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And then； with an ominous sense of finality； the big whale's jaws closed slowly around Mother's knees。
The jolt that Mother experienced was incredible in its ferocity。
Rebound watched in horror as the killer whale yanked her under。 The water around Mother started to froth and bubble and blood began to fan out； but Mother was struggling fiercely； putting up a hell of a fight。
Suddenly she broke the surface and so did the killer。 Somehow； during their underwater scuffle； Mother must have managed to get one of her legs free from the killer's jaws； because now she was using it to kick down hard on the big whale's snout。
〃You motherfucker！〃 she screamed。 〃I'm gonna fucking kill you！〃 But it had her by the other leg and it wasn't letting go。
Abruptly Mother shot forward in the water； raising a wash of white waves in front of her。 The whale was pushing her forward； toward Rebound and the deck。
And then…clang！…Mother slammed down hard against the edge of the deck and； amazingly； managed to get a handhold on the metal grating。
〃Fucking kill you！ You son of a bitchl〃 Mother yelled through clenched teeth。
Rebound dived forward and grabbed her hand as she grimly held the deck and struggled with the killer whale in a tug…of…war over her own body。
Then Rebound saw Mother draw her powerful Colt automatic pistol from its holster and level it at the killer whale's head。 〃Oh； fuck me 。。。；〃 Rebound said。
〃You want to eat something； baby？〃 Mother said to the whale。 〃Eat this。〃
She fired。
A small blast of yellow light flared out from the muzzle of Mother's gun as the flash of her pistol ignited the gaseous air around her。 Both she and Rebound were hurled a full five yards backward onto the deck by the concussion wave。
The whale wasn't so lucky。 As soon as the bullet entered its brain； the killer convulsed violently backward； snapping upward。 Then it just fell limply back into the water amid a cloud of its own blood； its final prize…garnered in the split second before it died…a portion of Mother's left leg。 Everything from the left knee down。
Schofield and Kirsty were still out in the middle of the pool； caught halfway between the diving bell in the center and the deck twenty…five feet away。
With their backs pressed against each other； they both looked fearfully about themselves。 The water around them was ominously still。 Quiet。 Calm。
〃Mister；〃 Kirsty said； her voice barely a whisper。 Her jaw was quivering； a bination of fear and cold。
〃What？〃 Schofield kept his eyes trained on the water around him。
〃I'm scared。〃
〃Scared？〃 Schofield said； not exactly hiding his own fear very well。 〃I didn't think kids these days were afraid of anything。 Don't they have this kind of stuff at Sea World…〃
At that moment； one of the killer whales shot up out of the water right in front of Schofield。 It rose out of the water and arced down fast； heading right for him and Kirsty！
〃Go under！〃 Schofield yelled as he saw the two rows of jagged white teeth open wide in front of him。
He held his breath and ducked underwater； pulling Kirsty down with him。
The world suddenly went silent as the killer whale's immense white underbelly thundered over the top of them at incredible speed。 It brushed roughly against the top of Schofield's helmet as it pounded back into the water right above their heads。
Schofield and Kirsty burst back up above the surface； gasped for air。
Schofield quickly looked left： saw Rebound and Mother on the deck。 Looked right： saw Sarah and Abby； also safely up on the deck； quickly moving away from the edge。
He spun around： saw another Frenchman get yanked under。 The two remaining French mandos were just reaching the edge of the pool。 They'd had to swim farther than everyone else； having landed closest to the middle of the pool。
Serves them right； Schofield thought。
He looked up： and immediately saw the retractable bridge that spanned the width of the station from either side of C…deck。
Just then； a deafening explosion boomed out from the alcove on the C…deck catwalk and an unbelievably huge tongue of fire shot out over the whole of the central shaft of the station。
Schofield knew what had happened immediately…the French soldiers up on A…deck； deprived of the use of their guns； were now tossing grenades down into the shaft。 Sharp thinking。 A grenade detonating in this flammable atmosphere would do twice as much damage as it would normally。 Their first target； Schofield noticed； had been the alcove he and Gant had been hiding in before。
Suddenly something emerged from the fireball that had consumed the alcove。
It was large and gray； square…shaped； and it tumbled end…over…end out into the central shaft of the station。 It fell fast； cutting through the air； its immense weight driving it downward。 With a thunderous crash； the four…hundred…pound ejection seat that had been sitting in front of the console in the C…deck alcove came smashing down onto the deck that surrounded the pool at the bottom of the station。 It weighed so much and landed so hard that it dented the thick metal deck when it hit。
Despite the chaos all around him； Shane Schofield kept his eyes locked on the retractable bridge three stories above him。 He took in the distance。
Thirty feet。 Maybe thirty…five。
He wasted no time； raised his Maghook； flicked a switch marked M with his thumb…and saw a red light on the head of the grappling hook activate…aimed； and fired。
The grappling hook shot up into the air。 However； this time the claws of the hook didn't spring outward。 This time it was set on magnet。
The bulbous magnetic head of the Maghook thunked into the underside of the retractable steel bridge and stuck there。
Schofield did some quick calculations in his head。 〃Shit；〃 was all he said when he finished。
Then he handed the launcher to Kirsty and said； 〃Three words； honey： don't let go。〃
She took the launcher in both hands and looked at Schofield； puzzled。
He smiled at her reassuringly。 〃Just hold on。〃
Then he pressed down firmly on a small black button on the grip of the Maghook。
Suddenly Kirsty flew up out of the water as the Maghook reeled her upward like some bizarre kind of fishing rod。
She was light； so the Maghook had little difficulty whisking her up to the bridge。 Schofield knew it would have been considerably slower if his weight were also being…
A killer whale shot up out of the water after Kirsty。
Schofield's jaw dropped as he saw the massive whale lift its entire body out of the water in a magnificent vertical leap。
Kirsty was still moving rapidly upward； pulled up by the Maghook。 She looked down and saw the whale emerge from the water beneath her like the Devil ing out of Hell itself。 Saw it e roaring up toward her； its body rotating as it rose into the air。
And then all of a sudden Kirsty came to a jarring halt。
The whale kept ing upward。
Kirsty squealed in surprise； looked up； and saw that she had hit the underside of the bridge。
She couldn 't go any farther up！
The whale opened its jaws wide as it reached the zenith uf its leap 。 。 。
Kirsty gripped the Maghook