Maria saw Mega, the rhino-shark soldier, about two seconds before the monster attacked. It was just long enough for her to gather her wits and open her mouth, exposing her row of sharp teeth. She struck out with her claws and tail, too. But the shark mouth with the rhino horn slammed into her, tossing her up out of the water like she was a toy.
Maria splashed back down, twisted, and chomped at the soldier’s nose, hoping to at least hit her in a sensitive spot, but missed. She rolled and struck out at Mega’s neck, and finally connected. She bit down hard. The shark pulled her sandpapery skin away, leaving Maria’s face scratched and bloody. But Maria had left a few bite marks in Mega’s neck and shoulder that the woman wouldn’t soon forget. The soldier circled and charged again. This time she bit down around Maria’s middle.
Maria screamed in pain and cracked her elbow into Mega’s ear. The rhino-shark pushed the girl through the water, not letting go. Maria waved her claws and snapped her alligator jaws, trying to catch anything, but the shark woman had a solid grip on the girl. “Help!” Maria cried out. Mega pulled her underwater.
Forgetting Kelly, Charlie started paddling toward Maria, her useless leg trailing in the water behind her. “Maria!” she cried.
From the shore, Mac came running on top of the water, but there wasn’t much he could do. If he switched to pangolin mode, he’d sink like a rock and drown. But he didn’t have any way to protect himself in lizard mode. “Come back to shore!” he shouted weakly, knowing that it was easier said than done.
Mega tossed Maria up into the air again. Maria swiveled and twisted, then clawed the water as she came down, catching Mega in the face and leaving four bloody cuts across her cheek. Mega was furious. But before she could grab Maria again, Maria clamped down on the woman’s shoulder and started shaking her.
Mega squealed in pain. She broke free, ripping out two of Maria’s alligator teeth, which remained embedded in Mega’s shoulder. Maria’s blood clouded the water. Mega circled. Frenzied and angry, she went in for the kill. She clamped down on Maria’s head, lifted her up so her tail was out of the water, and shook her like a dog shakes a stuffed toy. Maria’s yells went silent.
“Maria!” Charlie screamed. She reached them, but there wasn’t much she could do but watch in horror.
Mega dragged Maria through the water and shook her again, then whirled around and tossed her at Mac, hitting him in the chest and knocking him down. He splashed and went under. Maria sank too. Mac resurfaced, looking wildly around for his friend, then dived down to find her. He grabbed her by the alligator tail and pulled her up, taking her under the arms and keeping her bleeding head above water. Treading water with Maria in tow, he carefully removed Maria’s device and pulled the Mark Five from his pocket. He slapped it on her and put her Mark Two in his pocket.
Barely able to move in the water, Charlie was a sitting duck, and her arms burned, trying to keep herself afloat. When Mega turned on her, all Charlie could think of to do was to try to pry Mega’s mouth open and keep it that way. She dived down, her leg barely beginning to work again, and searched for a rock or a piece of driftwood. Not that it would hold the shark long, since she had human arms to pull out whatever Charlie managed to put in there. She came back up empty-handed, and barely had time to take a breath before Mega attacked.
Charlie grabbed the shark’s mouth and pulled it open, holding it as wide as she could. She clamped her good leg around the woman’s body and squeezed. The two slipped under the water, Mega flailing with her mouth forced open and Charlie attached to her torso. Her strength was solid, and she had a strong grip with her gecko ability. But her injured leg wasn’t helping. And Charlie knew she’d have to let go eventually to get air.
Mega lurched and her jaw snapped shut, catching Charlie’s arm inside. Charlie’s eyes widened. She screamed into the water. Mega stayed low, dragging the girl around as Charlie tried placing hard kicks into Mega’s stomach with her good leg.
The kicks didn’t seem to faze the crazed shark. Before long Charlie’s lungs began to burn. She needed air. She twisted and tried to wrench her arm away, growing desperate, then weak, but the shark held fast. Charlie’s vision began to go dark.
Just before Charlie faded into unconsciousness, she saw an infrared spot moving toward her through the water.