Shaun Jeffrey - Fangtooth

“Then you’re as cracked as he is. You sure you haven’t been smoking the merchandise, Zander?” McKenzie asked.

Zander felt like grabbing him by the throat and strangling the life out of him. He looked at his crew. Faced with McKenzie’s accusation, which virtually told the whole story, he didn’t know what to say, and for the first time in his life, he was rendered speechless.

Fortunately, Brad spoke up. “Aye man, you don’t think they didn’t know what we were up to? Give the boys credit. We sail out all by ourselves in the dead of night. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s anyone in the village who doesn’t know what we were up to. Not that everyone agrees with it, but a man has to make a living, and the boys knew you were using drug money to pay their wages. In my book, that went above and beyond.”

Robinson nodded, and Jim chortled behind his beard.

Zander smirked. How did he think he could ever lead a secret life in a village where there were no secrets? A village where everyone knew everyone, a village as tight knit as Mulberry.

“Well if you’ve all stopped licking each other’s asses, perhaps you can tell me where my fuckin’ drugs are,” McKenzie said.

Zander rubbed his neck. “They’re gone. The lobster pots were smashed and the drugs were gone.”

McKenzie jumped to his feet. “You’d better be fuckin’ jokin’.”

Zander shook his head. “I wish I was.”

“So who’s got the drugs?”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. No one’s got ’em. I think these sea creatures were inquisitive and they smashed the pots to see what was inside.”

“Bullshit. You’re yanking my fuckin’ chain. Fuckin’ sea monsters.”

Brad puffed his chest out. “You want to make something of it?”

Before anyone could react, McKenzie pulled a knife out of his jacket pocket and thrust it towards Brad’s stomach.

Despite his size, Brad was quick on his feet. He easily dodged the blade and grabbed McKenzie’s wrist. Next minute, Robinson and Jim pulled knives from their waistbands.

“Little boys shouldn’t play with knives. You might get cut,” Brad said, prizing the blade from McKenzie’s fingers.

“You’re going to regret that,” McKenzie snarled. “Don’t you fuckin’ inbreeds know who I am?”

“Stop, you’ll have me quaking in me boots,” Brad replied.

“Let him go,” Zander said. “I’ll not have any fighting on board my boat.”

Brad passed Zander the knife, and Robinson and Jim put their weapons away. The drug dealer straightened out his jacket and ran a hand through his short hair.

“When Monty hears about this, you lot will be fuckin’ dog meat,” he growled.

Monty was the big cheese, the head honcho, and Zander knew McKenzie wasn’t making idle threats. These people wouldn’t mess around. They had lost a consignment of drugs worth a lot of money, and someone was going to have to pay. The only chance he had now at redeeming himself, and the lives of his crew, was to show McKenzie what lay beneath the waves.

“Okay men, I won’t force any of you to come as this is going to be dangerous, but I’m guessing these creatures are the reason we’ve not caught any fish lately. I’m also guessing they had something to do with the sinking of the Silver Queen , and that’s why I’m going to kill every last one of them. Now’s your last chance to leave, because the tide’s in, and I’m about to set sail.”

McKenzie grimaced. “If you think I’m—”

“Shut your trap, McKenzie. You’re coming whether you like it or not,” Zander said. “I’m going to prove to you that no one stole your fucking drugs, and that there is something out there.” To his relief, McKenzie didn’t argue. He was not stupid enough to think he could take on five men.

Robinson nodded his head. “I’m in,” he said. Brad agreed, as did Jim.

“Oh damn it, count me in too,” Muldoon said.

Jim started towards the door, then stopped and turned back. “How do you expect to catch or kill these creatures? They chewed through the net last time.”

Zander stared out to sea. “From what I’ve seen, these creatures want to come aboard to feed. So that’s what I’m going to let them do. We’re going to use ourselves as bait. And then we’re going to kill the bastards.”

The atmosphere in the bar was chilly to say the least. Since Zander had stormed out, Powell had been talking to someone on his walkie-talkie. Jack sat at one of the tables, talking to Sara and Jen. The other lad, Rocky, sat in a corner, glaring at Jen and Jack. Duncan sat nursing a brandy. Graham sat behind the bar, from where he eyed everyone as though they were interlopers from another dimension. Erin stood by the bar smoking a cigarette, and Shazam sat at Bruce’s feet, her head cocked as though she was trying to take it all in.

Bruce couldn’t help but feel what a ragtag group they made.

He looked at Erin as she lit another cigarette from the butt of her last one. Despite her dishevelled appearance, she still looked radiant. He noticed her hand shake as she put the cigarette to her lips, and he walked across and stood beside her.

“I don’t think Zander endeared himself to the police officer. What do you think he’s going to do?” he asked.

Erin turned towards him and he saw a deep sadness in her eyes, but also something else, something that made her appear as a frightened child. “Who, Zander or Powell?”

“Zander. What do you think he’s going to do?”

Erin shrugged and puffed on her cigarette. “I don’t know. He’s crazy enough to do anything.”

“You look worried.” He hoped her concern wasn’t for Zander; that she didn’t have feelings for him.

Erin emitted a nervous laugh. “Is it any wonder? You saw those things. God knows how many of them there are.”

“Well I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. The army will take care of them.”

“You think it will be that easy.” It was not a question.

Bruce put his hands on the bar. “They’ve got guns and all manner of weapons. I don’t think a few fish, no matter how big, will be a threat.”

“You seem to be forgetting, these fish, although I don’t think it’s right to call them fish anymore, are now as at home on land as they are beneath the water. That gives them an advantage, a big advantage in my book.”

“We’ve got one of the best armies in the world.”

“And now we’ve got one of the most fearsome predators after us. We’ve only seen a few, but a population can’t sustain itself without there being a lot more of them.” The fear on Erin’s face was evident.

Bruce saw Graham peering at him and he turned away.

Through the window, he could see the harbour lights. He had watched Zander set sail. So had Powell, but he hadn’t intervened. Bruce wondered what would happen when he returned to port. Wasn’t disobeying a police officer a crime? Having never broken the law, Bruce was unsure of the rules, but he didn’t think running away from a questioning officer would go down too well. But then again, from Zander’s expression, he didn’t think the man could care less.

The darkness outside was intimidating. It allowed things to hide too easily. He shivered at the thought. The bright lights of the bar reflected off the glass, so it was hard to see out, but Bruce moved away from the window in case anything looked in and saw him

He anxiously fingered the wallet in his trouser pocket, hoping the influence of the lucky charms would pass through the leather. The way things were going, he needed all the good luck he could get.

A sudden noise made Bruce jump. It originated outside, sounded like a glass bottle kicked across the ground. All eyes turned to the window, then the lights went out.