Deluge: The Conqueror Worms II

CHAPTER 40

When Gail’s head broke the surface a second time, Warren was nowhere to be seen. She tried to shout for him, but she couldn’t. She’d swallowed too much water, and her throat felt raw. Her lungs ached, desperate for air. She inhaled and then choked. A spasm rocked through her. Barely staying afloat, she clutched her stomach and vomited seawater. She squeezed her eyes shut and gasped. When she opened them again, it was just in time to see a massive wave bearing down on her. Before Gail could move, the wall of water slammed into her, forcing her beneath the surface again.

She opened her eyes underwater, glancing around frantically, but all she saw was churning foam and bubbles. She kicked upward, emerged, and gasped for more air. Her stomach cramped again, but thankfully, she did not puke. The rain hammered her scalp. Each drop felt like a hailstone.

“Warren? Oh, God… WAAAAARRREEENNNN!”

Thunder answered her. Gail raised her head and stared into the sky. The gray haze flickered momentarily blue, lit by unseen lightening. The mist grew thicker, seeming to cling to her. Shivering, Gail rubbed her arms and bobbed on the surf.

“Warren? Lynn? Anyone?”

“Gail!”

The voice was faint, almost obscured by the roar of the waves and the driving rain. Gail cocked her head and listened closely. The call came again.

“Gail! Gail, over here!”

“Novak? Where are you? I can’t see you.”

“Keep shouting. I’ll find you.”

She did. The mist had a strange, dampening effect on sound. Novak still sounded far away when the bow of the lifeboat suddenly emerged from the fog less than eight feet from where she floated. Sobbing and shivering, Gail swam toward it. Her arms and legs felt heavy, and for one panicked moment, she didn’t think she’d reach him, and that Novak would drift right on by. Then she was clawing at the sides of the craft. His powerful hands closed around her wrists. His skin was cold. He pulled her up into the boat and deposited her on one of the benches.

“Are you okay?”

Gail nodded. Her teeth chattered. She noticed McCann lying beneath one of the benches. His eyes were closed. He didn’t move.

“Is he…?”

“He’s alive,” Novak said. “Just unconscious. But his pulse is strong and his breathing’s steady. Something knocked him out. He was floating face down in the water. I fished him out. Lucky for us both I managed to snag the boat before it drifted away.”

“But how?”

“I don’t know. I was dog-paddling, looking around for the rest of you, and it came drifting toward me on a wave. Damn thing almost ran me down. Have you seen or heard the others?”

“Warren… he… we were together and then a wave pushed us under.”

Novak cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted for Warren and Lynn. He repeated the process several times but there was no answer. He turned back to her and grinned.

“How about this weather?”

Gail’s stomach fluttered when she saw the look in his eyes. It was the expression of a man teetering on the edge.

“The ship’s gone,” Gail said. “There was a break in the fog, and we saw—they left us here.”

“Bullshit. Riffle wouldn’t do that.”

“I’m telling you, it’s gone! What are we going to do, Novak?”

He stared at the ocean, and then suddenly leaned forward and pointed over the starboard side. “Look, it’s Warren.”

Gail turned to see. Sure enough, Warren floated by on the crest of a wave. His body was limp.

“I’ll get him.”

Before she could react, Novak leaped into the ocean and quickly swam toward the unconscious man. Gail gripped the sides of the lifeboat, watching carefully, urging him on. With a few powerful strokes, Novak reached Warren and flipped him over. Then he screamed.

Warren’s head was gone.

“Get in the boat,” Gail yelled. “Novak, get back here, Whatever did it might still be out there.”

He waved her off and began tugging at Warren’s corpse.

“We’ve got to find his head,” Novak called. “If we can find his head, he’ll be okay.”

“Novak, you’re in shock! Goddamn it, McCann and I need you alive if we’re going to make it out of this. Now come back here. Please?”

He turned toward her and when Gail saw the haunted expression in his eyes, her heart broke all over again. She had to strain to hear him over the rain and surf.

“You’re right. Need to get my shit straight. ”

He released Warren’s body and gave it a gentle push. The headless corpse floated away, spinning slightly as the current caught it. Novak swam toward the lifeboat.

A sleek, black fin appeared behind him.