
    ,,*APT] ,,XVII

    ,,": ,,IS ,,X8
  8,D[N ON YR FACES60 CALL$ ,TOM 6^? )
HM 9 ! CAB94 8,LIE D[N1 E "O6 ,! FRE%E/
AIR IS NE> ! FLOOR2 ! BAD AIR RISES1 2+
LI<T] ) C>BONIC ACID4 ,LIE D[N60
  ,ALL OBEY$1 ,TOM FOLL[+ ! ADVICE HE
HMF GAVE4 ,X 0 A LL EASI] 6BR1!1 LY+ ON
! TILT$ CAB9 FLOOR1 B H[ L;G CD ? 2 KEPT
UP8 ,T 0 A "Q EA* "O ASK$ HMF4
  8,IS E BIT ( \R RES]VE AIR US$80 ASK$
,TOM1 SP1K+ 6,E>LE4
  8,Z F> Z ,I C LE>N1 YES1 SIR4 ,IF ,I
_H "KN T ! AUXILI>Y TANK 0 EMPTY ,I
WDN'T H ORD]$ ! -PRESS$ AIR MOTOR US$4
,B ,I DIDN'T "K40
  8,NO "O IS 6BLAME10 SD ,TOM 9 A L[
VOICE4 8,X IS "O (! A3ID5TS T CD N 2
=ESE54 ,IF "! IS ANY BLAME X ATTA*ES 6ME
= N 9/ALL+ ! GYROSCOPE RU4]4 ,IF WE _H
_H T :5 WE 7 CAU<T 9 ! CROSS CURR5T1 OR
! :IRLPOOL SWIRL1 \R EQUILIBRIUM WD H
BE5 AUTOMATIC,Y MA9TA9$4 ,Z X IS--0
  ,HE DID N F9I%1 B !Y ALL KNEW :AT HE
M1NT4
  8,B.S MY SODA F.TA91 ,TOM60 MURMUR$
,MR4 ,DAMON1 8B ISN'T "! ANY WAY ( GETT+
FRE% AIR80
  8,N"O )\T RIS+ 6! TOP10 ,TOM ANSW]$4
8,WE'LL H 6TRY T4 ,-E ) ME 6! 5G9E ROOM1
,MR4 ,E>LE4 ,X MAY 2 POSSI# WE C PULL H]
LOOSE40
  ,!Y />T$ 6CRAWL ON _! H&S & KNEES1
6TAKE ADVANTAGE (! PUR] AIR AT ! FLOOR
LEVEL4 ,! SITU,N (! ,M4 ,N4 #A 0 EXACTLY
! SAME Z X _H BE5 :5 %E RAN 96! MUD BANK
9 ! RIV]1 )! EXCEP;N T N[ %E 0 9 GRAV]
DANG]1 =! SUPPLY ( AIR = BR1?+ 0 ALM
EXHAU/$4
  ,R1*+ ! 5G9E ROOM1 ": HE F.D ! CREW
LY+ D[N 6TAKE ADVANTAGE (! BETT] AIR NE>
! FLOOR1 ,TOM MADE A HA/Y EXAM9,N (!
APP>ATUS4 ,"! 0 / PL5TY ( P[] LEFT 9 !
/ORAGE BATT]IES1 B1 S F>1 ! MOTORS !Y
OP]AT$ _H N BE5 A# 6PULL ! CRAFT LOOSE F
": H] NOSE 0 /UCK FA/4
  8,>E ! TANKS -PLETELY EMPTI$80 ASK$
,TOM4
  8,Z NE>LY S Z WE CD MANAGE )! PUMPS N
ACT+ 6_! FULL CAPAC;Y10 ANSW]$ ,E>LE4
8,IF WE CD TURN ! CRAFT ON A M LEVEL
KEEL WE MI<T EMPTY !M FUR!R1 & !N H]
NATURAL BUOYANCY WD S5D H] UP40
  8,!N T'S ! ?+ 6TRY 6D60 EXCLAIM$ ,TOM1
8 H1D 2G9N+ 6FEEL ! H1VI;S DUE 6! IMPURE
AIR4 8,WE'LL MOVE E /,N>Y OBJECT OV] 6!
PORT SIDE1 & WE'LL ALL /& "!1 OR LIE "!1
\RVS4 ,T MAY HEEL H] OV]1 & HELP LOOS5 !
GRIP (! S&40
  8,X'S WOR? TRY+10 SD ,E>LE4 8,GET
R1DY1 M560 HE CALL$ 6! CREW4
  ,TOM CRAWL$ BACK 6! MA9 CAB9 & TOLD
,MR4 ,DAMON &! O!RS :AT 0 6BE ATTEMPT$4
  8,KOKU1 Y -E & HELP MOVE ?+S10 REQUE/$
,TOM4
  8,ME MOVE ANY?+60 BOA/$ ! GIANT1 :O1
2C ( 8 GRT /R5G? & RES]VE P[] DID N SEEM
Z GRTLY A6ECT$ Z 7 ! O!RS4
  ,GO+ BACK 6! 5G9E ROOM ) ,KOKU1 ,TOM
ASSI/$1 Z WELL Z HE CD1 9 ! %IFT+ (
PIECES ( APP>ATUS1 /ORES & O!R ?+S T 7
MOVA#4 ,!Y ALL "W$ AT A GRT 4ADVANTAGE
EXCEPT ,KOKU1 & HE DID N SEEM 6FEEL !
LACK ( VITALIZ+ AIR4
  ,"O ?+ AF ANO!R 0 %IFT$1 & / ! ,M4 ,N4
#A MA9TA9$ ! DANG]\S ANGLE4
  8,X ISN'T GO+ 6"W60 GASP$ ,TOM1 Z HE
NOTIC$ ! 9DICATOR : TOLD 6:AT ANGLE !
CRAFT 0 / (F AN EV5 KEEL4 8,WE'LL H 6TRY
"S?+ ELSE40
  8,IS "! ANY?+ 6TRY80 ASK$ ,E>LE1 9 A
FA9T VOICE4 ,HE 0 ON ! PO9T ( FA9T+ =
LACK ( AIR4
  ,TOM LOOK$ DESP]ATELY >.D4 ,"! 0 "O
PIECE ( H1VY MA*9]Y T MI<T 2 MOV$ 6! O!R
SIDE (! 5G9E ROOM4 ,X 0 BOLT$ 6! FLOOR1
B XS A4$ WEI<T1 ) T (! CREW & PASS5G]S1
TGR ) :AT _H ALR BE5 %IFT$1 MI<T TURN !
TRICK4
  8,LET'S TRY 6MOVE T60 SD ,TOM FA9TLY1
PO9T+ 6X4
8,X W TAKE AN H\R 6UNBOLT X10 SD "O (!
M54
  8,KOKU60 GASP$ ,TOM1 PO9T+ 6! H1VY
APP>ATUS4 8,SEE IF--SEE IF Y--0
  ,TOM'S BR1? FAIL$ HM1 & HE SANK D[N 9
A H1P4 ,B HE _H MANAG$ 6MAKE ! GIANT
"U/& :AT 0 WANT$4
  8,KOKU D60 MURMUR$ ! BIG MAN4 ,/RID+
6! PIECE ( MA*9]Y1 ! LEGS ( : 7 BOLT$ 6!
FLOOR1 ,KOKU GOT 8 >MS "U X4 ,B5D+ OV]1
& >*+ 8 BACK1 S Z 6TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE (
8 ENORM\S MUSCLES1 ! GIANT /RA9$ UPW>D4
  ,"! 0 A CRACK+ ( B"O & S9EW1 A RASP+
S.D1 B ! MA*9]Y DID N L1VE ! FLOOR4
  8,HM M/ -E60 GASP$ ! GIANT4 8,"O M G60
  ,HE TOOK A HOLD L[] D[N4 ,TOM'S EYES 7
DIM N[1 & HE CD N SEE WELL4 ,"S (! M5 7
UNCONSCI\S4
  ,!N1 SU45LY1 "! 0 A L\D1 BR1K+ S.D1 &
"S?+ T9KL$ ON ! /EEL FLOOR (! SUBM>9E
5G9E ROOM4 ,X 0 ! H1DS (! BOLTS : ,KOKU
_H TORN LOOSE4 ,L HAIL !Y FELL AB !
GIANT1 & 9 ANO!R 9/ANT ! BIG MAN _H
PULL$ LOOSE ! MA*9E1 WEI<+ S"EAL HUNDR$S
( P.DS4 ,9 ANO!R MO;T HE %OV$ X ACR !
FLOOR1 T[>D ! ELEVAT$ SIDE (! CRAFT4
  ,=A SECOND OR TWO NO?+ HAPP5$4 ,!N
SL[LY1 V SL[LY1 ! ,M4 ,N4 #A 2GAN 6HEEL
OV]4
  8,%E'S TURN+60 "S "O GASP$4
  ,AN 9/ANT LAT]1 FRE$ 0? TURN+ MO;N F !
GRIP (! S& BANK1 ! SUBM>9E %OT 6!
SURFACE4 ,UP & UP %E W5T1 BR1K+ \ ON !
OP5 SEA Z A GRT FI% D>TS UPW>D F ! HI45
DEP?S4
  ,X 0 ! "W ( ONLY A FEW SECONDS =! MAN
NE>E/ X 6OP5 ! HAT*1 & !N 9 RU%$ ! LIFE-
GIV+ AIR4 ,TOM & 8 -PANIONS 7 SAV$1 &
0,KOKU'S /R5G?4
  8,ME SAY HM MA*9E GOT 6-E UP--HM -E
UP60 SD ! GIANT1 SMIL+ 9 HAPPY FA%ION1
:51 AF !Y _H ALL GULP$ D[N GRT M\?;LS (!
PRECI\S OXYG51 !Y 7 TALK+ ( _! EXP]I;E4
  8,YES1 Y C]TA9LY DID X10 SD ,TOM1 &
DUE CR$IT 0 GIV5 6,KOKU4
  8,N"E AG W ,I TRAVEL )\T A GYROSCOPE10
DCLD ,TOM4 8,I'M ALM R1DY 6G BACK & H "O
9/ALL$ N[40
  8,NO1 DON'T60 EXCLAIM$ ! GOLD-SEEK]4
8,WE >E ALM AT ! PLACE (! WRECK40
  8,WELL1 ,I SUPPOSE WE C TRAVEL M SL[LY
& N RUN A RISK L T AG10 DECID$ ,TOM4
8,I'LL PUT D\# VALVES ON ! EM]G5CY AIR
TANK1 S NO A3ID5T W REL1SE \R SUPPLY
AG40
  ,? 0 D"O1 AF ! BROK5 VALVES _H BE5
REPAIR$1 & !N1 :5 ! MA*9E ,KOKU _H TORN
LOOSE 0 FA/5$ D[N AG1 &! SUBM>9E RE/OR$
6H] =M] 3DI;N1 A 3SULT,N 0 HELD Z 6:AT !
NEXT /EP %D BE4
  ,!Y 7 9 ! NEI<BORHOOD (! ,WE/ ,9DIES1
& ANO!R "D1 OR P]H LESS1 ( TRAVEL WD BR+
!M APPROXIMATELY 6! PLACE ": ! ,P&ORA _H
F.D]$4 ,! LATITUDE & L;GITUDE _H BE5
-PUT$1 & !N1 ) AIR TANKS FILL$1 )
BATT]IES FULLY *>G$1 & "EY?+ POSSI# D"O
69SURE SU3ESS1 ! CRAFT 0 S5T ON ! LA/
LEG ( H] J\RNEY4
  ,= TWO "DS !Y MADE PROGRESS1 "S"TS ON
! SURFACE1 & AG SUBM]G$1 &1 F9,Y1 ON !
SECOND NOON1 :5 ! SUN _H BE5 8%OT10 ,TOM
SD3
  8,WELL1 WE'RE "H60
  8,Y M1N AT ! PLACE (! WRECK80 ASK$
,MR4 ,H>DLEY4
  8,AT ! PLACE ": Y SAY X WAS10 CORRECT$
,TOM4
  8,WELL1 IF ? IS ! PLACE ( : ,I GAVE Y
! L;GITUDE & LATITUDE1 !N X'S D[N 2L "H1
"S":10 &! GOLD-SEEK] PO9T$ 6! SURFACE (!
SEA4 ,X 0 A CALM "D &! OC1N 0 !
PROV]BIAL MILL POND4
  8,LET'S G D[N & TRY \R LUCK10 SU7E/$
,TOM4
  ,! ORD]S 7 GIV51 ! TANKS FILL$1 !
RU4]S SET1 &1 ) HAT*ES CLOS$1 ! ,M4 ,N4
#A SUBM]G$4 ,!N1 )! P[];L SE>*LI<T AGL[1
! SE>* 0 2GUN4 ,MOV+ AL;G ONLY A FEW
FEET ABV ! FLOOR (! OC1N1 ^? 9 ! SUBM>9E
PE]$ F ! GLASS W9D[S =A SI<T (! SUNK5
,P&ORA4
  ,ALL ! RE/ ( T "D !Y CRUIS$ AB 2L !
SURFACE4 ,!N !Y MOV$ 9 "E WID5+ CIRCLES4
,EV5+ CAME1 &! WRECK _H N BE5 F.D4 ,!
SE>* 0 KEPT UP ALL NI<T1 S9CE D>K;S &
"DLI<T 7 ALIKE 6^? 9 ! "USEA CRAFT4
  ,B :5 ?REE "DS _H PASS$ &! ,P&ORA _H N
BE5 SE51 NOR ANY SIGNS ( H]1 "! 0 A
FEEL+ ( "S?+ L 4MAY4
  8,": IS X80 DEM&$ ,MR4 ,H>DLEY4 8,I
DON'T SEE :Y WE HAV5'T F.D X6 ,": IS T
WRECK80 & HE LOOK$ %>PLY AT ,TOM ,SWIFT4





