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ke a tiger before being overpowered。 But the days of ill…treatment and starvation had left her too weak。 She kicked out at Amaru。 He took the blows as if they were no more annoying than an attack by a mosquito。
He caught her flailing hands and twisted them behind her。 Thinking he had her helpless； he tried to kiss her。 But she spit in his face。
Infuriated； he punched her in her soft belly。
Loren doubled up； choking in agony and at the same time gasping for breath。 She sank to her knees and slowly fell on her side； still doubled up and clutching her stomach with her arms。
〃Since Julio is no longer able to function；〃 said Amaru； 〃the rest of you help yourselves。〃
The outstretched arms of his men； thick and strong； with their fingers hooked like claws； reached out and seized her。 They rolled her over on her back and pinned down her arms and legs。 Held down in a spread…eagled position by the bined strength of three men； including One…Eye； Loren cried out in defenseless terror。
The tattered remains of her clothing were torn away。 The smooth； creamy skin shone under the artificial lights left by the army engineers。 The sight of her exposed body aroused the attackers' level of excitement even higher。
The one…eyed Quasimodo knelt down and leaned over her； his breath ing in short pants； his lips drawn back from his teeth in a grimace of animal lust。 He pressed his mouth against hers。 Her screams were suddenly muffled as he bit her lower lip and she could taste the blood。 Loren felt as if she were suffocating in a nightmare。 He pulled back and moved rough callused hands over her breasts。 They felt like sandpaper to her sensitive skin。 Her deep violet eyes were sick with abhorrence。 She screamed again。
〃Fight me！〃 the hulk whispered huskily。 〃I like a woman who fights me。〃
Loren plunged into the depths of humiliation and horror as One…Eye lowered himself onto her。 Her screams of terror turned into a shriek of pain。
Then abruptly； her hands were free and she clawed her attacker across the face。 He sat back stunned； parallel streaks of red blooming on both cheeks； and stared dumbly at the two men who had suddenly released her arms and hands。 〃You idiots； what are you doing？〃 he hissed。
The men who were facing the river fell backward in open…mouthed shock。 They crossed themselves as if warding off the devil。 Their eyes were not on the rapist or Loren。 They were staring into the river beyond。 Confused； Amaru turned and peered into the dark waters。 What he saw was enough to turn a sane man mad。 His mouth dropped open in shock at the sight of an eerie light moving under the water toward him。 They all gaped as if hypnotized as the light surfaced and became part of a helmeted head。
Like some hideous wraith rising from the murky abyss of a watery hell； a human form slowly arose from the black depths of the river and moved toward the shore。 The apparition； with black seaweedlike shreds hanging from its body； looked like something that belonged not to this world but to the deepest reaches of an alien planet。 The effect was made even more shocking by the reappearance of the dead。
Clenched under the right arm； as a father might carry his child； was the inert body of Rudi Gunn。
Sarason's face looked like a white plaster death mask。 Sweat poured down his forehead。 For a man who did not excite easily； his eyes were near…crazed with shock。 He stood silent； as the monstrosity left him too stunned to speak。
Amaru leaped to his feet and tried to speak； but only a whispered croak came out。 His lips quivered as he rasped； 〃Go back； diablo； go back to infierno。〃
The phantom gently lowered Gunn to the ground。 He removed his helmet with one hand。 Then he unzipped the front of his wet suit and reached inside。 The。 green eyes could be seen now； cast on Loren's exposed position on the cold； hard rock。 They glinted under the artificial lights with a terrible anger。
The two men who were still pinning Loren's legs stared dumbly as the Colt thundered once； twice in the cavern Their faces went wildly distorted as their heads snapped back and exploded。 They collapsed and fell across Loren's knees。
The others bolted away from Loren as if she had suddenly acquired the black plague。 Julio moaned in a far corner unable to see； his hands still over his injured eyes。
Loren was beyond screaming。 She stared at the man from the river； recognizing him but convinced she was seeing a hallucination。
The shock of disbelief； then horror at the realization of who the apparition was； made Amaru's heart turn cold。 〃You！〃 he gasped in a strangled voice。
〃You seem surprised to see me； Tupac；〃 said Pitt easily。 〃Cyrus looks a little green around the gills too。〃
〃You're dead。 I killed you。〃
〃Do a sloppy job； get sloppy results。〃 Pitt cycled the Colt from man to man and spoke to Loren without looking at her。 〃Are you badly hurt？〃
For a moment she was too stunned to answer。 Then finally； she stammered； 〃Dirk。 。 。 is it really you？〃
〃If there's another one； I hope they catch him before he signs our name to a lot of checks。 I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner。〃
She nodded gamely。 〃Thanks to you I'll survive to see these beasts pay。〃
〃You won't have to wait long；〃 Pitt said with a voice of stone。 〃Are you strong enough to make it up the passageway？〃
〃Yes〃yes；〃 Loren murmured as the reality of her salvation began to sink in。 She shuddered as she pushed the dead men away from her and rose unsteadily to her feet； indifferent to her nakedness。 She pointed down at Gunn。 〃Rudi is in a bad way。〃
〃These sadistic scum did this to the two of you？〃
Loren nodded silently。
Pitt's teeth were bared； murder glaring out of his opaline green eyes。 〃Cyrus here just volunteered to carry Rudi topside。〃 Pitt casually waved the gun in the direction of Sarason。 〃Give her your shirt。〃
Loren shook her head。 〃I'd rather go nude than wear his sweaty old shirt。〃
Sarason knew he could expect a bullet； and fright was slowly replaced by self…preservation。 His scheming mind began to focus on a plan to save himself。 He sagged to the rock floor as if overe with shock； his right hand resting on a knee only centimeters away from a 。38…caliber derringer strapped to his leg just inside his boot。 〃How did you get here？〃 he asked； stalling。
Pitt was not taken in by the mundane question。 〃We came on an underground cruise ship。〃
〃We？〃
〃The rest of the team should be surfacing at any moment；〃 Pitt bluffed。
Amaru suddenly shouted at his two sound； remaining men。 〃Rush him！〃
They were hardened killers but they had no wish to die。 They made no effort to reach for the automatic rifles they had laid aside during the attempt to rape Loren。 One look down the barrel of Pitt's 。45 beneath the burning eyes was enough to deter anyone who did not cherish suicidal tendencies。
〃You yellow dogs！〃 Amaru snarled。
〃Still ordering others to do your dirty work； I see；〃 said Pitt。 〃It appears I made a mistake not killing you in Peru。〃
〃I vowed then you would suffer as you made me。〃
〃Don't bet your Solpemachaco pension on it。〃
〃You intend to murder us in cold blood；〃 said Sarason flatly。
〃Not at all。 Cold…blooded murder is what you did to Dr。 Miller and God only knows how many other innocent people who stood in your path。 As their avenging angel； I'm here to execute you。〃
〃Without the decency of a fair trial；〃 protested Sarason as his hand crept past his knee toward the concealed derringer。 Only then did he notice that Pitt's injuries went beyond the bloody gash across the forehead。 There was a fatigued droop to the shoulders； an unsteadiness to his stance。 The skewed left hand was pressed against his chest。 Broken wrist and ribs； Samson surmised。 His hopes rose as he realized that Pitt was on the thin edge of collapse。
〃You're hardly one to demand justice；〃 said Pitt； biting scorn in his tone。 〃A pity our great American court system doesn't hand out the same punishment to killers they gave to their victims。〃
〃And you are not one to judge my actions。 If not for my brothers and me； thousands of artifacts would be rotting away in the basements of museums around the world。 We preserved the antiquities and redistributed them to people who appreciate their value。〃
Pitt stopped his roving gaze and focused on Sarason。 〃You call that an excuse？ You justify theft and murder on a grand scale so you and your criminal relatives can make fat profits。 The magic words for you； pal； are charlatan and hypocrite。〃
〃Shooting me won't put my family out of business。〃
〃Haven't you heard？〃 Pitt grimly smiled。 〃Zolar International just went down the toilet。 Federal agents raided your facilities in Galveston。 They found enough loot to fill a hundred galleries。〃
Sarason tilted his head back and laughed。 〃Our headquarters in Galveston is a legitimate operation。 All merchandise is lawfully bought and sold。〃
〃I'm talking about the second facility；〃 Pitt said casually。
A flicker of apprehension showed in Sarason's tan face。 〃There is only one building。〃
〃No； there are two。 The storage warehouse separated by a tunnel to transport illega