Jeremy Robinson - Kronos

“Right then,” Trevor said. “Off to bed with you.”

Trevor helped Atticus to his room and laid the groggy man in bed. Atticus looked up, his body fully relaxed, the anguish of his life diffused by a drug-induced haze. “Trevor,” he said, as the rich man stole for the exit. “You’re a good friend.”

“We’ll see about that,” Trevor replied before stepping out of the room. “We’ll see…”

Atticus’s eyes closed before the door, and he was blissfully asleep within seconds, unaware that his new “friend” had never left the room.

US Coast Guard Cutter-Gulf of Maine

The rising sun cut through the cobwebs in Andrea’s mind. She’d slept fitfully the night before, not because of the swelling seas or rocking boat, but because of the nightmares that wracked her slumbering mind. She’d seen her own version, conjured up by her darkest imaginations, of what had happened to Atticus the day he’d lost his daughter. But with each waking and returning to sleep, the dream steadily changed until she was Atticus, and he was Giona.

Then she watched as a dark form rose from the depths, its teeth impossibly long and sharp, its size without equal. A massive jaw opened and sucked Atticus inside. She could still see his body as he slid, kicking and fighting, down the creature’s throat.

She had wakened with a start, crying. That was at 5:00 a.m. She’d stayed up since, hoping a sunrise would calm her spirit. With the sun on her face and the darkness of night washed away, she felt herself returning to normal-or some semblance thereof. She still had to face Manfred and talk sense into Atticus, but the dreams of the previous night had planted a seed of doubt. She wondered if Atticus would listen to her at all, or the strange request she’d make if he didn’t.

As the sun cleared the horizon and became too bright to look at, she turned around and realized just how soon the confrontation would take place. The massive yacht known as the Titan sat less than a mile away, gleaming in the morning sunlight. It looked like a marine home for a god or a phantom ship from some other time-mysterious and imposing.

“Well, they know we’re here, and they’re not running,” said Reilly as he approached from a staircase that led belowdecks. “That’s a good sign, right?”

“Not with a man like Trevor Manfred,” Andrea replied, glad for the distraction. “He’s so confident in his own power that he could have that ship filled with cocaine and not flinch at our presence.”

Reilly looked surprised. “You think he does?”

Andrea chuckled. Her muscles relaxing a bit. “No. Of course not. Trevor Manfred may be many things, but a drug smuggler he is not. People as rich as he is have plenty of other ways to make more money.”

“Then he’s legit?” Reilly looked confused.

“It’s not Manfred’s wealth or how he’s acquired it that’s been in question. It’s what he does with it. His hobbies, his collections. Much of what we believe is either speculation or based on secondhand information, but there is enough to make his ship an unwelcome sight in most ports.”

“Huh?” Reilly rubbed his face with his hands, waking himself up and clearly not impressed with Manfred or his reputation. “Captain says he’s ready to move when you are. Just give the say-so.”

Andrea met Reilly’s eyes. “Tell him to take us in, but slow and casual. Let’s not spook them. That ship is huge, but I have a feeling it could outrun us if need be.”

Reilly nodded after stifling a yawn. “You got it, Cap.” He headed for the bridge, leaving Andrea alone with the rising sun and her returning doubts. She had to do everything right or she might lose Atticus again. Only this time, he might end up in the gullet of an honest-to-God sea monster.

“They’re crazy,” Remus said as he peered through a pair of binoculars, watching the Coast Guard cutter bearing down on their position. It wasn’t moving fast enough to be perceived as a boarding attempt, but it was by no means a casual visit. “They have no good reason…”

Trevor relaxed in a floating lounge chair at the center of the dragon-shaped pool. The heated water steamed into the cool morning air, masking his features and any trepidation his facial expression might have revealed. “The U.S. Coast Guard is paying us a visit, I presume?”

“We’ve got about ten minutes.”

“And our guest?”

“Still out cold.”

“Good, good. This will be easier without him, and we need him focused on his task. His loyalties to his daughter are without bounds. There is no doubt about that. But as a former Navy man, we can’t discount that he might fall into line with the military when the U.S. government shows up to inspect us. You did well in locating them last night.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“It was rather fortunate that our friend had trouble sleeping. Injecting a trained killer with a sleep aid would not have been the wisest course of action.”

“I could’ve done it,” Remus said, his voice filled with confidence.

“Yes, of course you could.” Trevor’s tone was that of a man speaking to a dog. “But he is our guest and our best chance of finding and killing the creature, so I’d prefer to treat him with respect.”

Remus nodded. “Understood.”

“Good, now fetch my towel and prep the loudspeaker. I want to give them a reason to maintain a healthy distance.”

Trevor heaved his small frame from the pool and took the towel extended by Remus. He wrapped himself tightly, his muscles beginning to shiver. “Good God, it’s chilly!”

Remus smiled. One of the most powerful men in the world was also one of the most frail. Trevor headed into a warmer hallway, followed by Remus, who closed the door behind them.

“Did you find anything in his bag?” Remus asked.

Trevor stopped in the hallway and faced Remus. “Nothing that would indicate that he was anything but honestly out for revenge. His weapons are quite formidable though, and it makes me wonder why he’d bring them to use against a sea serpent; but I doubt that Young was thinking much when he prepared for this little jaunt.”

The seriousness in Trevor’s eyes caught him off guard, and he came to an abrupt stop. “I can say this for the man. He is broken. I tell you that I’ve never seen a man in such a sorry state. I doubt if he’ll ever recover. Once we have the beast and his vengeance is complete, I wouldn’t be surprised if the man took his own life. He literally has nothing left to live for.”

“Then you don’t foresee him becoming a problem?”

“Not at all. I’m beginning to think he might be a worthy asset to have on board.” Trevor smiled at Remus’s furrowed brow. “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men didn’t have Trevor Manfred as a friend.”

“Cute.”

“Not to fear, good Remus. There isn’t a man alive I trust more than you. Your station is secure.” Trevor gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “But if we can shape Dr. Young into a real monster hunter, a man willing to track down…items of interest, well then, he might just be worth keeping around.”

Remus visibly relaxed.

“Come, the Coast Guard is nearly upon us. To arms! To arms!” Trevor was having fun. He lived for such situations. The conflict. The intrigue. The heartbreak. So far, the adventure had been exactly what he’d hoped for. Even a possible run-in with the Coast Guard, raising the stakes, increased his pleasure.

But there was little time to spare. After the Coast Guard was sent packing, Atticus would have to be roused and prepared for his first confrontation with the beast the Titan had been tracking for the past three hours.

Only as the cutter approached Manfred’s ship did Andrea feel intimidated by the vast size of the Titan. The Coast Guard craft was dwarfed by it. As they cut a path around the ship, the sun disappeared behind it. As a child she’d visited New York, and was dizzied as she stared up at the towering skyscrapers. The same feeling struck her now, staring up at a wonder of modern engineering and science, and it left her mouth hanging open.