Sea Raptor: A Deep Sea Thriller

by John J. Rust

  “Where’s Captain Snider?” asked Rastun.

  Ehrenberg lowered his head. “He lost too much blood. He’s dead.”

  Rastun closed his eyes. Damn.

  When he opened his eyes, he noticed a remorseful expression on Malakov’s face.

  “The Coast Guard’ll be here soon,” Ehrenberg told them. “You and Karen just rest until they get here.”

  “That might be hard to do, Doc,” Rastun told him. “We’re taking on water. I don’t think this boat’s gonna be floating for much longer.”

  “Terrific. Both our Zodiacs were damaged in that shootout, and the life raft there is shredded.” Ehrenberg pointed at the casing along the superstructure. Inside was a torn up chunk of red and white plastic.

  “There’s another life raft on the other side,” said Malakov. “It might be okay. I’ll go check.”

  She headed over to the starboard side.

  Rastun sat against the torn up storage locker. Karen slid down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. He pressed his cheek against her hair and took a breath. Then another. Another. He felt like he was breathing quicker than normal. Rastun also felt a chill creep up his arms.

  They were the signs of going into shock.

  He thought back to his first aid courses in the Army. First thing to do was lie on his back and elevate his legs to get the blood to return to his heart.

  Rastun lifted his head off Karen’s and pushed himself away from the storage locker.

  “Jack?” Concern tinged Karen’s voice.

  “Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

  He lay on the deck, wrapping the blanket tighter around him. It would probably be another ten minutes before the helicopter arrived. He could hold out till then.

  He didn’t have much choice.

  “The other raft’s in good shape.” Malakov called out. “If this boat starts to sink we can—”

  A curtain of water erupted near Epic Venture’s starboard side.

  Malakov screamed as the Point Pleasant Monster slammed into her.

  FIFTY-THREE

  Karen screamed. Rastun threw off the blanket and got to his feet. The world spun before him. He stumbled until the dizzy spell passed.

  Gunfire cracked next to him. Geek and Sherlock fired their pistols at the monster. Rastun knew they couldn’t kill it, but maybe they could distract it.

  The monster’s jaws clamped down on Malakov’s head.

  “Lauren!” Ehrenberg shouted.

  The Point Pleasant Monster’s snout snapped up. That was followed by a wet, ripping sound.

  Malakov’s head was gone.

  Ehrenberg gasped, his wide eyes focused on the headless body of his fellow scientist and friend. A river of blood spread across the deck. A deep crunch came from the monster’s jaws.

  “C’mon! C’mon!” Geek herded everyone around the superstructure, out of sight of the monster.

  “So what now?” asked Sherlock. “That thing’s between us and the life raft.

  “C-Can’t we just go around it?” Montebello trembled as he spoke.

  Rastun shook his head. “It’s still too close to the raft. There’s no way we can get to it without that thing noticing.”

  He stared at the deck, trying to fight off the fog creeping around the edges of his mind. How else could they get off this boat? The Coast Guard MLB was only useful for holding a Viking funeral. They could use Piet’s boat, but it had to be about 50 feet away. If they swam for it, the monster could easily pick them off.

  Hell, it could pick us off even if we get to the boat.

  If they had any hope of getting out of this alive, they’d have to kill the damn monster.

  “Geek. Sherlock. Put some sabot rounds in that thing.”

  “Sorry, Cap’n.” Geek shook his head. “We both ran out during the firefight.”

  Rastun scowled. They still had the Aster 7s. Both of which were belowdecks, now filling with water. What if they couldn’t get to the dart guns before the monster finished devouring Malakov?

  “Sherlock. You still have that vial you took from Pilka?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Let me see it.”

  Sherlock gave him a puzzled look, but took the vial out of his pocket.

  Rastun snatched it from his hand.

  “What the hell?” Geek blurted.

  Rastun unscrewed the cap and tipped the vial toward him.

  “Jack! No!”

  “Cap’n! Stop!”

  Both Karen and Geek moved toward him.

  The pheromone extract spilled all over Rastun’s shirt.

  “Jack!” Karen gaped at him in shock.

  “What the fuck?” Geek threw out his large arms. “Are you nuts?”

  “It’s gonna follow me. I’ll lead it below and take it out with a toxin dart. Geek, when the monster’s clear of the deck, get everyone to the life raft and get outta here.”

  Rastun started to walk away.

  “Dammit, I’m not gonna let you do this!” Karen grabbed his arm.

  “Look at you, Cap’n,” said Geek. “You don’t stand a chance against that thing. You’re not—”

  “That’s an order, Sergeant!” Rastun pulled out of Karen’s grasp. “Get everyone off this boat!”

  He strode around the superstructure before anyone else could protest. The Point Pleasant Monster had its snout buried in the pile of flesh and blood that had been Dr. Malakov. Rastun grimaced. He didn’t like Malakov, but no way did he wish something like this to happen to her.

  “Hey, you ugly son-of-a-bitch!” Rastun pulled out an energy bar he bought in Virginia and hurled it at the monster. It bounced off its shoulder. The monster lifted its snout and stared at him.

  “Yeah. Come and get it.” Rastun dove through one of the shot out bridge windows. He landed on his right side, the side without the stab wound.

  Pain still slashed through his body.

  Rastun gritted his teeth and pushed himself to his feet.

  The monster rammed the superstructure. The hull cracked and buckled.

  Rastun took the ladder down to the crew quarters. The world went out of focus. Thick cotton clogged his head. He stumbled and fell. Blazing pain spread through his body. His vision cleared, and he found himself lying on his back.

  A crash echoed above him. The Point Pleasant Monster stomped across the bridge. He saw the crocodilian head above him.

  “This was not one of my better ideas.”

  Rastun forced himself to rise. He tried to ignore the chill covering his body and hurried past the cabins. The corridor was lit by subdued red lights. The emergency lighting. The flooding must have knocked out the main generator.

  He heard a loud hiss behind him. The Point Pleasant Monster crept down the steps on all fours.

  Rastun went down the ladder to the next deck. The water was now waist deep. He felt Epic Venture list about twenty degrees to starboard. How long did he have before it sank?

  He waded deeper into the corridor. Piet’s body floated nearby. So did Tamburro’s. Rastun drew a breath, a crushing pain squeezing his ribs, and went underwater.

  Visibility was shit. He couldn’t see the Aster 7. He couldn’t see anything.

  Rastun surfaced and drew a breath. He heard another hiss. The monster extended its neck toward him. He backed away. The jaws snapped, missing him by inches.

  Rastun pushed his way through the water, now above his waist. He grabbed Piet’s body and shoved it between him and the Point Pleasant Monster. Maybe it would consider having the dead mercenary for a meal. That would probably last a few seconds before its drive for the pheromones kicked back in.

  A few seconds could mean the difference between life and death.

  The monster slipped into the water. Rastun moved into the storeroom. He took out his waterproof mini LED flashlight, flicked it on and submerged. The beam only let him see a foot or two in front of him.

  Rastun stepped forward, in the direction where Pilka dropped the Aster 7. He slid one foo
t, then the other, in a half-circle, hoping to make contact with the weapon.

  He didn’t.

  A thump reverberated through the water. Rastun’s head broke the surface. He took a breath and saw the monster trying to push its way into the storeroom. The walls around the door were caving in.

  He went back under the water, searching for the Aster 7.

  C’mon. C’mon.

  Rastun swung his flashlight. He swept his feet around.

  Another bout of dizziness gripped him. He shook it off.

  Something groaned behind him. The walls were seconds away from collapsing.

  His foot clipped something, a tubular-shaped object. He bent down and shined his light on it.

  He’d found the Aster 7.

  Rastun grabbed it and resurfaced. He let go of the flashlight, wrapped his hand around the trigger grip and turned.

  The monster smashed into the storeroom. It lunged at Rastun.

  He dodged to the right. The beast’s head knifed through the water less than a foot from him. Rastun spun to face it.

  He suffered another dizzy spell.

  Rastun lost his footing and slipped. Water surrounded him. He planted his left palm on the floor and got his feet back under him. He clutched the Aster 7’s foregrip.

  The monster’s snout plunged back into the water. A mouthful of sharp teeth rushed toward him. He shoved the dart gun’s barrel into the monster’s mouth jaws. Something ripped into his forearm. Rastun ignored the pain and pulled the trigger.

  The dart punctured the roof of the Point Pleasant Monster’s mouth. The toxin rushed through its bloodstream. The creature stiffened, then went limp in seconds. Rastun pushed himself away as the monster sank to the deck. He let go of the Aster 7, surfaced and gulped down a lungful of air.

  The water came up to his chest. Rastun half-walked, half-swam out of the storeroom.

  Epic Venture listed forty degrees.

  Rastun crawled up the steps and onto the second deck. He used the doors and walls to support himself as he made his way down the corridor. Blood ran down his right arm. He must have cut it on the monster’s teeth. His skin felt ice cold. He knew it had little to do with being sopping wet.

  He was going into shock.

  His muscles grew heavy. It became a struggle to keep his eyes open. More than anything Rastun wanted to lie on the deck and fall asleep.

  And you’ll die!

  He kept going, every step an effort. His legs trembled. Rastun fell.

  Don’t quit! Rangers don’t quit!

  He crawled to the ladder. My God, he felt like someone stuffed him in a freezer naked. He could only keep his eyes open a crack. Why not just shut them? Why not rest?

  No! He’d been through this before in Ranger School. He’d been beyond tired, his muscles had screamed in agony with every movement. Yet he’d persevered, he’d survived.

  He could do it again.

  Groaning, Rastun pushed himself to his feet. He climbed the ladder onto the bridge.

  Epic Venture listed sixty degrees.

  Rastun stumbled toward the starboard side. He more fell than climbed out of one of the shattered windows. He rolled along the deck and struck the railing. Pain hammered his mid-section.

  He pushed himself to his knees, then dropped into the water. He kicked and stroked, trying to move away from the sinking research vessel.

  Kick and stroke. Kick and stroke.

  Rastun’s arms and legs wouldn’t move any more. His eyes shut. They cracked open for a split second, then closed again. He felt himself start to sink.

  Suddenly he rose. Was God calling him to Heaven?

  He managed to force his eyes open. He glimpsed Karen and Geek on either side of him, pulling him into the life raft.

  “Jack?” Karen called out, her voice sounding distant. “Jack!”

  Everything went black.

  FIFTY-FOUR

  The first thing Rastun saw when he opened his eyes was the color white. An antiseptic white. It then morphed into a ceiling.

  Hadn’t he just been in the ocean?

  He slowly moved his head left to right, wincing. His whole body felt sore.

  Rastun was lying in a bed, hooked up to some machines, one of which emitted a steady beep.

  He was in a hospital.

  It took a few seconds for him to locate the call button. He pressed it three times. A couple of minutes passed before a portly black woman entered the room.

  “Mister Rastun,” she smiled. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?”

  “Like hell.”

  “Well, that’s understandable. You’ve been through a lot.”

  “Tell me about it,” he said as the nurse checked the machines by his bed. Her nametag read LESLIE A.

  “Where am I?” he asked.

  “AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.”

  AtlantiCare. He remembered he’d been here before, after he had saved Ensign Gale when the Point Pleasant Monster attacked his MLB.

  “Your vitals are looking stronger,” Leslie said in a cheery voice.

  “How long have I been out?”

  “Two days. Not surprising, really. You needed a lot of time to recover. Luckily, the surgery went well. The damage from the stab wound wasn’t too bad. We also had to give you a blood transfusion and pump you with antibiotics. But the doctors expect you to make a full recovery.”

  “Well, that’s good news. What about the others?”

  “All fine. Your friend, Karen, had successful surgery on her broken arm.”

  After Leslie finished, a doctor came in. He, too, checked Rastun’s vitals and his chart, examined him and asked all sorts of questions. The doctor also told him he’d make a full recovery, though it might take a while.

  A couple of hours later, Rastun got his first visitors, his parents.

  “Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad.” He tried to sound casual. Not an easy thing to do lying in a hospital bed.

  His mother hugged and kissed him, tears spilling from her eyes. Dad also gave him a hug.

  “How are you feeling?” asked Mom.

  “About as well as I can be under the circumstances.”

  Mom wiped her eyes and grabbed his arm. Dad’s face stiffened, like he was trying to keep from crying.

  “You had us pretty worried, Jack,” he said. “Thank God you’re all right.”

  “Thanks.”

  His parents talked to him about the doctor’s prognosis, his recuperation, all the calls and messages they’d received from other family members and friends praying for his recovery. Mom then fell silent, staring at the floor.

  “Mom? You okay?”

  She lifted her and swallowed. “Jack, maybe this isn’t the time for it, but after what happened…The last time I was this scared for you was when you were in the Army. I mean, is being with the FUBI always going to be so dangerous? Maybe…”

  “Mom.” Rastun gently clutched her wrist. “I can’t promise that something this dangerous won’t ever happen again. But if I hadn’t been on this expedition, a lot more people would have died. I helped rescue a rare sea creature from an animal smuggler, I took out one of the most wanted mercenaries in the world. I made a real difference. I know you probably wish I still worked at the zoo, but what I did on this expedition, this is what I’m good at. This is what I was meant to do.”

  Mom’s shoulders slumped. More tears slid down her cheeks. This was definitely not the response she wanted. Still, she didn’t argue. Maybe she would later, or maybe she’d actually accept his decision.

  Only time would tell.

  “Come on.” Dad put a hand on Mom’s shoulder. “We should let him get some rest. Besides, there’s someone else who wants to see him.”

  Mom hugged and kissed Rastun again before following Dad to the door.

  “Karen,” Mom called out.

  Rastun sat up straighter in his bed when Karen walked in. Her right arm was in a sling and bruises still marred her face. She walked up to his bed. Someone e
lse was with her. A little girl with a round, pretty face and dark brown hair tied in a ponytail.

  “Hey.” Karen leaned down and gave him a long kiss on the lips. She then pressed her forehead against his. Rastun closed his eyes, relishing the feeling.

  “You doing okay?” he asked.

  “I am. I’m just so glad you’re all right. There were some times…” Karen barely held back a sob. “I love you.”

  She kissed him again.

  “I love you, too.”

  Karen smiled and turned to the girl. “Jack, I want you to meet my daughter, Emily. She flew up here with my aunt and uncle. Emily, this is Jack.”

  Rastun didn’t know what to expect. He didn’t have a lot of experience dealing with children. He thought she might be shy. Maybe she’d resent him, think of him as a stranger trying to take her mom away from her.

  Emily went up to his bedside and gave him a hug. “Thank you for saving my mom.”

  Rastun patted her on the back. “You’re welcome, kiddo. You’ve got yourself one heck of a mother.” He looked up at Karen. “Thanks for saving me, again.”

  “It’s getting to be a habit, isn’t it? I save your life, you save my life.”

  “Well, here’s hoping for a more quiet life from here on out.”

  “Not too quiet.” Karen grinned.

  Rastun grinned back. “So any news on the other Point Pleasant Monster, or Sea Raptor or whatever they’re calling it?”

  “It’s at the Baltimore Aquarium. The FUBI’s going to keep it there until they build a permanent facility for it.”

  “And Gunderson?”

  “He was trying to leave the country. The Feds got him just before his plane took off. The scientist you found at the mansion promised to testify against him. I don’t think Gunderson’s high-priced lawyers are going to keep him out of jail this time.”

  “Good. About time that son-of …” He glanced at Emily. “That guy gets what’s coming to him.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Karen nodded. “So what about you? I mean, after what happened to you on Epic Venture, are you sure you want to stay with the FUBI?”

  “Hey, I’m down, but I’m not out. As soon as I’m healed up, I’ll be back on the job protecting everyone from poachers and monsters. You’re not getting rid of me that easy.”