Beta read by: akiqueen Superb Beta Reader, 100% recommend
Story updated on: - 10/01/2010

Chapter 2 (Aftermath)

Running a palm across his perfectly smooth scalp, the Centre Comm Commander froze in position. His operatives below him followed his stare out into the ocean as the massive wave approached the city, relentless and threatening.

He wanted to shout at the incoming wave, as if his words could hold back the wave that was taller than the building they were currently occupying. Some of his operatives began to shudder, scurrying under the onslaught.

The Centre Comm commander looked down towards the waiting public who scrambled backwards, away from the shoreline, as if they would be safer within the fragile confines of the city. The commander did not even bother to pray, as he knew this was the last image he would see. The sweat dropped off his face and he felt the uneasy sense of a chill creeping up his spine.

But as everyone stared in awe, the wave slowly disappeared as fast as it came. But it held a more dark and terrifying secret that was about to be shown to everybody. Man and hybrid.

The epicentre of the disaster heaved when a red, superheated rock, which had a surface like a small sun, hit the bottom of the ocean. Now the ocean tried to reclaim the space for itself. The monstrous hole began to fill rapidly with water as the tidal wave lost all its momentum and eventually dragged itself back towards the burning inferno on the ocean floor. A whirlpool soon developed that sucked everything around.

Before long, the city began to move towards the epicentre of the disaster. As the water boiled upon contact with the superheated rock, jets of steam ruptured into the sky like high-pressure jets from a fire hose.

The wild-eyed citizens held on for any hope, as the city drifted into the abyss. Massive football pitch turbines that kept the city afloat became flooded with water, which was channelled down the shaft and used to keep the city on the surface. Parts of the city succumbed to the water.

Water spewed up through the walkways and streets, flooding, cleaning all the dead bodies away. No one could escape the disaster. People scurried around like ants in a flooded nest, just trying to survive.

While it only took seconds to flood parts of the city, the water finally drained away as the city straightened itself up on the ocean surface. But the madness was just beginning.

Below the city, the water glowed red-hot. As the superheated rocks passed their heat into the water, many people in the city observed the environment of hell.

Several vessels popped onto the surface of the water like huge bricks of metal tossed into the water with hatches open. The crews looked shocked and in dismay; they had never seen such a sight before, a view that was carved by demons in the confines of hell.

-o-

Quiet and unassuming, Jake sat in his chair, suspended upside down and in great pain. He held onto the chair, as the floor was now the ceiling. His crew also felt the same experience since they had just recovered from the immense G-force they experienced while they rotated in a ninety-digree angle. They all looked around, blood rushing down from their heads, amazed.

Items not stuck to the workstations fell to the ceiling and the aqua pools flooded the submarine in some sections and a massive amount of mess was also created.

"Is everyone OK?" Jake quivered as he tried to force the words out, eyes blazing. The harness began to cause him great pain; he never knew that the captain's chair could cause so much pain while upside down. He made a mental note to do something about it once this mess was all over. But at the end of the day, the vessel was not designed to be upside-down.

"Don't worry, the boat will self-right itself," a murmured voice echoed through the room. The man scanned the room, trying to undo his straps. It was a big mistake, as he came tumbling to the ceiling like a brick from a first story window.

Right on queue, the vessel activated the props on the wings and at a painfully slow speed, rotated itself around to the correct position.

Personal belongings crept along the ceiling, the wall and then finally rested on the floor with some embarrassed looks from the crew, as their personal belongings became public knowledge.

Jake scanned the room as he unstrapped himself from the chair, a stabbing pain in his chest. He felt the restraints of his ribcage stabbing him with each breath he took. He felt like some of his ribs might have been broken, or he mentally challenged the fact he was just a mummy's boy who squirmed with a little pain. No, he was not!

His crew all recovered from the ordeal and returned to their stations to gather updates on the vessel. Water spewed all over the deck plates, causing a hazard for everyone. Jake crooked his mouth in a faint expression of anger. He thanked his luck the vessel was not in any serous damage before inspecting the stations.

-o-

Devastating reports came to the Centre Comm Commander one after another, as he stared out of the shattered windows towards the boiling seas.

Calls bellowed out through the communication channels about injured people and the extensive damage done to the city. He stared out, feeling defenceless and wishing he was not on duty.

Silence fell on the whole scene as the ocean calmed itself down. The water boiled at an incredible rate and then faint screams echoed throughout the silence.

He could not make out the calls at first, but after a few moments, the incomprehensible screams of pain filled the void of silence. Zorndyke creatures cried out in pain far out in the ocean. But no one could locate the source of the screams. Only the boiling water filled the chaos around them.

The inhabitants of the city looked out across the ocean to a devastating view. The sky weighed heavily with acid rain clouds that gave the whole atmosphere a post-apocalyptic view, causing an uneasy sense of danger. The ocean glowed red as the water furiously bubbled with steam that created mini tornadoes in the background.

Suddenly, all the spectators that were looking out over the ocean backed away in awe at the horrific sight they had just witnessed. The entire surface of the ocean was covered in dead fish and mammals, which all perished in the boiling water and it did not take long before the horrendous cries for help spewed throughout the backdrop of the scene.

From the confines of the city people watched as hundreds of hybrids franticly splashed around as they tried to escape the boiling hot water. Many of the hybrids spotted the huge city in the background and franticly swam towards it.

They came to the city in the hundreds, frantic and desperate to escape the water. Many succumbed to the heat and drowned as their flesh burned off and their bodies cooked under the water.

The Musucas were equipped with tough, flexible skin. But even that was not enough to protect them from the soldering hot water; they too swam as fast as they could towards the city, holding many of the females as possible. But like massive cruse ships, many succumbed to the heat and drowned, taking all the hybrids with them.

As a temporary reprieve, the Massive Deep Sea vessels stood out as massive rafts, offering hope to the hybrids that spotted them in the midst of all the chaos. Immune to the heat, they became the next safe haven for the creatures. It was not long until they became inundated with Zorndyke creatures as they climbed on the hulls of the submarines. A few Musucas leapt out of the water and onto the submarines, as they could not take the heat anymore. But as soon as they did that, the submarines would capsize due to the weight applied. It was not long until the city was the target in their frenzied escape.

The crowds of spectators stood around the artificial beaches and piers as they stared outwards, looking at the deadly sea. Hordes of creatures franticly swam towards the city, trying to escape. But before they new it, all forms of hybrid gasped and struggled to climb onto the protective plating in the city that was out of the water. They did not care about the guns, still shooting. They did not care about the human's reactions; anything was better then getting boiled alive.

Gangs of people stood around the shores of the city, waiting, bulling. "Get back you monster, cook in your own doing," a few citizens shouted as they kicked and pushed the poor Aquatic Hybrid Girls back into the water.

They crept out of the water, body scarred and smoking hot. They desperately needed help and it was a moment of bliss for the creatures that managed to make it onto the shoreline. But that was soon to end when the gangs kicked and threw them back into the boiling water. Nowhere was safe. But they needed to escape the pain; it was unbearable.

Aqua ducts and tunnels around the city soon started to boil as the water outside transferred its heat inside, along the delicate pipe works and aqua tunnel network. This forced more of the hybrids to spill out into the city.

Rage swept through the city. Angrier then ever, teams of people kicked and shouted at the creatures as they emerged, defenceless and burned, onto the deck plating all around the city.

The hybrids stared with the eyes of a dying creature as they begged to be saved and not thrown into the water. Gangs did not succumb to the poor defenceless looks, and proceeded to beat the hell out of the young females.

"Take that, you piece of shit, this is for the hell you caused!" shouted one angered individual as he held his fists tight and sent a flurry of kicks to the female creature. He then encouraged his friends to pick her up and throw her back into the water. She passed out before they threw her in, but she woke up and franticly splashed around before dying. They laughed and joked with pleasure before moving on to the next victim.

The defensive guns shot into the open sea, cherry picking the struggling Musucas that tried in vain to beach themselves on the sandy artificial shores to escape the water. Blood spewed all over the clean fresh sand as the bodies that were constantly shot at eventually rotted in the acid shores.

However, order was soon to be bestowed on the frenzied crowd, as teams of security and officials arrived at the locations, more mature than the frenzied civilians.

"What the hell is going on?" barked the official in charge as he looked at the despicable acts being committed by the gangs of people. His emotion to the entire situation almost boiled like the water itself; how could humans succumb to acts of total cruelty?

Before anyone had the chance to act, the team of officials swarmed the crowd and broke them up. Medical teams and civilians not connected to the violent mob also decided to take pity and help the poor, scarred creatures.

Many civilians in the city did not take too kindly to the sudden frantic rush of sea creatures that arrived for shelter after they had tried to blow it up.

But other parts of the city could not stand by and let the creatures struggle in the water. Some even drew pity on them. The massive disaster was something that no human or creature should endure and it was a pleasant sight to see over half the civilians helping out.

-o-

The Deep Sea Six floated steadily on the boiling ocean surface, unaware of what was happening all around them.

"Captain," the officer at watch stated in shock, "I don't believe this, but the outside water temperature of over 150 degrees."

Jake unstrapped himself from his chair and approached, barging through the damaged cables and rubble. "What?" he questioned with a puzzled look in his face.

"That's correct sir," replied the officer at watch who pointed at the temperature gauge on the screen. His reply was quickly answered with another question from Jake: "What caused this?"

"The heat appears to be emanating from the super heated rocks on the ocean floor, when the Deep Sea Ten…" A short, respected pause came from the officer before he continued, "blew up, the Hydrogen fuel cells superheated the rocks with two hundred years worth of energy which went up in a few seconds."

He then replaced the bad news with some good. "However, the water is cooling down rapidly and should be normal in a few minutes. No damaged reported to the outer hull; however, we are picking up frantic movements on our hull and receiving strange messages from New London." He paused, placing his hand to his earpiece. "Sir, the mission commander wants to speak to you."

Jake turned and order the view screen activated. The same gentleman that greeted them at the blue base meeting and in the hallway stood proud and tall, especially after this sudden incident.

"Jake, the city has taken a moderate beating and we are currently trying to resolve the situation; it looks like the fighting as stopped, but we have massive local environmental problems. You are recommended to proceed to your destination as soon as you can," the tired and battered man spoke over the COM unit.

Suddenly the thump from the aqua pool entrance drew everyone's attention away. Jake spun himself around after he felt the same 'eyes watching' sensation on the back of his neck. Jake felt Tia's presence and he immediately ran towards her; she was trapped inside the closed pool door.

The pool door opened with the loud rumbling of the motors before she spewed out into Jake's arms as the water gushed out all over the place.

The water was hot and so was Tia. Jakes heart began to thump hard as he held Tia's lifeless body in his hands. Dread went through his mind as questions rose up. "Is she alive? Is she breathing?"

Jake's questions was quickly answered when Tia sprung to life and struggled in his hands. Jake surmised that she must have been caught in the explosion as she tried to enter the sub. Luckily, she made it and only a few minor burn marks showed on her legs. However, she was in pain and struggling. Noises from her throat came through as she kicked her legs in agony.

Everyone in the room stopped their work and gasped at this creature in Jake's arms. Most have not seen this type of hybrid before, only on the view screens after Jake's and Hayami's little exposure. But being able to see her in the flesh brought a whole new concept to their understanding.

As Jake proceeded with Tia towards the medical bay, the entire sub jolted in a downward motion. Something had jumped onto the front of the submarine and began dragging it down. To counter act this problem, the secondary ballast tanks was activated that provided the lift to keep them afloat.

-o-

Groups of people sprang open hatches to investigate the disturbance, only to be welcomed by the post-apocalyptic view of the area they were in. It did not look like earth anymore. Orange-red sky, acid clouds, steaming ocean and a blanket of dead mammals, fish and hybrids covered the surface of the water. "What the hell caused this?" one crewmember said stiffly and slowly.

The officer at watch, who witnessed the whole incident, soon answered the question. "The Deep Sea Ten was inbound to New London to have its fuel cells armed in a protective casing after it was constructed. The enemy concentrated their attacks on that vessel. They did not realize the disaster they were creating."

Sam gawked at the surrounding area and soon realized that he was standing on the exact same device that had caused this chaos, the hydrogen fuel cell at the bottom of his feel. He felt an overwhelming sense of anxiety before he trotted off that section of the wing.

"What happened to the fighting, and all the missiles?" There was a moment of pause as Sam pointed towards the red murky sky. "I remember the sky being full of them."

"The blast from the explosion would have vaporised everything within one mile; luckily, the city was outside its range, otherwise we would…" The officer at watch was soon interrupted when a crewmember drew his attention towards the rear of the boat. Due to the large mast behind them, the crew was blissfully unaware of the huge Musuca that had beached itself onto the hull of the vessel. Only moments passed before the small group gasped at the massive creature before them.

The water continued to boil slowly, causing the hybrids to climb onto anything they could to escape the disaster. The city became the hybrids' last attempt to swim to safety. However, the ones that were too far out perished as their scolded bodies sank into the ocean, from which they came.

-o-

Verg took heed of his damaged vessel and escaped the area. He and his crew all stood around like lost boys at the sudden and unexpected disaster that had prospered. As expected, they did not bother to rescue any of the stranded hybrids; they just ran and gathered their forces.

"Damn those humans. Why would they kill themselves in the process? They should all go to hell; papa was right about them. They're the scum of the earth," Verg beamed with delight as he left the area and his hybrids to cook in the water. His mind became weak and frilled; if he was old, he'd be dead. "They should all die," he finally added.

He perched himself back into the nucleus of his vessel as it slid away into the depth of the ocean like a deadly sea predator vanishing, and waiting for the element to carry it on towards its destination: Antarctica.