A second later the rope with the anchor snapped under the strain. A piece of it whipped back to knock Ortega off his feet to land heavily on the deck. Flynn bailed out of the wheelhouse and down the gangway ladder towards Ortega as he knew what would happen next.
The torpedo smashed into the rear of the Whaler and exploded magnificently. The whole back end of the Whaler was completely blown away, but the line holding the Celestia's Prize prisoner remained taunt.
The sailing ship ahead reared up and sank bowel first sliding backward and down as sailors jumped free of it or at least tried to.
The rope binding the Celestia's Prize was too thick to saw through in the time available and so Flynn did all he could in the moment. He grabbed up Ortega whose face was tight with pain and headed for the ship's railing. They managed to both jump over the side into the water.
The Celestia's Prize swept past them as it groaned under the strain of its tether that soon drug it beneath the waves and out of view as its second victim took it along for the ride down to the briny depths of the inner sea.
Flynn struggled to keep Ortega's head above water and latched out desperately for a piece of driftwood from one of the whalers. Catching a hold of it he laboriously pushed Ortega's upper body onto it until Ortega was able to hold himself there.
Flynn latched on to the other side and sputtering on seawater said, "I'm too old for this!"
"Si, you is a very very old man Senor." Ortega huffed out.
Flynn gave him a look and Ortega's mouth split open to reveal a pearly grin.
Flynn shook his head trying to bite back a smile of his own as he said, "I should've drowned you while I had the chance!"
"But you didn't Senor and for that a senorita out there is very much grateful."
Both men became aware quickly that they weren't the only survivors in the water.
"We may get drowned yet Senor." Ortega said darkly, as with a yell several swimmers headed for them.
Flynn nodded grimly, as he and Ortega watched their executioners approach. Suddenly the surface of the water boiled as something shot to the surface from below. It was the snakehead sea monsters!
They popped to the surface everywhere throughout the carnage of the two whalers. Screams rang out as Ortega and Flynn watched themselves exchange one fate for another. They were forgotten at least temporarily as the sea monsters ripped into the vengeful swimmers that had been headed their way.