Silence。
Inside the cylinder； Ted sighed。 〃I don't think they should kill it；〃 he said softly。
Norman thought； I don't think they can。
Nobody else said anything。 They listened to the amplified breathing of Barnes and Tina。
〃Northeast corner 。。。 All right。 Feel strong currents； active； moving water 。。。 something nearby。 。。。 Can't see 。。。 visibility less than five feet。 Can barely see stanchion I am holding。 I can feel him； though。 He's big。 He's near。 Tina？〃
Silence。
A loud sharp crackling sound； static。 Then silence。
〃Tina？ Tina？〃
Silence。
〃I've lost Tina。〃
Another； very long silence。
〃I don't know what it 。。。 Tina； if you can hear me； stay where you are； I'll take it from here。 。。。 Okay 。。。 He is very close。 。。。 I feel him moving。 。。。 Pushes a lot of water； this guy。 A real monster。〃
Silence again。
〃Wish I could see better。〃
Silence。
＇＇213＇＇ 〃Tina？ Is that…〃
And then a muffled thud that might have been an explosion。 They all looked at each other； trying to know what the sound meant； but in the next instant the habitat began rocking and wrenching again； and Norman； unprepared； was slammed sideways； against the sharp edge of the bulkhead door； and the world went gray。 He saw Harry strike the wall next to him； and Harry's glasses fell onto Norman's chest； and Norman reached for the glasses for Harry； because Harry needed his glasses。 And then Norman lost consciousness； and everything was black。
AFTER THE ATTACK
Hot spray poured over him； and he inhaled steam。 Standing in the shower； Norman looked down at his body and thought； I look like a survivor of an airplane crash。 One of those people I used to see and marvel that they were still alive。