They were still around five hundred miles out from Seattle, but the powerful currents formed a huge tornado shape circulating the ocean from the bottom of the Bering Sea, to all the way down along the Californian coastline.

They were making good time, and though Vincent looked pained, he agreed with Drago that now was the time to hang the whale carcass out. It would take a few hours to fully thaw in the warmer waters, but the scent trail laid down in the Pacific current would be ten miles wide, and a huge fast-moving funnel out in front and below them – exactly what they needed to bring the huge predator to the surface.

“How long?” Cate asked, her arms wrapped around herself.

Vincent looked from the controls, to his wristwatch. “We’ll be at the start of our run in about eight hours.”

Cate exhaled through compressed lips. “Don’t know whether I want it to be sooner or later.”

“Sooner it’s over the better,” Jack said. He checked the signal tracker. “The Megalodon is deep, and still heading our way. But it’s coming up out of the trench.” He frowned. “That’s strange. It’s too soon for it to have picked up the scent trail.”

Cate turned to him, and then Vincent. “Vince, I thought most of the attacks occurred at night, or at least at dusk or dawn.”

Vincent nodded. “That’s right. Our predator doesn’t seem to like strong light. We’ll arrive right smack bang at the center of the Californian coast just in time for it to surface and hunt… hopefully.”

“Then why is it coming up out of the abyss now?” Regina asked.

Jack shrugged, frowning down at the tracker. “No idea; maybe something’s got its attention.” He looked up. “But Vince is right; far too soon for it to be us.”

*   *   *

Tweety sped overhead, reaching the Slava quickly and circling them several times. Milo took multiple aerial shots, and sent them straight back to the Gaia Warrior via sat-link to their onboard server.

He nudged Jupiter, eliciting a curse. “Hey man, you’re not going to believe this. But those fuckers are dragging a full grown minke behind them.”

Jupiter snorted. “I’d believe it. Those Russian cocksuckers are invading Europe, and running down people in tanks all over. So what’s a little extra whale torture?” He gritted his teeth. “I feel like fucking crashing us into those commie bastards.”

“Commie bastards?” Milo guffawed. “You sound like my old Uncle Frank. Anyway, easy bro, we’re in a Hughes 500, not a Jap Zero. All we’d do is crumple on their deck, and leave a skid mark.”

Jupiter grinned. “Hey, I want that on my headstone – he was nothing but a skid mark on a Russian asshole.”

Milo snorted and put down his camera. “Let’s head back to the Gaia. These guys just declared war on decency, and worst luck for them, us.”

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 37