The Mediterranean Caper - Clive Cussler

This is the second in the Dirk Pitt series. This time Dirk is working. As the Special Projects Director of NUMA (National Underwater Marine Agency) he is en route to check up on one of his subordinates having some difficulty with an assignment in Aegean Sea. Off the coast of a Greek isle, he responds to a mayday from a US Air Force Base.

Despite being in a flying boat (CBY Catalina), Dirk and Al Giordino, his Deputy Special Projects Director, divert their course to save the US Air Force from a World War I biplane. The WWI fighter has already taken out all the fighter jets before they could even get off the ground and is now having its way with the tower. Armed with only a couple of rifles, Dirk and Al decide to fly to the rescue.

Pitt finds the girl within 24 hours and spends an appropriately short amount of time seducing her. During diner he discovers she is the niece of the story's villain. Dirk rescues the girl from the clutches of her evil uncle. Helps Interpol capture a war criminal and straightens out the issues interfering with the NUMA research assignment.

Cussler does a masterful job of keeping the pace moving at breakneck speed. None of the plot lines are forgotten and everything is wrapped up in a neat little bow by the end. Once again I have spent an short afternoon thoroughly entertained.