〃Did I？〃 Renshaw asked。 〃Are you kidding？ You bet I saw it。 Hell； I got it all on tape。 I mean； yikes； did you see those big bastards？ Did you see the way they hunted？ Did you see the plexity of their hunting behavior？ Like the way they would always make a pass by their intended victim before they came in for the kill？〃
〃I must have missed that；〃 Schofield said flatly。
〃I tell you； they did it。 Every time。 Every single time。 I've read about it before。 You know what I think it is？ It's the whale staking his claim。 It's the whale telling all the other whales that this person is his kill。 Hey； I could show it to you if you…〃
〃You said there was something else I should see；〃 Schofield said。 〃Something about the man who shot me。〃
〃Oh； yeah； right。 Right。 Sorry。〃 Schofield just stared at Renshaw as the little man grabbed a videocassette and thrust it into the second video recorder。 He was a strange man。 Manic； nervous； and yet obviously very intelligent。 And he talked a lot。 It seemed that when he spoke； it all just came gushing out。 Schofield found it difficult to determine exactly how old he was。 He could have been anything from twenty…nine to forty。
〃That's it！〃 Renshaw exclaimed suddenly。
〃What？ What's it？〃 Schofield said。
〃Yaeger。 Carmine Yaeger。 That was his name。〃
〃Play the video； would you；〃 Schofield said； exasperated。
〃Oh； yeah； right。〃 Renshaw hurriedly hit the PLAY button on the VCR。
An image came up on the second monitor。 It was almost identical to the one that was on the first monitor； from the same high…mounted camera looking down on the pool and its surrounding deck。
There was only one difference。
On the second monitor's screen； someone was standing on the deck。
Schofield stared at the screen intently。
The person on the screen was a man； one of the Marines。 He was alone。
Schofield couldn't tell who it was because the camera was positioned directly above him。 All he could see was the top of the man's helmet and his armored shoulder plates。
And then suddenly the man looked up； slowly scanning the shaft of the station； and Schofield saw his face。
He frowned。
He was looking at his own face。
Schofield turned immediately to Renshaw。 〃When did you record this…〃
〃Just keep watching。〃
Schofield turned back to the screen。
He saw himself stop next to the pool and speak into his helmet mike。 There was no sound； he could just see his own mouth moving。 He stopped talking and took a step across the deck。
And then he stopped。
He had stepped on something。
Schofield saw himself bend down and examine some broken glass on the deck。 He seemed to look about him。 And then suddenly his head cocked to the side。 He was listening to something。 Listening to someone speaking over his helmet inter。
The Shane Schofield on the screen then stood up and was starting to turn when suddenly his whole body jolted violently and a small spray of blood exploded out from his neck。 He stopped instantly and swayed slightly； and then he raised his hand to his neck and held it out in front of his face。 It had blood all over it。
And then his knees buckled and he fell in a heap to the deck。 He just lay there on the deck； motionless。
Schofield stared at his own image on the screen。
He had just seen himself get shot。。。。
He turned to Renshaw。
Renshaw just nodded back at the screen。 〃There's more；〃 he said quietly。 〃A lot more。〃
Schofield swung back to face the screen。
He saw his own body lying on the pool deck； unmoving。 It lay there for a while。
Nothing happened。
And then suddenly someone stepped into the frame。
Schofield felt his adrenaline rush as he watched the screen。 He was about to see the person who had shot him。
The first thing he saw was the helmet。
It was another Marine。
A man。 Schofield could tell by the way he walked。 But he couldn't see his face。
The Marine walked slowly over to Schofield's unmoving body。 He was in no hurry。 He pulled his automatic pistol from his holster as he approached Schofield's body； pulled back the slide； cocking the gun。
Schofield stared at the screen intently。
The Marine； his face still obscured by his helmet； bent down over Schofield's body and placed two fingers on Schofield's blood…covered throat。
〃He's checking your pulse；〃 Renshaw whispered。
That was exactly what he was doing； Schofield saw。 The Marine on the screen waited several seconds with his fingers on Schofield's neck。
Schofield didn't take his eyes off the screen。
The Marine on the screen stood up； satisfied that Schofield had no pulse。 He uncocked his pistol； put it back in its holster。
〃And。。。 look at that；〃 Renshaw said。 〃There's nothing there。〃 Renshaw turned to face Schofield。 〃Lieutenant； I do believe your heart just stopped beating。〃
Schofield didn't even look at Renshaw as he spoke。 His eyes were glued to the screen。
〃Now look at what he does here；〃 Renshaw said。 'This is his fatal mistake。。。。〃
Schofield watched as on the screen the Marine…his face still masked by his helmet…shoved Schofield's dead body across the deck with his foot。
He was shoving the body toward the pool。
After two strong kicks； Schofield's body was lying on the edge of the deck； right next to the water。 The Marine then pushed Schofield's body one last time with his foot and the body fell limply into the water。
〃He doesn't know it；〃 Renshaw said； 〃but that guy just kick…started your heart。〃
〃How？〃
〃The way I figure it； that water's so cold； it acted like a defibrillator…you know； those electric…shock paddles they use on TV to restart peoples' hearts。 The shock your body received when it hit that water…and let me tell you； that would have been one hell of a shock to a body that wasn't prepared for it…was enough to jolt your heart back into action。〃
Schofield watched the screen。
The Marine stood at the edge of the deck for a while； watching the circle of ripples that indicated the spot where Schofield's body had entered the inky water。 After about thirty seconds； the Marine turned and looked around him。
And at that moment； as the Marine turned； Schofield saw something that made his blood run cold。
Oh； no。。。； he thought。
The Marine then turned on his heel and quickly walked out of the frame。
Schofield turned to Renshaw； his mouth agape。
〃It's not over yet；〃 Renshaw said； interrupting him before he spoke。 〃Keep watching。〃
Schofield turned back to face the screen。
He saw the image of the deck and the pool。 Otherwise there was nothing。
Nothing was happening。
Nothing at all。
There was no one on the deck。 No movement in the water。
A full minute passed。
And then Schofield saw it。
〃What the hell。。。〃 he said。
At that moment； the water in the pool seemed to part of its own accord and suddenly； in a wash of bubbles and froth； Schofield's body…limp and lifeless…emerged from the water。
Schofield watched； stunned。
But it was what came after his body that truly laid him cold。
Whatever it was； it was absolutely huge； at least as big as a killer whale。
But this was no killer whale。
It lifted Schofield's lifeless body out of the water and deposited it gently onto the deck。 Water washed out onto the deck all around Schofield's limp body as the animal leaped up onto the deck after him。 The whole deck shuddered under its immense weight。
It was huge。 It dwarfed Schofield's body。 Schofield watched it； entranced。
It was a seal of some sort。
An enormous； gigantic seal。
It had a huge blubbery body； layer upon layer of undulating fat； and it propped itself up on two massive foreflippers。 The impression that Schofield got of the animal's strength was overwhelming…to hold up that enormous body required phenomenal musculature。 It must have weighed at least eight tons。
The strangest feature of all； however； was the animal's teeth。 This enormous seal had two long inverted fangs…fangs that protruded from its lower jaw and rose up in front of its nose。
〃What the hell is that？〃 Schofield said softly。
〃I have no idea；〃 Renshaw said。 〃The nose； the eyes； the shape of the head。 It looks like an elephant seal