Monsters In Our Wake Page 9

  “Watch it,” Archie said, patting the table. “Ships are sensitive. She has feelings, you know.” No one smiled.

  “Let’s get it over with, then. Could you be ready in an hour?” Apostolos asked.

  “That’s more than enough time. I just need to suit up, and then I’ll meet everyone on deck.”

  “I’ll have to get the harpoon guns sorted. Obviously I wasn’t prepared for this kind of situation. So take an hour. Duchovney?”

  “Yes?” She sounded surprised. Thor was grateful the other men could now hear her voice without snarling.

  “What do you think our chances are?”

  “Honestly?”

  When Apostolos nodded, she continued, watching the men around the table as if afraid someone would pounce. Thor understood her anxiety, but was sad she was still so nervous. During the first week of the job, they’d been such a tight-knit group. They weren’t used to having a woman on the crew, but it had been a nice change. He’d never expected things to get so ugly.

  “I think you’re sending Thor to his death. Based on our best guess, this creature is gigantic—several times bigger than the largest whale known to man. Harpoons may distract it temporarily, but they’ll probably make it angrier. We don’t have a chance of stopping something this massive.”

  “So what do you suggest?” Archie asked. “We have to get the ship fixed. You heard Anderssen—we’re running out of time.”

  “Thankfully, we were planning to drill, so we have at least a few weeks of supplies left before we have to start worrying,” said Apostolos. “And as long as you fools keep filling your stomachs with beer instead of food, we won’t have to ration for quite a while.”

  “I think the one thing that might work is a distraction. Whatever we have on board that a creature like that would want, we should throw it off the bow as you guys lower Thor off the stern,” Archie said. “Depending on the quantity of food we have to spare, it would buy us a little time.” He turned to Thor. “How much do you think you’ll need?”

  Thor shrugged, unable to believe how subdued everyone was. Ordinarily it was difficult to get a word in without another man cutting him off. “Hard to say. I can’t diagnose the problem until I’m down there, but I’m thinking something might have gotten dislodged when the creature swam underneath us. Hopefully we don’t need a new part.”

  “Sorry, but throwing food in the water is a bad idea. If it does draw the creature, it’ll be able to see everything we’re doing. Remember, there is no bow or stern as far as it’s concerned—if it’s as large as we think, it dwarfs the ship.”

  “I never thought I’d say this, but I agree with Flora. Never mind the fact that throwing our supplies overboard would be suicide,” Frank said.

  “Well…what about Liam? We could use his body,” Archie said, and George shifted in his chair.

  “Liam was our friend. No one is throwing him overboard for that—that monster.”

  Archie held up a hand. “Sorry, it was only a suggestion. He’s dead now—it’s not like he can feel anything.”

  “It wouldn’t work, anyway. There’s nothing left.”

  The room grew quiet again. Everyone stared at the Greek, waiting for him to explain. “I checked on him this morning. He’s gone. All that’s left is a bit of bone.”

  “That’s sick. Who would take his body?” George turned on Flora. “You touched him, didn’t you, witch?”

  “Of course I didn’t touch him. Why would I—?”

  “Quiet down, all of you.” Apostolos glowered around the table until he had everyone’s attention. “George, I don’t think anyone took him. What was already happening to him…well, it finished the job, I guess.”

  George collapsed in his chair, holding his big head in his hands.

  “What would a thing like this eat?” Apostolos asked Flora.

  “I-I’m not sure. I’ve never seen anything like this before,” she said. “But judging by its teeth, I’d guess it’s a carnivore.”

  “We don’t have much meat on board in any case,” Apostolos said. “It’s the first thing we’ll run out of—that and the booze.” He rolled his eyes. “Big surprise there. Anything else you can think of?”

  “Well, this is just a theory—it’s not based on anything concrete. It’s more of a hunch than anything.” Flora hesitated, but no one argued with her. If anyone was prepared to believe in hunches, it was a sailor. “I don’t think the creature is around us all the time. I suspect it goes to its home—wherever that may be—in the evening. So that’s probably the best time to fix the ship.”

  Apostolos raised an eyebrow at Thor. “You okay with that, Anderssen?”

  “As long as the lamps keep working, I’m fine.”

  He was lying, of course. The last place he wanted to be was in the dark ocean with that God-knows-what swimming around.

  Chapter Seventeen

  You have to wonder about a creature that sees monsters everywhere it looks.

  Carnivore, indeed.

  I admit the teeth are a tad misleading. They’re a holdover from the days when our primary diet was meat, but unlike the humans, we could tell when it was time to diversify. If we’d continued to feast on other animals at the same rate, there wouldn’t be another living thing in the ocean. And eventually our kind would have perished as well.

  Not to mention the ethical concerns of eating other creatures. We’re not cannibals, and whales, while not exactly kin, are close enough that we can understand each other’s languages. It’s difficult to eat something with a clear conscience when you can hear it pleading for its life. The occasional shark is acceptable, albeit not very filling, but the humans have done such a number on them that we try to avoid culling them even further. Someone has to show them some compassion, and it might as well be us. Although my son wasn’t happy about this—he’d grown fond of snacking on sharks, especially the big whites. He liked to string their teeth for a necklace. Only about twenty more sharks, and he’d finally have enough teeth to get that awful thing around his neck.

  Personally, I thought it was macabre.

  Over time we’ve learned to like the taste of algae. Algae blooms can be quite nutritious, and there’s certainly enough of it around to keep one satiated. We’ve also started to consume a fair amount of sea junk. Not everything, of course. Plastic bags and bottles do no more for us than for any water creature. Nasty stuff. But the odd twist of old rope, or a good bit of metal? They both supply some necessary roughage, and keep us satisfied enough that we aren’t tempted to nibble on our friends.

  Why do humans think everything wants to devour them? I can only surmise that most of them haven’t eaten a person. Horrible, stringy things. Even the plump ones are mostly bone, and they stink beyond belief. I’ll take blue-green algae over a million tankers filled with humans.

  Because we’re so massive and our metabolism has slowed to a sluggish crawl, a lot of our day is spent searching for food and grazing on algae, but what else is there to do? We don’t have to worry about predators, our homes have been perfect for millennia, and our children practically raise themselves.

  Humans need not fear becoming my dinner. They can fear me for other reasons, but I’ll leave them for the sharks before I taste any of their flesh myself. Even my wife would rather pass. Her tastes run to the carnal more than mine do, but there are certain lows to which she will not stoop, and eating humans is one of them. Oh sure, she’d tear them apart for sport, but actually consume any? Never in a million years.

  The female scientist had won my grudging respect. It was a good idea of hers, suggesting the young man fix the boat in the evening. It appeared the link between us was working both ways—she could sense when I was around and when I was not. It puzzled me that she kept discussing her plans when she knew I would be listening. Was it a trick? Why would she let me know everything the humans planned to do beforehand, if she was actually on their side? But perhaps she wasn’t. I’d sensed from the very beginning that she was conflicted abou
t the work she did. It was funny how her compatriots denigrated her, when she was the only reason they were still alive.

  That and my sweet nature, of course.

  I left the humans to their own devices that evening so I could go home and be with my family, as always, but I planned to return later that night. I hated to prove the woman wrong, and ostracize her even further from her friends, but my curiosity couldn’t be helped. The thought of the humans guarding their toy boat with their puny weapons was a sight that could not be missed. There were few occasions for comedy in this world.

  Perhaps I’d let them fix their boat after all. Their entertainment value was waning, and their bickering and infighting was getting on my nerves. The ocean was supposed to be a peaceful place, and anyone who didn’t understand that shouldn’t be there.

  It would be best if the humans repaired that joke of a vessel and went back to where they came from. It’d be quiet again. My wife would be happy, and returning to my life of tedium would be somewhat of a relief.

  Once they leave our territory, I can only hope they don’t return.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Black above and black below.

  When the water hit Thor’s legs, he had second thoughts. The ocean was cold, much colder than during the day, and he could feel its chill through the wetsuit.

  “One hard tug on the line, and we’ll have you back here,” Apostolos promised, his face a white blur above. Thor gave him a thumbs-up.

  Flora motioned for the captain to keep his voice down. Her plan would only work if everyone were quiet. Too much noise, she warned, might summon the creature. The thought was enough to make Thor’s balls shrivel. More than once that day he wished he’d gone for a cushy office job. What was so great about adventure, anyway? Adventure got you killed.

  Liam’s face floated in front of Thor as he was lowered into the water. The young engineer looked sad and worried, but there was no time to question the meaning of his presence, or even to wonder if he was real. In another second, Thor was submerged. He tightened his grip on the harpoon gun. His tools were strapped around his waist.

  He’d worried that the dive lights weren’t going to be enough, but they worked like a charm. It didn’t take him more than a second or two to see the problem.

  “Good Christ,” he said, nearly dislodging his breathing tube.

  The cable that connected the propellers to the engine was in bad shape. One of the propellers was crumpled like the petals of a day-old flower, and both were coated in fouling. That would have been bad enough, but it wasn’t the worst of it.

  There was a jagged tear under the engine room that was taking in water. Not enough to be visible from inside yet, but it wouldn’t be long. God knows how much damage the leak had already done. Salt water was highly corrosive.

  The tear would have to be welded, the cable repaired. This definitely wasn’t going to be a one-trip job.

  Selecting the tools he needed, Thor got to work detaching the damaged access panel underneath the engine room. It was a difficult task. The nuts were tight, already coated with hardened sea gunk. Swearing under his breath, he wondered when the barge had last been properly cleaned.

  Don’t call her a barge; she’s sensitive.

  Thor had the first nut secured in his tool belt before he felt it. It was the strangest sensation one could have in the ocean—the feeling of being watched. He’d only felt that one other time underwater. In that case, a tiger shark had been stalking him. If he hadn’t found an old wreck to squeeze into, he probably wouldn’t have survived.

  When Thor turned his head, the vast darkness before him brightened, but only for a few feet. He couldn’t see anything ahead, but he could feel it. And the feeling was getting stronger.

  Fuck.

  His fingers were numb as he worked the wrench, torqueing his wrist in order to get the nuts loosened as quickly as possible.

  Why did I listen to Flora? The guys were right. I’ve been thinking with my—

  Something swam past him. Something big.

  Its wake slammed him into the boat, his helmet hitting metal with a clang that reverberated through his brain.

  Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

  Sacrificing himself for the rest of the crew wasn’t noble any longer. In fact, it was pretty fucking idiotic. He was the youngest. The other guys had already had full lives. Why wasn’t one of them down here risking his ass? Because they weren’t young enough to be that naïve, that’s why.

  There was an uncomfortable pressure on his lungs. Without noticing, he’d started to hyperventilate—never a good thing when one was dependent on a breathing tube. He checked over his shoulder and shone a light into the darkness. Nothing but a few silvery fish, but whatever he was sensing hadn’t gone anywhere.

  It was waiting, watching.

  What happened if it came closer the next time?

  The line that tethered him to the ship jerked around his waist, making him gasp. Thor recognized the signal—Apostolos had seen something and wanted to bring him in. But he couldn’t let this be a wasted trip. Who knew when or if he’d have the guts to return?

  He frantically worked the last few nuts, ignoring the now-incessant tugging and the strong feeling of foreboding. When the last nut was off, he answered the signal with one of his own. He was yanked out of the water so fast he nearly lost his grip on the line.

  “Slow down,” he yelled as his body crashed into the ship. “You’re going too fast.”

  But his voice was no match for Flora’s. Now that he was above the surface, he could hear her screaming.

  “Get him out of there. It’s coming!”

  That was all he needed to hear. Thor cycled his legs in a mad scramble-climb, much as Liam had. He saw the sad, wounded face of the engineer in front of him again, and recognized it for what it had been—a warning.

  Apostolos was using every ounce of strength to bring Thor in, but it wasn’t enough. Thor couldn’t see where the creature was, but he could tell from the intensity of Flora’s screams that it wasn’t far away.

  The ship lurched like a drunken sailor, throwing him to the side and almost off the rope.

  Apostolos cursed. “Shit. George, come over here. I need your help.”

  For a second, George’s big head appeared over the side of the ship. But before Thor had a chance to feel a moment of relief, the man was gone. Apostolos’s muscles strained as he fought to bring Thor the rest of the way in.

  “What are you babbling about? Good God, man, I need your help. We’re going to lose him.”

  Thor froze on the line when he heard the desperation in the captain’s voice.

  This is it. I’m dead. This is how it ends.

  It wasn’t George but Frank who added his strength to Apostolos’s. In just a few seconds, Thor lay gasping on the deck. Ripping the breathing tube from his mouth, he panted like a dying dog. He stared at George through bleary eyes.

  The big man scowled in return, his massive arms folded across his chest.

  Apostolos charged toward him until they were standing nose to nose, but George didn’t so much as blink.

  “What in the hell was that? If we’d lost Anderssen, it would have been on your head, you bloody coward.”

  “Ain’t no coward,” George said, his eyes narrowing until they were slits. Thor feared for the safety of his boss. “I told you from the beginning I didn’t want no part of this.”

  “You lost that option when you signed on as part of this crew, George. We have to work together if there’s going to be any chance of going home. You want to go home, don’t you?”

  Adrenaline was coursing through Thor’s body, rendering him weak and light-headed. He managed to push himself into a sitting position to keep an eye on the two men. Apostolos sounded surprisingly reasonable. Thor didn’t trust it.

  Reasonable or not, the Greek’s pleas weren’t having the slightest effect on George, who continued to glare at Apostolos.

  “He thinks you mean to sacrifice him,” Fl
ora volunteered, earning her an ugly look from George.

  “I can speak for myself. I don’t need you putting words in my mouth,” George said. As her face flushed and she lowered her eyes, Thor wished he had the breath to give that man a piece of his mind. There was no call to treat Flora like that.

  “That’s preposterous, Washington. You can’t seriously believe that. We need every single man we have left. Why would you—?”

  George interrupted Apostolos with so much ferocity that the big Greek retreated a step. “You wanted to use me as bait to protect your sweet white boy’s ass,” he said, stabbing the captain’s chest with one of his thick fingers. “Don’t think I don’t know it. As soon as you think Anderssen’s in trouble, what do you try to do? Offer me as bait. I’m not that dumb.”

  “He asked for your help, George. No one was trying to use you for bait.” Thor raised his voice to be heard over their arguing, but George ignored him. The big man’s chest heaved with every breath and his nostrils flared. Unless someone figured out how to calm him down, Apostolos could very well be a dead man.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but we really have to get out of here. It’s not safe to be on deck right now.” Thor watched in horror as Flora stretched a tentative hand toward George’s arm. It was too late to warn her.

  As soon as her nails grazed his shirt, the big man reacted, pushing her into the side of the ship with such force that she fell on her ass, stunned.

  “Don’t touch me, witch. I don’t want any of your bad luck rubbing off on me.”

  It was over in a second.

  Before Apostolos could admonish George, or help Flora.

  Before anyone could breathe.

  A tremendous roar split the air like a sonic boom. Thor clutched his head, pushing his hands tight to his ears as tears ran down his cheeks. Frank and Archie were writhing in pain as well. Thor noticed a vein of blood oozing between Archie’s fingers. It looked black in the dim light.

  Apostolos dropped to his knees, his mouth stretched in a scream no one could hear. Curling her knees to her chest, Flora huddled against the side of the boat.