Author's Note: Sorry for the brief hiatus. This section of the story is very action-oriented so the pacing has to be good. I felt some of the latest chapters (I'm up to chapter 15, btw) were dragging so I'm taking the time to rewrite them before posting. On a side note, it's fun having all these character personalities interact with each other. My personal favorite couple is Maeda and Ben. Those two crack me up. XD
CHAPTER 9: Underwater Siege
October 28, 2015 | Outskirts of St. Lawrence Island, Alaska | 12:05pm
The waters shook with heavy explosions. Agent Eve Brea stared in absolute horror as the Leviathan laid siege on the battalions that were sent to destroy it. She observed groups of Navy and Air Force fighter jets streak high across the open sky. Large sparks of their bullets rained over the pulpy parts of the tentacles. It seemed almost ironic, Eve thought. They had all come into this battle thinking they had the upper hand. They had the numbers. They had the weapons. And they had the best of the best. Despite all of these advantages, however, none of them mattered. Their attacks were practically useless and their numbers had already been cut to half. Even as the USS Pharaoh, along with the rest of the navy warships, fired many rounds from their cannons and dropped bombs into the water, it made little difference. If anything, their direct engagement with the Leviathan only caused the creature to grow more aggressive.
Eve felt the ocean's waters rise higher and higher as she held tightly onto the chained rail with both hands. For the most part, the massive creature remained hidden underwater. She could only make out its black shape below. Meanwhile, its extensively long and thick tentacles reached to the heavens. There were approximately thirty of them with possibly more still underneath the waters.
Curiously enough, a series of purplish orbs ran across the texture of their skins. They swirled with light. Each time the orbs lit up any ships and fighter jets within range froze and spontaneously exploded. She wasn't sure if there was a correlation between the orbs and the mysterious freeze effect. However, after witnessing a few people freeze and die on deck, she made sure not to stare into the white lights.
The sound of a large crash redirected Eve's attention to the island many miles ahead. It wasn't too far away. In fact, some of the tankers managed to make it there safely. The majority of them, on the other hand, met a quick demise. Eve watched the flames from one plane rise up in smoke. It had hit straight into a mountain. She felt sorry for any soldiers still on board the craft. At least it was a quick death.
"I-it's expanding in size…"
Beside her, Dr. Maeda muttered many words. She wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or addressing the group. The moment the attack began, he had rejoined the crew outside on the deck. A digital camera in hand, he was able to control his personal disorientations long enough to take several shots of the tentacles high above him.
"Notice how the t-the tentacles have altered their pigments throughout the entire d-duration of this b-battle?" Dr. Maeda noted out loud. The tones in his voice verged between bewilderment and astonishment. "Initially they were black. Now they're an intense, um, violet color. The exterior skin seems to have h-hardened as well. The texture is a lot coarser than before. I-it's almost as if the Leviathan is reacting to outside s-stimuli and has produced a substantial amount of biological-based defenses to successfully d-deter our offensive a-attacks. Fascinating…"
Dr. Maeda eagerly took more photographs of the creature, as if it were a pin-up model. Nearby, Agent Dollis shook his head at him. Then he watched one the tentacles slam the waters hard and split in half three aircraft carriers in its path. The rest of MIST stood in silence and gathered visual information on the creature.
Meanwhile, the entire deck of the USS Pharaoh buzzed with life. All sorts of navy personnel hurried back and forth between their stations. Some carried large crates of extra missiles and ammunition while others sought to repair the damages made to the ship as well as secure equipment from the treacherous waters. Already, a series of evacuation choppers were being prepped. Two had begun to lift into the air and send out a fury of heavy winds and snow.
"I don't know about you guys," Agent Dollis chimed in as he watched the choppers head in the direction of the island, "But I say we get the hell out of this tin can. I'm gonna kick the ass off the guy who thought traveling with the Navy was a good idea. Up close and personal investigation, my ass."
"Bloody ace, mate," agreed Agent Jenkins near him.
Gabrielle looked at Cray. Over the sounds of missiles being fired, she said, "At any moment this creature will surface and take us all out in one sweep. We can't stay here any longer. We're sitting ducks."
The vessel jerked left and the team held onto whatever they could grab hold of. Dr. Maeda nearly lost his camera but caught the belt of it and holstered if over his neck. Next to him, Agent Jenkins slipped and began to slide when the ship slanted nearly forty-five degrees downward. Eve managed to catch the strap of his backpack in time before he fell over but she struggled to pull the man back on deck. Right as the ship shifted to the opposite direction, Cray and Dollis quickly arrived and helped her. Agent Jenkins grabbed onto the chain rail. Out of breath, he exhaled loudly and looked down at the rushing cold waters below that nearly took his life. He chuckled.
"Spiffy, pretty spiffy," the Australian man told Eve. "Thanks, love."
"No problem, honey-bunny," replied Agent Dollis nearby and winked.
When the boat temporarily balanced itself again Cray growled. He agreed with everyone else: staying on this ship was a deathtrap. They needed to get airborne and reach the island. Fast. They were likely to sink and drown or suffer from some other form of death if they remained here any longer. Cray frowned, however, when one of the two choppers that recently airlifted from their naval vessel flew directly into one of the tentacle's path. It exploded into a ball of fire and smoke. The skies were as dangerous as the seas, Cray admitted, but at least they'd have a chance. His hands clenched, though, when he noticed the orbs of lights from the tentacles grow bright. They changed from a white to a purplish glow now.
"This is bad…" Eve muttered beneath her breath, seeing the same thing he saw.
"I'll say." Dollis spat onto the deck. "Sheeit, all the damn things are lighting up like Christmas trees."
Eve stared down at the water. Her skin crawled with the sensation of a million needles pricking at her simultaneously. Already, she felt her body generate enough heat to produce droplets of sweat above her brows. The heat came from within her body, though, generated by her mitochondria. Wild now, they sensed a great power ready to unleash itself.
"Hmmm, interesting…" Maeda commented slowly, very intrigued by the orbs. He pushed up his glasses with a finger. "The Leviathan is manufacturing a massive a-amount of energy through those orb-like structures. But… for what purpose?"
"Let's not stick around to find out," Cray bitterly retorted and turned to Eve. He noticed the pale look on her face. "Contact headquarters right now and update them on our situation. I'm going to see if we can hitch a ride in one of those choppers. Everyone else sit tight."
The monotone of his voice alarmed Eve. Usually, Cray's voice emitted various pitches, even when he was concerned. It was very unlike him to behave this neutral. Either the man was keeping his cool… or he was trying his damn best to conceal his fear. As Eve watched Cray run toward the groups of helicopters, she knew they didn't have much time.
"Let's get a good look at you, shall we?" Gabrielle quietly addressed the Leviathan from behind her.
For a moment, Eve watched the woman remove her rifle from the case she carried earlier. An expert sniper, Gabrielle snapped each metal piece into their proper place with great ease and speed. Her movements were soundless, flawless, and graceful. Within seconds her weapon was fully assembled and holstered over her shoulder. The ace sniper aimed at an orb and adjusted the lens for a better look. At the crosshairs of her rifle's scope she observed swirls of purple light gather at the center of the orb.
"W-what do you see?" inquired Dr. Maeda immediately. "C-can I see?"
"Sorry, but no one touches her but me," Gabrielle replied with an easy smile.
Curious, she fired two shots at center mass. The bullets ricocheted loudly from her rifle and instantly reached their target. Gabrielle froze in place, however, when she realized how little effect they had on the orb. Through her lens, she watched the light grow in intensity. It was as if it had absorbed her bullets and strengthened itself.
When Eve noticed the look of shock on Gabrielle's face, she removed her cell phone to contact MIST headquarters. She blinked. According to an alert, there were two missed text messages. They were minutes apart from each other and came from an unidentified caller.
"Eve, what's your location?" the first message read. The second one ended with: "Set up flare for airlift."
At first, she considered the possibility that these texts were accidentally sent to her number. However, the caller addressed her as 'Eve' and, therefore, knew her. The second message was particularly interesting. Set up flare for airlift. Was this person aware of the Leviathan situation? Perhaps it was a member from MIST who sent these texts.
"Hey, Dollis," Eve directed.
"Yah?"
"Do you have a flare you can spare?"
"Sure do." From his backpack, Agent Dollis extracted the desired object and handed it to his partner. "Whatcha need it for?"
Eve paused when the USS Pharaoh bobbed again. The waters were growing fiercer and she could feel a great tremble from beneath. Underneath the water, a soft glow emitted outward. Peering over the rail, Eve noticed the shapes of more orbs below. Much larger than the ones on the tentacles, they were roughly four times the size of their ships. Eve tried hard not to lose her grip, especially when she examined the rough surface of an alien skin that consumed the ocean floor.
"In case of an emergency," she told Dollis at last and swallowed hard.
After she put the flare inside her own backpack, Eve immediately contacted headquarters. She brought up Pierce's number from her phone list and dialed it.
"Agent Brea," Pierce's voice answered from the other line. "I'm relieved to hear from you. What's the situation going on out there? Rupert won't stop pestering me."
"It's not good, sir. We are currently under attack and we have already lost half of our men to this creature."
"What? Are you kidding me?" He gasped. "Crap. So you got a visual on the Leviathan. Are the reports of its size true?"
The vessel rocked hard and Eve had to wait until the sound of heavy artillery momentarily subsided. Finally, she answered: "We've yet to see its actual form, but it's enormous and I think it's getting ready to surface right now. We're trying to hitch an air ride before it does, sir."
"Shit. I knew it was a bad idea to send you guys out there blind and in a bad position. We had little to no intelligence on the creature and all the aircrafts assigned to this operation were fully occupied by mobile infantry. Neither military branch, aside from the Navy, could spare space for third party groups. We should've waited until we were fully prepared. I'm sorry. It's all my fault."
"It's okay," Eve reassured him, "It was now or never. Even if we waited, we wouldn't have had the numbers we needed on our side, sir."
Agent Carradine went silent for a few moments. Finally, he asked: "Is Kunihiko documenting the creature for me? I want to analyze what we're dealing with."
Eve glanced at the quirky scientist to her left. Dr. Maeda was digitally recording now. A goofy grin on his face, he edged closer to the rail to capture extra details of the tentacles. However, he quickly pulled back when a stray bullet nearly shot him on the foot. He let out a loud yelp and retreated behind Agent Dollis for cover.
Dollis frowned. "Bitch, I just know you ain't trying to use me as your human shield."
Maeda nervously scratched his head. "Heh…"
"Yes, sir," Eve replied flatly to Pierce over the phone, turning her attention away from the two men. "Dr. Maeda will send all of his evidence to you once we have a moment to spare."
"It may help to know what this creature is and its capabilities," Pierce considered, "Please make a note of what it does and, if possible, obtain samples of it. Safety comes first, of course, so secure a plane and look after yourselves. That's an order."
"Yes, sir."
"I'll inform Rupert of the situation and rally up a back-up crew. I know Cray said you guys wouldn't need one, but given how many people you've lost and the power of this creature, I'd rather be safe than sorry, y' know."
"Thanks. Any help will be appreciated. Speaking of which… " Eve paused.
"Yes?"
"Did you send me a couple of text messages awhile ago?"
"No. Why?"
"…It's nothing."
On the other line, Eve heard Pierce emit a low sigh. When he spoke again, his voice was even. "Eve, not long ago I caught someone snooping around our database. Whoever it was, this person managed to pull up your mission profile. I'm looking into it, but there's a chance this person could be posing as MIST for malicious reasons. Remember, I'll only contact you through the number your phone recognizes. If you're receiving anything anonymously be super cautious, okay?"
"Right, sir."
"Good luck. Contact me immediately when you reach safe distance. Seriously. I want to know that you guys made it out all right."
"Yes, sir, I will."
Eve hung up and stuffed her phone inside her jacket. Right as she did, she noticed Cray a few paces away. Heading toward their direction, he returned with a gloomy look on his face. Gabrielle noticed too and lowered her weapon.
"What's the situation, Thelonious?" the sniper immediately asked.
"Righty, now," Agent Jenkins added. "Give it a burl, cobber. Let's hear it."
"It's a mixture of good and bad news," Cray informed sulkily.
He glanced back at the helicopters. With narrowed eyes, Cray observed a small group of men dressed in dark coats board one. Among them was the young man with silver hair Agent Jenkins had spotted earlier. As the helicopter began its ascent, Cray turned to his team again. He shifted his weight to one side and frowned.
"The Navy is short on choppers so they're going back and forth to drop off several parties at the island. The Air Force is assisting in the evacuation but the situation is the same for every other ship so they're spread thin. After this run, though, we should be next for pick up." Cray sighed. "The Captain told me we can board a lifeboat now. He's already loading many men on them. But as far as I can tell that's a suicide run. We're better off staying on this ship until a helicopter arrives."
"This blows," griped Agent Dollis immediately, "By the time those damn choppers come back we'll be swimming six feet under. I hope you ladies brought along your swimsuits."
"Can it, rookie," Cray barked back.
While Eve could care less for Agent Dollis' drama, inwardly, she agreed with him. The Leviathan was ready to surface at any moment now. Worse, the lights from its orbs had grown stronger. The mitochondria within her responded in accordingly and cocooned her body with intense heat. Christ, it was as if someone dropped ten pounds of hot wax over her skin. Grunting softly to herself, Eve wavered and nearly collapsed onto the ground until Gabrielle grabbed her by the arm and steadied her.
"Eve." Gabrielle looked concerned. "What's wrong?"
"M-my body…" she explained and hugged herself. "It feels h-hot. The Leviathan… S-so much power… I… God, I'm so hot."
"You are hot," Dollis joked. "That aside…" He looked back at Dr. Maeda. "I'm guessing this has something to do with her mitochondria?"
"Yes, it appears that way, d-doesn't it?" Maeda approached Eve and touched her forehead. He felt the heat against his own skin. "Hmmm. Um, yes. Hot. An involuntarily reaction caused by the s-simultaneous production of electrical signals currently discharged by her mitochondria. Undoubtedly, it's an immediate response to a situation that potentially jeopardizes their host. I-interesting."
"So in plain English… Eve's mitochondria are reacting to fish-face here, right?"
"Precisely."
"Awrighty, then. Glad we're on the same page, doc."
"So how long can we expect the next helicopters to arrive?" Gabrielle asked Cray. Her eyes remained on Eve. "If Agent Brea is reacting this way, then we've run out of time. Did they at least give us an estimated time of departure?"
"Twenty minutes," he answered through gritted teeth.
"Beg yours, cobber?" Agent Jenkins stared at him, a bit miffed by the news. Then he looked at the helicopters that roamed the skies. Half were engaged in battle while the rest were barely making it to the island. He shook his head. "It's all crook, that's what this is, mates."
"Brother, just so you know I don't understand half the things you say," admitted Dollis to Jenkins. "But I'll agree to that last part anyway."
Eve groaned loudly all of a sudden and finally fell to her knees.
"Eve!" Dollis blinked.
Dr. Maeda squatted next to her and held her hand. "Um… Are y-you okay?"
Concerned, everyone circled around Eve while Dr. Maeda spoke a couple of words to her. Eve's mind was too distracted by the pain to hear any of them properly. Every pore of her skin felt violated; taken over by the concentrated warmth her mitochondria generated from within. As painful as this experience was for her, though, her mitochondria was acting as an ultimate warning system. In short, they told her to leave. Now. This was a battle they could not win.
Biting her lower lip, Eve tried to reach into her backpack for the flare Dollis had given her. Granted, she had every reason not to trust the text messages she received on the phone. Pierce warned her to be cautious. But at this point, she had no choice. They needed to evacuate immediately.
One of us… she heard an inner voice. All of us…
It was her mitochondria. In a desperate attempt to save themselves, they mentally communicated to their human host. Speaking with her voice, various words transpired simultaneously inside Eve's head. There were too many of them to keep proper track of. On her knees, Eve stared up at the long tentacles of the Leviathan. Piercing the peaceful afternoon snowy skies, they illuminated a fierce purplish-blue color now.
This thing… this Leviathan… It possessed an incredible power within itself, a mysterious force that only her mitochondria seemed to understand. If Eve lived passed today, perhaps she would unravel the Leviathan's mysteries and discover its origins and true purpose. This creature was unlike any NMC she had ever encountered before. Even when she stood in the presence of Hyde, the High One that nearly killed her during the time of the Twisted, her body had not detected such a terrifying, primal power as this.
The seed of our Father… Created to merge and bring about the calamity…
The seed of our Father? Eve wondered. She expected an answer from her inner voice again. Instead, her head began to hurt. An image of the world encased in ice flashed before her eyes. She saw the snowy field from her nightmares; watched drops of snow bathed in blood fall from the skies. Tears formed at the far corners of Eve's eyes as the pain in her head gradually grew worse.
Nearby, Gabrielle saw Eve in distress. The expert sniper brushed back her hair and tried to get the young agent to focus on her. "What is it, Eve? What's wrong?"
Dr. Maeda immediately pulled his hand away when her skin grew hot enough to cause a blister on his palm. His brows furrowed. "H-her condition is more severe than last time… This is bad."
Pale-faced, Eve reached again for her flare but failed. Consumed by raw heat and pain, she couldn't get her hands to work.
"Flare…" Eve struggled to say to Gabrielle, looking at her. "In my bag… We… we need to light one up… R-rescue…"
"Rescue?" Cray overheard and echoed.
"Ngh, no t-time to explain…" Eve urged and shut her eyes, "Just… do it…"
While she couldn't understand Eve's request, Gabrielle complied and removed a flare from one of her backpack's pockets. Tapping the bottom of it with her thigh, a gush of green color instantly sparked and blazed upward. Carried by the chilly winds and snow, the long trail of smoke swirled and crept further into the skies. Gabrielle kept waving the flare to send the signal higher while Dr. Maeda helped Eve up to her feet. Once an immense light abruptly discharged from underneath the waters, however, each member of MIST stood in place.
Large water waves splashed onto the deck. Growing in size and in strength, Cray and his company quickly retreated away from their current positions and sought refuge at the bow end of the vessel. Men and women alike, meanwhile, screamed when another series of tentacles unexpectedly emerged from the waters. Dr. Maeda paused long enough from his run to notice that these elongated organs were much different than the previous ones. A mixture of blue and red tones, they contained a richer and thicker texture. The most notable difference, though, was the lack of orbs on their skins. Instead, Maeda could see they were replaced by an extensive series of sharp, protruding blades that ran the entire length of the tentacles. The blades, themselves, varied from small to large; each of them sharp to a point.
Throughout the Bering Sea, the bladed tentacles rose. Maeda aimed his camera and clicked a series of photos at the phenomena. He was thoroughly surprised when each tentacle began to sway and converge at a single point over the ocean. In fascination, Maeda, along with everyone else, saw the tentacles touch each other's tips high in the sky. The light from the orbs grew white hot and spread across the entire extensions of the Leviathan until it eventually traveled below the waters.
"Damn it," cursed Cray. "Some serious business is happening here!"
"We better hold on to something," advised Gabrielle and hung her rifle over her shoulder through its strap. "This is going to get real nasty."
Her warning came just mere seconds in time before the side of the ship slammed against something hard. Glowing like the others, one of the razor sharp tentacles penetrated the USS Pharaoh's southwest section. Its blades easily cut through the steel as it wandered upward to the center point in the sky. Almost immediately, the ship took in massive amounts of water. The steel whined as it caved in to gravity and pressure. Naval officers and seamen near the suction point were immediately pulled into the waters.
The situation worsened when the water waves rose higher in the wake of a massive object. The members of MIST held on but struggled when high waters carried over onto the deck floor. The waters began dragging people and equipment alike to the ocean.
"Oh, for fuck's sake," said Agent Dollis, coughing and drowning. He held onto a pillar for dear life. When he saw his partner several feet away, struggling to hang on, he reached for his backpack. "This wasn't… what I… fucking signed up… for…"
Eve screamed when a good chunk of the vessel rapidly shifted downward. The ship was splitting in half. From her position, she was getting yanked toward the suction area. With both hands on the rail chains in front of her, she felt her body lift right when the vessel slanted again. Her feet no longer touched the ground. The brutally cold waters, in the meantime, only worsened her circumstances. Gagging and choking against them, Eve had difficulty holding on while her body's temperatures continued to decrease to hypothermia levels. She shivered uncontrollably and began to lose her grip.
All around her, the screams of falling soldiers filled her ears. Eve tried not to panic herself. Even when her body involuntarily reacted and accidentally soiled her panties, she reminded herself again and again that Aya was strong and never afraid. Gasping for air and a glimmer of hope, Eve looked for the others. She wondered if anyone was nearby to help her. By the bow of the ship, her eyes found the long trail of green smoke from Gabrielle's flare. Despite the fact that Gabrielle struggled to latch herself onto a protruding air vent, the sniper waved the distress signal back and forth. Eve prayed that whoever sent that message didn't lie; she hoped help was on its way.
The sound of a heavy, muffled roar blocked out her frantic thoughts. From below, Eve felt the incredible momentum of a giant object rise to the surface. Even the reverberation of its wake was terrifying. The waters below trembled loud enough to block out the screams of men and women, including her own. She closed her eyes.
"I'm… I'm… Agent B-Brea…" she whispered to herself; shivering and hacking out water. "A-agent… B-b-brea… MISssssT…"
One of Eve's hands slipped the moment the boat angled higher and was now past a sixty-degree angle. Whether the USS Pharaoh had officially split into two sections or remained connected, she did not know. Any noise it may have caused was effectively blocked out by the Leviathan's stir. She did not intend to open her eyes and face the horrors that awaited her. If she was to die today she wanted it to be quick and painless.
Briefly, Eve thought someone called out for her name. Yet, she couldn't tell. The waters continued to splash over her. They felt like a thousand knives stabbing into her skin simultaneously. Eve couldn't help herself; she cried. The tears began to flow down her cheeks when her second hand started to lose friction.
"A-aya…" Eve begged and choked on water. "H-help me… G-give me your strength, b-big sister…"
A part of her wanted to believe Aya still possessed an unnatural power that would allow her to come at this very moment to save her, just as she did in Neo Ark. Or perhaps Aya could channel some dormant abilities within her right now. Eve wanted to have faith in the possibility of otherworldly influences. But either Aya couldn't hear her or… she wasn't there. Two of her fingers gave way. Then three. By the time she was down to her thumb, the vessel was at a full ninety-degree angle and Eve no longer cared to hang on.
"I'm… ss-sorry…" she said. "I'm… so… sorry… I-I can't hang on anymore, Aya. I'm sorry…"
She finally let go.
Eyes still closed, Eve fell. She halfway expected to find herself engulfed in cold water or, worse, in the clutches of some giant sea monster. Yet, something tight latched onto her wrists that shortened her fall. She wondered if Aya had heard her pray after all. Eagerly, she opened her eyes. When she did, however, she found only her rookie partner hovering above her. Hanging by a rope that was tied to the pillar he occupied earlier, one of Agent Dollis' hands clutched onto her left wrist while the other gripped the rope.
Eve was taken aback by the deep glare in his black eyes. For the first time since she met this man Dollis was dead serious.
"You're not allowed to let go when you're with me, Eve," he told her as matter-of-fact. "Now pull yourself up, woman, and hang the fuck on."
Eve stared at him for a moment. His words sliced through her like a stainless steel blade. A part of her felt embarrassed and ashamed at what she had just done. She had effectively given up and thrown in the towel. Disappointed at herself, Eve avoided eye-contact with her partner. Neither Aya nor Kyle would have ever done such a stupid thing. They were strong enough to keep going; she obviously wasn't. But now wasn't the time to get depressed. Right now she had to focus on the task at hand. Breathing heavily, Eve grunted and swung her body a bit so that her loose hand grabbed onto the rope.
"That a girl," Agent Dollis approved with a large smile.
Eve pulled herself up onto the rope. Right as she was about to say something to Dollis, the vessel shook and she glanced below. The remains of the USS Pharaoh were sinking. Not far beneath them, she saw the cold waters collect fast. Fear and frustration crossed her face.
"Start climbing!" Dollis urged and ascended the rope.
Eve followed suit.
Inwardly, a part of her wondered what the point was. They were going to drown at this rate, even if they climbed to the very top. If the water didn't kill them then the Leviathan would. Still, she couldn't stop. She had to will herself to keep going. Dollis wasn't going to give up and neither should she. With all her strength, Eve ignored the nagging questions and concerns in her head. Even as large waves of water splashed over them she worked her legs and hands up the rope. She refused to look down at the creature that steadily climbed toward the surface of the waters. Somehow, she had to believe they were going to make it.
"Holy shit, look!" said Agent Dollis up ahead.
Surprised by the cheerful tone in his voice, Eve glanced up. At the very top of the ship was a helicopter. It hovered over the green smoke from Gabrielle's flare. Smiling, Eve saw the expert sniper steady herself on top of a pillar while the chopper flew to her side. Whoever the pilot was, he was good. He managed to keep the helicopter stable enough to allow Monsigny on board. Cray and Jenkins followed next. Afterward, the helicopter swayed left and picked up Dr. Maeda, who stood white-faced and thoroughly wet on top of a thick pipe. He barfed once before climbing inside.
"Damn it, we've got no landing for pickup," Dollis suddenly reported. "And we've run out of rope."
"What?"
The chopper steadily made its way to their position. However, as Dollis pointed out, they had no landing. Because they were so close to the suction area now, the helicopter couldn't descend any closer. Dollis' brows arched slightly when he noticed the chained rails at the far side of the boat. They were roughly a few meters away. If they could reach them they could climb higher to get picked up.
"Grab onto my back, Eve," Dollis ordered. "I got a plan, but we gotta move fast."
Eve could tell the man was on a clear mission by the tone of his voice. She didn't question him. Instead, she complied and climbed onto his back.
"I'm gonna swing us to the side rails there."
"You're going to do what?" Eve's eyes widened.
Dollis grinned. "Trust me."
The distance between them and the side rails was huge. As a result, Dollis had to leap them both down toward the suction point to gain more rope. Eve understood his plan of actions. They needed to acquire enough momentum to swing to the side rails. However, they needed to work fast. There was no room for error. If they didn't reach the rails on time the waters would take over them. Already, Eve heard the large crash of water waves just below. She closed her eyes and took a deep inhale.
"Hang on, Eve!"
Using his weight, Dollis arched his body toward the side rails and swung their bodies back and forth to build speed and gravity. Eve helped. She shifted her weight and pushed and pulled in the same pace as Dollis. Together, they steadily gathered velocity and momentum. Like a pendulum, they swung higher and higher. Opening her eyes again, Eve saw her fellow teammates in the helicopter. Directly across, they cheered and encouraged them to keep going. A determined look on her face, Eve concentrated on their voices and blocked out all distractions, including the rushing waters directly below her. With her partner, they grew closer toward the side rails now. After a few more swings, Dollis laughed.
"This is it! We's got this shit in the bag, baby! Whoop!"
Those words were the final drive she needed. Eve used all of her force at the last swing. When the pair slammed hard against the side rails, she caught a part of the chains to prevent them from getting pulled back. Dollis followed next. With the waters practically on top of them now, the two immediately climbed the chain to reach a safer distance for pick-up. Her arms were exhausted and her legs felt like wet clay. The entire event left her breathless and she practically gasped for air. Yet, Eve pushed herself forward. She saw Agent Dollis climb and pursued. She had to keep going and never stop.
Right as the helicopter pulled to their side, Agent Dollis turned. He lowered his hand to pull Eve up into the chopper first. She opened her mouth to express her gratitude but he immediately shook his head.
"You can only climb up," he told her immediately. "Got it?"
Eve slowly nodded and understood what his words meant.
"Let's get the hell out of here now," he added later with a nod.
The helicopter was next to them. Eve briefly smiled at Dollis. Then she reached her hand out to Gabrielle who immediately took it and pulled her in. Agent Dollis was next, assisted by Jenkins and Dr. Maeda. When all members of MIST were accounted for, the pilot steered the helicopter higher and away from the USS Pharaoh wreckage.
Standing at the edge of the door hatch opening, Cray looked down and surveyed the damage that was done. Struck with grief, he shook his head and watched hundreds of soldiers float in the waters; either dead or in distress. The sea was also littered with destroyed fighter jet planes and half sunk naval vessels. Not a single of the warships survived. Their fires burned brightly while their smokes consumed the afternoon skies. A few planes managed to make it but Cray could already tell they were low on ammunition.
It wasn't that long ago that he stared at these ships and soldiers with a deep sense of pride. Now it pained him to see the results of their battle. As a former Special Forces soldier, it struck him to the core. These men and women… His brothers and sisters…
Cray smacked the wall with a fist. Then he peered directly at the Leviathan. Thousands of miles away, he saw the tips of the tentacles converge at high center point. Light and electric bursts sparkled across their shapes. Cray's eyes widen when he saw a massive form slowly rise and bubble above the waters. His team gathered around him to witness the remarkable event.
The Leviathan stretched out for hundreds of miles, practically engulfing the entire Bering Sea with its body. Overall, the sea creature held a shape similar to a Cerianthus filiformis. As elegantly-designed and mysterious as it was, however, the Leviathan was consciously alive and clearly harbored a good number of biological defenses. The razor sharp tentacles that emerged recently were connected to the far outer rim of the Leviathan's body. To their horror, Cray and his team realized there were a lot more than they originally accounted for; hundreds of them in fact. Yet, they had remained underwater and appeared to protect the center portion of the creature.
While the majority of the Leviathan was dark and pulpy there were also long strings of intense multi-colored light that ran across its center surface. Shining with brilliance and magnificence, they formed elaborate designs similar to Tibetan tattoos. These designs eventually connected to several orbs, including an incredibly large one located at the heart of the creature. Like most aquatic life, the skin of this particularly huge orb was transparent and possessed incredible patterns that ranged from lines to dots. A dim, reddish light glowed from within it and throbbed back and forth. The first set of tentacles, which had emerged at the start of the battle, actually originated and attached to the round sides of this orb. Where the tentacles sprouted, a succession of fin-like structures also protruded and swayed gently against the winds.
"This is incredible…" muttered Dr. Maeda, who finally broke the group's silence. He stepped toward the ledge and peered at the center of the creature. "That giant orb… It seems to be a vital function to this creature. S-see how the tentacles collect there, as if to protect it? Perhaps it is the heart of the creature? Hmmm?"
"So let's shoot the hell out of it," suggested Agent Dollis.
"Heh… While it c-certainly is tempting to think it's the heart, Ben, I d-do not like to jump to c-conclusions so quickly."
"Well, what else could it be then, Doctor?" inquired Gabrielle, curious herself.
Dr. Maeda scratched his head. "Um… That remains to be unknown. Until I a-acquire the necessary amount of evidence, this is only a hypothetical theory. Also…um, ah… well. Um, never mind. Heh…"
"Christ, something is obviously brewing inside that thick skulls of yours," Cray said agitatedly. "Spit it out already."
"Um… Well. Er. I g-guess I'm concerned." Maeda looked at everyone. "This is obviously a creature of g-great intelligence and incredible power. I-it is a perfect biological weapon; a product of evolution. I-I have a hard time believing it would possess s-such an obvious, weak point. S-something's not right."
"Maybe it ain't as perfect as you think it is," countered Cray. "Besides, you said the tentacles are there to protect it, right? It must be the heart."
"Y-yes, I did. But… they could be protecting that area for another purpose too. A-again, I have no solid proof to conclude what the true function of that orb is."
Rolling his eyes, Cray turned his attention away. To the pilot, he shouted, "Hey, man, you got any missiles left in this thing?"
"Just one, sir."
"Fire it at that orb then." When Cray received an affirmation from the pilot he returned his attention to Maeda. "Look, doc, if this is our only chance to take out this creature then we gotta take it. Shoot first, ask questions later."
Dr. Maeda pulled back a strand of hair from his face but said nothing.
Nearby, Eve stood and watched the sea creature in silence. Shivering from the water she had just escaped, she covered herself with a blanket she found and tucked her hands deep inside her armpits for warmth. Admittedly, she was a bit awed by the Leviathan's intricate and compelling design. Maeda called it a product of evolution and she did agree with the statement. This NMC was incredible. Eve didn't blame the Japanese scientist for being overly cautious. They knew so little about this creature.
One of us… her mitochondria spoke again. All of us… The ultimate seed… Provided to us to set the way for our kind…
The helicopter turned around. Locking onto the massive orb, the pilot fired his last missile directly into it. After a brief explosion, the orb burst outward and splattered tissue and fluids across the Leviathan's surface.
Triumphantly, Agent Dollis clapped his hands together once and grinned. "Boom! How do you like them apples!"
With a vital organ gone, Cray and the others looked for visual signs the Leviathan would die or, at the very least, had weakened. Eve was tempted to believe that Maeda was wrong when she noticed the tentacles attached to the orb pause. They had stretched to their full length but stopped midway into the air. She dared to hope. Yet, the moment was brief. It came and passed as soon as the orb quickly regenerated itself. The thin tissue that once held it together had grown denser and more colorful. The light within it shined a brighter red color while the entire body of the Leviathan turned white.
"Fair suck of the say!" spat Agent Jenkins loudly. "We are in the shit now, mates. Let's bid this creature a hooroo and arse off…"
Dollis cocked his thumb toward Jenkins. "What he said."
His face now a mask of alarm, Cray immediately went to the pilots' cockpit. "Get us the hell out of here. Fast."
"Yes, sir. Everyone, secure your positions."
The pilot steered the helicopter toward the direction of the island, which was only a few miles away. He maneuvered around the tentacles that blocked his path. Even when one attempted to collide with him he swooped below with ease and evaded its attempt. His eyes remained locked to the snowy fields and trees of St. Lawrence Island.
Meanwhile, everyone on board did as he instructed them to do. Eve strapped herself in and tightly held onto the safety belts with both her hands. Like before, her body swelled with heat. Whatever the Leviathan was set to release it drove her mitochondria mad. The voice within her whispered a series of words she could not understand. Seed. Creator. Merge. Ice. Father. Awakening. The calamity. None of it made sensed. It might as well have been said in a different language for all she cared.
The sky flashed white abruptly. A long moment of dead silence passed over Eve, as if someone turned off the volume. She felt a massive force jerk the helicopter forward and bit her lip. Cray cursed nearby while Gabrielle grunted at the opposite direction. Briefly, the pilot warned about the engine. Eve didn't pay any attention to it. Instead, her eyes locked onto the scenery outside through the doorway opening. White everywhere, she was blinded by an immense light.
A/N: "Fair suck of the say! We are in the shit now, mates. Let's bid this creature a hooroo and arse off…" Agent Jenkins; a man of many words. XD