Eighth Circle

'Orange alert!'

The message flashed back and forth.

'We must leave by the watergate, Professor.'

Tom saw that Crispin wore a wetsuit under his lab coat. No one had told him to come prepared for a trip into freezing water.

'I'll give it a miss, Crispin'

'Give it what?'

'Count me out.'

Tom didn't care if Crispin didn't understand what he was saying. His tone of voice should be enough to get his message across. It was time to leave. Each in his own way and as quickly as possible.

Crispin stripped off his lab coat.

'There's six of them. Come with me, Professor.'

'I'll freeze if I do.'

'You can't fight all of them.'

'I'll give it a try.'

Tom watched as Crispin sprinted onto the outside deck and dived over the guard rail. He heard the excited squeals of the dolphins as the young man joined them in the water. His hand tightened on his ray gun. Crispin could do what he liked. He wasn't going to flee. The death trolls had to be eliminated. He was going to stay and fight them.