“They’ve found us,” Percival shouted, as the light of an ROV appeared in the distance. Seven men pressed themselves to the viewport to see the answer to their prayers.
On the surface a sigh of relief tempered by the desperation of time.
“Get the recovery vehicle in the water now! I want status updates in ten minutes. They’re out of time.”
Death metered in heartbeats, six shut their eyes, Percival again at watch.
“Tow cable attached, raise away! Time to surface, under two hours.”
“Forty minutes, get those rafts in position.”
Seven men, poisoned by breath, drifted away.
“Fifteen minutes!”