The Ocean Dark

75

In the launch that carried her from the Coast Guard ship Kodiak to the USS Hillstrom, Angie Tyree stayed in the enclosed cabin behind the wheelhouse. The launch wasn’t much bigger than the lifeboat that had saved her, but it sat higher on the water and must have had a deeper draft. Agent Plausky, who had been as kind to her as she supposed she could expect, watched her from the door that led to the aft deck, but Angie did not want to budge from the bench where she sat.

Still, she had a question. She had caught a glimpse of the Antoinette in the distance just before Plausky had taken her below to get her on board the launch.

“All of these ships are moving away from the island,” she said. “What about the people you’ve sent ashore?”

Plausky glanced back toward the Kodiak, as though he could see right through it to the Antoinette and the island on the other side.

“The helicopters will bring them back. A half mile or so isn’t going to cause any problems.”

“So why pull back?” Angie asked.

“We’re not getting distance from the island,” the FBI agent explained. “We’re retreating from the Antoinette.”

A shiver ran through Angie. “Why? Didn’t you send people over there to kill the ones on board?”

Plausky nodded. “Yeah. And I guess they did the job. But as long as the Antoinette’s there, it’s going to be a safe haven for them. And if we left it there, it might draw undue attention. Someone might see it and want to explore the ship, and then the island. Probably a lot of salvage on board, not to mention inside the containers themselves. Better for everyone if it just goes away, like the wrecks Dr. Boudreau has the Navy and Coast Guard out there burning.”

“You’re going to burn it?” Angie asked.

“No. They’re going to blow it up.”

She stared at him, surprised to find herself sad at the idea of the Antoinette’s destruction. Not that the ship had ever been home, but it was a place for her to belong, and she doubted she would ever find such a place again.

The boat rocked under her and she hugged herself tightly. The conversation with Plausky helped keep her distracted, which was good. Sunlight or no, she couldn’t help but think what might be swimming right beneath the launch. Everyone seemed to think the sirens didn’t come this far from the island, but she didn’t want to bet her life on it.

Through a side window she could just make out the Navy ship ahead and she let out a calming breath. Just three steps now. Get onto the Hillstrom, then onto the chopper, and fly back to St. Croix. Whatever they wanted after that, wherever they let her go, at least she would be away from here.

As if summoned by her anticipation, a low buzz that had been nagging at the edges of her hearing grew into a sudden roar, and she angled her head to peer into the sky above the launch. After today, she would always welcome the sound of a helicopter, but what she glimpsed as she looked up made her draw back in confusion.

“What the hell is that?” she asked. “Is it … wait …”

The helicopter passed above, headed for the deck of the enormous Navy ship. A long metal box hung on chains below the chopper, paint chipped and slightly rusted — one of the containers from the Antoinette.

“Agent Plausky,” she said, hearing the tremor in her voice, “why is the Navy taking a container off my ship?”

The FBI agent came into the cabin and over to the bench where she now kneeled. He bent over to look out, watching with her as the chopper took up a position above the Hillstrom and began to maneuver the container into place.

“One of the operation’s goals is to have a creature for study. It seems a little extreme, but I guess they figured to keep it out of the sun and make sure it had no chance to escape, transporting it in a locked steel box made more sense than trying to chain it up.”

The words hit her like blows. Angie flinched with each one, but Plausky seemed to barely notice. Only when she began to shake her head and slide down to the floor of the launch did he turn toward her.

“Alive?” Angie asked. “They’re bringing one on board alive?”

Understanding lit his eyes. “Yeah. They are. But, listen, there are lots of guys with guns on that ship. And I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I’ll get you on that helicopter and you get to leave.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head, feeling herself falling apart. “I can’t … I’m not getting on board with one of those things.”

Plausky crouched beside her. “Yeah, you are. Yes, Angie, just … Ssshhh, just listen. The sun’s still shining. It’s all right. Listen, all you wanted was to get out of here, and this is your shot at that. You’ll be fine.”

Frozen, she stared up at the window from where she’d landed on the floor. The sound of the chopper rotors filled her ears. She couldn’t see the helicopter or the container or even the Navy ship, not from this angle.

Angie Tyree closed her eyes and tried to think of home, of the place where she’d been a little girl. But in the darkness inside her own mind, the sirens waited, and so she forced herself to keep her eyes open. And, silently, she prayed.