But instead of hitting metal, they found flesh. Small geysers of blood spurted above the water. Magnolia squinted, not at a submarine, but at a whale the size of one.
Memories of the beasts that had sunk Star Grazer surfaced in her mind as she pulled the trigger, firing a burst at the monstrous beast.
X turned the boat, and she worked the chair lever to track the creature.
Casings pinged off the deck as she fired again.
It suddenly vanished under the water. But the trajectory was clear as the sky to Magnolia—the beast was making a run for the capitol tower.
Clicking noises commanded her attention, and she looked right, at a pod of spinner dolphins that had emerged. They must have realized it a moment later, because they all went under and retreated in the opposite direction.
A burst of water shot into the sky a few minutes later, and X gunned the war boat toward the surfaced whale. Lumpy, pink flesh broke the surface as it took in a breath. It was already halfway to the pier outside the capitol tower, where dozens of people were working.
She sighted in again and prepared to pull the trigger, when multiple snakelike limbs writhed out of the water and slapped the mutant leviathan’s warty back.
A high-pitched roaring sounded above the rumbling engines as the giant octopus wrapped its tentacular arms around the whale.
It rolled, throwing up a wall of water and bringing the body of the gargantuan purple octopus above water for a split second.
X laid off the throttle, and the boat coasted.
Mac and Felipe moved up next to Magnolia, both of them throwing their hands in the air and cheering on the octopus they worshipped.
She had seen one before, but this was a sight for the ages.
The beasts fought for minutes, creating a growing red tinge in the water.
Dozens of boats surrounded the battle, and on every deck, sailors and soldiers watched in awe. Many of the Cazadores held their spears and swords in the air, chanting for the octopus.
In a final effort to shake its attacker, the whale rolled again, revealing bloody wounds across its back and belly.
Waves rolled outward, and red bubbles formed as the monsters returned to the depths.
The onlookers fell into silent anticipation, waiting for the whale to reemerge. But the only thing that surfaced was more blood.
After a few moments, Mac raised his cutlass in the air.
“Sharpen your spears, brothers and sisters!” he yelled. “The Octopus Lords are with us!”
TWENTY-SEVEN
Late in the morning before he was to leave for Africa, Les had taken his wife and daughter to an open balcony on the back side of the capitol tower. The long platform stretching over the ocean was usually packed with people fishing, but not today. Everyone on the rigs was preparing for war.
“Do you think I might catch one of those huge whales?” Phyl asked.
Les laughed. “Let’s hope not, sweetie—then we’d have to clean it!”
He had been working on Discovery on the rooftop of the Shark’s Cage, overseeing the final repairs, when the whale attacked. They were ahead of schedule on the airship, and he had decided to take the rest of the morning off and surprise Phyl by taking her here to fish.
Katherine sat on a bench behind them, out of the sun, knitting a new pair of socks for Phyl. She had seemed surprised when he showed up at midmorning.
Every few minutes, she looked up from her work, smiling. But there was a sadness in her gaze.
Les could feel it, too. He was happy to be here with his family, yet his mind was a mess with worry, and he was having a hard time concentrating.
Deep down, he felt as if this could be one of the last moments he would ever share with them.
Make the best of it, then.
He helped Phyl bait her hook with a shrimp and cast the line out into the water with the big fishing rod.
“Keep letting out the line,” Les said. “We have to go pretty deep to catch a fish here, I think.”
Phyl hung her tongue out the side of her mouth as she let the line out. Every few seconds, she looked for his approval.
“Keep going, sweetheart,” Les said. He wanted her to do it on her own, but the Cazador rods were long for a child, and the reels tricky to operate.
Once the baited hook was deep enough, he helped her fit the pole into a holder on the railing.
“Now what?” she asked.
“We wait.”
They stared down at the clear water. Several boats cruised away from the capitol tower.
Les glanced subtly at his wrist computer. He couldn’t stay much longer, and he really wanted to help her catch a fish before he had to return to Discovery.
And he still hadn’t told her he was going to Africa.
For the next few minutes, he willed his brain and his heart to be in the moment and enjoy just being a father and husband. Fishing in the sunshine was something he had never in his wildest dreams imagined doing with his family.
“Captain,” said a voice.
Layla stepped out onto the balcony with Eevi, who wore her white officer’s uniform with a new lieutenant insignia pinned to the collar. Bags hung under her eyes, and Les realized she had worked through the night.
“Hey!” Phyl said. “Look! We’re fishing!”
“That looks fun,” Layla said.
“Did you catch anything?” Eevi asked.
“Not yet,” Phyl said. “But I’m going for a whale, so probably going to take some time.”
“What’s going on?” Katherine asked. She had gotten to her feet and set her knitting down.
“We need to speak to Captain Mitchells,” Layla said.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Eevi said.
Les looked to his wife. She nodded and went over to the pole with Phyl while Les went to the other side of the balcony with the officers.
“Sir, we’ve got Cricket’s data all downloaded,” Layla said. “We’re still going through it, but we’ve got quite a bit of intel already.”
“And?” Les asked.
“We have identified the outpost and their vessels, including two subs and Raven’s Claw.” Layla raised a brow. “Assuming it hasn’t left.”
“What about the machines?”
She shook her head. “None that we saw. Cricket didn’t detect any exhaust plumes, either.”
“So either Horn is lying, or they’re hunkered down.”
“Precisely.”
Katherine and Phyl chuckled as Phyl pointed at something in the water.
“Sir, there’s something else,” Eevi said.
Les brought his attention back to his lieutenant.
“Since the repairs are ahead of schedule, King Xavier has moved up the launch of Discovery. I just came from the airship, and the bridge is almost operational, thanks to Timothy.”
“The airship and the warships are all slated to leave tonight,” Layla said.
Les felt deflated. He no longer had a day with his family; he had just hours.
“I want you to know I’ll look after Phyl and Katherine while you’re gone,” Layla said.
“I know, and I appreciate that very much.”
“I wish I could come with…”
“New life is priceless, and it must be protected.”
“It’s been an honor serving with you, Captain.”
Les smiled. In some ways, she had been like a daughter to him. He hated not having her on the most important mission of their lives.
Layla reached out and embraced him.
“Please be careful, and bring back my husband,” she said. “I know you will, Captain.”
“Giraffe, please,” he said, grinning. “I’m sick of being called ‘Captain.’ I just want to be a civilian again.”