by Jack Du Brul
He explained his theory about Max’s suicide, and that seemed to make Aggie feel a little better about her father. There was one detail he would not relate to her, something he didn’t even want to believe himself. It was something Dick Henna had told Mercer while he was recuperating in Abu Dhabi with Wayne Bigelow.
The detonating device used to release the liquid nitrogen on the Alaska Pipeline, the one that Jan Voerhoven had triggered, was not the same one used to activate the computer virus in Alyeska’s system. That trigger had been activated while Mercer and Aggie were in the Marine Terminal’s Op-center, fifteen minutes after the Hope explosion. Henna and Mercer had come to the same conclusion.
Ivan Kerikov is still alive.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
With every book, the list of those people I need to thank grows and grows. First and foremost is Debbie Saunders for putting up with my telling her, “Not tonight, honey, I have to write,” way too many times. I love you. Then comes my agent, Bob Diforio, for his faith and patience. Writing has been my lifelong dream, and you have made it possible. I also want to thank everyone at Forge, especially Melissa Ann Singer, for getting this book out in a readable form. I promise someday I’ll learn how to type.
I also want to thank my dad for keeping my job open while I finished this novel. Then come all those whose brains I picked, including but not exclusively: Captain Robert Foale; Michael McCleary; Chris Flanagan, who knows more about guns than one person should; and my mom for her sharp editing pen. I give them credit for everything that’s right in these pages, but I take responsibility for the mistakes. I also want to thank Clive Cussler for his fabulous quote and criticism, as well as the other Jack Du Brul, Todd Murphy, Cathey and Bill Bachman, Andy Lecount, and the Florida gang. To the guys at What Ales You, I just want to say that none of you are Harry White, but you all could be.
Lastly, to everyone who bought my first book and those who replied with so many kind letters, thank you. I can’t express how much that touched me.
BOOKS BY JACK DU BRUL
Deep Fire Rising
River of Ruin
Pandora’s Curse
The Medusa Stone
Charon’s Landing
Vulcan’s Forge