ere funneled into the President's future election campaign through Qin Shang。〃
〃When we met with the President；〃 said Sandecker； 〃he spoke as if the Chinese were the greatest scourge on the country since the Civil War。 Now you tell me his fingers are in Qin Shang's wallet。〃
〃There is simply no underestimating the morals of a politician；〃 Giordino said with a sardonic twist of his lips。
〃Be that as it may；〃 Monroe said gravely； 〃political ethics are not the job of INS。 Our primary concern at the moment is with the huge numbers of illegal Chinese aliens that are being smuggled into the country by Qin Shang Maritime Limited before being killed or enslaved by criminal syndicates。〃
〃missioner Monroe is quite correct；〃 said Harper。 〃The duty of INS is to plug the flow； not prosecute murders。〃
〃I can't speak for Mr。 Hill and the CIA；〃 said Davis； 〃but the Bureau has been heavily involved with investigating Qin Shang's domestic crimes against the American people for three years。〃
〃Our inquiries； on the other hand； are focused more on his overseas operations；〃 offered CIA's Hill。
〃An uphill battle on any front；〃 said Pitt thoughtfully。 〃If Shang has forces within our own government working against your efforts； it will make all your jobs that much tougher。〃
〃Nobody here thinks it will be a piece of cake；〃 said Mon…roe formally。
Julia jumped in。 〃Aren't we overlooking the fact that besides being an international body smuggler； Qin Shang is a mass murderer。 I experienced his ruthlessness firsthand。 There is no counting the untold numbers of innocent people and children who lie dead because of his greed。 The atrocities his henchmen have mitted under his direction are hideous and monstrous。 He deals in crimes against humanity。 We must put an end to the slaughter； and quickly。〃
For a long moment no one said a word。 Every man at the table knew of the horrors Julia had witnessed and suffered。 Finally； Monroe broke the silence。
〃We all understand your feelings； Ms。 Lee； but all of us are working under laws and regulations that must be followed。 I promise you that every possible effort is being made to stop Qin Shang。 As long as I am at the helm of the INS； we won't rest until his operation is destroyed and he is arrested and convicted。〃
〃I can safely say that goes for Mr。 Hill and myself as well；〃 added Davis。
〃Not good enough；〃 said Pitt quietly； turning every head。
〃You doubt our resolve？〃 asked Monroe indignantly。
〃No； but I totally disagree with your methods。〃
〃Government policy dictates our actions；〃 Davis said。 〃All of us must work under guidelines set by the American justice system。〃
Pitt's face went dark as a midnight sky。 〃I saw for myself a sea of dead on the bottom of Orion Lake。 I saw the poor wretched souls locked up in cells。 Four men died protecting Julia and me…〃
〃I know what you're driving at； Mr。 Pitt；〃 said Davis。 〃But we have no evidence directly linking Qin Shang to those crimes。 Certainly not enough to call for an indictment。〃
〃The man is shrewd；〃 said Harper。 〃He's shielded himself from direct involvement。 Without solid proof that he is in some way responsible； we can't nail him。〃
〃If he's laughed in your face every step of the way；〃 said Pitt； 〃what makes you think he's going to suddenly play dumb and fall into your waiting arms？〃
〃No man can defy the far…reaching investigative powers of our government indefinitely；〃 said Hill earnestly。 〃I promise you that he will be tried； convicted and sentenced quite soon。〃
〃The man is a foreign national；〃 said Sandecker。 〃You arrest him anywhere in the United States and the Chinese government will raise every kind of hell with the White House and State Department。 Boycotts； sanctions on trade goods； you name it。 No way are they going to let you take their fair…haired boy out of circulation。〃
〃The way I see it； Mr。 Hill；〃 said Giordino； 〃you whistle up one of your CIA hit squads and eliminate Shang neatly and cleanly。 Problem solved。〃
〃Despite what many think； the CIA does not do assassinations；〃 said Hill testily。
〃Madness；〃 muttered Pitt。 〃Suppose Shang's hit men were successful last night and killed Julia and me。 You'd still be sitting here claiming you didn't have enough cold evidence to indict the man who ordered our murders。〃
〃Unfortunately； that's the way it is；〃 said Monroe。
〃Qin Shang isn't about to stop there；〃 Julia said in frustration。 〃He fully intends to kill Dirk。 He said as much at his party last night。〃
〃And I informed him that it's only fair that we play by the same rules；〃 said Pitt。 〃He now thinks I've hired a team of assassins to take him out too。〃
〃You threatened Qin Shang to his face？〃 Harper asked incredulously。 〃How could you dare？〃
〃It was easy；〃 Pitt answered casually。 〃Despite his wealth and power； he still puts his pants on one leg at a time the same as me。 I thought it might be nice if he looks over his shoulder like the rest of his intended victims。〃
〃You're joking； of course；〃 said Monroe； scorn in his tone。 〃You don't really conspire to murder Shang。〃
Pitt answered in a smooth voice。 〃Oh； but I do。 As they say in the old western movies； it's either him or me； and next time I intend to shoot first。〃
Monroe looked worried。 He looked across the table at Hill and Davis。 Then he focused on Sandecker。 〃Admiral； I called this meeting in the hope of enlisting Mr。 Pitt in cooperating with our operation。 But it seems he has bee a loose cannon。 Since he is under your authority； I strongly suggest you give him a leave of absence。 Peter here will arrange for his protection in a safe house on the coast of Maine。〃
〃What about Julia？〃 demanded Pitt。 〃How do you intend to keep her safe from further harm？〃
〃Ms。 Lee is an agent with INS；〃 said Harper in an official tone。 〃She will continue to work the case。 A team of our agents will stand guard over her movements。 I guarantee that she will be safe。〃
Pitt stared across the table at Sandecker。 〃How do you call it； Admiral？〃
Sandecker pulled his red Vandyke to a point。 Only Pitt and Giordino recognized the wolfish glint in his eyes。 〃It would appear we have little choice in the matter。 A safe house might be the best place for you to lay low until Qin Shang and his criminal activities are terminated。〃
Pitt said soberly； 〃Well； I guess I have little say in the matter。 A safe house it is。〃
Sandecker wasn't fooled for an instant by Pitt's easy acceptance。 He knew his special projects director did not have the slightest intention of leaving the room like a lamb。 〃Then it's settled。〃 Suddenly he laughed sharply。
〃May I ask what you find so funny； Admiral？〃 asked Monroe irritably。
〃Sorry； Mr。 Monroe。 But I'm relieved to assume that the INS； the FBI and CIA have no further use for NUMA。〃
〃That is correct。 After your people bungled their underwater investigations of Qin Shang Maritime's facilities in Hong Kong and Sungari； I see it as a wasted effort to involve your agency any further。〃
Monroe's cutting words produced no fury； no outrage； nor did they incite wrath。 Pitt and Giordino sat there and took it in stride； expressing no emotions。 Sandecker barely managed to reply to the missioner's insulting remarks。 He settled for clenching his fists out of sight under the table。
Pitt rose to his feet； followed by Giordino。 〃I know when I'm not wanted。〃 He grinned at Sandecker。 〃I'll wait in the car。〃 He paused to grasp lightly one of Julia's hands； raise it to his lips and kiss it。 〃Have you ever lain on the beach at Maza…tlan and watched the sunset over the Sea of Cortez？〃 he whispered in her ear。
She looked self…consciously up and down at the faces around the table； her face reddening。 〃I've never even been to Mexico。〃
〃You will；〃 he promised； 〃you will。〃 Then he released her hand and leisurely strolled from the conference room； trailed by Giordino and Sandecker。
Unlike most directors of U。S。 governmental agencies； who demanded to be carried around Washington by limousine； Admiral Sandecker preferred to drive himself。 After leaving the INS headquarters building； he steered the turquoise Jeep； which was one of the NUMA fleet of transportation vehicles； along the east side of the Potomac River on the Maryland shore。 After dropping several miles below the city； he turned off the road and stopped the Jeep in a parking lot next to a small boat dock。 Locking the car； Sandecker led the way across the floating wooden dock to a sixty…year…old double…ender whaleboat that had once served as Admiral Bull Halsey's shore boat during the war in the Pacific。 After finding it in shabby condition； he had lovingly restored it to its original state。 While he turned the handle that kicked the four…cylinder Buda diesel engine to life； Pitt and Giordino cast off the mooring lines。 Then they climbed aboard as the little boat chugged out into the river。
〃I thought we'd hold a little private talk before we returned to the NUMA building；〃 Sandecker said above the exhaust as he held the long tiller in the stern under one arm。 〃As ridiculous as it sounds； I'm leery of conversing in my own office。〃
〃It does tend to make one gun…shy； knowing Qin Shang can and has bought off half the city；〃 said Pitt。
〃The