MEG: Nightstalkers

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Table of Contents

About the Author

Copyright Page

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This novel is dedicated to my friend

B
ELLE
A
VERY
,

whose incredible dedication, hard work, and belief will bring the MEG series to the big screen.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It is with great pride and appreciation that I acknowledge those who contributed to the completion of
MEG: Nightstalkers.

First and foremost, many thanks to Tom Doherty, Whitney Ross, Amy Stapp, Sean Agan, and the great team at Tor/Forge. Thanks as well to my longtime literary agents, Danny Baror and Heather Baror-Shapiro at Baror International, and my dear friend and MEG movie producer, Belle Avery.

Very special thanks to Tan Ngo, 3D modeler and 2D artist (
www.tan-artwork.com
) whose brilliant interior images add to the reading experience, along with forensic artist William McDonald, who contributed with his amazing submarine designs. To graphic artist extraordinaire Erik Hollander at Hollander Design, Mario Lampic, and underwater photographer Malcolm Nobbs (
www.malcolmnobbs.com
) for the cover art.

Thanks as always to the tireless Barbara Becker for her editing and her work in the Adopt-An-Author program, as well as Robert Nash. And to my webmaster, Doug McEntyre at Millenium Technology Resources, for his excellence in preparing my monthly newsletters.

Last, to my wife and soul mate, Kim, our children, and, most of all, my readers: Thank you for your correspondence and contributions. Your comments are always a welcome treat, your input means so much, and you remain this author’s greatest asset.

—
Steve Alten
, Ed.D.

To personally contact the author or learn more about his novels, go to
www.stevealten.com
.

MEG: Nightstalkers
is part of Adopt-An-Author, a free nationwide program for secondary school students and teachers.

For more information, go to
www.adoptanauthor.com
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The Adopt-An-Author program recognizes the generous contributions from the following MEGhead VIPs:

Robert Gibbons, Teresa Ritter, Mohammad Mallouh, Dawn M. Hurtienne, Andrew Slatford, Aaron Rahn, Alexia Rhodes, Alton Davis Reece, Amberly Halbert, Andrew Mussler, Angel Bartolotta, Barry Zuckerman, Ben Hintzmann, Bonnie Mangino, Brian Gilbert, Brice Kelling, Bridgett Nelson, Bryan Lewis, Carrie Norris, Chris Hansford, Clyde Wallen, Cody Greene, Conrado Fabricante, Corey LaBranche, Corey Venezia, Dalby Schmidt, David Lindahn, David Underwood, Deborah Calvert, Denise Lowery, Diana Leesekamp, Domenik Davis, Don Wainwright, Dona Powers, Donald Schwartz, Douglas Dvorak, Dylan Butler, Dylan Matheson, Ed Cooney, Edward Baetiong, Elizabeth Hull, Enrico Barisione, Gene Evans, George K. Egert, Gerald Manchester, Gilbert L. Gregg III, Heather Dugan, Heather Halcomb, Hilmi Ari, Jake Witt, James Matherley, James Finley, James Sanders, Jared Betz, Jason Atchley, Jason Clark, Jeff Gatchett, Jeffrey Pease, Jennifer Johnston, Jeremy Evans, Jerrod Mahurin, JG Carroll Insurance Services, Jodi Jenkins, Joel Stover, John Wagner, Jonathan La Barbera, Jonathan Phillips, Jordan Denny, Jose Alvaro Hernandez, Joseph Williams, Joyce E. Driscoll, Judson McCurdy, Kariane Phillips, Katey Robinson, Katherine Mackay, Keith Radbill, Kelli McCloud, Kenneth Rutter, Kenny Powell, Kirsty Brunt, Kurth Warren, Kyle Knori, Lance Zhou, Laura Mahurin, Lauren Peters, Lawrence Preijers, Leroy Gutierrez, Lisa Shuff, Lydia Gagnon, Lynn McDonald, Marcus Eberlein, Maria Rose Randazzo, Mathew Kushner, Mathew Mader, Megan Staples, Melissa Smith, Michael Badger, Michael Cash, Michael Chlebowy, Michael Davies, Michael Feng, Michael Intravaia, Michael Kezlaw, Michael Selby, Michele Alegria, Michelle Bijloo, Michelle Boltz, Mike Chick, Misty Van, Molly Wilken, Mustang Beam, Nancy Seeloff, Pamela Hanvey, Patricia Moreau, Paul A. Jones, Paul Agricola, Peter Niedzinski, Phil Lian, Rhonda Havig, Rianne Wert, Richard Wildt, Richard Gatenby, Ricky Roberts, Riley Bates, Robert Arca, Robert Andersen, Robert P. Baron, Jr., Robin Dennison, Robyn Welty, Ryan Blount, Ryan Skinner, Sara Jernigan, Scott Smith, Shannon Corder, Sharon Carr, Shelley McMurtrey, Stephanie Collins, Steve Zamarripa, T. Tommy, Tab Nickels, Ted Austin, Teresa Richards, Theresa Baggett, Theresa Chimenti, Theresa Paulhamus, Thomas Edward Moore, Tina Jordan, Tina Tanner, Wallene Helms, Wayne Turner, Will Robertson, William Blessing, Xavier Solis, and Zane Graney.

PROLOGUE

Dr. Timothy Schulte

Family Wellness Center

Monterey, CA.

PATIENT: Taylor, David

AGE: 21

DATE OF SESSION: 26 September

PATIENT SESSION 3

(Transcribed from audio)

TS:
  David, I’d like to begin today’s session by talking about the girl who died …

DT:
  Kaylie.

TS:
  Yes, Kaylie. How long had you two known each another?

DT:
  Eight weeks … the summer. What difference does it make? I loved her.

TS:
  You never told me how she died. I know—from what little your parents have said—it was very traumatic. I think it might help if you—

DT:
  She was eaten.

TS:
  My God. Was it Bela and Lizzy? Did this happen after the Megs escaped from your facility?

DT:
  It wasn’t the sisters, it was a
Liopleurodon
. A freak of nature; it was bigger than Angel.

TS:
  I don’t understand. Where did it—

DT:
  They discovered a prehistoric sea located beneath the Philippine Sea Plate … an ecosystem that’s been around for hundreds of millions of years. Kaylie and I were hired as submersible pilots by a Dubai prince to help capture these creatures for his new marine exhibit. We’d enter the Panthalassa Sea through a borehole and bait whatever life forms chased our submersible up into the nets.

TS:
  That’s … incredible. And obviously incredibly dangerous. How, uh … did—

DT:
  Kaylie and I were trapped at the bottom of the Panthalassa inside a titanium sphere. The sphere was anchored to the ocean floor; it had been used as an observation post and docking station by Michael Maren, the scientist who discovered the hidden sea. My father rescued us; he freed the anchor and guided us back to the surface using Angel as an escort.

TS:
  Angel? Yes she’d certainly make an intimidating escort. But I thought I read somewhere that she had died.

DT:
  She was netted as she surfaced. The
Liopleurodon
eviscerated her while she hung suspended along the side of a tanker. Kaylie and I were in the water; there was blood everywhere. We were holding on to my father’s submersible; Kaylie on one side, I was on the other … as close to each other as you and I are now—that’s when that thing came up from below and took her from me.

TS:
  That’s … a lot to live with.

DT:
  You think?

TS:
  When did you cut your wrists?

DT:
  I dunno. Maybe a week after I got back to California.

TS:
  After all the two of you had been through, do you think Kaylie would have wanted you to end your life like that?

(1:45 sec elapsed time)

TS:
  David?

DT:
  It hurts. I can’t … think. I hate being in my own skin. I want to scream … I want to punch my way out of this nightmare. She was so beautiful. I see her in my dreams, and then …

TS:
  Your mother says you’re drinking.

DT:
  Weed makes me paranoid.

TS:
  What about the new meds I prescribed?

DT:
  They leave me with brain fog. Plus they dry out my nose and eyes.

TS:
  Give them another week. Adjusting one’s brain chemistry takes time. And the night terrors … do you still wake up screaming?

DT:
  Yes.

TS:
  Every night?

DT:
  Unless I’m drunk.

TS:
  And how often are you drunk?

DT:
  Lately? Every night.

TS:
  A bit excessive, don’t you think?

DT:
  Adjusting one’s brain chemistry takes time.

TS:
  David, therapy means very little unless you’re a willing participant.

(1:22 sec elapsed time)

TS:
  Your mother mentioned to me that you and Monty moved into an apartment together. He’s the bi-polar fellow.

DT:
  Is that a problem?

TS:
  You tell me.

DT:
  He babbles and I scream. We make a nice couple.

TS:
  And the two of you get drunk together.

(00:45 sec elapsed time)

TS:
  I understand your father’s been in touch with Kaylie’s parents. He said they wanted to meet you. It could be a good thing. Sharing grief can sometimes ease one’s sorrow.

DT:
  Sorrow’s a funny thing. There’s the sorrow one feels when a loved one dies, say, of cancer; that’s a pretty bad sorrow. You feel empty inside. You share that grief with others. Eventually you move on. Then there’s a different kind of sorrow … like, say, I shoved a gun in your wife’s mouth and blew her head into a million fucking pieces. That sorrow’s a little trickier to deal with. Basically, you have three options. The first is to take the easy way out. That’s where my head was when I got back.

TS:
  What changed?

DT:
  I lived. When I came to in the hospital I realized my actions were selfish, that I was pulling my family into the same hell hole I’m wallowing in. Not cool.

TS:
  You mentioned three options to deal with a traumatic death. Suicide was the first—