by Greig Beck
“More bioluminescence – not unexpected down here,” Cate breathed, rising from her chair, Mironov’s rudeness already forgotten.
Jack opened his mouth when he saw her approach, but then smiled, and turned back to enjoy the show himself.
“That could be an oar fish,” Mironov said.
“Or was once,” Greg responded, also getting up, quickly followed by Abby.
“They’re quite rare you know.” Mironov leant forward in his throne-like chair, leaning on his knees. “Maybe this variety has adapted for a dark-water lifestyle.”
“Very possible; it takes thousands of generations to evolve a new capability… or lose one. But the stranger thing is, we are not at any great depth just yet. In the ocean, varieties such as the flashlight fish, bristlemouth, anglerfish, and viperfish, all use bioluminescence for capturing prey, attracting mates, or signaling. But they operate well below this level. We’re still at mid-mesopelagic, and that reaches down to six hundred and fifty feet. Below that is the bathypelagic, where we’d expect the real deep-sea life.”
“How deep can they go?” Abby asked.
“I have seen them before,” Yegor rumbled. “But, yes, much deeper than this.”
Cate rested one hand on Jack’s shoulder, but snatched it away, and folded her arms. “They can get down to the abyssopelagic – the abyssal zone – that’s about thirteen thousand feet down. Down there, you might find little more than Isopods, tube worms, snail fish and a few other soft-bodied organisms. Most of them grow extremely large.”
“Deep sea gigantism,” Greg said. “For example, in the deeps, normally tiny Isopods are ten times normal size, and very aggressive. They’re usually scavengers, but when they’re big, they’ll attack and eat live prey.”
Cate nodded. “When food is scare, I guess you gotta be prepared to fight for it…” She straightened. “…and be big enough to win those fights. But then that’s it for most sea life. Below that we have the hadopelagic – the hadal zone – the deep-sea trenches. Down to twenty-eight thousand feet and counting. Who knows what’s really down there.”
Cate pulled at her collar, feeling a run of perspiration down the center of her back and under her arms. She leant forward again. “Jack, it’s getting real hot in here; what’s the outside temperature?”
Jack looked down at a small screen on his panel, quickly reading off some of the numbers. “Eighty-two degrees – yeah, damned warm.” He turned to her. “But there’re no coolers in here, only some internal heaters. Deep water is usually cold, so no one expected they’d need to stay cool.”
“Five hundred feet, leveling off.” Yegor leaned across to them. “Maybe we can increase the dehumidifier load. This will make it dryer in cabin and at least make it feel cooler.”
“Good idea.” Jack nodded. “But what about power usage; they’re damned hungry aren’t they?”
Yegor bobbed his large head. “Da, yes, but they can run for thirty hours before impacting on battery life. We should be back home in less than that.”
“Let’s do it,” Jack said, winking up at Cate. “Make us a little more comfortable, anyway.”
Dmitry spoke to his screen. “Nothing on sonar now – all quiet.” He half turned to Jack and Yegor. “I think we lose it, or them.”
“Good.” Jack exhaled and straightened in his chair. “All stop. Dmitry, give me a damage report.” He swiveled his chair to face back into the cabin. “Let me know if there’s any structural impact on hull integrity. I’d prefer not to find we had a hairline crack when we are travelling down into the high pressure layers.”
Jack looked up at Cate again. “Okay, we can stretch our legs, but keep the noise to a minimum. That rock-headed bastard’s fossils were found in fairly shallow water so it doesn’t usually hunt this deep – which is only a guess, as everything we know about Placoderms is from fossils. But...” he grimaced. “…we need to decide, as a group, about our next course of action. We could have been incapacitated, or worse, holed. Regardless of the toughness of the Prusalka, it was never built to sustain that type of attack.”
Jack gave Cate a tight smile. “Sorry; you wanted a responsible captain, and unfortunately, like it or not, that’s exactly what you got.”
Cate’s jaw jutted. She couldn’t believe what he was doing. “You know, what I wanted, and what I expected was a captain who would navigate the risks – expected and unexpected. I never wanted some sort of millpond boating enthusiast, but someone with fortitude. We’ll be fine.”
Jack held her eyes for a moment. “Wow.”
“Hold it together, Jack.” She gave him a tight smile, then turned on her heel and sat heavily.
“That’s what I intend to do.” Jack swiveled in his seat, facing back towards Cate, Greg, Abby, Dmitry and Valery Mironov. Yegor continued to monitor the sensors as the submersible hovered in the water, dark and silent, as glowing life forms moved around them. But the others watched him, sensing some sort of growing conflict. Only Valery Mironov looked amused.
“Listen up, people. We need a vote on whether we proceed or return to base. The attack we sustained was unexpected.” His eyes slid to Cate. “And I mean so far out of expectations that it creates exceptional risk. It immediately calls into question all our other expectations on risk management.” Jack raised his chin. “Dmitry, report?”
“There is no damage,” the Russian responded proudly. “Hard-head fish, not as hard as Prusalka’s hull; no fishy is going to break in. So, no problem.”
“There you are.” Cate turned back to her console.
Yegor grunted from beside Jack. “Yes, no problem… maybe, this time.”
Jack half turned. “You have something to add, Mr Gryzlov? Everyone gets a say here.”
The big Russian shrugged. “Prusalka is able to take crush-depth pressure.” He looked briefly at Dmitry. “But is designed to accept pressure in a contiguous form along the entire superstructure, not just in any one place.” He glared at Dmitry.
Dmitry’s eyes were steady, and his grinning persona had vanished.
Jack looked from Dmitry to Yegor. “Yep, that’s what I thought.”
“So, all over pressure good, point-pressure, bad, huh Yegor?” Greg raised his brows.
“That about sums it up,” Jack said, his expression earnest. “We’ve only been down here a few hours, and already come under attack. We survived through quick action and a lot of luck. But we are about to head into the absolute unknown.” He paused, looking along each of their faces. “What happens when we head into the deep canyons? We could be attacked by something a lot bigger and a lot more powerful. Is everyone ready for that?”
Cate swung back around. She knew Jack was right to lay out all the risks, but still, she couldn’t help feeling betrayed. It was like they were suddenly pulling in opposite directions all over again. If they got back to the entry point, and the engineers above ground said they’d need to haul them up for modifications, it’d be weeks or even months before they got back – if they ever got back. After all the cost, time and effort of even getting to this point – fuck that.
“I disagree. I think we’ve just had the worst of what this place can throw at us… and we survived with nothing more than a few bruises. You heard our engineer – no damage.”
“Wait a minute.” Greg’s eyes went from Cate, back to Jack. “What did you mean by something a lot bigger and a lot more powerful?”
“Don’t you dare, Jack.” Cate felt a tension headache coming on.
Jack clasped his fingers together and sat forward, ignoring her. “Depends on when this place was created and isolated from the outside world’s oceans. The things we’ve seen so far are old, damned old, and it makes me think they’ve been locked away in here a lot longer than we anticipated.” His eyes went to Cate as he spoke. “For all we know this biological pocket was created when the super continent, Pangaea, was around. That existed from about three hundred million years ago, and then pulled apart, just under two hundred million years ago.”
He looked down at his shoes momentarily. “And if that was the case, then it might have captured some of the world’s oldest and most powerful predators.”
“Like… what?” Abby’s lips had tightened into a little ring.
Greg reached across to pat her shoulder. “Well, during the cretaceous, about one hundred and fifty million years ago, we saw the rise of the giant marine reptiles.” He shrugged. “There were huge things, called mosasaurs that grew to fifty feet, easy. They were fast, powerful and very aggressive – think giant streamlined alligator. Let’s hope none of those monsters are in here.”
“Oh great.” Abby turned. “Cate, are we going to be okay?”
“I think it’s extremely unlikely anything like that could still exist in here… and I’m not sure campfire horror stories are what’s needed right now. We’re scientists, remember?” Cate’s jaw set. “Most of the ancient life forms we’ve seen to date are relatively small – even the Placoderm. I think a few people just need to stiffen their spine.”
“What about the ghost Dmitry saw on the sonar?” Greg pointed at the Russian engineer. “He thought it was huge.”
Dmitry grinned and hiked his shoulders.
“Siphonophore colonies – jellyfish,” Mironov said, then uncrossed his legs, and smiled at Jack.
Jack stared back for a moment, but then scoffed, and shook his head. Dmitry bobbed his head. “Oh yes, I have heard of this happening. Is possible.”
“What? What does that even mean?” Greg’s head turned from Dmitry to Jack. “That the ghost you saw was a jellyfish?”
“No.” Jack sighed. “But there is a phenomenon that was detected during World War Two, whereby false ocean bottoms, walls, and even large objects were detected by sonar. They were false readings that turned out to be masses of…” he held out a hand.
“Jellyfish.” Cate answered. “And we’ve seen some big bastards down here already, haven’t we Jack?” Checkmate.
“I don’t believe that’s what it was.” Mironov’s lips just quirked up a fraction. “Our object was under significant locomotion.”
Cate’s mouth hung open; what the hell is his game? Mironov pursed his lips and went back to looking at his several screens.
Cate exhaled, and turned to the group. “Look, I know as much as you guys, but there could be a hundred explanations for the sonar shadow. Might have been a jellyfish wall, or for all we know, there could be more modern creatures in here. My gut feel is this enclosed body of water has had periods of open and closure to the outside world. Maybe when the subsurface plates slide and rip apart, and then re-zip – things might have gotten in and out then.” She turned to Abby. “Abby; you’re our geologist, when was the last major crustal disturbance along this coast line?”
Abby looked to the roof, as if searching her memory. “That would be during the Miocene Epoch, around the Langhian Stage – fifteen million years ago, give or take. Significant geological changes right across the North American continent. That was a big one – it was even thought responsible for the Yellowstone hot spots.”
“There you go.” Cate slapped her thigh. “My guess is it might be some sort of primitive whale.” Her eyes slid to Jack, who simply stared in return. Yeah, I’m lying, so what? Her glare said to him.
“I agree with Professor Granger.” Mironov continued to stare at his screens, looking relaxed as always. “I doubt the ancient sea reptiles would still exist in here, and it is more likely to be a cetacean or some such species from that time. But does it really matter?”
Greg scoffed. “Like, yeah. The less giant things down here that might eat me the better.”
“Well, I’m hoping for a whale,” Abby said. “Whales I can deal with.”
“Ah yes, the gentle bovines of the sea… but not always.” Mironov smiled. “Just remember, even if this body of water was sealed only recently, geologically speaking of course, there was once a type of ancient whale that could have burst straight from the pages of Melville’s novel, and that once hunted the oceans about fifteen million years ago. In fact, it was called the Levyatan Melvillei, after the great author. It grew to sixty feet, had foot-long teeth, and unlike todays whales, it had a fully functioning jaw that allowed it to rip free car-sized chunks of flesh. It probably preyed on other whales, and anything else it could catch.”
“Like that really helped, Valery,” Cate sighed and sat back.
The billionaire smiled back at her, seeming to enjoy the agitation he was creating.
“Okay, okay, so a hundred and fifty million years ago, bad… and fifteen million years ago, probably just as bad. But what if this place was open and closed only a few million years ago – say just two or three million?” Greg winked at Abby, looking like he was beginning to enjoy the game as well.
“Weeelll.” Jack shook his head. “That’s no better. In fact, many would say, it gets a lot worse. You see, just over a million years ago, we had the worst of the worst.” Jack’s mouth twisted as he leaned back. “Didn’t we, Cate?”
Cate’s brow was furrowed in thought as she stared at the submersible’s floor.
Jack continued. “Then, we had the largest and most fearsome predator to have ever lived in our global oceans. It ruled for about twenty million years, and then, depending on which expert you talk to, mysteriously vanished between one and two million years ago.”
“Megalodon. Of course,” Greg said softly. “The tooth, the tooth we saw.” He rocked back in his chair. “Oh, fuck.”
“We don’t know that.” Cate lunged forward, but Abby leaned around her.
“You mean the tooth? The one from the image the drone took?”
Jack folded his arms. “You told them, right Cate? Told them that’s what we think is really down here… and why we’re here?”
Cate felt both annoyance and exasperation. “Sort of.” She turned slowly to Greg and Abby. “I specifically said there could be a super predator down here. But how could I know exactly what type? You’re the expert, Jack, and even you could only guess. In fact, we’re all guessing about what that tooth was.”
“I kinda get the feeling you two have an idea what it is we are looking for.” Greg pulled in a cheek. “Right, Cate? Might as well share, we’re not exactly gonna walk out now, are we?”
Cate’s lips compressed into a line, and Yegor turned his large head. “I think I also would like to know what we can meet down here.”
“A type of shark… a big one,” Jack said.
“A shark; that’s it?” Abby tilted her head, her eyes narrowed.
“Yes and no,” Mironov said. “If it’s what we think it might be, it will certainly be a shark, but no ordinary representative of the species.” He smiled benignly at Cate. “We believe it is Carcharodon Megalodon – the name itself means big tooth in ancient Greek. It averages sixty feet, and as wide around as a bus. Some scientists believe it could have gotten even bigger. What they all agree on, was this beast was territorial and once staking a claim, would have decimated entire marine communities. Today, its smaller cousin, the Great White, causes consternation when it comes too close one of our beaches. But imagine something four, five, six times its size.” He sighed. “It’s one of the ocean’s mysteries, as there’s no compelling reason, that I have ever seen, to account for it becoming extinct.”
Mironov steepled his fingers. “Actually, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to ask, Mr Monroe – the Megalodon – extinct or not? It was extremely tolerant of temperature changes, pressure changes, could hunt in light and dark water, and would have been certainly fast enough to catch even the swiftest prey, so, where is it?”
Every head swung to Jack. He seemed to think for a moment or two, and then his lips lifted to a small smile. “Extinct in here, or out there?”
“Extinct anywhere,” Greg shot back.
“Eventually all things are revealed; all mysteries become truths.” Jack’s mouth turned down momentarily. “But if there’s one place that holds its mysteries longest, that pla
ce is our oceans. They are as deep, dark and fathomless as the night sky. I’ve studied shark species all my life, and even been on expeditions before looking for signs of the Megalodon, the dinosaur shark. Never found any proof, conclusive proof, anyway.”
“But you found something, didn’t you, Mr Monroe?” Mironov smiled, confidently.
Mironov’s insightful probing made Cate wonder just how much the billionaire knew about all of them – everything, she bet. Otherwise he might never have come.
She saw Jack’s jaws working, and remembered it was something he did when making a decision. She bet he was weighing up what to tell them, and what to hold back.
“What we found was a lot more questions.” He looked up slowly. “In 1918, on the eastern coast of Australia, fishermen refused to go to sea when a monster shark turned up and started taking the lobster pots. These guys were used to big sharks, but this one frightened them so much that they refused to put to sea – and remember, in those days, no fishing meant no food and no income. Eyewitnesses claimed the shark was over fifty feet long, with a dorsal fin, taller than a grown man.”
“Je-zuz Christ.” Greg tilted himself back in his chair.
Jack’s mouth lifted into a lop-sided grin. “In March 1954, the Cutter called the Rachel Cohen supposedly ran aground in the middle of the Pacific. When they hauled it up into dry-dock, they found there was an enormous bite mark around the propeller beams that was way too large for any modern shark to make. The tooth marks were about five inches wide…” Jack held his hands apart. “…the largest Great White has teeth only measuring two and a half inches.”
He sighed. “More recently, in 1975, during a deep-sea dredging exploration, the HMS Challenger brought up two teeth from deep water – turned out they were Megalodon teeth – no surprise, as the shark was a global predator, and hunted in deep water. But what did shock the scientists was that these teeth seemed to only date to fifteen thousand years ago.” He shook his head, his eyes locked on Mironov’s. “Those teeth should not have been so, young.” He sat back. “The list goes on.”