Cars were traveling routinely on the streets, and busy crowds of sunseekers moved freely about the beaches. Only then did he expel a long sigh and sag in relief over the railing, totally drained of emotion.
"An utter triumph, Admiral," Ames said, pumping Sandecker's hand. "You proved the best scientific minds in the country wrong."
"I was blessed with your expertise and support, Doc," Sandecker said as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "I'd have accomplished nothing but for you and your staff of bright young scientists."
Overcome with exhilaration, Gunn and Molly both hugged Sandecker, an act considered unthinkable on any other occasion. "You did it!" said Gunn. "Nearly two million lives saved, thanks to your stubbornness."
" We did it," Sandecker corrected him. "From beginning to end it was a team effort."
Gunn's expression suddenly turned sober. "A great pity Dirk wasn't here to see it."
Sandecker nodded solemnly. "His concept was the spark that ignited the project."
Ames studied the array of instruments he had set up during the voyage from Molokai.
"The reflector positioning was perfect," he said happily. "The acoustic energy was reversed exactly as intended."
"Where is it now?" asked Molly.
"Combined with the energy from the other three island mining operations, the sound waves are traveling back to Gladiator Island faster than any jet plane. Their combined force should strike the submerged base in roughly ninety-seven minutes."
"I'd love to see his face."
"Whose face?" asked Ames innocently.
"Arthur Dorsett's," answered Molly, "when his private island starts to rock and roll."
The two men and the woman crouched in a clump of bushes off to one side of the great archway that broke the middle of a high, lava-rock wall enclosing the entire Dorsett estate. Beyond the archway, a brick driveway circled around a large, well-trimmed lawn through a grand port cochere, a tall structure extending from the front of the house to shelter people getting in and out of cars. The entire driveway and house were illuminated by bright lamps strategically spaced about the landscaped grounds. Entry was barred by a thick iron gate that looked like it came from a castle out of the Middle Ages. Nearly five meters thick, the archway itself housed a small office for the security guards.
"Is there another way in?" Pitt asked Maeve softly.
"The arched gate is the only way in or out," she whispered back.
"No drainage pipe or small ravine conveniently running beneath the wall?"
"Believe me, when I think of all the times I wanted to run away from my father when I was a young girl, I'd have found a passage leading from the grounds.''
"Security detectors?"
"Laser beams along the top of the wall with infrared body-heat sensors installed at different intervals about the grounds. Anything larger than a cat will cause an alarm to sound in the security office.
Television cameras automatically come on and aim their lenses at the intruder."
"How many guards?"
"Two at night, four during the day."
"No dogs?"
She shook her head in the darkness. "Father hates animals. I never forgave him for stomping on a small bird with a broken wing I was trying to nurse back to health."
"Old Art certainly creates an image of barbarity and viciousness," said Giordino. "Does he do cannibalism, too?"
"He's capable of anything, as you very well found out," said Maeve.
Pitt stared at the gate thoughtfully, carefully gauging visible activity by the guards. They seemed content to stay inside and monitor the security systems. Finally, he rose to his feet, rumpled his uniform and turned to Giordino.
"I'm going to bluff my way inside. Hang loose until I open the gate."
He slung the assault rifle over his shoulder and pulled his Swiss army knife from a pocket. Extending a small blade he made a small cut in one thumb, squeezed out the blood and smeared it over his face.
When he reached the gate, Pitt dropped to his knees and gripped the bars in both hands. Then he began to shout in a low moaning tone, as if in pain.
"Help me. I need help!"
A face appeared around the door, then disappeared. Seconds later, both guards ran out of the security office and opened the gate. Pitt fell forward into their waiting arms.
"What happened?" demanded a guard. "Who did this to you?"
"A gang of Chinese tunneled out of the camp. I was coming up the road from the dock when they jumped me from behind. I think I killed two of them before I got away."
"We'd better alert the main security compound," blurted one of the guards.