Rudenkov spat a gob of spit into the bubbling swells. “I hope you die!”
Another crewman emerged from below decks, his eyes wild with fear. “Captain.”
Rudenkov turned. “What is it?”
“We’re sinking, sir! There’s massive flooding at the lowest deck. It’s already reached the engine room and we can’t stop it!”
ETHAN STOOD INSIDE the Wanderer’s bridge while keeping his high-power binoculars focused on the stricken Queequeg. “She’s gone full stop.”
“Good ol’ Chloe,” Captain Owens said. “When she puts her mind into it, there’s nothing she can’t do.”
Ethan stooped forward as the other boat began to list dramatically to starboard. “Holy cow, I think she’s sinking.”
Owens grabbed his own pair of binoculars and began peering out. “I think you’re right.”
“Whoa, their electrical systems have just gone out. I can see lifeboats being deployed.”
“We can swing around and pick them up if you want.”
“Not yet,” Ethan said. “Not till we hear from Chloe. And not till we’re sure those damned Russians are surrendering to us peaceably.”
Owens nodded silently while using the helm controls to slow the Wanderer down to five knots. He had seen the Russians throw over a dozen grenades into the water around their ship, and he hoped that Chloe was alright.
52
YAMAMOTO CONTINUED to struggle as he tried in vain to climb onto the topmost part of the creature’s back, but his lack of upper body strength and the moist, slippery flesh made it a near impossible task. After several minutes of trying, all he could muster was to stay a few steps just above the waterline while he continued his death grip on one the protruding spikes.
Turning back towards the floating submersible, he gave a hoarse cry. “Help me!”
Liger smirked as he poked his head above the Deep Dog’s hatch. “All my tasks are done, mate. This is your problem now.”
“If you don’t help me, this kaiju will wake up again very soon!”
“As I’ve told you, it isn’t my business anymore. I’m retired.”
Sandor’s voice boomed from the loudspeakers up above. “Will one of you idiots help him out already? A bonus of twenty grand to whoever does it.”
One of the Icelanders raised his hand and said something in his native language before grabbing some rope and tying one end of the line using a buntline hitch knot on the metal railing along the sides of the upper walkway. The immensely tall bearded man then rappelled down onto the creature’s back using thick gloves, landing just behind the middle row of spikes at the base of its head.
Yamamoto smiled as the other man leaned over and extended his hand out towards him. The young genetics researcher grabbed hold and he was quickly pulled up by a single muscular arm until he stood right behind the Icelander.
Keeping a wide stance just in between the gaps of the creature’s chitinous outer skin to maintain his balance, Yamamoto gestured up towards the large, dangling needle. “Bring it down. A few meters lower.”
The work crew stationed above him obliged, extending the intravenous hose a few more meters until the long needle shaft was lying on top of the still pulsating flesh. The smell was terrible, like a combination of ammonia and rotten fish.
Yamamoto adjusted his glasses before stooping forward. The creature’s transparent skin made it easy to see where its pulsing veins were, but finding the gap in between the thick, shark-like skin proved harder. I think I made this kaiju too armored for IV work, he thought. The next time I create one I’ll put less emphasis on its body protection.
Grabbing the side of the meter long syringe, he tried to place the device over his shoulder in an attempt to push it into the right spot, but once again his strength gave out, and he couldn’t thrust it in.
Turning to his left, Yamamoto used his chin to gesture at the man standing beside him. “Help me. I need to push the needle right down into this spot.”
The Icelander nodded while taking the giant syringe from him. “Ja, ja.”
Taking a step back, Yamamoto watched as the other man gripped the side of the large, needlelike spear and used his stocky hips and arms to push it in deep, past the creature’s outer dermal corset.
Even though the Icelander was as strong as they came, and Yamamoto could see that he was putting all of his strength into it, he barely managed to insert the device down half a meter into the creature’s body.
Yamamoto shook his head. “No, no. It must go in deeper, right where the pulsing vein is. Do you understand?”
The hulking Icelander hissed while muttering something unintelligible before pushing down with all his weight and strength. After a long minute of exertion, the tip of the needle was embedded nearly a meter into the organism. Just as he was about to push the button to inject the drugs, a sudden, metallic screech was heard by everyone.
Yamamoto looked up in confusion. “What was that?”
SANDOR HAD JUST ORDERED a cup of coffee to be sent up to him in the barge’s control room when a series of alarms began ringing. Shifting his head from side to side, he was completely befuddled. “What the hell is going on?”
One of the technicians gasped as he checked his console. “Two pontoons under the support struts are leaking.”
Sandor ran over and stood behind the technician. “What? Explain.”
“This rig has an automated ballast system, sir,” the technician said. “The computer keeps the whole platform level by automatically submerging or raising the pontoons with one another, but there’s a number of uncontrollable leaks with Pontoons One and Three.”
“How… how could that happen?”
“It can only happen if the pontoons got damaged by, say, a collision or something, but they’re submerged and there’s no other ship near us.”
The ringing alarm bells seemed to intensify. Sandor froze, unable to think of what to do.
“Pontoon Five is now reporting heavy damage too!” the technician exclaimed.
THE SUDDEN ECHOING of the alarms startled everyone on the maintenance gangways. Several men looked at each other in confusion and either shrugged their shoulders or shook their heads, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Yamamoto turned and looked towards Liger, who was still standing on the pilot’s chair of the Deep Dog, his head above the open hatch. Both men locked eyes, and Liger gave him a cold look before ducking down beneath the submersible’s hatch and sealing it shut.
More loud metallic groans seemed to come from everywhere, and several of the men began shouting and pointing towards the port support struts. When they all turned their eyes in the indicated direction, more shouts of alarm were heard, this time coming from their mouths.
It looked like the entire barge had begun to list, as the three port columns were sinking deeper below the waterline. The barge’s automated ballast system attempted to compensate, but the damaged pontoons were beyond help.
The Icelander who had been standing beside Yamamoto suddenly moved away, grabbed the nearby dangling rope and started pulling himself up.
Yamamoto tried to grab hold of the other man’s leg to keep him from climbing away, but the Icelander gave him a slight kick, which sent the smaller man sprawling backwards, his thick glasses tumbling away and out of sight. Yamamoto screamed as he began to slip off the creature’s back, but he was able to grab hold of a meter long spine before he fell into the water.