Meg 1 - Meg by Steve Alten

Author:Steve Alten [Alten, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction, Sharks, Thrillers, Horror, Deep diving, Carcharocles megalodon, Thriller, Suspense, Horror tales, Fiction - Psychological Suspense, American Horror Fiction, Paleontologists, Adventure, Pacific Ocean, American, Suspense fiction, Action & Adventure, Psychological, Megalodontacea, Sea monsters, Deep diving - Fiction
ISBN: 9780385489058
Publisher: Doubleday
Published: 1997-06-02T04:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

Frank Heller stood on the pier, watching as two crewmen secured the thick white ropes, carefully lining the slack up along the deck of the Nautilus. Moments later, Captain Richard Danielson emerged from the forward section of the hull. He smiled at Heller, slapping the “571” painted in white along the black conning tower.

“So, Frank, what’d you think of my new command?”

Heller shook his head. “I’m just amazed this old barge still floats. Why the hell would McGovern assign a forty-year-old decommissioned sub to hunt down this shark?”

Danielson strode across the open gangway. “It was my idea, Frank. McGovern’s in a tough position. The publicity’s killing him. He can’t very well assign a Los Angeles class sub to destroy this fish. Hell, he’s already got the Cousteau Society, Greenpeace, and every animal rights activist and their mother putting pressure on the Navy. But the Nautilus, she’s a different story. The public loves this old boat. She’s like an aging war hero, going out with one last victory. McGovern loved the idea—”

“I don’t. You have no concept of what you’re even dealing with, Captain.”

“I read the reports, Doctor. Don’t forget, I tracked Russian Alphas for five years. This mission is nothing. One tube in the water and this overgrown shark is fish food.”

Frank was about to respond when he saw a tall officer exit the sub, a big smile planted on his face.

“Denny?”

“Frank!” Chief Engineer Dennis Heller came bounding down the ramp and bear-hugged his older brother.

“Denny,” chuckled Frank, “what in the hell are you doing aboard this rusty tin can.”

Dennis smiled at his brother, then glanced at Danielson. “You know I’m due to retire this year. Turns out I’m thirty hours shy on active duty. I figured, why not serve them aboard the Nautilus with my first CO. Besides, shore leave in Honolulu beats the hell out of Bayonne, New Jersey.”

“Sorry to disappoint you, Chief,” interrupted Danielson, “but all shore leaves are canceled until we fry the Megala… whatever Taylor calls it. By the way, Frank, I saw him on board you ship this afternoon. Honestly, I can’t stomach the man.”

“Let it go, Danielson. Turns out he was right. Why not just leave it alone—”

“So he was right. So fucking what! His actions still killed two of my crew, or did you forget? Shaffer and Prestis. Both men had families. I still write their widows twice a year. Shaffer’s boy was only three years old when—”

“It’s our fault too.” Heller lowered his voice to his former commanding officer. “I should never have allowed you to talk me into certifying him as medically fit for that last dive.”

“He was fine—”

“He was exhausted. Like him or not, Jonas Taylor was one of the best deep-sea pilots in the business. If he wasn’t, the Navy would have used one of their own on the mission. Had he been allowed adequate recovery time from his first two descents, maybe he would have slowed his ascent—”

“You’re out of line, Doctor.” Danielson’s neck was turning red.

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