The Breach by Edward J McFadden III

Author:Edward J McFadden III [McFadden, Edward J III]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severed Press
Published: 2018-03-13T22:00:00+00:00

23

The sea scorpion rolled, and the ensuing splash knocked Tanner across the deck. The machine gun went silent, and the wail of the beast sounded over the water. The railing around the bow was splattered with blue blood, as was the deck and gunnel. It looked greasy and slippery, and reminded Tanner of a chum slick.

He got to his feet and drew down. The Glock barked, and blue blood gushed from the creature’s face cavity as it lunged forward and bit the boat. Then Big Boy was past the creature and Tanner jogged aft, emptying the Glock as he ran. He dropped the empty clip, snapped home a new one, and sighted the creature as it disappeared outside their sphere of light.

“Bring her about and get on the bastard’s tail!” he shouted.

Jansen turned the ship’s wheel and Big Boy spun in place as the starboard maneuvering props churned the water. Randy had picked up Jefferson, and they flanked Big Boy in a twenty-two. Pieces of Jefferson’s boat bobbed on the boat churned water, and Tanner didn’t see the guardsman’s body floating amongst the wreckage.

“We’re taking on water, sir,” Jansen reported.

“Oh, shit,” Tanner said. “All pumps at full.”

“They’re already at maximum capacity. Go check how bad it is.”

Tanner almost told her he gave the orders, and then realized how stupid that would be, so he said nothing. He was barely her superior officer at the moment, anyway. He ran out onto deck and jumped down the ladder leading to the main deck. He stopped at a sealed bulkhead hatch, spun the dog handle, and pushed it open. The passageway beyond serviced all sections of the ship, and it was dry. He walked down the passageway ten paces and climbed down a ladder through an open deck hatch.

He landed in water.

“And I repeat, oh shit.”

Bay water shot through a hole the size of a baseball in Big Boy’s hull. To Tanner, it looked like a tooth hole. If he could get that flow stopped, it would buy them some time. The scent of oil and seawater filled the compartment, and steam floated above submerged hot pipes. The engine rose from the deck at the rear of the section and soon it would be underwater and unable to function.

Tanner sighed, pulled free his flask and took a long pull, and then slipped it away. The vodka sharpened his senses and woke him up.

A metal folding chair sat before a row of engine gauges. It was steel, with a flat metal seat. Tanner folded the chair and sloshed through the water to a bulkhead where a fire extinguisher, a portable defibrillator, and a bottle of spray sealant were mounted to the bulkhead. The sealant was made of cutting-edge expanding polymer technology and was designed to make emergency repairs on all types of metal: boats, dames, and pools; plus, it hardened while immersed in water.

Tanner sprayed the sealant on the underside of the folding chair and pressed it against the inflowing water. He threw all his weight against the chair, driving it as hard as he could into the bulkhead.

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