Suddenly, the pod shifted, breaking the surface in breathtaking arcs. Spray erupted skyward, dazzling in sunlight. On deck, shouts rose—cameras snapped, spotlights swung wildly. People talked incessantly of Nathaniel, trapped in circumstances no rescue manual had ever imagined.
“Bring more fish!” the coastguard barked. Crates were heaved overboard, the sea shimmering silver. The bait cloud spread wide, waves frothing with motion. The gamble was simple: overload the whales with food until instinct forced them to open wider, giving Nathaniel the chance to escape into open water.