by Jake Bible
“Then what’s with the voice?”
“Yes, well, good news and bad news,” Ballantine replied.
Darby noticed that the dead sentries had stopped pressing against the tree and one by one were wandering off.
“Good news is that you are about to be left alone,” Ballantine continued. “The sentries’ default setting has kicked in with Wire’s death. Apparently, default means to gather at the harbor. I guess that’s because there is only one way on and one way off this island by ship. If anyone is coming, or going, they are about to have company.”
“Bad news?” Darby asked, as she watched the dead sentries walk away to leave her up a tree and alone.
“Apparently Wire’s death triggered a self-destruct,” Ballantine said. “This island is about to be one more mushroom cloud.”
“How much time?”
“No clue. There isn’t a countdown, only a general warning. Nope. Wait. Hold please.”
The com went silent as Darby carefully made her way out of the tree and down to the ground. She hissed as she was forced to put weight on her leg, but she didn’t collapse. It was fractured for sure, but not shattered. Darby found a fallen branch she could use as a crutch and turned in a circle.
The dead sentries had moved in one direction, towards the harbor. Darby turned in the opposite direction, hoping it was where the compound was.
“Okay, so we have medium news,” Ballantine said. “Ninety minutes until detonation.”
“Ninety minutes?” Darby asked as she hobbled along. “That gives anyone escaping a pretty good head start.”
“Well, true, but that’s where the balance of the news comes in,” Ballantine said. “The island’s blast radius will destroy anything within a hundred miles of here. Run all we want, we’re going to feel some heat, Darby. Some very hot—”
“Yes, I get it,” Darby snapped. “We’re about to get nuked even if we can escape. So, how about you stop being cute and get to shutting the fucking self-destruct off?”
“Way ahead of you,” Ballantine said. “I am going to… Well, hello you two. Have you come to help save our collective asses?”
The com went dead.
“Ballantine?” Darby called. “Ballantine!”
***
The shark launched up into the air once more, no Toyshop in its jaws that time. Instead, it scooped up over twenty men and women into its wide-open maw. Screams filled the air. Cries for help were drowned out, literally, as the shark fell back into the ocean.
“Fuck me,” Kinsey mumbled as she stroked, stroked, stroked. “Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck me.”
Kinsey estimated that ten exhausting minutes went by before the shark attacked again. Instead of a sky launch, it came up even with the water’s surface, mouth open, and inhaled another twenty men and women. They were there, all trying desperately to swim as fast as they could, then they were gone. Swallowed alive as the shark dove once more.
“Two more attacks,” Gunnar said from somewhere off to Kinsey’s right.
Kinsey didn’t have the strength to turn her head to find him. She was afraid her head would go all the way under and that would be that for her.
“Oh, God!” someone screeched when the shark appeared once more.
Others echoed the lament. Then silence.
“We barely have anyone left,” Lucy said from Kinsey’s left. She sputtered and spat water as she spoke. “Kins? The next attack is going to take us. Just stop swimming.”
“Never,” Kinsey said. “Thornes don’t fucking quit.”
“Kinsey, she’s right,” Gunnar said. He sounded like he’d swallowed half the ocean to get those words out. He was coughing and gagging as he continued. “Stop swimming and let’s face this together.”
“I die when I die, not when I stop,” Kinsey replied.
“It’s back!” a man shouted. “What the fuck?”
That got Kinsey to stop. It was a natural reaction when she heard the man’s tone. It wasn’t panic in his voice, but confusion. And…hope?
Kinsey looked back and could barely believe what she was seeing. A beam of light was cutting up through the water and into the air. It shut off then pulsed again. Shut off then pulsed again.
“Plasma cannon!” Moshi yelled from somewhere in the group. “Carlos, shoot the bitch!”
There were cheers as a hunk of shark came flying up out of the water. The hunk was not connected to the shark in any way. It splashed down next to a couple of operators and they grabbed on, using it as a floatation device in order to catch their breath.
Another chunk and another chunk came up to the surface and others grabbed on. The water under Kinsey churned and she felt something large impact with her. Then she was lifted up out of the water as the Toyshop surfaced.
The top hatch opened and a bloody-faced Carlos appeared. The blood wasn’t the only issue with his face. His entire left side drooped and hung slack.
“Nerve damage,” Carlos slurred. “Stop staring.”
“Rafts,” Kinsey shouted at Carlos. “How many rafts do we have in this thing?”
“Rafts?” Carlos replied, looking confused. Or half of him looking confused. “Plenty. They won’t stand a chance against the shark.”
“It’s still alive? Even after you carved it up?” Kinsey asked.
“Oh, it’s still alive,” Carlos said. “It went deep again to lick its wounds.” He held up a hand. “I know sharks don’t have tongues, so don’t bother correcting me.”
“I don’t give a fuck about shark tongues,” Kinsey snapped. “Get below and find as many rafts as you can. We’re going to set them up as decoys as we get the hell out of here.”
“We can’t fit everyone in the Toyshop, Kinsey,” Carlos said.
“Look around, Carlos,” Kinsey said. “We can now. This is all that’s left.”
“Oh,” Carlos said. He nodded then disappeared down the hatch.
Kinsey looked out into the water.
“Everyone on me!” she yelled. “Get inside before it comes back! Moshi? MOSHI!”
“Yes?” Moshi replied.
Kinsey zeroed in on the voice and saw Moshi paddling towards the Toyshop. Everyone was paddling towards the Toyshop.
“Get your ass up and inside,” Kinsey said. “You know this thing better than Carlos. I have him on raft duty. You’re back in the pilot’s seat.”
“Yes, I am,” Moshi said and gave a weak whoop.
***
“There!” Darren yelled as he pointed out the bridge’s windows. “You see them?”
“Yes, Darren. I see them,” Lake growled. “Nothing else out here to fucking look at, is there?”
“You need a vacation, Marty,” Darren replied.
“I hate you and everyone on this ship,” Lake said as he steered the ship towards where the Toyshop bobbed up and down as people scrambled to get on it and in it.
A large spotlight lit up from the deck below and illuminated the whole scene. Lake hit the horn and the night was split open by a thundering honk.
Those that were so panicked that they hadn’t noticed the incoming ship, turned and began shouting and cheering.
Then the Toyshop was launched into the air as the nose of the massive shark collided with it. Lake and Darren gasped. There were more gasps heard over the com.
“That thing will rip this ship apart in seconds,” Lake said.
“I know,” Darren replied. “We have to get them out of the water.”
“Darren, it isn’t going to matter,” Lake said. “We get them onboard and that shark will kill them here instead of there.”
“Hello?” Moshi’s voice called over the com. “Hello? Ship people?”
“Moshi!” Darren yelled. “It’s us! We took the ship and came to get you guys!”
“Oh, thank you for that,” Moshi said. “But shark probably eat you too.”
“See?” Lake said.
“Moshi? Where is the shark? We lost sight of it,” Darren said. He scrambled to bring up the deep sc
anners. “Oh, shit. I see it. Moshi, are you guys alright? Is the Toyshop intact?”
“Toyshop is intact,” Moshi said. “Shark can’t bite through. But shark can break. Maybe two more bites and Toyshop is a floating cube of metal.”
“Gotcha,” Darren said. “I see you and we’re coming to get you.”
“Okay,” Moshi said. “We all die together.”
“Fuck that shit,” Thorne said as he stepped onto the bridge. He looked about, spotted what he needed, and limped to a station. “Moshi? This is Thorne. Is the Toyshop operational enough that you can get it to our starboard side?”
“I can,” Moshi replied.
“Good,” Thorne said. “Because I activated the weapons system on this ship.”
“That’s what you were doing?” Lake asked.
“Get the Toyshop to the starboard side so I can fire torpedoes at the shark,” Thorne said. “I know the torpedoes probably won’t kill it, but it’ll stall it long enough for us to get away. We might be able to beat it back to the island.”
“I like that plan,” Moshi said. “I am taking us around the ship now.”
“Did you get everyone out of the water?” Darren asked.
“No,” Moshi said. “We tried. No way to get back to surface and save them.”
“Understood,” Darren said.
“I’m getting a lock,” Thorne said. “Firing torpedoes!”
They waited then watched as the water about fifty meters out exploded. Bits of shark and a geyser of blood shot into the air.
“That should buy us some time,” Thorne said as he stood up. “I’m going down to help. This ship doesn’t have a cargo crane large enough to bring the Toyshop aboard. We’ll have to ladder everyone up.” He pointed at the weapons station. “Keep an eye on that fucking shark! Fire more if you have to. We have six torpedoes left.”
“Got it,” Darren said.
Chapter Twenty: Dying On Island Time
Darby heard voices, but didn’t care what they were saying. She rounded the corner and took aim with the suppressed Sig Sauer .45 she’d taken off a stray guard that had wandered into her path as she snuck back onto the compound. The guard wouldn’t miss it anymore. If he missed anything, it was his head and neck being at a non-lethal angle.
Three men stood next to the open command center door and Darby was about to squeeze the trigger when Sterling came walking out, hands up, unarmed.
“Hold there, Darby,” Sterling said. “Same side now.”
“I don’t think so,” Darby said.
“Darby!” Ballantine called from inside the command center. “Please do not kill Mr. Hill! He and Mr. Sellars are assisting me in trying to stop the island’s self-destruct.”
“Can I kill them later?” Darby called, her pistol still aimed at Sterling.
“I’ll let you work that out amongst yourselves,” Ballantine replied. “For now, stand down and let us keep working.”
“You got lucky,” Darby said as she slowly lowered the pistol.
“Well…” Sterling replied. Darby began to lift the pistol again. “Yes, Darby, we got lucky. Can we not do this anymore now, please?”
“For now,” Darby said.
Sterling nodded and walked back into the command center. Darby was right behind. She glared at the three guards.
“What are they for?” she asked.
“To avoid distractions,” Ballantine said. “We do have a sentries-gone-rogue problem as well as an active nuclear device ready to go off in an hour.”
“The sentries are all headed for the harbor,” Darby responded. “Isn’t that what you said?”
“You want to bet your life on that?” Sterling replied as he took a seat next to Ballantine. “Because Wire was insane. I don’t trust any protocol she put in place. I don’t even trust the timeline we’re looking at for this self-destruct. With that woman, she could have made it look like we have ninety minutes when what we have is five.”
Darby shrugged and found a seat to collapse in. She winced as she tried to stretch her fractured leg.
“Hurt?” Sterling asked.
“Go fuck yourself,” Darby replied.
“Oh, that reminds me. I have good news,” Ballantine said. “Our trusty Team Grendel and others have taken control of the Resurrection. They are currently attempting a rescue of everyone else. Isn’t that nice?”
“Attempting?” Darby said.
“Ah, you caught that,” Ballantine said. “Nothing gets past you. Yes, well, there is a tiny shark problem.”
“I doubt it’s tiny,” Darby said.
“No. Not so much,” Ballantine agreed. “Our trusty comrades are working on a plan as we speak. I believe, if the timing is right, they will be able to return to the island in time and get off the ship before the shark can attack again.”
“Get off the ship?” Darby said. “Where off the ship?”
“At the dock, of course,” Ballantine said.
“Great,” Darby said as she struggled up onto her feet. “The dock in the harbor, Ballantine? The harbor that is about to be overrun with rogue sentries?”
“Yes. Huh. That is concerning,” Ballantine said.
Darby pointed at Sterling. “You. Get everyone you have left together. We’re going to the harbor.”
“Why would I do that?” Sterling asked.
“Because if we don’t save my friends, then I have no reason to keep living,” Darby said. “If I have no reason to live, then you sure as fuck have no reason to live. Are we understood?”
“How fatalistic,” Ballantine said. “Go, Mr. Hill. I believe Nigel here is capable of continuing on with me. Saving our comrades will go a long way to us deciding whether or not to keep you alive when this is all over.”
“There are some other factors that will decide that, Ballantine,” Sterling said as he got up. “But we’ll talk about that later.”
He pressed his ear.
“All security personnel on me in the staging area,” Sterling called over the com. “I want full kits and every Humvee we have. We’re on a kill-and-clear mission at the harbor. Targets are the sentries.”
Sterling pressed his ear again and sneered at Darby.
“You gonna make it?” he asked as Darby limped away from her seat.
“I could have both legs broken and I’d still be better at my job than you,” Darby said. “Shut the fuck up and move out.”
***
Everyone was up and out of the Toyshop.
Almost everyone.
“What are they doing?” Thorne snarled as he finished hugging Kinsey. “Moshi! Carlos! Get up here! Now!”
“They aren’t coming, Daddy,” Kinsey said. “They’re staying down there and keeping the shark off us as long as they can.”
“What?” Thorne shouted. “It isn’t going to make any difference!”
“It will, Vincent,” Gunnar said as he slumped against the side of the railing. “All they have to do is give us enough time to get into the harbor and get docked. We evacuate the ship and run for it before the shark arrives. The mines will do the rest.”
“The mines?” Thorne asked.
“There are special mines in the harbor that won’t hurt this ship but will decimate the shark,” Kinsey said. “But we have to have time to dock or the mines will stay inactive. Docking brings them back online and they’ll see the shark as an enemy. Boom.”
“A very big boom,” Ingrid said as she was helped down to the deck by Lucy. “We don’t want to be anywhere near the harbor when that happens. It will not be pretty.”
Thorne looked back down at the Toyshop, but it was gone. A telltale swirl of water was all that was left.
“There’s no other way?” Thorne asked.
“No,” Kinsey said. “Moshi is the best person to pilot the Toyshop. That leaves Carlos to work weapons. They’ll fight the fucking shark until the Toyshop powers down. By then, we should be docked.”
“We had better be docked,” Ingrid said as she lay back on the deck an
d closed her eyes. “I think I’m done with boats after all this.”
“Same here,” Gunnar said.
“Really?” Kinsey said. “Chicken shits.”
***
The Humvees sped along the rutted road and Darby had to grit her teeth as the bouncing jostled her leg.
“Got some morphine for the pain,” Sterling said from the front passenger seat of the vehicle as he swiveled around to regard Darby. “Take the edge off.”
“Right,” Darby said. “Then you put a round between my eyes. I’ll wait until we’re done then I’ll get patched up. I know a damn fine doctor.”
“Suit yourself,” Sterling said. “Going to be hard to fight with that leg. And your shoulder isn’t looking so great. Any other wounds you’re putting off?”
“Plenty,” Darby said. “But they are my wounds to worry about, not yours.”
Sterling shrugged and looked back out at the road. The Humvee was moving at nearly sixty miles per hour, but no one in the vehicle was even slightly alarmed.
Darby studied the three guards crammed in the rear seat with her then studied the driver. They had the determined look of seasoned vets. When everything was said and done, it wasn’t going to be easy to keep the island. Darby knew her people were at a severe disadvantage.
“I can almost hear your thoughts,” Sterling said without looking back at her. “Don’t over think the situation, Darby. We could all make it out of here alive.”
“If Ballantine gets his job done,” Darby said.
“Yeah. There’s that,” Sterling said.
***
“There!” Carlos yelled from his seat at the weapons console. “Here it comes!”
“I see it,” Moshi replied, calm and cool. “Taking us down.”
“Down? Why would you go down?” Carlos cried. “It’ll swim over us and go for the ship!”
“Sharks attack from below,” Moshi said. “We attack from below. We’re better shark.”
“You’re nuts,” Carlos said as the Toyshop dove down, angling underneath the trajectory of the oncoming mega shark.
Moshi’s eyes were locked onto the screen in front of her. It was split between a view of the water directly ahead of the Toyshop and a view of the shark that was about to go swimming past them. Moshi pulled hard on the controls and brought the Toyshop climbing straight up.
