“We-uh-drove the seacopter off, sir,” Krajenko said as Bud tightened his grip warningly.
“Fools! You should have shot it down!” Vaxilis snarled. “Start removing everything from the cabin and turn off the whirlpool. We must clear out of here before Swift returns with help!”
Tom suddenly took the phone. In a cold voice he said, “Swift is here right now, Mr. Vaxilis-and the whirlpool will remain turned on. You and the evidence of your latest crime are going to stay trapped inside the harbor until the authorities get here!”
Bud and Arv hooted with glee.
Tom immediately radioed a full report of the situation to Admiral Hopkins in Norfolk. First to land on the water at the scene were carrier-based TRAPPED BELOW 177
sub chaser planes from a Hunter-Killer Task Force. These were followed by helicopters armed with depth bombs and a helicopter transport loaded with Marines. Meanwhile, Navy submarines, which had been following Tom’s radioed course from the scene of the sinking, patrolled outside the harbor to watch for any desperate attempt by Vaxilis’ submarine to get through the whirlpool.
Realizing the situation was hopeless, Vaxilis surfaced and surrendered. His henchmen now talked freely.
Krajenko confessed that he had sabotaged Tom’s and Bud’s hydrolung gear to prevent any danger that they might discover the looting of the Centurion en route. The radiophoto of the drowning Roman was a code message ordering him to do it. It had been transmitted by Vaxilis’ men from Europe after they had planted a bomb in the liner’s engine room and had been picked up by Krajenko on a portable receiver.