“Finfolk,” Maris announced.
“We know. And she’s attacking Ta Cathair,” Iaira informed him. “She’s releasing the Leviathan.” His face went grim.
“We must stop it!” Maris exclaimed.
“And we will, right after we free another prisoner of that vile creature,” Iaira declared.
* * *
—
Tashi of Kustos did not want Sam London returning to Ta Cathair. After all, according to the finfolk, the city would be under siege by a legendary creature that could end all of humanity. Sam had no reason to accompany Tashi and the others into such a dangerous situation, but he refused all entreaties to convince him otherwise. To make matters even worse, Iaira insisted on bringing another human along—Murphy, who she claimed might have some helpful knowledge of the drilling technology that could stop the ship and foil the finfolk’s plan.
While they were readying to leave the penthouse, Iaira recruited Francis Gomez to help rescue Murphy. Gomez agreed, still believing he was taking part in a reality show. Thanks to the low-level security at the retirement home, Francis easily smuggled Murphy out of the building in a laundry bin.
On the way to Falling Waters State Park in a DMW-issued SUV, Vance caught the old fisherman up on the state of mythical creatures in the world, and Murphy agreed to assist in stopping Lief’s ship from releasing the Leviathan. He didn’t understand what that meant entirely, but he understood it was important to Iaira, and that was enough. Exposing Murphy to the truth was an unorthodox move, Tashi thought, but Vance believed it was necessary, given the time-sensitive situation, and Vance hoped Murphy proved useful in the hours ahead. Just prior to boarding the dvergen subway, Vantana made another split-second decision and contacted Bob Ferguson in the DMW’s Washington, DC, office.
“Initiate Protocol Two,” Vance ordered.
“Excuse me?” Bob replied, surprised by the request.
“You heard me, Bob. Protocol Two.”
“But—but Protocol Two is only for emergencies, Dr. Vantana,” Ferguson said nervously. “It can be authorized only if there is an imminent threat of exposure.”
“There is. You have to inform the world’s leaders to pull back all shipping, military, and surveillance activity in the Indian Ocean and the surrounding areas.”
“I can’t just ring up world leaders like I’m calling a friend. It would require approval by Dr. Knox.”
“Knox is unreachable, and this is an impending crisis with catastrophic potential,” Vance told him firmly. “You gotta do it, Bob. Unless you want to be responsible for the single largest breach in the history of the gryphon’s law.” A few seconds of silence elapsed before Bob came back over the badge.
“Do you know how many rules I’d be breaking if I did this?” he asked quietly. Vance smiled—he had him now.
“Don’t look at it as breaking the rules, Bobby. We’re just going to bend them a lot before they snap. Like an old carrot.”
With the DC office no doubt awhirl with activity, the group hopped aboard the subway and arrived at Sri Venkateswara National Park in India a short time later, heading to the coast, where Iaira called on the Makara.
After climbing onto the creature again, they were shuttled out into the open sea, where they quickly spotted Lief’s drilling ship, the Pearl, looming in the distance. The seven-hundred-foot-long vessel included a helipad, cranes, and a derrick that reached a hundred feet high. Although the group on the Makara was still a good distance from the ship, Tashi could determine that there were a little over thirty crew members aboard, helping to sail the ship and operate the rig.
“That ship is a floating drilling platform,” Murphy explained. “It’s capable of pushing down through several hundred feet of seabed to expose methane hydrate deposits. A well is created that pumps up the fire ice to the ship in the form of gas. But the thing is, that process can loosen the surrounding bedrock. In some cases it can trigger landslides, cause tsunamis—”
“And free Leviathans,” Tashi added. Murphy shrugged.
“I guess so.”
“So now we are dealing with two possible catastrophes,” Tashi concluded.
“Good times,” Vance added.
“I don’t believe they’ve succeeded in releasing the creature yet,” Tashi noted. “We would no doubt already see the consequences.”
“Agreed. That gives us some time to try to stop him,” Vance said. “Mr. Murphy, do you think you can turn off that drill if we get you onto that ship?”
“I can turn it off, sure, but I don’t think they’d let me,” Murphy replied.
“Leave that to me and Tashi,” the doctor assured him. “I have an idea.”
“I will remain with Sam London,” Tashi informed Vantana.
“It is best if he comes with us,” Iaira contended. “He can help get my people to safety. I promise, I will protect his life with my own.”
“If we do manage to stop this thing, the safest place for him might be in that city,” Vance added. The Guardian considered this information. If she could stop the threat on the ship, Vantana was right. And bringing Sam onto the ship with them would prove dangerous.
“I’m going with Iaira,” Sam said, interrupting the Guardian’s thoughts. Tashi eyed him and then nodded her approval.
“Be mindful of your surroundings,” she said.
“Always,” he chirped, but Tashi gave him a look that said otherwise.
The Makara snuck up to the drilling ship, and Tashi, Vance, and Murphy disembarked. The creature then dove into the water with the others still on its back. Vance led Tashi and Murphy to a ladder at the rear of the vessel.
“I’m new to all this. Do we have a plan of some sort?” Murphy asked.
“You bet,” Vance told him. “We have to get to Lief.”
“That is a mission, not a plan,” Tashi noted.
“We know Lief is under the influence of the finfolk’s dark magic, right?” Vance asked. Tashi nodded her agreement. “Well, the only way we can get the crew to help us stop this thing is to have Lief on our side. So we have to break the spell first.”
“How do you suppose we do that?” the Guardian asked.
“Easy as pie. You’re gonna shoot him with your shekchen,” Vance said. Of course, Tashi realized. Her shekchen had the ability to disrupt magic. It’s why Dr. Knox had been forced to transform into Phylassos in Hérault during Sam London’s first case.
“Excellent idea, Dr. Vantana,” Tashi complimented the ranger. “Now, where can I find Mr. Eklund.”
“He’ll likely be on the bridge,” Murphy said. “Follow me.”
Vance and Tashi headed up the ladder behind Murphy and slipped aboard undetected. The drill sounded like it was working overtime, emitting a loud, sustained squeal and making the deck plates vibrate like chattering teeth. The trio moved stealthily along the side of the ship, hiding behind equipment when needed, to avoid being spotted. As they climbed a set of metal stairs and headed down a gangway toward the bridge, a hatch door opened and Lief Eklund emerged. They froze in place and then quietly crept after him onto the bridge. There were three crew members working the ship’s controls, but they appeared oblivious to their new guests. Lief headed to the captain’s chair, and Vance nudged Tashi, indicating that she should let him have it.
“Excuse me, Mr. Eklund,” Tashi whispered—she really didn’t care for striking people behind their backs. As soon as he turned, she leveled her shekchen and shot a bolt at him. Lief convulsed as he took the charge, then fell toward the ground, and Vantana caught him. The Guardian quickly placed a hand on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, helping him return to consciousness.
“Who are you?” Lief asked, still dazed. Taking in his surroundings, his eyes went wide. “Murphy?”
“Hey, pal,” the fisherman said. “Your head clearer?” Lief grabbed his head ref
lexively.
“Where’s Pearl?” Eklund asked. The crew had turned from their stations and were shooting looks at each other and the visitors.
“Everyone just calm down. I’m with the U.S. government. We’re here to prevent a disaster,” Vance announced hastily as he flashed his badge. He then looked to Tashi. “Does he remember what happened?”
“Are you aware of the events that have transpired since the night you found the mermaid in Biscayne Bay?” the Guardian asked Lief.
“Yes…but it’s like a dream,” Lief replied. And then he suddenly blurted out, “Oh no! Hawkins…she’s not human. She wants to—we have to stop that drill!” Lief climbed to his feet and rushed to the navigation controls. He began frantically inputting commands into a touch screen.
“I think we’re too late,” Murphy said, gesturing to an overhead monitor. The screen showed an infrared night-vision image of the drill’s point of contact with the seabed. The earth had a massive fissure, and a creature swam out of the opening—it was the finfolk known as Hawkins. And she wasn’t alone. She was followed out of the crevice by something so large that the camera lens went black.
“The Leviathan is loose!” Tashi announced.
“And it looks like we’ve got more fish to fry,” Vance added as he gestured toward the crew members on the bridge. They were approaching…and transforming into finfolk!
Tashi aimed and fired off a short burst of blue energy at each of the creatures. They convulsed and dropped to the deck.
“How many crew are on this ship?” Vance asked.
“Thirty-five…well, thirty-two,” Lief replied, factoring in the unconscious bridge crew.
“The question is, how many are finfolk in disguise?” Tashi posited.
“All of them,” Murphy said, pointing out the bridge window at the crew now gathering together and heading toward the bridge. They were transforming en masse.
“How much charge do you have left on that?” Vance asked, motioning to the shekchen.
“None,” Tashi answered. Vance sighed.
“Great. We have to get ourselves off this ship, pronto,” Vance said. “I take it you have lifeboats on this thing?” he asked Lief.
“Yes, of course. Follow me.”
Lief led the way out of the bridge and onto the gangway, but when they turned toward the rear of the vessel, they saw finfolk heading right for them. They spun around to move the other way, but the creatures were approaching from that side as well. With two escape routes blocked, they went the only way they could—up. The four climbed the metal stairs to the helipad, but there was no helicopter waiting to help them get away. They quickly found themselves standing in the center of the pad surrounded on all sides by snarling finfolk.
“No way you can charge that shekchen?” Vance confirmed while unsheathing his knife and preparing for battle.
“I must have a connection to Gaia. Water will not work,” Tashi clarified. “But I can fight them without it.”
“Maybe you can, maybe I can, but they can’t,” Vance said, gesturing to Murphy and Lief.
“What is Gaia?” Murphy asked.
“It is the earth,” Tashi answered. “I must be linked to it directly to draw on its energy.”
“You already are,” Murphy replied. “The drill is connected to the ship, and it’s driving straight down into the earth.” Tashi and Vance exchanged a look of realization. Without saying another word, the Guardian touched the shekchen to the helipad and waited.
“It might take a moment,” she told them.
“We’re fresh out of moments,” Vance observed.
The finfolk converged. Vantana slashed at them with his knife, while Murphy and Lief stood back-to-back, fists raised. It was easy to see that this was not going to end well. Fortunately, the creatures were distracted by the blue energy of Gaia crawling up over the deck and across the helipad. They followed the trail, which led to Tashi’s shekchen, but by the time they realized what was happening, it was too late. The shekchen was charged and ready. The Guardian stood tall and leveled her weapon.
“Get down!” she ordered. Vance pushed both of the men to the deck and dropped onto his belly. Tashi spun like a top, firing off her shekchen like a Gatling gun. One by one, the finfolk were hit by devastating bolts of energy. The creatures collapsed, convulsed, and quickly lost consciousness. Within seconds, the entire crew had been taken care of, but there was no time to celebrate. The ship was rocked by a massive wave caused by an even more massive creature. The monstrous beast breached the surface, giving Tashi and the others their first full view of the legendary Leviathan.
The creature was a horrifying amalgam of dragon and whale—a hideous beast that sported flipperlike appendages where a dragon’s wings would be, and a mane of sharp, spiky fins that ran the length of its elongated body. It had two rows of serrated teeth, narrow slits for eyes, and a whale’s tail that was the size of Cletus. It roared as it shot out of the water, and the Guardian ran down the side of the ship toward the front.
“Tashi!” Vance yelled, but she wasn’t listening. She knew what needed to be done. She leapt over the railing, just as the Leviathan dove back into the water.
Once beneath the water’s surface, the Guardian’s gills formed quickly. She swam toward the creature and grabbed hold of one of its spiky fins as it turned. She climbed on and spotted the finfolk known as Hawkins riding the beast’s neck, likely guiding it with dark magic. The Leviathan shot through the tunnel that led to Ta Cathair, and Tashi knew there wasn’t much time left to stop Hawkins before the monster laid waste to the undersea kingdom. The Guardian crept stealthily along the creature’s body toward the finfolk. When they emerged outside the city, Tashi could see that a mass evacuation was still under way. Thousands of selkies and mer-people were swimming for the arena. The kingdom’s entire army was positioned just beyond the tunnel’s opening, awaiting the Leviathan’s appearance. They opened fire with their specialized weapons, which appeared to emit a strong, focused blast of energy that pushed the water at destructive speed. But their efforts had no effect. The beast just barreled right through them and headed straight for the city.
The finfolk guided the creature right down the city’s main thoroughfare, causing massive destruction. The Leviathan’s spiky fins ripped up the roadway, sending chunks soaring through the water, and its tail plowed through buildings, which crumbled and collapsed. Tashi was directly behind the finfolk and was ready to pounce, when she spotted the unthinkable: Sam London was riding Rosi the seahorse just ahead of the Leviathan! The Guardian was thunderstruck. She had no idea what the boy was up to, until she noticed a large group of Ta Cathair’s soldiers positioned on a mountainside in the distance. They were armed with larger versions of their wave weapons, all of which were aimed toward a cave at the end of a canyon. Tashi quickly concluded that Sam was attempting to lure the Leviathan inside the cave so that the soldiers could cause a cave-in that would trap the beast. But how would he escape in time to avoid the same fate? It was clear—she had to stop the creature herself to save Sam from what was sure to be a suicide mission. Tashi didn’t know what led him to take up this cause and regretted ever allowing the boy to leave her side.
With no time to waste, Tashi stabbed the Leviathan with her shekchen and released the remaining energy. A deafening groan echoed through the kingdom as the creature hit the seafloor and slid along the pearl-paved streets of Ta Cathair. The energy also poured into the finfolk, who convulsed from the charge, before lunging at the Guardian and knocking the shekchen away. Without Tashi’s hand gripping the weapon, the flow of energy immediately ceased. The finfolk was wily in the water, as the ocean was her natural environment. She gestured with her hands toward Tashi, attempting magic, but nothing happened. The finfolk tried again, but still nothing. The Guardian smirked—the energy of the shekchen had disrupted the finfolk’s ability to manipulate magic. Though th
is was likely a temporary phenomenon, it gave Tashi a chance at stopping the creature and saving the day.
Without the energy of the shekchen pulsing through its body, the Leviathan let out a screeching growl and continued its path of destruction. The creature nipped at Rosi’s tail as it followed Sam into the canyon—the same one that had been part of the Seahorse 5000 route. The sudden movement knocked both the Guardian and the finfolk off balance. They fell from the Leviathan’s back, but each was able to grab hold of a fin and hang on.
With one fluid move, the finfolk hurled herself up onto the Leviathan’s back, and Tashi joined her. The pair faced off before the finfolk made the first move. Its speed and dexterity in the water put the Guardian at a significant disadvantage. The creature charged and pinned Tashi to the Leviathan’s back. She gripped Tashi’s neck with her clawlike hand and attempted to impale the Guardian’s head on one of the Leviathan’s spiky fins. Tashi strained against the pressure, but was losing ground. Her face hit the tip of the spike, which drew blood, and then Tashi saw the finfolk’s eyes light up—she had her magic back. She smiled and raised her arm to cast a spell, but she never got the chance.
A fin—a mermaid fin—swatted at the finfolk, disorienting it. Iaira was suddenly beside them on a seahorse, and she whacked the creature a second and third time until the finfolk lost her hold on the Leviathan. She tumbled back, directly into the path of a thermal vent. The creature melted into nothing in seconds. But the Leviathan was unfazed by the loss of its master. The monster took a sharp corner, and its body slammed into the side of the canyon, causing a small avalanche. Tashi was thrown from the beast, and Iaira dove and caught her before the Guardian could meet the same fate as the finfolk. The Leviathan zoomed ahead in pursuit of Sam, leaving Tashi and Iaira far behind.
The Selkie of San Francisco Page 26
