Dustin was just about to uncork the vial for the plunge before a flash of realization struck him, prompting him to slap the slab away from the gas pedal and clamp down on the brakes. The car screeched to a timely halt right before it would drive itself into the raging waves that barely came into view outside. He sighed in relief at the close call. The foaming, rabid madness was lapping at the bottom of the car as it ravaged across the entire shore. He cut off the car engines, and mulled over what would happen if he'd just drove the car into the ocean.
He had almost forgotten that: Orcas, while aquatic, are still mammalian creatures that need to resurface every few minutes for air - getting beached doesn't mean dying from suffocation, but from getting overheated and crushed by their very own bodies without the liquid life acting as coolant and support. Even being just half-orca, he could already feel instinctive excitement flooding through his veins at the sight of water. He wanted to dive right in, to cool off a body that suddenly felt a few degrees too hot under the blubber.
If he had taken the whole vial in one go and let the car go sea-diving, he would probably end up sinking to the ocean floor in it. Trapped and drowning in a slowly-flooding metal coffin without any means of freeing himself, finger-less and helpless like a literal fish out of water. Even if he hadn't drunk the serum, the water pressure would keep him from opening the doors until the whole vehicle was filled up. That would have been an ironic death by the very thing he would need to rely on to live if he hadn't stopped in time.
Besides, the ocean was right underneath his feet.
'Plan B.'
Clutching the vial in his hands, he opened the car door.
Dustin could only murr in delight at the water splashing off of him like a much-needed cold shower, cooling him off. The downpour felt more like a gentle breeze in the cool autumn evenings rather than the freezing, bone-soaking wetness it should have been. He could hardly feel the rain pouring down his rubbery skin - his body thick and sturdy enough to withstand the force of the storm.
He shut the car door and strolled towards the open water, his webbed feet sinking into the wet, cool sand. His Orcinus body shivered in orgasmic delight from the waves washing over his knees - it felt right, like home and a place where he belonged. Tail lashing in barely-contained excitement and anticipation, he looked at the vial in his hands. He mentally debated between taking the serum right away or enjoying the beach for now.
After all, there might be no going back after this.