Frank Schatzing - The Swarm

'This isn't going to be easy,' said Shoemaker, through gritted teeth.

Anawak glanced round nervously. The whales had lost interest in the Lady Wexham . They had regrouped further out and were targeting the two motorboats, which were trying feebly to evade them.

Anawak knew they had little time. The whales could return at any moment and, in any case, the Lady was sinking fast. Greywolf crouched. A steep wave took the Devilfish and lifted her. The peeling paint of the bridge flashed past. Greywolf launched himself into the air and grabbed hold of a ladder on the side of the boat. The water rose to his armpits, then the wave fell away and he was left in mid-air, holding on by one hand, a living link between the people above him and the Zodiac below. He lifted his other hand towards the bridge.

'Climb on to my shoulders,' he shouted, 'one at a time. Cling to me and wait till the boat comes, then jump.'

The group hesitated. Greywolf yelled his instructions again. A woman grabbed his arm. In no time she was on his back, hugging his shoulders. The Zodiac rose. Anawak grabbed her and pulled her in.

'Next!'

At last the rescue operation had gained momentum. One after another the passengers dropped into the boat. Anawak wondered how much longer Greywolf could hold on. He was bearing his own weight, plus that of each passenger and dangling from only one hand while waves surged over him. The bridge groaned piteously as the metal warped and cracked. Now the skipper was the only one left. A sudden screech filled the air – the bridge had taken a hit. Greywolf's body smashed against the side of the ship and the skipper lost his balance and skidded off the deck. A grey whale raised its head above the waves. Greywolf let go of the ladder and dropped into the water. Coughing, the skipper surfaced a few metres ahead of him and reached the Zodiac in a couple of powerful strokes. Hands stretched down and pulled him in. Greywolf made a grab for the side, but was knocked back by a wave.

Behind him, a few metres away, a blade rose through the water.

'Jack!' Anawak rushed to the stern. Greywolf surfaced and swam rapidly towards the boat. The dark blade pivoted, and followed. Greywolf reached up and clutched the side. The orca was ready to lunge. Anawak snatched Greywolf and, helped by others, heaved him into the boat. The orca looped round and swam off. Swearing, Greywolf broke free of the solicitous hands and slicked back his long, dark hair.

Why didn't the orca attack? wondered Anawak.

I'm not afraid of the whales. They won't hurt me.

But that was all talk…

Then it dawned on him. The orca couldn't have attacked. The flooded deck beneath the Zodiac meant the water wasn't deep enough for it to launch itself Unless, of course, it had learned from its South American cousins how to hunt in the shallows or on dry land.

The Zodiac's period of grace would last until the bigger vessel sank. It was crucial that they used it.

Anawak heard screaming.

A grey whale had smashed into one of MS Arctic's boats. Debris flew into the air. An engine howled as the other boat spun round to make its escape. Anawak stared at the spot where the whale had pulled the boat under, and saw a line of grey humps heading their way.

Now it's our turn, he thought.

Shoemaker seemed incapable of movement. His eyes bulged.

'Tom!' yelled Anawak. 'We've got to fetch the others from the viewing platform.'

'Shoemaker!' Greywolf snarled. 'Can't you handle it?'

Trembling, Shoemaker seized the wheel and steered the Zodiac towards the platform. A wave surged beneath them and the bow struck the railings where the passengers were stranded. He was breathing heavily, trying to jockey the boat closer so that people could jump in.

The grey whales bore down on them, set on a collision course with the Lady Wexham . The wreck shook with the force of the impact. A woman was thrown off and landed screaming in the water.

'Shoemaker, you moron!' shouted Greywolf.

Some of the passengers on the Zodiac rushed to pull the woman on board. Anawak looked at the Lady . How long could she withstand a fresh wave of attacks? We're not going to make it, he thought in despair.

Then something incredible happened.

Two mighty bodies rose up on each side of the boat. One was instantly familiar to Anawak: its backbone was covered with a pale criss-cross of scars so they'd nicknamed it Scarback. The elderly grey had already outlived most others of its kind. Both animals lay still in the water, rising and falling on the swell. Then one of the whales discharged its blow, followed by the other. Clouds of tiny droplets wafted over the water.

The real surprise wasn't so much the appearance of the two greys, but the effect they had on the others, who promptly vanished underwater. When they resurfaced, they'd travelled a considerable distance from the boat. Orcas continued to circle the wreck, but they, too, had backed off.

Somehow Anawak knew they had nothing to fear from the new arrivals. In fact, the two greys had scared off their attackers. There was no telling how long the peace would last, but the unexpected turn of events gave them some breathing space. Even Shoemaker had stopped panicking. He guided the Zodiac confidently under the railings. An enormous wave surged towards them and they shot upwards.

Jump!' Anawak shouted. 'Now!'

The Devilfish rose on the swell and sank back down. The people on the railings leaped after it, crashing one on top of another, amid screams of pain. Some landed in the water, but were soon fished out. Eventually everyone was aboard.

It was time to make their getaway.

But not everyone had jumped. Crouched behind the railings a boy was crying, face buried in his hands.

'Jump!' shouted Anawak. He held out his arms. 'There's no need to be afraid.'

Greywolf joined him. 'When the next wave comes, I'll fetch him.'

Anawak glanced over his shoulder. An enormous wall of water was heading straight for them. 'That might be sooner than you think,' he said.

The two grey whales sank below the surface. The sea around the Lady gurgled and foamed, then the bridge disappeared in a whirlpool of water. Her stern rose into the air and the Lady Wexham slid bow first into the depths.

'Get closer!' shouted Greywolf.

Somehow Shoemaker obliged. The Devilfish's bow struck the Lady's deck as she sank, with the boy still clutching the railings. Greywolf shoved his way to the stern, but a wave hit the Zodiac and a veil of frothy water billowed over the rails. As Greywolf leaned out to grab the boy, the Devilfish tipped, he lost his balance and crashed to the deck, but he didn't let go. His arms supported the boy like two firm tree-trunks. His bear-like hands were locked around his waist. Then the Lady Wexham vanished into the depths.

Shoemaker thrust the throttle forward. The waves rolling in from the Pacific were long and regular. They wouldn't pose a risk to the overcrowded Zodiac, providing that her skipper was careful. But Shoemaker had recovered his cool. The Zodiac shot over the crest of a wave, sank down the other side and headed for the coast.

Anawak glanced back at MS Arctic . The second motorboat was nowhere to be seen. A fluke plunged into the water, waving in what seemed to be a mocking farewell. A humpback… He would never see another whale's tail without a sense of foreboding.

A few minutes later they passed the narrow strip of land that separated the open water from the lagoon.

THE BOAT PULLED UP AT the jetty, crammed with people. In the moments following their return, the sight of the unscathed Devilfish was Davie's only comfort. They read out the names of the missing. People collapsed in shock. Then the crowd dispersed. The Zodiac's passengers nearly all had hypothermia. Most were taken away by friends or family to be treated at the nearest clinic. Some had sustained more serious injuries, but no one could say when the helicopter would arrive to take them to Victoria. The radio was still jammed with reports of new horrors.