"It's not like I have a choice. You said so yourself, it's my destiny to deal with this animal."

"Dinnae listen tae whit I said, listen tae whit I'm sayin' now! Fuck this destiny crap."

"Destiny aside, I can't live anymore with these night terrors."

"An' ye think by doin' this crazy stunt, the dreams'll go away?"

"I don't know. Maybe. All I know is I keep waking up every night, screaming like a lunatic."

"Better than the monster chewin' on yer bones."

"The underwater lights will keep it away, at least long enough for me to reopen the passageway and release it."

"Ye're still crazy."

"Not yet, pal, but I'm getting there. Think about it. If I do nothing and these night terrors continue to worsen, how long do you think it'll be before I really end up in a padded cell? Think that'll help my relationship with your sister? No, I've thought long and hard about this, and it's better I face the devil now, than deal with it in a mental ward."

True mulled it over. "I see yer point. Guess ye cannae keep livin' like this."

"Anymore than you and the rest of the Black Knights can spend all your nights patrolling the Loch."

"Black Knights? Whit're ye talkin' aboot?"

I slapped him on his rock-hard shoulder. "Come on, big guy, did you really think I wouldn't recognize that physique of yours bulging beneath that black tunic? Or that bilge water you call cologne? You're the one who killed that Anguilla eel and saved my life, and I'm grateful. You did what you had to do, now let me do the same."

He shook his shaggy head. "Shouldae let that eel eat its way up tae yer bollocks, that's whit I shouldae done. Come on then, help me wheel this gear tae yer boat."

True unlocked the back of the rental truck and pulled up the aluminum slide door. Secured inside were a half dozen wooden crates and what looked like an oversized bright orange space suit, supported on a heavy steel frame.

"There she is, the Newt Suit. Best damn atmospheric divin' suit we got."

"How'd you manage to borrow it?"

"Told the boss I wanted tae service it afore I dive the rig next week. These things need lots o' attention, the better they build them, the mair complicated they get. Still, it beats a' hell oot o' the auld JIM suits."

I pointed to the crates. "And the detector and demolitions?"

True winked. "Them I stole."

* * *

With the Newt Suit's rig on wheels, it took us less than twenty minutes to secure everything onboard the Cialino's yacht.