Ocean Blue (Sea Lab Book 1)

CHAPTER 68

Jake watched Tony and Sarah disappear into the moon pool. He knew they could survive using Tony's air. They would make it to safety if the Atlantis could track them down and haul them out of the water.

Ishikawa's biceps never looked so powerful. The obstacle in front of Jake would not bow out of the fight because of fear. The only way out was through the giant.

The tilted floor made each step difficult. It was like playing King of the Hill, and he was on the bottom. Jake swung and missed. Ishikawa latched onto his arm and slung him toward the moon pool; he skidded near the edge, gravity slowing his momentum. He gained his feet and stormed toward the storage closet, his thigh muscles burning on the elevated surface. His DPV and twin air tanks had spilled out into the open doorway.

In mid-stride, the weight of a bull crashed into him from behind, driving him to the floor, leaving him stranded half in the closet, half out.

Ishikawa dragged him by the feet into the open expanse of the room. With his hands clutching the air tanks, Jake went with the flow until Ishikawa turned loose of his legs. Gritting his teeth, he whipped the canisters around, the leading edge of the blunt end glancing across Ishikawa's forehead.

The blow might have silenced a normal man. But Ishikawa only fell back a step, regained his composure and channeled his furious eyes at Jake again—the heel of his shoe stopping at the rim of the moon pool.

Ishikawa lunged forward and jerked Jake to his feet. He held him up, reared back and punched him in the face.

Starlight blurred Jake's vision. Another blow like that would finish him. He had to break free.

Jake drove his elbow into Ishikawa's arm, but it didn't budge. He didn't have leverage and the man was simply too strong. Next, he pounded his fists into the assassin's stomach, to no avail. He only had one other recourse. Desperately, he thrusted his knee up into Ishikawa's groin. The man buckled and threw Jake to the floor, bent over at the waist, gasping.

During the brief lapse of time, Jake realized he'd landed on top of the air tanks. He readied the canisters for a second blow.

Ishikawa lurched for him, but met the hard end of the cylinders again. This time, the makeshift weapon struck the big man solidly on the side of the face. His body whirled backwards, teetered on the edge, and then splashed into the pool, disappearing from sight.

In the seconds that followed, Jake realized the water had deepened on the far side of the room. He hustled to his feet, donned the twin tanks, and slipped on his dive mask. He stared at the moon pool. Nothing but dark water, no sign of Ishikawa. Jake took a step and plunged in with the torpedo shaped DPV.

He powered the dive vehicle and aimed it downward to flee the wreckage.

But something grabbed his leg.

Jake glanced back for a look at the moon pool's escaping light.

Ishikawa had a hold of his ankle, blood seeping from his wounded forehead and cheek. Jake increased the throttle on the DPV and pulled him further into the depths. The extra weight taxed the vehicle's propeller, but inch by inch, the battery powered motor churned deeper. With Ishikawa clinging to his ankle, Jake couldn't check his air gauge. He could only assume he had enough oxygen to outlast the assassin.