"With much luck and many good people," Pitt said impassively. "After my researcher discovered a survivor who pointed the way, I put together a salvage project combining NUMA, the U.S. Navy and the Canadians. Together, they completed the salvage in ten days before leaking the Princess Dou Wan's position to your researcher. I believe his name is Zhu Kwan. Then it was merely a matter of sitting back and waiting for you to show up. I knew you were obsessed by the treasure, Qin Shang. I read you like a book. Now it's payoff time. By coming back into the U.S. you've forfeited any chance you had of a long life. Unfortunately, because there is a great lack of ethics and morality in the world these days, your money and political influence has undoubtedly kept you out of prison. But the final entry in your ledger, Qin Shang, is that you are going to die. You are going to die as retribution for all those innocent people you murdered."

"You create amusing plots, Pitt." There was a sneer in Qin Shang's voice, but it was contradicted by a deep uneasiness in his eyes. "And who is going to see that I die?"

"I've been waiting for you," Pitt said, hate mirrored in his green eyes. "There was never a doubt that you would come and come alone."

"Are you quite finished? Or do you wish to bore me to death?"

Qin Shang knew his life was hanging by a thread, but he had yet to figure by what means he was supposed to die. Although Pitt's casualness made him uncomfortable, all fear was slowly replaced by an inner self-defense mechanism. His conspiring mind began to concentrate on a plan to save himself. His hopes rose when he comprehended that Pitt had no support from a surface ship. A diver inside a Newtsuit did not make descents and ascents without an umbilical cable. He had to be lowered and raised by winch from a mother ship on the surface. The cable also served as a communications link. Pitt was breathing self-contained air that could not last much longer than an hour.

Without life support on the surface, Pitt was on borrowed time and totally defenseless.

"You're not as clever as you think," Qin Shang said, a faint pallor on his face. "From my side of the viewing port, it looks like you are the one who is going to die, Mr. Pitt. Your ingenious diving apparatus against my submersible? You stand about as much chance as a sloth against a bear." "I'm willing to give it a try." "Where is your support ship?"

"I don't need one," Pitt said with unnerving nonchalance. "I walked from shore."

"You are very humorous for a man who will never see the sun again."