“Funny there’s no smudge marks,” Summer said. “Looks like it was freshly painted.”

“Another attempt to conceal her identity.”

“Take us in a little.” Summer leaned forward, peering closely at the funnel’s surface.

While Dirk drew them in, Summer activated one of the robotic arms and flexed it toward the funnel. Making contact, she dragged the claw across the surface, leaving a foot-long gouge.

“Please don’t carve your initials,” Dirk said. “I don’t want a Lloyd’s agent knocking on my door at two in the morning.”

“Just checking what’s underneath.”

As the paint flakes swirled away with the current, they could clearly see an ocher line beneath the scratch.

“The funnel was originally gold, or had a gold band,” she said.

“That’s one more nugget.”

They filmed the wreck for another thirty minutes, capturing its length, deck configuration, and any other details that could aid in its identification.

“Batteries are approaching reserve power,” Summer said.

“I think we’ve learned all we can,” Dirk said. “Besides, Jack won’t be too happy if we surface after dark.”

He purged the ballast tanks, and they began a controlled ascent. Several minutes later, they broke the surface amid a choppy sea driven by a gusting westerly. The sun was already dipping beneath a bank of clouds on the horizon, stabbing the fading sky with bolts of pink and orange. As waves splashed over the submersible’s acrylic canopy, Dirk saw a nearby boat approaching. It was the same patrol boat he and Dahlgren had seen earlier.

“Looks like someone was waiting for us.” The boat turned directly toward them while increasing speed. “Might be a good time to call the Alexandria to come fetch us.”

“I think I spotted them on the horizon.” Summer strained her neck to peer over the rolling waves. “They still look to be a few miles off.”

She reached for the transmission button on her radio, then froze. “Dirk, what are they doing?”

Her brother was already tracking the patrol boat, which approached at an uncomfortably high speed. The steel-hulled vessel was less than a hundred feet away. It should have begun to slow or veer off, but it didn’t.

“They mean to ram us!” Summer shouted.

Dirk had the thrusters engaged, but with a top speed of only three knots the submersible couldn’t outrun a sea turtle. With no chance to elude the patrol boat, and insufficient time to dive, Dirk reacted the only way he could. He turned the submersible directly toward the oncoming vessel.

Summer looked at him as if he were insane and braced for the collision. Dirk kept his eyes glued on the boat, maneuvering toward its sharp bow as if on a death wish. He waited until the craft was nearly upon them, then turned the joystick hard over while reversing the starboard thrusters.