordered, we would be there now."
Captain Vorochenko controlled his temper. It was necessary to be careful around the security services, even though his word was law on the Tolstoy. Once they returned to port, he was just another civilian.
"We're making the highest speed possible, Major. I can't change the laws of physics."
"We lost needless time leaving Egypt."
"This isn't a pleasure craft. We had to complete refueling and transfer some personnel off the ship because of your security concerns. If we were slow leaving port, it was a result of the demands you placed upon me."
"Your attitude will be noted, Captain."
Rostov's voice said there would be consequences from Vorochenko's attitude, none of them good. She turned and stalked out of the bridge.
In a conversational tone Valentina said, "She walks like she has a stick up her ass, doesn't she?" Vorochenko looked at her with surprise.
"Do not worry, Captain. I am in charge of this expedition, not her. Whatever she reports will be countermanded. You are doing your best. That is all that is needed."
"What is her problem?"
"What is always the problem with people like her? She thinks the world should bend to her will. Even laws of physics."
"Can you tell me why I'm burning up my engines to get to an empty spot in the ocean?"
"Not an empty spot, not below the surface. All you need to know right now is that the Americans are there ahead of us and that there's something on the ocean floor that may be vital to our national security."
"Please excuse my curiosity."
Valentina wanted the captain on her side if an accident happened to Rostov. It wouldn't be that difficult. The FSB major had started criticizing Vorochenko the moment she'd boarded his ship.
"As I said, Captain, do not worry. I suggest you make sure your submersibles are ready to go at short notice."
"As you wish, Major."
Valentina left the bridge and walked aft until she reached the stairs leading down to the lower decks. She saw Rostov two decks down, talking with one of the Spetsnaz divers who'd come on board with her, a sergeant named Nikita Spassky. Valentina had known a man named Nikita once. He'd made the mistake of thinking she was another woman he could force to have sex with him and ended up in an emergency room. Valentina had decided that anyone named Nikita was to be avoided. The muscular diver was no exception.
He complicates things, she thought. Harder to create an accident with the divers around. That one always seems to be with her.
Vysotsky had been clear. If Katerina Rostov became a problem, eliminate her. As far as Valentina was concerned Rostov was already a problem, if for no other reason than because she was arrogant and abrasive.
At that moment Rostov looked up at her. The eyes of the two women locked. Rostov's lips curled down. She turned back to her companion.
If looks could kill one of us would be dead now, Valentina thought.
By the time she reached the lower deck Rostov and the diver had disappeared inside. Valentina made her way to the stern and leaned against the railing, watching the wake trail out behind the ship. The ship's cook appeared with a pail of slops. He nodded at her and dumped the slops over the side. The garbage spread out behind the ship on the surface of the water.
There were always seagulls circling above, tracking the ship. They dove for the feast, striking the water and lifting into the air with whatever they had seized.
I wonder what it would be like to be like one of those birds, Valentina thought. Sailing on the wind over the ocean, wherever I wanted to go.
As she watched, two of the gulls turned on one another, fighting over a scrap.
Maybe not. It doesn't look like it's much different from being human.
She turned to go back to her cabin and saw Rostov coming out onto the deck. Nikita was right behind her. He moved away to the port railing. Rostov continued toward the stern.
She looks flushed, Valentina thought. I'll bet she's been screwing Nikita in there.
"Major Antipov."
"Major Rostov."
"If this fool of a captain is correct in his figures, we will reach our target tomorrow. We need to talk about how to proceed."
"Let me guess," Valentina said. "You have a plan."
Rostov looked away and said something inaudible.
"I'm sorry," Valentina said. "I didn't quite catch that. What did you say?"
"It doesn't matter. Look, we don't like each other, but we have to work together."
"For the good of the Rodina?"
"Exactly. What are your orders?"
"My orders? To observe. To find out what's down there, if anything. To monitor the Americans. I expect those are your orders as well."