Debris littered the water around the stricken ship that continued to edge into the sea. The occasional huff of air came from below, and huge bubbles now began to roil on the surface near the railings.

“We’re out of time – she’s going under.” Vincent helped Sonya and Mironov to their feet.

Olander was first to Jack when he made it back to the huddled group. He snatched at his jacket. “This is madness! You said yourself this thing will swamp us. We’re just committing suicide.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.” Jack disengaged his hand. “But there’s a lot of debris in the water now – this thing is like most Carcharodon sharks in that it tracks by vibration, sound and sight; if we’re quiet, and real lucky, it might not find us.”

“So your plan is we just row like hell and hope for the best?” Olander’s voice was becoming shrill.

“No, it isn’t. We just float… and pray. We stay down low, and quiet, and maybe it’ll think we’re just another piece of floating trash.”

“So, if we’re quiet, it won’t hear us?” Olander’s brows rose as his eyes shifted away.

“Hey.” Vincent spotted Milo amongst Olander’s crew. “Is the chopper back?”

Not one met his eyes. Jack’s lips pressed tight and he turned away. Vincent’s head came up, and his eyes went wide. “Where the fuck is Regina?”

His head snapped to Milo. Vincent’s teeth now bared, his large hands came up, the blunt fingers curling into hammer-like fists.

The young man held up his hands. “Hey, don’t look at me. Xena wanted to do it, so…” he backed away his hands waving in front of him. He looked like he was ready to bolt.

Vincent turned to Jack, furious, grabbing his shirt and tugging him closer. “You let her go? You fucking let her go, by herself?”

Jack grabbed his wrist, but Cate got between them.

“No, Vince, she did it herself. If we’d known what she planned, we would have stopped her,” she said.

Vincent made a small sound in his throat and his shoulders slumped. Jack put a hand on his shoulder. “She gave us a chance.”

“Stupid woman,” Vincent whispered.

“Stupidly brave.” Jack shook him. “But we need to get everyone off now. This is all going bad here, buddy.”

“I don’t care.” Vincent wouldn’t look up at them.

“Yes you do,” Cate said into his face. “You’re Coast Guard, help save these people. Do your job, mister.”

Vincent groaned.

“If Regina was here, she’d do the same,” Cate said, softer now.

After another moment, he nodded.

“Okay?” Jack asked Cate.

“No, but I’m ready,” she said, giving Vincent’s shoulder a last rub.

Jack then looked to Mironov and Sonya who also nodded.