Free Dirk Pitt 1 - Pacific Vortex by Clive Cussler

shirts of their hired help.”
    “By agents, you mean the Russians?”
    “Maybe. We have no proof as yet, but our intelligence people seem to think that the Russians have an organization nosing around the neighborhood trying to dig up the Starbuck's final position so they can grab their hooks into her first.”
    “Admiral Sandecker mentioned such a possibility.”
    “A damn good man.” There was satisfaction in Hunter's voice. “He showed me your personnel file this morning. I must admit in all honesty, I was caught unprepared by the contents. Distinguished Flying Cross with two clusters, Silver Star, plus several other commendations and a Purple Heart. Frankly, I had you down as a rip-off artist.”
    Hunter picked up a pack of cigarettes from his desk and offered them to Pitt
    The old bastard, Pitt thought, is actually making an attempt at courtesy. “You probably noted that there was no mention of a Good Conduct Medal.” Pitt passed on the cigarettes.
    Hunter regarded Pitt with searching eyes. “I noticed.” He took a cigarette and struck a light, then leaned over the desk and pushed a switch on his intercom. “Yager, round up Commanders Denver and Boland, and send them in here.” He broke off, turned, and jerked down a wall map of the North Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Vortex, Major, ever hear of it?"
    “Not until this morning.”
    Hunter rapped his knuckles against a spot on the map north of Oahu. “Here, within a diameter of four hundred miles, almost forty ships have sailed into oblivion since 1956. Extensive search operations turned up nothing. Before then, the sinkings diminish to a normal loss factor of one or two every twenty years.” Hunter turned from the map and scratched his ear.
    “There's been a lot of study on this one. We've run every available shred of information through the computers in hopes of coming up with a plausible solution. So far, we've only dredged up far-out theories. Cold hard facts are damn few and far between...”
    A soft knock on the door interrupted Hunter; he looked up as Denver and Boland walked into the room. They both stared blankly at Pitt for a moment, before recognition slowly stirred in their eyes.
    Denver was the first to react “Dirk, it's good to have you on the team.”
    Pitt grinned. “This time, I dressed for the occasion.”
    Boland simply nodded in Pitt's direction, mumbled a greeting, and sat down.
    Hunter pulled a linen handkerchief from his hip pocket and dabbed it to his mouth to remove a bit of tobacco from his tongue. After staring at the small brown particle for a moment, said: “We haven't had much time to get fully organized, Mr. Pitt, but we've pretty much got things running on an even keel Our computers are linked with every security agency in the country. I'm counting on you to coordinate our operation with your people in Washington. Well need answers and we'll need them fast If you require anything, request it from Commander Boland.”
    “There is one thing,” Pitt said.
    “Name it,” Hunter snapped back.
    “I'm only low man on the totem pole around here. Until this morning, Td never heard of any of this. I'll be of little service to you without some idea of what's behind all this talk about a mysterious vacuum in the sea that gobbles up ships.”
    Hunter looked thoughtfully at Pitt. “My apologies.” He paused, then went on very quietly indeed. “I take it that you're aware of the Bermuda Triangle.”
    Pitt nodded, muttering an affirmative.
    “The Triangle,” Hunter continued, “isn't the only area in the world where unexplainable things happen. The Mediterranean Sea has its share. And though it has received less publicity, the Romondo region of the Pacific southeast of Japan has been claiming more ships over the last two centuries than most of the oceans combined. Which brings us to the last and most unusual area: the Pacific Vortex.”
     “Personally, I think ifs a lot of crap,” Pitt said sharply.
    “Oh, I don't know,”