The sun shone brightly over Blue Bay Beach.
Hundreds of tourists crowded the shoreline. Children built sandcastles near the water while adults relaxed beneath colorful umbrellas. Laughter filled the air.
To everyone on the beach, it seemed like a perfect day.
But not to Dr. Maya Carter.
Maya stood near the harbor, watching the ocean through a pair of binoculars.The gentle waves rolled toward the shore, hiding whatever lay beneath them.
A police officer approached her.
"Dr. Carter?"
Maya lowered the binoculars.
"Yes?"
"I'm Officer Daniel Brooks. Thank you for coming."
Maya nodded.
"Tell me about the attacks."
The officer hesitated.
"There have been three attacks in the last two weeks."
Maya frowned.
"Fatal?"
The officer looked away.
"Two victims didn't survive."
A cold silence followed.
Maya turned back toward the ocean.
"What species?"
"We don't know."
"You don't know?"
"The bite marks don't match anything in our reports."
Maya felt a knot form in her stomach.
In ten years of studying sharks, she had seen almost everything.
Almost.
"Show me the evidence," she said.
Ten minutes later, Maya entered the small coast guard station near the beach.
Photographs covered a table.
The moment she saw them, her expression changed.
The wounds were enormous.
Far too large.
Far too deep.
She picked up one of the photographs.
"No..."
The officer leaned forward.
"What is it?"
Maya stared at the image.
"The spacing between these bite marks..."
Her voice became quiet.
"...I've never seen anything like this before."
Outside, the waves continued to crash against the shore.
And far beyond the swimmers...
Something was moving in the deep.
Watching.
Waiting.
And getting closer.