Back at the American port, the three scientists are sent to a hospital, and the research vessel, along with Dirk Pitt, Jr., heads to Seattle. Later, Pitt joins up with Sarah and another of the scientists he rescued, Sandy. He learns from them that no toxins were discovered in their body and they were given a clean bill of health. Then they speak about the sea lions which appeared to have died from cyanide poisoning. Since the human body can expel cyanide quickly, they hypothesize that they, too, had contracted airborne cyanide poisoning but were able to overcome it with medical help. They expelled it quickly, which explains why no trace was discovered. Since.....