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manage to find a life raft floating nearby which contained two survivors. Both men were hypothermic and close to death, however, one of them was mumbling about a monster that hit the boat.”
    “Did they survive?” The major asked.
    “Yes. Both men were taken to a hospital in Anchorage for treatment and have since been released. The rest of the crew went down with the ship.”
    “Dr Andrews,” the secretary of defence said, glaring at the scientist, “this still proves nothing. Talk of maybes and wild speculation isn’t something that we are able to work with. What exactly are you expecting us to do?”
    “I need finance to pull together a team and a ship to go to find this creature. To study it.”
    “Do you see this endeavour as a valuable use of government money?”
    “Well, actually, I do sir. More so than the wars you continue to fund.”
    He regretted saying it immediately, and knew he had screwed up his chance. The secretary’s face flushed, and he glared at Andrews as he spoke through gritted teeth.
    “Well, fortunately for you, Mr Andrews, how that money is spent is a decision made way above your pay grade. For the record, I think you have seen one too many monster movies.”
    “If you don’t do this, it will be a huge mistake. There is so much to learn here,” Andrews said.
    “I appreciate your warning, but you are wrong.”
    “No he isn’t.”
    All eyes went to the only man at the table who had so far remained silent. He was slim, with black hair and a thin face. His eyes were dark, and he watched those around the table with palpable self-confidence.
    “Who the hell are you?” the secretary of defence asked, as the man stood and walked to the front of the room, clasping his hands behind his back.
    “My name is Russo, and I’m here to tell you that Dr Andrews is correct in everything he has said.”
    “Might I ask how you know this?” the secretary snapped, clearly not liking having his feathers ruffled.
    “I’m afraid I don’t answer to you.”
    “This is ridiculous, I have top level clearance.”
    Russo shrugged, and held the older man’s gaze.
    “I understand that, Mr Secretary. Please try to understand that everybody answers to somebody. For now, I would appreciate it if you would be quiet and let me explain.”
    Russo returned to his seat and picked up a stack of folders sealed with the presidential crest, handing everyone around the table a copy and giving the final one to Andrews.
    “Now, gentlemen, if you would be so kind as to open those documents, I will explain all about Project Blue and how it ties in to the funding Dr Andrews is requesting.”

 
    CHAPTER 5
     
     
    Rainbow Bay Beach
    Australian gold Coast
     
     
    The scorching sun burned down on the juvenile sperm whale that had beached itself some five hours earlier. Twenty six year old marine biologist, Clara Thompson and her team of volunteers had been working on freeing the trapped animal for some time, and were close to returning it to the ocean.
    “Dexter,” she yelled to her assistant as she replaced the wet towels which covered the whales back. “Hose her down again, we need to keep her skin moist.”
    Dexter looked at his boss and nodded, not having the heart to tell her that the animal’s chances of survival were slim. Clara had seen beaching’s before, but the last couple of weeks had seen a worrying increase in the phenomena. Often there were plausible explanations. Confusion on the animal’s part or due to following smaller, more nimble dolphins into the shallows had accounted for similar incidents in the past. Even sonar pings from submarines had been known to cause confusion in certain species and cause them to beach themselves in error, and yet, something about this most recent bout of them concerned her. It was too much, too many different species at the same time. It wasn’t enough to make mainstream news, not when there were pointless celebrity feuds to report on, or wars in faraway countries to