The boat groaned as it settled a little lower in the water. It was flooding the deck now, one third of the Slava was more a boat ramp than a ship.

“Time to leave,” Cate said, sharing a fragile smile. Jack noticed that in the remaining flashlight’s glow her face looked almost totally bleached of color.

“Olander.” Jack called the captain over. “You and your crew take one of the rafts. Stay low and quiet. Let the current float you away, and hopefully the chopper can pick us up.” He pointed. “Push out that way… we’ll go the other. No use being both together, in case…”

“I get it,” Olander said quietly.

“Valery, your remaining team, and the three of us will take the other one.” Jack gave Cate a crooked smile. “Added bonus – we go first.”

They all dragged the rafts to the side. Jack tossed Vincent’s facemask into the bottom then placed a flashlight in each, and also a few stick flares. He jammed one in his back pocket. Olander also gave them some clothing he’d rolled up tight.

“Just in case, we’re out here for a while.” He shrugged.

“Thanks,” Cate said. “And good luck to everyone.”

Mironov joined them. “Alexi will not come.”

“I’ll go get him.” Jack straightened.

“Forget it. For him it is about vypolnyat  – honor.” Mironov lifted his chin. “This is his ship, and he will stay with it.”

“Is he mad?” Jack asked.

“Probably.” Mironov’s mouth twisted into a half smile. “But maybe he thinks we are the mad ones – the Megalodon is in the water, and soon, so will we be.”

Jack quickly got everyone to push as much floating debris out into the water. He prayed it created a lot of sensory white noise, to buy them some time. He straightened, and sucked in a huge breath. He laughed a little then, feeling his own heart hammering. He realized he couldn’t ever remember being this scared in his life.

He was last in and he felt their eyes on him. “Let’s do it.” He heaved the raft out and stepped in, and they glided away from the sinking ship.

They all stayed low. In the moonlight, they saw Olander do the same, but in the opposite direction. Jack could see there was only about thirty feet of the Slava still above water. At the bow, there stood Alexi, hanging onto the cannon. Jack wondered what would happen when the boat sank – either the man would go under with it, or finally be forced to swim.

Jack lay down in the raft. Cate was cradled under his arm, and he had his ear pressed to the bottom. He had placed the facemask on his forehead, maybe expecting the worst. From below, he could hear the soft sounds of water passing underneath them, but thankfully, little else.