Cate felt both annoyance and exasperation. “Sort of.” She turned slowly to Greg and Abby. “I specifically said there could be a super predator down here. But how could I know exactly what type? You’re the expert, Jack, and even you could only guess. In fact, we’re all guessing about what that tooth was.”

“I kinda get the feeling you two have an idea what it is we are looking for.” Greg pulled in a cheek. “Right, Cate? Might as well share, we’re not exactly gonna walk out now, are we?”

Cate’s lips compressed into a line, and Yegor turned his large head. “I think I also would like to know what we can meet down here.”

“A type of shark… a big one,” Jack said.

“A shark; that’s it?” Abby tilted her head, her eyes narrowed.

“Yes and no,” Mironov said. “If it’s what we think it might be, it will certainly be a shark, but no ordinary representative of the species.” He smiled benignly at Cate. “We believe it is Carcharodon Megalodon – the name itself means big tooth in ancient Greek. It averages sixty feet, and as wide around as a bus. Some scientists believe it could have gotten even bigger. What they all agree on, was this beast was territorial and once staking a claim, would have decimated entire marine communities. Today, its smaller cousin, the Great White, causes consternation when it comes too close one of our beaches. But imagine something four, five, six times its size.” He sighed. “It’s one of the ocean’s mysteries, as there’s no compelling reason, that I have ever seen, to account for it becoming extinct.”

Mironov steepled his fingers. “Actually, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to ask, Mr Monroe – the Megalodon – extinct or not? It was extremely tolerant of temperature changes, pressure changes, could hunt in light and dark water, and would have been certainly fast enough to catch even the swiftest prey, so, where is it?”

Every head swung to Jack. He seemed to think for a moment or two, and then his lips lifted to a small smile. “Extinct in here, or out there?”

“Extinct anywhere,” Greg shot back.

“Eventually all things are revealed; all mysteries become truths.” Jack’s mouth turned down momentarily. “But if there’s one place that holds its mysteries longest, that place is our oceans. They are as deep, dark and fathomless as the night sky. I’ve studied shark species all my life, and even been on expeditions before looking for signs of the Megalodon, the dinosaur shark. Never found any proof, conclusive proof, anyway.”

“But you found something, didn’t you, Mr Monroe?” Mironov smiled, confidently.

Mironov’s insightful probing made Cate wonder just how much the billionaire knew about all of them – everything, she bet. Otherwise he might never have come.