From the Deep (6 page)

CHAPTER 14

The Victorious

Dutch Harbour,

Alaska

Andrews paced in the meeting room, waiting for his guests to arrive. Russo was pushing to get things underway as soon as possible, and, anxious not to upset the man who had ensured that the trip was funded, Andrews didn’t want to be the one to let him down.

Freeman knocked on the door and entered the room, followed by Clara and Dexter.

“Miss Thompson,” Andrews said, striding to meet them and extending his hand.

“I’m Doctor Martin Andrews, thank you for coming to meet me. I trust the journey was comfortable?”

“It was fine, thank you. I certainly didn’t expect the private jet. Seems you were in a hurry to get us here.”

“Indeed I was. We have much to discuss. Please, take a seat.” Andrews gestured to the large meeting table.

As Clara and Dexter took their seats, Andrews pulled Freeman aside. Clara watched as the two shared in hushed conversation, following which, Freeman left quickly, closing the door behind him. Andrews took his seat and folded his hands on the table.

“My colleague emailed me the findings of your investigation on the remains of the Blue whale. I thank you for your observations.”

“I wanted to discuss them with you in person when I got here. Mr Freeman was pretty forceful about sending them ahead of me.” Clara said, making no attempt to hide her annoyance.

“I’m sorry about that, as I’m sure you understand, we are on a strict timetable here.”

“Maybe
you
are. As a rule, I don’t appreciate being bullied for answers, especially before I have had sufficient time to analyse the results.”

Andrews smiled. Clara remained neutral.

“My apologies. I don’t wish for us to get off on the wrong foot here. We asked you to come because you are said to be the best in your field. You were the one and only name on our list. I can only ask you to forgive my urgency. As you by now know, this situation is unique to say the least.”

“Well, until you tell me exactly what I’m dealing with, we aren’t going to get anywhere. Why did you bring us here?”

“Your findings about a potential predatory attack to the whale carcass are in line with our own observations.”

“I’m sure you could have confirmed that by telephone.”

“This is a confidential situation. An unsecured telephone conversation wasn’t an option I’m afraid.”

“You do intend to tell people about this? To warn them?”

Andrews squirmed and offered a strained smile.

“You know as well as I do that the public would panic if they suspected something in our oceans was capable of such a violent attack, not to mention the impact to the fishing and shipping industry. They would demand action, and until we have an answer to give them, it’s important to remain discreet.”

“I don’t think the public would react as badly as you seem to think. In fact, maybe it would be better if people were told that the oceans might not be a safe place to be right now.”

“You don’t understand as much as you think,” Andrews said as he looked at them in turn.

“Then let’s not waste any more time.” Clara shot back “Tell me what you know and I’ll see if I can help you.”

“You have to understand this is, as I said, a very sensitive subject. Due to the nature of this operation, I need to ask you to work with us with the limited information I am authorised to provide.”

“I’m not sure I
do
understand. Do I get access to the research or not?”

“Well,” Andrews said, choosing his words carefully, “the subject matter of this investigation is highly, highly confidential. We have our own team of scientists and experts involved already who will deal with the more… sensitive aspects of the investigation. We would only require you for certain clarifications and confirmations of our findings.”

“You either want me in or you don’t. I won’t play second fiddle.”

“I’m afraid there are limits to the information I can give you.”

“Then we have nothing to discuss. I can’t be expected to consult with you without access to all the information.”

“Don’t make any hasty decisions,” Andrews said, offering a wry smile. “There are other marine biologists who would crawl over broken glass for an opportunity like this.”

“That may be so,” Clara shot back with a smile of her own. “As you said, I’m the best, and I don’t think you would be prepared to settle for anything else.”

“You have, if you don’t mind my saying so, a very high opinion of yourself.” Andrews said, his face a mixture of admiration and frustration.

“No, I just have respect for my work, and think you should too. You valued it enough to fly me out here to talk to you. To then deny me access to the research is an insult.”

“We don’t need you, Miss Thompson. Let me make that perfectly clear right now. We can easily manage with someone else.”

“I’m more than happy to walk away from this if I need to. Believe me, I’m interested in helping, just not as some out of the loop lackey.”

“I don’t believe you would have come all the way out here if that was the case. You’re as desperate as the rest of us to find this creature.”

“I don’t think you would have flown me all the way out here if you weren’t desperate for my help.”

“You’re wrong.”

“I don’t think I am.”

“By all means, feel free to leave. If you can’t work with us, then we will have to make other arrangements I’m afraid.”

“Okay. No problem.” Clara said, standing. “Come on, Dexter, it’s time we were going.”

Dexter looked from Clara to Andrews then stood and followed her to the door.

“Wait,” Andrews said, the desperation in his voice impossible to hide.

Clara turned to face him, folding her arms as she waited for him to speak.

“What is it you would need exactly? To stay, I mean.”

“Full disclosure. I’ll need real time access to every part of your research.”

“I can’t do that,” Andrews said, shrugging. “My hands are tied.”

“Then good luck with the mission.” Clara shot back and turned back towards the door.

“Hang on, just give me a second.” Andrews stammered, standing and crossing the room to meet her.

“Okay, let’s say I can get you full mission access. You will both need to sign a non-disclosure agreement about anything you see, read, or hear.

“No problem. I’m a professional, and NDA or no NDA, I would have kept the findings private. Before we go any further let me make something clear right now. The first inkling that something is being withheld from me, I’m gone. No second chances. You’re right when you suggest this is a fantastic opportunity. Even so, I won’t put my professional reputation on the line for anything, even a secret as big as this one. Got it?”

“Yes, I understand,” Andrews sighed, showing a rare moment of weakness. “I need to make a few calls and get those NDA’s readied. I’ll have Freeman show you to your rooms.”

“When do we leave?” Dexter asked.

“Within the hour.”

“Just one thing,” Clara said, trying to keep her expression neutral despite the butterflies in her stomach. “I’m right aren’t I? About this being some kind of new species of predator.”

Andrews simply looked at her blankly.

“First things first. Let’s sign those NDA’s then we can talk.”

CHAPTER 15

The Ocean Mist

18 miles off the coast of Hawaii

The 48-foot long humpback launched itself out of the ocean, its 70,000 lb. body crashing down in an eruption of spray. The passengers on board the Ocean Mist gasped, cheered, and took photographs as one.

“Did you get it, Herb?”

Herbert Keller looked at his wife of forty years, and scowled.

“Of course I did. You don’t have to ask me every damn time.”

His wife, Maude, nodded. Although it could be easily mistaken as an argument, this was the way they normally spoke to each other, their interactions mostly a series of irritable swipes. Both in their seventies, they had decided post retirement to see a little of the world. Herb had suggested Hawaii, hoping the warm temperatures might make the arthritis in his elbows and knees a little easier to bear. He had spent many years in the Navy, and so whales were something he had seen before, but he was a younger, stronger man back then, and the black hair and sharp eyes he had last time he was out at sea, had long since become grey and dull respectively. It wasn’t the kind of trip he had imagined, but knew the whales were a spectacular sight for Maude, who apart from the occasional visits to see family in Texas, had never really seen the world. His joints were starting to ache, and the overcrowded boat was doing nothing to help his mood.  He was looking forward to getting back on to dry land and sitting by the pool, soaking up some sun and sipping a nice cold beer.

“Make sure you get some good ones,” Maude pressed, looking over the top of her glasses. “I want some shots for the photo album to show Alice and the grandchildren.”

Another whoop erupted from the fellow passengers, and both Maude and Herb looked out to see the white wake on top of the water.

“See, Herb? You missed it!”

“God damn it, woman, will ya get off my case? I got the damn picture first time around. It’s not as if you are gonna see anything different.”

“Did you get a video of it?”

“No,” Herb sighed, “not yet.”

“Switch to the video camera and get one before we miss it.”

Herb let the camera hang loose around his neck as Maude handed him the Sony camcorder.

“Make sure you zoom in. Oh and-”

“Maude, please. Give it a rest. I know how to work the damn thing.”

“Well make sure you pay attention, it will be up again in a minute.”

Herb shook his head, knowing well enough that to argue was fruitless. He caught the gaze of one of the other passengers, a man who like him was complete with nagging wife. They shared a silent moment of kinship, a look which said ‘
buddy, I feel your pain
.’ Feeling the dagger like glare from Maude, Herb hit the record button on the camera and turned back to the ocean, awaiting the arrival of the next breaching whale. He didn’t have to wait long, and as they watched, the humpback once again soared majestically out of the water, turning in mid-air as it began to crash towards the ocean.

Herb recorded, sure the footage might be enough to give his hearing aid a rest from the constant abuse, when he saw the second breach. The crowd gasped as the creature emerged, directly below the humpback. It came out of the water, a flat, wide mass of barnacle encrusted grey flesh. The beast’s snout hit the humpback in mid-air, sending the animal spinning off course as it smashed into the water. The crowd gasped as the creature continued to rise from the water. Its body was lined with tentacles much like a squid, but these were the size of tree trunks. It turned in mid air and reached its array of tentacles towards the dazed humpback, which had just impacted the water. The tree-trunk tentacles enveloped the stricken whale, as the creature came down on top of it, sending a huge thirty foot wake racing away from its impact point. The wave reached the Ocean mist in seconds, sending the vessel into a sickening, lurching roll.

Now, the people who had been gasping and cheering were screaming and clinging on as the boat came perilously close to capsizing. Herb grabbed Maude’s hand, and hooked his free arm around the guardrail that ran around the edge of the boat. He was sure they would go over, and for a moment, all he could see was the crisp, blue Hawaiian sky as he clung on to both the rail and his wife. He heard people falling, sliding, and screaming. Just when it seemed they wouldn’t be unable to stay upright, the wave passed underneath them, and the boat righted itself, rocking and lurching as it slammed back into the ocean.

Gasping, Herb sat on the bench, his arm in agony from the effort of clinging to the railing. Maude sat beside him, staring out into the ocean at the white wake where the creature had slammed back into the water. Of the whale and its attacker, there was no sign.

“Herb, what was that?” Maude asked, unable to keep the tremor out of her voice. “Herb, answer me. What was it?”

“I don’t know,” he croaked, then looked at the camcorder, still gripped in his hand. “Whatever it is, we have it on video.”

CHAPTER 16

344 Chestnut Drive

Freeport,

Kodiak, Alaska

Rainwater stood out back on the decking, enjoying the quiet as he smoked a cigarette. He looked over the lush trees that sloped uphill behind the house, and closed his eyes as he tried to calm his nerves. The last few days had been a whirlwind of activity, and in less than an hour, they were scheduled to head out to sea. The only problem was now the day had arrived, Rainwater still wasn’t sure he could go through with it. He wondered as he listened to the seagulls in the distance and felt the bite of the wind at his face, if he had done the right thing. When it was just going to be him, he could accept the risk.  Now things had escalated, and the one-man trip that had been in his head initially, had become a four-person voyage. Mackay had been good on his word.

His hunter friend had been flown in, and to say he wasn’t what Rainwater expected was an understatement. He had been sure the man would have been a square jawed, tobacco chewing silent type, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Instead, Richie Morrison was a tall, gangly man, who was bald apart from a ring of black hair around the back of his head. Rainwater thought he looked more like an accountant or banker than an ex-army hunter. The only thing that gave any indication of his true nature was his eyes, which were dark brown to the point of appearing black, and seemed to stare through you rather than at you from behind thick glasses. Morrison was a man of few words who had a methodical approach to working. During the last two days, he had barely said a word to anyone. Mackay and Rainwater had given him a full account of what had happened on the boat, each telling it from their individual point of view. He didn’t speak or interrupt to clarify anything. He simply made notes in his journal, occasionally casting his thousand-yard stare on Rainwater when he spoke. When all was told, Morrison stood, tucked the journal under his arm and told them he would work out the best place to start looking. Earlier that morning, he had arrived at the house with a rolled ocean chart and told them to be ready to sail to the location he had marked.

Rainwater glanced at his watch.

It was time.

He finished his smoke and went back inside the house.

Valerie was waiting in the sitting room, wringing her hands as she watched him check his bag of clothes and supplies.

“It’s not too late to change your mind,” she said as he pulled on his orange rain slicker.

“Let’s not go over this again, please.”

“Look, I don’t want to fight with you. I think on some level that I understand why you’re doing this. There’s no shame in staying.”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled on his beanie hat, and picked up his rucksack, slinging it onto his shoulder.

“Just be careful, okay?”

Rainwater paused, and turned to her.

“I’m scared, I won’t deny it.”

“Then don’t go.”

“I’ll regret it if I don’t.”

“You might regret it if you do. You’re your own man, Henry. You aren’t your father, or your uncle. Don’t do this because you feel you have to.”

“This isn’t some ego trip, it’s something I have to do. I have to see it with my own eyes.”

“For what? What good can it do?”

“I don’t know, and that’s the truth. I just have to know once and for all.”

“Even if you die?”

He lowered his head, and then turned towards the door.

“I have to go. Mackay will be at the dock by now.”

“Call it off. There’s been enough death in this family already.”

“We both know I can’t do that.”

“What am I supposed to do whilst you’re gone?” she said, fighting to keep her composure.

“Stay strong. We’ll be fine.”

“You sound like your father.”

He adjusted his bag on his shoulder, and jogged down the porch steps.

“Look after yourself, Val. Remember what I said. Stay strong.”

As he made his way away from the sanctuary of the house, he felt his stomach roll at the first sight of the ocean and the boat that would carry them to whatever fate awaited them.

***

“Ah, here he is,” Mackay said as Rainwater approached the boat.  At the stern, Morrison was making the final adjustments to the harpoon gun that had been installed, the cannon like device bolted to the deck on a steel framed tripod. “Top of the range harpoon gun, acquired by our hunter friend.” Mackay said. “If this fuckin’ fish of yours is out there, we will drag the son of a bitch right into the bay.”

Rainwater knew he should have stopped Mackay, told him that both the harpoon and the boat were vastly unequipped for the task ahead.  Instead, he forced a smile and nodded.

“I want you to meet our engineer,” Mackay said, then shouted into the boat.

“Hey, Ox, get up here.”

The man who came out of the cabin better fit the picture of how Rainwater imagined Morrison to look before he met him. He was short and broad, with muscular arms. His skin was so dark it had a purple sheen. His head was completely bald, which was complimented by a thick beard. The man paused to wipe his oily hands on a rag, and then climbed onto the dock.

“Ox, this is Henry.” Mackay said.

Ox and Rainwater shook hands, and the short man flashed a wide white grin.

“Mac here tells me we are going fishing for something big.”

“Yeah, you could say that,” Rainwater replied, noting with dismay that nobody on board seemed to appreciate the magnitude of the task ahead.

“Well, wherever we need to go, this boat of yours is fit to get us there. She was in pretty bad shape if you don’t mind me saying so. I managed to fix her right up. She’s ready for anything.”

“Then I guess we are too.” Mackay said. “Hey, Morrison, you ready to go?” Mackay shouted.

Morrison looked at the three of them on the dock with his dead man’s stare and gave the briefest of nods, then returned to examining the harpoon gun.

“Man, that guy don’t say much does he?” Ox said quietly.

“It’s just his way. He’s actually a really funny guy when he ain’t working.” Mackay said.

Rainwater couldn’t imagine the word ‘funny’ could ever apply to someone so perpetually miserable and uptight as Morrison.

“We might be wise to get moving before this weather turns.” Ox said as he eyed the clouds that were rolling towards them.

Mackay nodded. “Aye, best if we make a move.” He said, and then followed Ox on board. Rainwater stayed where he was. His feet felt like lead weights, and he wasn’t sure he would be able to move. The engines spluttered to life, as Mackay shoved his head out of the wheelhouse window.

“Come on, Cast us off and let’s get the hell out of here.”

Rainwater unhooked the bow and stern lines, and with a tremendous force of will, hopped over onto the boat and stood by the rail. Mackay began to maneuver out of the harbour. As Rainwater watched the town of Freeport begin to shrink away from him, he wondered if he would ever see it again.