Panic tried to well, but Callum had been in even worse situations than this. He slowed his breathing, forcing himself to take in nice long, deep breaths. Despite the tense situation he closed his eyes, making his body relax. Seldom did events surrounding you kill you, it was your response to them that did you in.
Yes there were sharks and yes he could feel his core body temperature dropping, but he had to stay focused on the long term. People were coming back. Whether in a day or three days, there would be people here. Lots of people.
Now just to stay calm and survive until then.
His peaceful meditation was shattered as a shark rammed the wall behind him. Guess the shark wasn’t content with just waiting. It had learned that many times the other walls were weaker than the doorway.
So much for how tiny shark’s brains were. Not when it came to their prey.
Another bang and the metal siding warped. The nursery and leopard shark decided it was time to book it. Callum had to agree.
A third bang cracked the thin metal, splitting the wall down the middle. A black eye slid by, surveying its handy work. Callum jumped off the pipes and dove under the water, trying to make a beeline for the next shed. Only it wasn’t a shed, it was a bungalow.
Expecting a bite at any moment, Callum tried to concentrate solely on his swimming. Keeping his strokes strong and tight. Another bang, at least the shark was still focused on the shed. A last bang then a shriek of metal which sounded all warped and bubbly as the shed collapsed.
It wouldn’t be long until the shark came his way. Callum made for the bungalow door, but it was locked. Callum fumbled in his pocket trying to find his universal key. He glanced over his shoulder to find a Mako shark heading in his direction. Fast.
Finally he found the card and swiped it over the keypad. Throwing his shoulder into it, he opened the door and tumbled into the room. Righting himself, he shut the door and hit the “lock” command as the Mako rammed into it.
Shaking, and not sure if from hypothermia or fear, Callum stared at the door. Only the bull shark had the key inside of him, but would the Mako press matters?
Dog paddling, Callum waited for the answer as a mattress floated past him. His beautiful, luxurious resort reduced to this. Floating junk.
There were no overhead pipes or conduits in the room, so Callum climbed up on the mattress. It was nice to just drift for a moment. Someone’s toiletries bag floated past. Callum snagged it. He felt like it had been a century since he’d brushed his teeth.
It seemed so simple, almost silly thing to worry about, but keeping one’s mind focused meant taking care of one’s self. So as sharks circled his bungalow, Callum brushed his teeth. He felt like it was almost an “eff you” to the sharks. You can hunt me, but that doesn’t mean you can terrorize me.
Callum then settled into what was probably going to be the longest night of his life.
* * *
Dillon sat on his hotel bed and stared out into the early morning sky looking east. Cairn actually looked pretty in the dark. All twinkly and glistening. Just like Salechii did before the hurricane. What should have been the single best weekend of his life had turned out to be the worst. He’d lost Quax and his Dad.
Shalie and Tonaka kept trying to reassure him that Quax could be put back together, but could things really ever go back to the way they were? He’d already lost his mother and now just a teenager he was an orphan.
A soft knock came at the door. “Come in,” Dillon said. He had put the swing bar between the door and the jam so he didn’t have to get up every time someone came to check on him.
“Hey,” the sweet voice asked. Nami. “How are you doing?”
Dillon didn’t answer, he just stared out at the ocean. His swollen, blood shot eyes would tell her everything she needed to know.
“I just thought you should know that Shalie and Tonaka are getting ready to go out with the salvage crews.”
“They’re what?” Dillon asked twisting his body to face her. “They said they weren’t going out until tomorrow.”
Nami shook her head. “The coast guard just lifted the weather warning. They are taking the first boat out.”
“And they weren’t going to take me?” Dillon demanded, trying to keep his temper in check. It wasn’t Nami’s fault. She was just the messenger and such a pretty one at that.
Nami shrugged, “I think they were trying to spare you the heartache of going back.”
Dillon jumped up. “Heartache? Like sitting here is going to do me any good.”
Nami handed him his jacket. “That’s what I thought. Dad headed down and is saving us some seats.”
* * *
Shalie frowned as she recognized Dillon walking down the gangplank. “Nami shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“She didn’t,” Dillon said, sounding far harsher than she’d ever heard him before, but even his youthful exuberance had been tested this weekend. She didn’t blame him.
She stepped in front of him. “Are you really sure you are ready for this?”
“Heck, ya,” Dillon insisted.
Tonaka joined them. “We might very well find your father’s body…or part of it.”
Dillon straightened his shoulders, drawing himself taller. “I know. I am coming.”
Shalie turned to the next two passengers. “I suppose I can’t talk you two out of coming. It could be nasty out there.”
Nick shrugged. “We saw the sharks in full action, I’m sure we can handle the after math, besides, you try talking her out of it.”
She watched as Nami walked past, went over and grabbed Dillon’s hand. They sat together, their heads bent to one another. If only Callum was here to do the same.
Nick’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
Shalie shook her head. “Not at all, but I have to know for sure.”
Nick put his arm around her shoulder, not in a romantic way, but in a brotherly way. “Then let’s get this over with.”
* * *
Callum was jerked awake by the sound of bubbles. Lot of bubbles. At first he didn’t understand what they were. If anything they sounded joyful. Playful. Filled with hope. Then he realized that the “roof” of the bungalow which was now the left side of the bungalow was leaking air. Rapidly.
Then he realized why. The sharks had been busy beavers overnight. They had bit into the metal and pulled it back. His perfect hiding place, with food and toothpaste and everything was compromised.
He needed to get below ground, which was now on its side, but still it was far more secure than these out buildings which were never reinforced for sharks. They were only supposed to survive a class five cyclone. Not Makos and Greats.
The nearest entrance to the underwater facility was a good five hundred feet from this bungalow. Which didn’t sound like a lot until you factored in all the sharks. Then it might as well have been five hundred miles.
He pulled the pipe from his belt and paddled over to the door. He unlocked the door, took in several breaths, then opened the door.
To his surprise the way seemed clear, which didn’t mean it was clear at all. Many shark species were ambush killers. He waved his pipe around, attracting at least three sharks out of their hiding place.
Callum slammed the door shut as they rammed it. Okay, that wasn’t good.
He expected them to keep up the barrage, but it didn’t come. What was going on? Had Gabby made an appearance?
Taking in another breath, he dove under and opened the door. No sharks in sight. No great white, who was anything but an ambush predator.
Then he saw it. At first a large shadow, then a much larger bulk. Lebowski. He had never been happier to see a whale shark in his life. He waited until the big guy passed by, then grabbed hold of Lebowski’s pectoral fin, hitching a ride.
Unfortunately the whale shark was swimming in the opposite direction of the underground entrance. Who cared, he was in the company of the largest animal on the earth. Even Gabby had l
earned not to mess with the big guy.
Callum watched as they swam right past a bull shark, and a white tipped shark and a full grown tiger shark. No one messed with them.
That’s right.
Then Lebowski began to dive. This was not good. First off Callum was running out of air. Second his ear drums threatened to pop. He couldn’t go where the whale shark was going.
Great. Now he was out in open water without any cover, but he had to let go as his ears crackled their protest and his lungs screamed for air. Making his way up, he could see shimmers in the distance, but no sharks in his immediate vicinity.
He struck for the surface, breaking it to find a perfectly beautiful Pacific sunny day. Callum blew water out, shaking his head, trying to clear it. Maybe he shouldn’t have hitched a ride on the Lebowski train. He was worse off now, than he had been trapped in the bungalow.
Guess he shouldn’t have placed his trust in a whale shark. Although what was sticking up out of the water? Was that the antennae from the radio shack? Could he somehow call for help?
As quietly as possible, with as little splash as possible, which meant a one handed breaststroke, Callum made his way over to the antennae. He could actually stand on the struts and keep himself out of the water.
He surveyed his domain, or at least what used to be his domain. What used to be a multi-hundred million dollar facility was now just open water. A quite humbling experience. But at the least his family was safe. Now if only he could say the same about himself.
Puffing out carbon dioxide, Callum cleared his lungs, filling them with sweet ocean breezes before he dove under the water, climbing down the radio tower to the shack.
He found the door, but his key refused to turn the pad from red to green. Callum swiped it, banged it, tapped it, everything that should have worked wasn’t. Finally he had to give up and resurface.
Of course there was a dorsal fin cutting the water, right toward him. What the hell was he supposed to do? His pipe was not going to be any match for what looked like a female bull shark heading his way.
Still, he had to try. Callum got up as high as he could on the radio antennae awaiting his fate.
Then Callum caught sight of a roiling behind the shark. What the bloody hell was that?
It was piranhas. The bull shark leapt from the water, but as it crested, the piranhas ate away at its flesh. By the time the shark got to Callum, it was only a skeleton that fell back to the water.
Callum made sure even his toes were out of the water as the school of piranhas swam off in search of their next victim.
He laughed, chuckled, and coughed his relief. You should never be in a position that piranhas are your calvary. Tears streamed down his face. He didn’t care. Who could see him anyway?
There was no point in keeping up the Australian machismo here.
* * *
Shalie stood at the bow, searching the horizon with a pair of binoculars. She was searching for her missing QXs. Three had been swept out to sea. She had lost all telemetry on them, but that didn’t mean they didn’t survive the storm. More than likely their sensor array had been damaged was all. She expected them to be swimming back to the shark park, or at least the shark park’s last known location.
But there was nothing. Just water and more water. Of course the QXs might be swimming under the water, but radar wasn’t picking up anything but a bunch of sharks.
The sharks were roaming further and further from the park’s locale and exploring the waters around Salechii. That was good news for the robots. Less sharks to contend with at the epicenter of the park.
“Anything?” Dillon asked.
“Sorry, we’re too far out yet,” Shalie said, lowering her binoculars.
“Then what are you doing out here?” Dillon asked.
“Wishful thinking, I am afraid,” Shalie admitted. Then put her arm around Dillon’s’ shoulder. “You know I’m here for you.”
Dillon nodded his head, causing his mop of hair to bounce and dance, seeming out of place for the teen’s dour expression. “I know.”
Shalie knew that she could never replace his father or mother, but she was going to do her damnest to fill as much of the chasm as possible. “We will figure it out.”
Dillon didn’t answer except for another nod.
His pain reflected her own. She ached for Callum. It tore another hole in her heart to see Dillon was wounded.
“Get up here!” Nami screamed from the bridge.
* * *
Dillon leapt into action. He knew Nami. That was excitement in her voice. And if Nami was excited about something, he was excited about something. He raced up the steps, bounding two or three at a time. Shalie clanged behind him, nearly matching his speed.
He hit the door of the bridge at a full on run to find Nami smiling.
“What is it?” Dillon asked, joining her at her side. Shalie raced in as well, settling near Nick.
“Listen,” Nami said, turning up the underwater speakers.
There was a faint clang, then another and another. That was nothing natural.
“Where is it coming from?” Shalie asked.
“Where do you think?” Nami answered.
“Salechii…” Dillon breathed out.
Tonaka pointed to the map. “It must be one of the QXs sending out a Morris code distress call.”
“Or Dad,” Dillon suggested.
“Dillon,” Shalie said putting a hand on his arm. “You can’t get your hopes up.”
“Why not?” Dillon protested, jerking his hand out from her touch. “I said we shouldn’t leave. We never should have left.”
“Dillon,” Nami said, stepping forward, but he took a step back from even her.
“You’ve all given up on him. He’s trained military and a shark expert. If anyone could survive it is him.”
“Dillon, honey, I just don’t want you to get hurt all over again,” Shalie said.
“How about you have a little faith in the man you say you love?” Dillon shot back.
“Dillon!” Nami snapped.
He knew he’d crossed a line, but he didn’t care. “We’ve got to go faster.”
The captain shook his head. “We’re at top speed.”
Dillon pointed to the dial. “We’re not even into the yellow yet. We need to get into the red.”
“Son,” the captain said using that dang condescending tone that adults got when they talked to kids. “I know you are --”
“I don’t care if we burn out the engine,” Dillon retorted. “Gun it.”
He looked to Nick. The question plain in his eyes? Did the famous action hero have his back?
Nick nodded. “I will take responsibility for any damage. Get us there as fast as this boat can go.”
* * *
Nami squeezed her dad’s hand. Most times he was a duffous, but today he was a genuine rock star.
“Thanks,” Nami whispered.
“It’s coming out of your college fund,” he whispered back bringing a smile to her face for the first time since Salechii went downhill.
She watched Dillon cock his ear, listening to the distress signal. Could it be Callum? Nami knew the adults didn’t believe so, which made her dad’s offer all the more awesome. He had Dillon’s back even when he didn’t necessarily believe the same as Dillon.
Nami studied Shalie’s face. There was a hardness to her features that hadn’t been there before. Nami didn’t think so much that Shalie didn’t believe that the signal was coming from Callum, but more that she couldn’t believe. Like she knew that she couldn’t take her heart broken again.
Dillon though seemed revived. Like a breath of life had been blown into his golem form. Since his father’s death, Dillon’s movements had been slow and clumsy. His normally bright eyes had been dull and dark. She was glad to see the light back. But how bad would it be if that tapping wasn’t coming from his father, but instead the robots?
Could Dillon survive his heart broken twice?
&n
bsp; Nami slipped forward and slipped her finger against his palm. Whatever was out there, they would face hand in hand.
CHAPTER 2
Callum used his pipe against the radio antennae again, repeating his SOS over and over again. This all would have been so much simpler if the damned door had just opened. But his luck was certainly not good lately.
So what else should he have expected?
Well, his luck had held out a little, if you considered a school of piranhas lingering around as good luck. For now he would take it. They were keeping the sharks away, so he was pretty pro-piranha right now.
His hand cramping, Callum put the pipe back into his belt and surveyed the ocean to the west. Could his luck extend to possibly a fishing boat hearing his call and coming over to investigate?
Now that would be actual luck, not piranha luck.
A roiling in the water caught Callum’s attention. The piranhas were agitated. Which usually meant a shark was coming. He turned to find a fin, a huge fin coming at him. That wasn’t just any fin that was the bullie’s dorsal fin. His tapping must have drawn her to him.
This would be an interesting matchup. Piranha versus Bull shark. He wondered who would win.
Then the bullie surged forward, her mouth wide open, scooping up all the piranha at once, swallowing them in one gulp.
So much for that. It was like a TKO in a prize fight. A little anticlimactic.
Only in his case, the winner was coming straight for the radio antennae. Callum held on with his one good hand as the shark struck the metal, bending it over. Callum was dangling over the surface. She knocked him with her dorsal fin. The bullie swam out, circling back around for another pass.
He didn’t blame her, how could he? He’d brought her from Indonesia to this foreign sea, put her on display then subjected her to a category five cyclone. Callum guessed he deserved whatever came next.
Almost feeling light-headed, Callum watched as the dorsal fin came closer and closer and closer. She pushed with her powerful tail, raising herself out of the water, her teeth glistening in all their glory.
Even now, Callum could only be impressed with her beauty.
Apex Predator Thriller Series Collection (Including the blockbuster new shark park thriller, Salechii) Page 31
