“I’ll be right back,” she said.
Ada got the monkey to back up, then went outside. Lightning burst overhead as she closed the hatch. After discarding the waste into the ocean, she let the bucket collect some rainwater and washed it out. The sea had settled somewhat, but the wind was still brisk, rippling her suit.
The moment she reentered the cabin, Jo-Jo jumped back on her leg, chirping over the howling wind. At least, that was what it sounded like.
But as Ada closed the hatch, she heard another chirping sound. This sounded electronic. She hurried over to the control panel and the cracked radar screen.
The beeping was coming from the speakers, every few seconds. Each time, Ada tensed at the sound.
Either another vessel was out here, or a sea creature swimming along the surface was big enough to be picked up by the radio waves. But the broken screen didn’t allow her to see the range, angle, or velocity of the object or objects.
There was only one way to find out. She put her helmet back on and looped the binoculars around her neck.
“Wait here,” she said to Jo-Jo, gesturing with her finger.
The monkey either didn’t understand or didn’t care, and followed her to the hatch. There, Ada slung her rifle and grabbed her machete. Weapons at the ready, she went outside.
The rain felt like tiny darts being flung at her. She felt as though she was being watched, as if someone or something was looking right at her.
Had something spotted her sailboat? She didn’t see how that was possible. Statistically, it wasn’t likely. They were in the middle of the ocean, a pebble in a desert.
She unlocked the steering, just in case she needed to make a run for it.
Using the glow of lightning in the storm clouds, she scanned the water with her binoculars, keeping one hand on the wheel as she searched.
Several scans in all directions revealed nothing but endless dunes of whitecaps. The storm seemed to be rolling away now, but she feared steering back into it.
After another few minutes of searching the water, she decided that it was safe enough to hew closer to the prescribed heading. Recharged from the water and food, she stayed topside for another half hour.
Once she was back on course and satisfied they would avoid the storm, she went back into the cabin.
As soon as she got inside, she heard the beeping again.
It was getting louder, which meant that whatever it was, it was getting closer.
But that was impossible. She hadn’t seen any vessels. And if one was out there, it had detected her boat and was coming for her.
Not necessarily.
As an officer on two airships, she had learned a lot about radar and what various images could mean. Although she couldn’t determine the object’s range or heading, it had to mean one of two things: Either it had found her and was closing in, or the two vessels were sailing toward the same destination. Statistically, nothing else made sense.
She grabbed her rifle again and went back to the second deck. Standing behind the upper gunwale, she searched the waters again for whatever boat or ship was heading in the same direction.
To the Vanguard Islands.
Michael walked to the briefing room on Discovery, trying to keep his mind off Layla and Bray. The wedding ring on his finger was a constant reminder. The old-world tradition connected them forever.
He massaged the ring, taking comfort in its touch. He’d had plenty of time to think about his family and future during the thirty hours since he left the islands. The airship had been cruising at around twenty-five thousand feet, far above the electrical storms, at an average speed of 150 miles per hour.
Michael opened the hatch into the room where the other divers sat contemplating an uncertain future, for themselves and those they had left behind at the islands. It felt odd not seeing Magnolia and Rodger, but he understood X’s decision to send them to Aruba. And he was glad that X would have divers there with him.
“Briefing starts in a few minutes,” Michael said.
Arlo, Sofia, Edgar, Lena, Ted, and Hector returned to their quiet thoughts.
Time was ever the enemy of a Hell Diver. There was either too much or never enough.
But it was truly an enemy before a mission, especially for the new boots who had so much to think about before the dive.
Michael walked over to the wall-mounted monitor and turned it on. A digital map of their current location came on-screen. The red dot representing Discovery slowly inched across the Atlantic Ocean.
“As you can see, we’re about to cross into West Africa,” Michael said. “We’ll be some of the first humans to pass the invisible threshold in decades.”
“Damn, that’s a big country,” Arlo said. “There’s got to be some survivors living here somewhere.”
“Not a country; it’s a continent,” Sofia said.
Arlo shrugged. “Why do you always got to bust my balls about every damn little thing?”
Ted chuckled and sipped from his flask. “Maybe she likes you, Arlo. You ever thought of that?”
Sofia got out of her chair and knocked the flask out of Ted’s hand.
“Hey!” he yelled, shooting to his feet. “That was valuable shine!”
Michael went over to end the fight before it could get traction. Right as he got there, the hatch opened, and a tall figure ducked under the bulkhead.
“Captain on deck!” Michael said, coming to attention.
The other divers all stood while Ted and Sofia turned toward Les.
“At ease, everyone,” said Les.
Pedro, Eevi, and Timothy followed him into the room. Coughing echoed from the passage, and Samson walked in last, holding a handkerchief to his mouth. When he pulled it away, Michael noticed the flecks of blood.
The engineer was sick and not getting better.
“Have a seat,” Les said.
The divers returned to their chairs, but Ted first reached down and scooped up his flask, putting it back in his vest before the captain could see.
Alfred and his two technicians walked into the dimly lit briefing room. The other two had refused to come on the mission, believing it was too dangerous.
Michael didn’t blame them. He stepped over next to the side of the podium with the Vanguard Islands symbol on the crest.
“All right, listen up,” Les said from behind the podium. “We reach our East Africa destination in about twenty-six hours. We got a five-hour launch jump on Shadow and Renegade, so we’ll have boots on the ground at Kilimanjaro about the same time our ships reach the Outrider. If we don’t shut down the machines fast, King Xavier and General Forge may have more than skinwalkers to fight.”
“I thought Cricket didn’t detect any machines at the skinwalker outpost,” Arlo said.
“Cricket didn’t, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there,” Michael said. “Some of the footage was difficult to make out, but at least we know where their barracks and their fleet are.”
“Assuming they haven’t left,” Samson said. “Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing what they discover, since we’re now out of range of all radio transmissions.”
Several divers fidgeted in their seats.
“So we have no idea what’s going on at the Vanguard Islands, either?” Lena asked.
“The Vanguard Islands are in good hands with Lieutenant Wynn,” Les said.
“And we’re not on our own,” Michael said. “Don’t forget what King Xavier said.” He took a moment to look at each Hell Diver. “We are only as good as the man or woman standing next to us. Never forget that.”
“Indeed,” Les said. He walked over to the digital map with Samson and instructed Timothy to pull up the target.