Serpent: A Deep Sea Thriller by Michael Cole

Author:Michael Cole [Cole, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severed Press
Published: 2021-05-13T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 23

“Thank you very much,” Sergeant Robert Shier said to the cashier after receiving his dollar-twenty in change. He stepped from the food stand and took a mouthful of his hotdog while watching the activity on the beaches. People splashed in the water, some going further out than others, but nothing too concerning. One particular event that made him chuckle were two kids battling each other on inflatables. One rode a great white shark, the other on a big black orca, and they were bumping each other, trying to knock the other off their raft. Finally, with a shriek, the one on the shark took a hit he couldn’t recover from, and flopped into the water. His opponent raised his hands in victory, only to be pushed off from underneath.

Shier allowed himself a laugh, then kept patrolling. The boat patrollers had completed their checks on the shark nets, ensuring they were all in place. So far, no problems. Certainly beat working in Detroit, where he couldn’t go two minutes without having to respond to an issue of some kind.

Waves of sand kicked up in front of him as a group of six-year-olds rushed by. Two were guarding one, and all three were glancing up to the air. Shier saw the football coming down, launched pretty impressively by another kid of the same age.

The ball landed a few inches from one of the ‘linebackers’ and bounced right for Shier. He lunged and swooped it up, then cocked it back over his shoulder, then pointed back at the thrower with his hot dog-wielding hand.

“Go long!” He gave the kids a few minutes to rush in that direction, then sent the ball soaring high. This time, the receiver snatched it right out of the air then gave a thumbs up at the Sergeant. Shier smiled and returned the gesture, then proceeded to walk the beach.

“Unit One to all units. We have an emergency! I need you to evacuate the beaches immediately. Call everyone in!”

It wasn’t often that frantic radio calls made Shier’s heart rush. He had heard them every day in Detroit. But he wasn’t used to hearing the Chief like this. He glanced out at the water and saw the yacht coming toward the shore at twenty-knots, with the maintenance man’s tugboat traveling ahead of it. No sign of the patrol boat used by Jesse Roper. Sammy wasn’t the type to play pranks, and even if she was, she wouldn’t go this far. Whatever was happening, it was serious.

“This is Shier. I read you, Chief. What sections need evacuating?”

“All of them!”

Shier glanced again at the water. There were thousands of people in the water. Evacuating it was not going to be an easy task, but there was no mistaking the urgency in Sammy’s voice.

“All officers, report to the beach areas immediately. Bring everyone out of the water now. Boat patrols, turn on your flashers and use your loudspeakers.”

“Boats as well,” Sammy added. “Get a message out on the radios. Direct them to the harbor.

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