The night had fallen heavy over the Argonaut. The sea, black and deceptively calm, whispered against the hull as the crew tried to repair damage from the last encounter. But the tension onboard was electric, every shadow a possible threat.Rourke paced the deck, boots striking the metal like a drumbeat of warning. “Keep your eyes open,” he barked to the crew. “We’re not out of this. Not by a long shot.”
Elena and Halvorsen were below, checking instruments and logs, but even in the sterile hum of the lab, they could feel the vibrations through the steel floor—the subtle, rhythmic pulse that only a predator of immense size could produce.
Then it came.
A shudder rolled through the Argonaut, shaking rails and scattering unsecured tools. The sonar operator screamed, “Multiple large contacts! Starboard side! Coming fast!”
Water exploded over the deck. A massive claw—or perhaps a fin—slammed against the hull. Crew members scrambled, some thrown off their feet by the force. Rourke’s voice cut through the chaos. “Brace! Fire harpoons!”
The first harpoon struck with a hollow thunk, bouncing off scales tougher than steel. The predator roared, a sound so deep it seemed to reverberate through the very bones of the ship. It rose from the water, towering above the deck. Eyes like molten amber fixed on the crew, jaws snapping, teeth jagged and dripping with seawater.
Elena ducked behind a console as ropes and nets flew across the deck. The beast struck again, sending a shockwave that slammed Mikhail into the railing. Maya screamed as a tidal wave poured over the aft, extinguishing lights and tearing equipment loose.
Rourke maneuvered the ship, swinging the harpoon cannons into position. “Steady! Aim for the eyes if you want a chance!”
The monster lunged, jaws wide. A harpoon grazed its shoulder, eliciting a roar that rattled the air. It dove, smashing into the water and rocking the vessel violently. The deck heaved, tossing crew members like rag dolls.
Halvorsen shouted above the din. “It’s testing us! It’s learning!”
Elena seized a flare, waving it in a desperate attempt to distract the creature. For a heartbeat, it hesitated, then dove again, circling the vessel like a hunter sizing up its prey.
The attack continued for what felt like an eternity. Nets ripped, metal bent, and the sea around the ship churned with the predator’s power. Finally, after a harrowing display of raw strength, it vanished beneath the waves, leaving the Argonaut battered but afloat. Water streamed from shattered panels, alarms blared, and crew members collapsed from exhaustion and fear.
On deck, Rourke swore under his breath. “That wasn’t just an attack. That was a warning.”
Elena, shaking, looked out over the black water. “It’s not alone,” she whispered. “And it won’t be long before more of them arrive.”
Halvorsen nodded grimly, clutching his journal. “We thought the island was the only threat. We were wrong. The deep hunger… it’s spreading.”
The ocean lay quiet again, deceptively calm, hiding monsters that had only begun to learn. And somewhere, just beyond the horizon, the hunt continued.
Source: Some or all of the content was generated using an AI language model
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