Chapter 17 - The Rogue Wave
The ship rolled violently again, sending a heavy crystal vase crashing to the hardwood floor of the penthouse suite, shattering into a thousand pieces.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the night had transformed into a terrifying vortex of black water and howling white foam. Waves as tall as five-story buildings were slamming against the hull, sending shuddering vibrations through the sixty-thousand-ton vessel.
"Stay here, Madison!" Vincent shouted over the roaring wind, grabbing his heavy coat. "I’m going up to the bridge with Marco!"
"No!" Madison shouted back, jumping out of bed and pulling on her boots and a heavy thermal jacket. "I know the stabilizer plumbing layout on these vessels! I’m coming with you!"
"Madison, it's too dangerous! The lower decks are taking on water ballast!"
"I am the commander of this ship, Vincent!" Madison yelled back, her eyes flashing with unyielding determination. "You put my name on the bulkhead—now let me do my job!"
Vincent grabbed her face in his hands, staring into her eyes for two terrifying seconds, before nodding fiercely. "If we die tonight, Mrs. Moretti, we die fighting together!"
They sprinted out of the suite into the chaotic corridors. Passengers were crying out, crew members were rushing with emergency life vests, and the red alarm lights were flashing along the ceiling.
Vincent, Madison, and Marco descended six flights of stairs into the deep engineering belly of the ship—a roaring cavern of steel, steam, and deafening engine noise.
The chief engineer was standing near the main hydraulic panel, his face pale and drenched in sweat as alarm buzzers blared around him.
"Mr. Moretti! Mrs. Moretti!" the engineer screamed over the roar of the engines. "The hydraulic line feeding the starboard fin snapped! The stabilizer is locked at a thirty-degree angle! If we hit another rogue wave while tilted like this, the ship could capsize!"
"Where is the manual override line?!" Madison yelled, running up to the secondary fluid manifold.
"It's behind the secondary bulkhead!" the engineer shouted back. "But the room is flooded with three feet of hot hydraulic oil and water! The valve is jammed!"
Vincent looked at the narrow, dark hatch leading into the flooded compartment. Heat waves were rising from the greasy water, and the metal walls were groaning under immense pressure.
"Marco, hold the hatch!" Vincent ordered, pulling off his heavy coat and boots.
"Vincent, no!" Madison gasped, grabbing his arm. "The fluid is near boiling! If the line bursts while you’re inside—"
"I’m not letting this ship sink with you on it, Madison!" Vincent declared, grabbing a heavy iron lever from the tool rack. He leaned down, pressing his lips firmly against hers in a fierce, hard kiss. "I love you, Mrs. Moretti. Keep this ship steady."
Before she could stop him, Vincent dropped into the flooded hatch, disappearing into the dark, greasy water beneath the engine floorboards.
Madison stood at the edge of the hatch, her heart violently hammering against her ribs. "Vincent!" she screamed into the dark hole.
Below, the sound of metal slamming against rusted iron echoed over the roar of the ocean.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
The ship rolled violently again—forty degrees to the right. Dishes smashed, steel beams shrieked, and Madison had to grab Marco’s arm to keep from sliding across the greasy steel deck.
"He's been under for forty seconds!" Marco yelled, his face tight with terror. "I'm going in after him!"
"Wait!" Madison shouted, watching the hydraulic pressure gauge mounted on the wall.
Suddenly, the red needle on the dial shuddered. It began to drop slowly into the green zone.
CLANG.
With a massive hiss of releasing steam, the steel fin outside the hull clanked back into its neutral position. The ship slowly, miraculously righted itself, leveling out against the churning ocean waves.
"He did it!" the chief engineer cheered. "The pressure is releasing!"
"Vincent!" Madison dropped to her knees at the edge of the hatch, reaching her arms down into the greasy water.
A heavy, oil-streaked hand burst through the surface of the water, gripping Madison’s arm with tremendous force.
Together, Madison and Marco pulled Vincent out of the hatch. He fell onto the steel deck, coughing up seawater, his shirt torn and his forearms burned red from the steam, but his dark eyes were wide open and filled with fierce life.
Madison collapsed over him, weeping hysterically, clutching his greasy, wet head against her chest. "You idiot! You absolute idiot!"
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Vincent gasped for air, his arms wrapping around her waist, a weak, triumphant laugh rumbling through his broad chest. "Did I... save your ship... Mrs. Moretti?"
"You saved everything," Madison sobbed, kissing his forehead, his nose, his lips, uncaring of the black oil covering his face. "You saved everything."
