Through his binoculars, Grant could see the large island up ahead. Like most of the other Aleutian islands it was mountainous and beautiful, untouched by man. Grant could see that the vegetation was far more present on this island compared to its neighbors. Dozens of the ship's crew members were on the deck with him, watching the island slowly draw closer as the ship continued plowing through the cold Alaskan waters.

Grant noticed Rourke and Monty drawing up beside him. “I suppose we should name this island,” said Grant. “Any ideas?”

“I don’t dare name it,” said Rourke. “I think leaving it as unnamed has a certain charm to it.”

The piercing noise of the loudspeakers on deck made Grant wince as they came on. “All hands report to stations. Landing craft will begin launching in half an hour.”

“Here we go,” said Monty excitedly, he was snacking on a bag of Korean seaweed chips. “Just like old times huh?”

“It really hasn’t been that long buddy,” said Grant. “But sure, just like old times.”

The Salvation carried two large landing craft vehicle personnel or LCVPs. Amphibious landing craft designed to ferry vehicles to shore. The helicopters would share the responsibility by carrying the smaller vehicles such as the buggies and suvs.

Shreya walked up to Grant, her hair blowing in the wind. “Should we move to the landing craft?”

“No, the captain wants you and your team to be on standby until they secure the landing site,” said Grant. “In the meantime enjoy the view.”

Within half an hour as planned the helicopters were fueled and ready to take off as were the LCVPs. All the mercenaries carried heavy packs and were strapped with the appropriate gear. Grant himself had his handgun secured in his shoulder holster and his duffel bag packs full of the outdoor necessities.

“First craft away!” an officer standing near the helipad announced.

The sound of the heavy steel bow doors opening up filled the air. The engines of the first LCVP to leave roared to life and Grant watched as it left from the belly of the ship followed by the second. One of the UH-1Y Huey choppers lifted off and began circling the air, watching out for the landing crafts below.

“Mr Foreman you're expected to join us in the next chopper!” a mercenary wearing a black baseball cap called out, running up to Grant.

“I thought we were going to wait for the landing sight to be secured!” said Grant.

“Won’t take long to do that,” said the mercenary. “The pilot will circle the perimeter of the beach until given the all clear to land. Your friends are coming too.”

“Alright then,” said Grant, nodding, picking up his bag, and following him to the helipad along with his companions.

“Oh no!” Monty exclaimed. He had dropped his bag of chips which was now blowing away across the deck.

“Leave it,” said Rourke sternly, and helped Monty along.

As Grant threw his bag onto the chopper he noticed Estelle standing a few feet away to the side observing them. He smiled at her.

“I’ll see you on the island!”

Estelle nodded and smiled back. “I’ll be on the last helicopter with the anthropology students. See you later.”

Once the last mercenary to board Grant’s chopper was on the pilot took off after double checking to make sure everything was in order. Grant handed everyone headsets and explained that they were a must if one wanted to be heard over the roar of the helicopters engine.

“Please fasten your seatbelts and refrain from snacking,” said the pilot over the headset. “We do hope you enjoy flying Air High Guard and we look forward to serving you again.”

Two of the mercenaries riding with them chuckled.

Grant could see that their helicopter was catching up fast with the landing crafts. He leaned out of the door to see if he could get a good view of the island up ahead.

“Nothing out of the ordinary so far,” said Grant. “Aside from the fact that this place wasn’t here a week ago.”

“The trees were the first sign of potentially unnatural forces at play,” said Shreya. “It is well known that the Aleutian islands have virtually no native trees. This place is fairy lush in flora.”

“An island out of time,” said Rourke.

“Perhaps,” said Shreya. “I wish we could fly over the island right now.”

“If this place came into being from unnatural forces I would rather stay close to base camp and the ship,” said Grant. “We don’t know what could be waiting for us there.”

“Hey check it out man!” said Monty suddenly, pointing at the water. “I think I see a whale! I’m going to try and get a photo.”

All heads snapped towards where Monty was pointing as he fumbled in the pockets of his jacket. Grant spotted a smooth curve just barely peeking above the surface of the water about three hundred meters off the port sides of the landing crafts.

“Yeah I think I see it too,” said Grant. He felt himself grow excited. It was possibly his first good look at a species that had been long extinct.

The shape fell beneath the waves but Grant continued to keep a lookout in case it surfaced again. After a few moments he spotted a dark shape moving towards the landing crafts.

“There it is again!” said Grant, pointing. “Let’s see if it surfaces.”

“Excuse me,” said Shreya politely, phone in hand. Grant leaned back so that he wouldn’t get in the way of her taking a picture.

“Moving pretty fast,” said Rourke. “We should warn the landing crafts.”

“Don’t worry whales aren’t clumsy enough to just bump into ships like that,” said Shreya. “In fact it's usually the other way around. I’ve read many stories of the big ships cutting down a whale that happened to be in the way.”

“Yeah ok but wasn’t Moby Dick based on a true story?” Monty asked.

Rourke ducked into the cockpit to speak to the pilot while Grant kept an eye on the oval-like shape in the water. The whale was moving fast and it showed no sign of slowing down its collision course with the landing craft. His excitement from earlier turned to concern.

“Oh god,” he heard Shreya say and the whale rose out of the water. Like its distant relative the sperm whale the Livyatan had sharp teeth but in both in the upper and lower jaw. The head and jaw were shorter but wider which indicated a more powerful bite. The color of its flesh was blue as opposed to the sperm’s brown.

The whale allowed its enormous and powerful figure to be admired by the onlookers in the helicopter right up to the point it collided with the first landing craft.

“Christ,” Grant breathed and watched with amazement as the whale threw its head on the craft as if to smash the vehicle like a hammer.

“What the shit!” one of the mercenaries screeched through the headsets. “It’s going to wreck the boat!”

“Shoot it!” another voice said.

“No wait!’ Shreya protested.

A second whale burst out from under the landing craft on its starboard side and tipped it over. The suvs and crew fell out into the water and Grant winced as the craft fell on them.

“Jesus Christ!” the pilot exclaimed, circling the second landing craft which was now speeding away from the scene.

The second huey could be scene dropping down in the air and a mercenary in tactical gear with one foot handing out the door began unloading with a M249 paratrooper light machine gun on the whales.

“Watch friendlies!” Grant yelled into the mic. “I can still see survivors in the water!”

“Move aside,” said a mercenary beside Grant.

“Here let’s switch,” Grant offered and quickly unbuckled himself to let the mercenary have the seat closer to the door. The mercenary adjusted his helmet before reading his rifle and training it on the whales.

The second whale circled the wreck and flailing survivors in the water. Two men could be seen scrambling to the top of the flipped landing craft. Without warning the first whale leapt out of the water and snapped at the other huey, barely missing it.

“This is atypical behavior,” said Shreya. “God, what is happening?”

“Their existence in this age is atypical,” said Monty. “I take it back. I’m not looking forward to this trip anymore.”

The mercenary who switched seats with Grant began firing at the first whale. To Grant’s shock an explosion kicked up a load of ocean water near the creature. One of the mercenaries in the other chopper had dropped a grenade into the water.

“Are they crazy?!” said Grant. “The pressure will crush the lungs of the men in the water.”

With the first whale driven off the other huey then began circling the whale’s partner. Once more the mercenary leaning out the door fired his light machine gun. Grant caught sight of blood spurting from multiple wounds in its thick flesh before it quickly dove back into the water.

“MH53E pilots provide watch over survivors in the water,” said a calm voice over the radio. “Hueys unload your passengers at the designated landing zone and return to retrieve men in the water.”

“You got it captain,” said the pilot of Grant’s helicopter. “Everyone hold on. I gotta drop you all off quick.”

Grant saw the same look of incredulity he was sure he had on the faces of everyone else in the helicopter. Though he was no marine biology expert he knew something was off. Whales did not attack a landing craft like that. It was almost like they were driven by hatred. Watching the two whales execute a coordinated attack with such ferocity disturbed Grant. Everyone sat in heavy silence for the rest of the ride to the base camp site.