Wolves

ELEVEN

“Pepper, you about got this floating shit can up and running yet?” X growled.

“Working on it, Commander.”

“How about the radio?”

“Almost there, sir.”

X continued grumbling, and Magnolia, sitting in front of the control panel on the Sea Wolf, went back to digging through the medical pack, trying to ignore him. They were still anchored in the bay, and she was using the time to look after their injuries.

Miles was already patched up, and she patted his furry head. “You’re going to be just fine, boy.”

The boat swayed in the rough water, and Magnolia waited for it to level out before digging back into the med pack.

“Fucking engine two is still offline,” X growled. “Pepper, give me a sitrep.”

“Commander Rodriguez, engine one is operational, but I would strongly suggest not putting too much strain on it, especially with the status of our mainmast. I can’t guarantee we will be able to use the mizzenmast if we need to get the sails up.”

“Yeah, I get it,” said X. “If we lose both engines, we’re well and truly screwed. For now, concentrate on trying to figure out what’s wrong with number two.”

“We need to get that wound taken care of,” Magnolia said, eyeing his arm. She pulled out a bandage and a packet of antibacterial gel. Then she nodded at the chair beside her.

X took a seat and pulled back his sleeve. The gash was puffy and inflamed, and a red streak ran up his forearm.

Miles sniffed the air and licked X’s hand.

“Thanks for getting him taken care of, and again, my apologies for being such a prick.”

“See, now, was that so hard?” Magnolia asked.

X raised his brow with the scar gapping through the middle.

“Apologizing,” she said with a smile.

“Hey, I don’t hear you saying sorry or thanking me for saving you after you went ass over teakettle off the bluff.” He gave her a scrutinizing look. “You’re the one that probably needs checking out.”

“I’m fine.”

“Sure you don’t want me to take a look?”

She nodded, touching the welt on the top of her head. Dried blood already crusted beneath her hair. “Hold out your arm.”

Gritting his teeth, he pulled the sleeve up to his elbow.

“Jeez,” Magnolia said.

“I’ve been kissed by worse things.”

She chuckled at his choice of words. Placing the bandage on her lap, she opened the bottle of gel and waited for an even keel.

“This is going to sting. Want some shine?”

X shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. Pepper, how about you give me another sitrep while—”

When the boat had stopped swaying, Magnolia rubbed the gel across the center of the wound. X let out a roaring curse.

“Ho-o-o-oly shit!”

The speakers crackled, and Timothy’s voice came on. “The new radio is now working. Please advise when you want me to open a channel to Deliverance. In the meantime, I’m ready to steer us out of the bay using engine one.”

X groaned in pain, eyes wide and staring at the angry wound.

“Go ahead and get us the hell out of here,” he said. “And establish connection with Deliverance after that. I want Katrina to know we’re back aboard the Sea Wolf.”

“Roger that, sir. Weighing anchor now.”

A steady clanking sounded.

Magnolia cleaned the wound with a sterile pad, wiping away the leftover gel that overflowed the wound.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” she said. “Something I found in the facility while you were looking for Miles.”

He grabbed the armrest of his chair with his other hand and squeezed. “I’m listening.”

“Remember how I told you I got the computers back online using my extra battery?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I saw something I’ve never seen before. Stuff about the history of the world and how it ended.”

“Who the hell cares? I don’t get why you’re so interested in history.”

She brushed her wet hair over her ear as she waited for the gel to firm up. The boat rocked and then began to move.

“We are leaving the bay,” Timothy announced.

The boat picked up speed, the slapping of waves against the side quickening in frequency.

“It’s not just historical stuff,” Magnolia continued. “There were maps, and coordinates for places that Katrina can use.”

“Katrina?” X pulled his arm back from her grip.

“I’m not done with that yet.” She pulled his arm gently back onto the armrest to finish wrapping it.

Miles looked up at X, then over to Magnolia, and finally back to the floor, where he rested his muzzle.

“Yes. Katrina. I sent them everything I downloaded, including the location of a top secret base in Cuba called Red Sphere, where they can find fuel cells, weapons, supplies, food, and boats. Maybe even—”

“What?” This time, X yanked his arm out of her grip and stood. Sweat coursed down the valley of wrinkles and scars on his forehead. “Did you say boats?”

“Yeah. They can use them to help us when we find the Metal Islands.”

X swore under his breath and then kicked the bottom of the dashboard, shooting her an angry glance.

“Mags, God damn it! How many times do I have to tell you? I… don’t… want… their… help!”

She froze in her chair, lips quivering. This was the second time she had seen him this angry, and it scared her. His temper was getting worse by the day.

“X,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “I only sent them the coordinates and info on the base. I didn’t tell them to go there, nor do I really want them to go there.”

He smirked. “Don’t lie to me. You sent that so they would come out here and help us.”

“No…” She shook her head, but deep down, she realized he was right. Deep down, she did want the others to come help them find the Metal Islands.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” Timothy said. “But something is causing drag on the boat.”

X looked away from Magnolia. He cursed again and grumbled something under his breath.

“Could it be because we’re using only one engine?” Magnolia asked.

X shook his head. “No, this is something else.”

“Commander Rodriguez is correct. We’re being obstructed by an unknown object.”

“I better have a look,” X said. “For now, shut it off, Pepper.”

The muffled whine of the dying engine followed the order by a few seconds. X grabbed the hatch. “I’m going topside.”

“But your arm,” she said. “I haven’t finished.”

“It can wait.” X snapped his fingers at Miles, who had stood up. “Stay here.”

The dog whined as X left. Magnolia stayed put, too, but then decided to go up and check on what he was doing. By the time she got on the ladder to the top cabin, he was already suited up with armor and helmet. He grabbed his rifle with the grenade launcher and checked the ammunition.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Helping.”

“You’ve helped quite enough,” he said. “I just want to get shit done on my own now.”

“X, come on. Don’t be like this, please.”

He charged his rifle with a pull of the bolt and stepped over to the hatch. The porthole hatches were all closed, blocking the view out into the bay, but she could still hear the boom of thunder and distant keening of the birds.

“Vultures,” X said. “Stay here.”

She couldn’t see his eyes behind his visor from her position, but she could tell by the position of his face shield that he was glaring at her.

“Just listen to me for once, damn it,” he said.

“Fine, but I’m going to be ready if you need me.” She grabbed her damaged helmet off a rack and pulled it on.

X hesitated, grabbed the hatch lever, and was gone, sealing the metal door behind him with a click.

She stepped up and opened the hatch over the porthole window to look out.

Sheets of rain pounded the boat.

“It’s really pissing out here,” X said over the comm link.

Magnolia moved to the right for a better look, but she couldn’t see much on the deck besides the smoke coughing out of the engine and battery room, rising into the sky as dark as the sea below them.

She didn’t know much about mechanics, but the smoke definitely wasn’t good.

Lightning lanced astern, illuminating the crow’s nest and several vultures hunting below the cloud line. One of them dived toward the waves to pluck a fish out of the water. Magnolia turned left and finally saw X. He had made his way over to the starboard rail of twisted metal and barbed wire.

He continued to the stern, out of view.

Magnolia strained to see, but the rain was like a curtain now.

“Holy shit,” X said. “On second thought, you better come see this, Mags.”

She grabbed her rifle off the secured rack and went outside onto the deck. The wind and rain beat against her armor as she moved, and water leaked into her helmet through the hole at the top.

X was looking over the rail now and aiming his rifle behind the boat. He stepped back and gestured for her to join him near the bent harpoon gun. The rope was almost entirely uncoiled from the capstan and taut as a drawn crossbow string.

“Guess we know what’s causing the drag,” X said with a laugh.

She stepped up next to X, her eyes widening at the sight of the shark, which was still caught on the harpoon. The boat had been dragging the dead beast behind them out of the bay.

Magnolia pulled her remaining curved blade from its sheath.

“Whoa, what are you doing?” X said, waving the weapon away. He got behind the harpoon gun and pushed the winch lever. A clanking sounded, and the weapon began to pull in the rope, coiling it back around its metal capstan as it drew the carcass toward the stern.

“I was going to cut us loose,” she said, resheathing the weapon.

“Why? Don’t you want to try shark?”

Deliverance pushed through the skies at an agonizingly slow speed. Michael’s only clue that they were moving was the slight vibration under his boots. At this pace, they would reach their destination in less than twelve hours, assuming they didn’t run into any major storms.

He sat in the briefing room, a circular amphitheater with three floors overlooking a central area that featured a podium with the ITC logo. Plush seats rimmed each level.

Michael sat between Layla and Erin in the row directly below the new divers. Jaideep put his boot up on the seat next to Erin, and she swiped it away.

“Show some respect,” she said.

“Jeez, lady,” Jaideep quipped.

Erin twisted in her chair. “That’s ‘Commander, ma’am,’” she snapped.

“Sorry,” Jaideep said, sulking.

Michael just shook his head. Petty bickering was the last thing they needed right now. There were a dozen things to deal with, and he still wasn’t sure whether X and Magnolia were safe. The more he thought about it, the less this trip to Cuba felt like a good idea, unless Katrina knew something he didn’t about what was down there.

Michael finally looked behind him at the new divers. They filled only a small fraction of the seats in the big room. Sandy, Jed, Trey, Vish, Jaideep, Edgar, Ramon, Eevi, and Alexander all sat in the same row, with several empty seats scattered among them.

Aside from a few runs in the wind tunnels back on the Hive, and a few lectures in the conference room on how to dive, none of these people had any proper training. And aside from Edgar and Ramon, none of them knew how to handle a weapon, either.

Aside from the two militia soldiers, everyone else looked nervous as hell and Michael could sense the tension. Sandy twisted a lock of hair. Jed whispered something to her. The two comedians of the group, Jaideep and Vish, sat like mummies, masks of terror on their features. Eevi and Alexander held hands.

“All right, listen up,” Les said from the bottom level.

A hologram shot out of the center console, expanding into a horizontal layered map. It showed an area of land topped by a domed building that reminded Michael of the Hilltop Bastion.

But this facility wasn’t set in the middle of the city; it was off the coast of Cuba and surrounded by ocean.

“This is Red Sphere,” Katrina said. “Two hundred and sixty years ago, it was a top secret facility owned by ITC but run jointly with the United States Navy. Dr. Julio Diaz, a worker in the laboratory deep beneath the surface of the water, survived there for a number of years, and intel we received from his team gives us reason to believe it’s worth checking out.”

Checking out for what? Michael wondered.

Les touched the hologram and pulled out one of the layers. “This is the DZ for Commander Everhart, Erin, Layla, and me. We will enter the facility here and make our way to the underground warehouse and vehicle bay,” he said, using his fingers to indicate the entry points.

“Ensign Connor has been monitoring the weather,” Katrina said, “and for now it looks like landing Deliverance on the platform will present too great a risk. I was hoping we might be able to, but for now we’re going to have to dive to get there.”

“So why are we here, Captain?” Vish asked.

Katrina gave him a gaze worthy of her title. “You’re here to learn and support as needed.”

Edgar raised a hand. “Captain, I have a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“How long ago was the last broadcast from this Dr. Diaz?”

“Good question,” Layla murmured.

“We have multiple transmissions from Dr. Diaz and his staff, starting just days after the war. The rest are spread out over several years.”

“What happened during that time?” Michael asked.

Katrina met his eyes. “We’re not exactly sure, but at some point, he and his colleagues were killed by another faction seeking shelter at Red Sphere. I’ll play you the final transmission.”

Les tapped the computer screen, and the map vanished, replaced by the face of Dr. Julio Diaz. His features were blue lines like computer code.

“We’ve barricaded the laboratory, but I’m not sure how long we can hold back the defectors. They’re here for my work… my life’s work. And I’ll die before they get hold of it.”

“His life’s work?” Layla whispered.

Michael nodded. “Sounds like that’s what he said.”

The doctor put his hands on his head. “I’m afraid this is the end. They outnumber us and have military-grade weapons. Our flesh guns won’t do much to their armor. I hope these transmissions reach someone, someday…”

A banging sounded in the background of the audio, and the doctor turned to look at something over his shoulder. When he turned back toward the camera, his eyes had widened. “They’re almost inside. God have mercy on our souls for what we’ve created…”

The video fizzled out, and the lights flickered back on, spreading a glow over the amphitheater.

“That was creepy as hell,” Jaideep said.

Edgar whispered something to his cousin, but Ramon shrugged.

“We believe the defectors were the other scientists and military officials fighting for resources,” Katrina replied. “But we haven’t had a chance to go through all the transmissions yet.”

“We know that Sirens didn’t exist on the date of the transmissions,” Les said. “If this was broadcast a few years after the war, then Sirens wouldn’t have evolved yet—not even close.”

“He’s right,” Layla said. “Whoever killed Dr. Julio Diaz and his team were more than likely human.”

Sandy stopped twisting a lock of her hair between her fingers and glanced over at Jed who again reassured her with a whisper. They had grown close and, in a way, reminded Michael of him and Layla.

“I agree,” Katrina said, “which is why I’m authorizing this mission. I have no reason to believe we will find anything but a tomb there.”

Layla folded her arms across her chest. “And if we do?”

“Then you abandon the mission and get back into the sky,” Katrina promptly replied. “I’m not risking your lives for supplies.”

“What are we supposed to do when they’re down there?” Trey asked.

Les looked up at his son. “You watch and you learn like the captain already said.”

“Any other questions?” Katrina asked.

Michael considered one, but it could wait till they were alone.

“Okay, dismissed,” Katrina said. “Commander Everhart and the rest of the vets, please join me for a final briefing.”

Michael made his way down the ramp to the bottom as the hatch closed three floors above.

“There’s something I didn’t show the others,” Katrina said. She tapped the monitor again and pulled up an audio clip from Dr. Diaz.

“They’re inside,” said the doctor. “They…”

A clanking came over the audio, and a mechanical noise that Michael couldn’t place. Gunfire erupted, followed by multiple cries of pain. But none of them sounded quite human.

“Those definitely aren’t Sirens,” Layla said. “But they don’t sound like—”

“Please… please, don’t kill us!” shouted a female voice.

The reply was muffled by some sort of breathing apparatus, and the crack of gunfire ended the clip.

“That’s the last thing we got from the intel Magnolia sent us,” Katrina said.

Michael scratched at his five o’clock shadow.

“This happened over two hundred and sixty years ago, right?” Erin asked.

Katrina nodded.

“Then we should assume whoever murdered Dr. Diaz and his crew are also dead.”

“Assuming gets people killed,” Layla replied.

The speakers on the computer console crackled with a message from Command.

“Captain, this is Ensign Connor.”

Katrina tapped the reply button. “Go ahead, Dave.”

“Barometer is dropping fast, and a thirty-mile front is moving toward us. I’m recommending a new course to get around this monster.”

“How much time will it cost us?” Katrina asked.

“Another twelve hours, Captain. Maybe more.”

She exchanged a glance with Les, who nodded back.

“Shit,” Katrina said.

“There’s something else, Captain,” Dave said. “I’ve got some good news. We have reestablished contact with the Sea Wolf, and X is waiting to speak with you.”

Michael couldn’t help but throw a fist in the air. Layla and Les both clapped, but Erin didn’t show a glimmer of emotion.

“Great news,” Katrina said. “Tell X I’ll connect with him in a few minutes.”

“Roger, Captain.”

Whatever misgivings Michael had about this mission vanished at the news. X was out there risking his neck once again for humanity, with Magnolia by his side. The least Michael could do was check out Red Sphere with the other divers.

He had been itching to dive, anyway.

“Kat, all due respect, but going to Cuba is a bad idea—no, it’s a terrible fucking idea.”

“If you had any respect, you would refer to me as ‘Captain DaVita,’ and you would also understand that the title gives me the right to make decisions for those under my care.”

X took in a scent of unfiltered air that reeked of fish. Same old Kat, he thought. It was definitely an improvement on her predecessor. A lot had happened in the ten years they were apart, including her relationship with Leon Jordan, and a failed pregnancy, but she was still strong despite the trauma of having fallen in love with a madman and losing her child.

“Captain,” he said after a few seconds’ pause, “I do respect you, and I respect the lives of those in your care, which is why I’m out here looking for the Metal Islands.”

“Our course is set, X, so save your breath,” she replied.

He licked his lips, his stomach growling at the smell coming from inside the kitchen several doors down the passage.

“Is Michael with you?” X asked. He already had a feeling he knew the answer, but he needed to hear it.

“Yes. He will be leading the mission to the ITC facility.”

X’s eyes went to the floor, where Miles sat at his feet. The dog wagged his tail. There wasn’t much better in life than the love of a dog, besides the love of a human.

And X had always loved Tin.

“I want to talk to him before he dives,” X said.

“I can arrange that.” She waited a few seconds before adding, “Is there anything else? I thought you wanted to talk to me.”

“Only to let you know our status.”

“And now you know ours.”

X heard a slight softening in her tone. She had told him a decade earlier there was still a place for him in her heart, but was that still true?

He would always care for her.

But Michael came first. X had made the boy’s father a promise long ago that he would look after him.

“You stay safe out there, Captain,” X said. “And look after Michael.”

“Michael is more than capable of taking care of himself. Kind of like you, old man.”

X grinned and licked a chipped tooth. “Who you calling old, lady?”

She chuckled. “Be safe, X. I’ll have Michael radio you before the dive.”

“Okay.” He hung up the receiver.

“Come on, boy,” he said. “Pepper, you got the wheel.”

Miles followed him out of the command center and into the passage. His stomach growled at the intoxicating scent of barbecue. It had been a while since he ate anything from the real world.

Back in the wastes, he had tried his fair share of mutant creatures, swallowing antirad pills after each meal. Birds and lizards had found their way onto his plate, but X had never tried fish before.

He unslung his rifle and opened the hatch to the tiny galley. Magnolia turned from the grill. She had a bandage wrapped around the top of her head. A bloodstain marked the top, but it didn’t seem to be bothering her.

His arm was feeling better already, too. The gel had taken only a few hours to work, and the infection had subsided greatly.

“Have a seat,” she said, gesturing toward the table.

She held a pan over the grill, with two generous shark steaks sizzling inside. Grabbing a pinch of packaged seasoning from the Hive, she sprinkled it over the meat.

“Smells pretty good,” X said.

Magnolia shrugged a shoulder. “We’ll know in a few minutes how it tastes.”

He flattened his body and sat around the oval table where they ate most of their meals. Miles jumped onto the padded cushion next to him and rested his body against the bulkhead.

“You talk with the captain?” Magnolia asked. She kept her back to him while she cooked, probably because she didn’t want to look him in the eye. She knew he was upset with her for sending off the Cuba coordinates.

“Yeah.”

“And?” Magnolia flipped both steaks in the pan and added a touch of seasoning to the other side.

“They’re on their way to Red Sphere, and she’s planning a dive.”

“Is Michael with them?”

“And Layla and Erin and our long, tall friend Les.”

She finally turned from the two-burner grill.

“I’m sorry, X. I didn’t send that info so they would come after us.”

X laced his fingers together and raised them behind his head, resting them against the bulkhead. He knew she was lying, but he was too tired and too hungry to argue.

“Okay, well, maybe I was hoping they would, but I promise I didn’t…”

The vessel rocked slightly, and she pulled her hand away from the grill. “Ouch!”

Timothy’s voice came over the speakers. “Prepare for choppy seas.”

“Could have used some prior warning,” Magnolia grunted.

“My apologies,” Timothy replied.

She shook her burned hand.

“You okay?” X asked.

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

She turned back to the grill, and he touched the screen built inside the table and pulled up a map of their location. The Sea Wolf, running on only one engine, was slowly working south from the Turks and Caicos Islands toward Hispaniola.

They had a lot of ground left to cover, and he was starting to worry about their battery power. Without the ability to use their sails, if they lost the other battery, they would be at the mercy of the seas.

“All right,” Magnolia said. “Hope this is good.”

She brought two plates over from the grill, each with a shark steak and a small pile of frozen greens from the farm on the Hive.

Miles stood on the seat and sniffed at X’s plate.

“Hold on, boy; I didn’t forget about you,” she said, heading back to the grill. She grabbed a bowl and brought it back to Miles, setting it down on the table in front of him.

He sniffed the contents.

“What is that?” X asked. “Looks like cat food.”

“How do you know what cat food looks like?”

“Because I ate some when I was stranded on the surface five years ago.”

Magnolia scrunched her brows together as she took a seat at the table.

“Just kidding,” he said, chuckling. “But I did find some and opened the can. One of the worst things I’ve ever smelled… one of them.”

“You’d have to be pretty desperate to eat that.”

“Or have a death wish. Botulism has killed a few people on the Hive.”

She cut into the shark, eyeing it suspiciously. “And you’re sure this is safe to eat?”

“I tested it for heavy metals, radiation, and other toxins. Came back okay.”

Miles was already done scarfing down his bowl of mushed-up shark meat by the time X picked up his steak with his hand. He didn’t bother using utensils.

Magnolia watched him take the first bite.

He swallowed a hunk. It was closer to bird than to pig and actually had a good, gamy flavor.

“Damn, not bad at all,” he said.

Magnolia tried a bite, lifting her eyes to the ceiling as if in thought. “Yeah, it’s okay.”

“Nice shooting, by the way, Pepper,” X said.

“Thank you, Commander.”

The Sea Wolf swayed again, and X grabbed his plate before it could slide off the table. Miles licked his chops, already finished with his meal.

“Don’t mention it, Pepper. Say, can you do something to keep this damn boat steady?”

“I’m sorry, Commander, but there are some waves ahead. I would highly recommend getting back to the command center and strapping into your seats.”

Magnolia let out a sigh.

“Bet you really wish you had stayed on the airships now, huh, kid?”

She stabbed another bite of shark off her plate and plucked it off the fork.

“Nope. I’m right where I should be,” she said with a warm smile.