"That we're extracting a high-value asset from a hostile location. That's all they need to know."
Anandur nodded his approval. "Good."
The captain checked his watch. "We depart in one hour. Get your gear stowed, and if you are hungry, help yourself to some food. The galley is self-serve rations."
As they dispersed to claim bunks and secure equipment, Esag found himself in a compartment with Julian, Anandur, and three other Guardians. The bunks were narrow coffins with thin mattresses and a curtain for privacy. He tossed his bag on a middle bunk and sat down, his head nearly touching the bunk above.
"Cozy," Julian said dryly as he climbed to the top one.
Anandur said nothing as he sat on the lowest bunk and pulled out his phone, probably to call or text Wonder.
Through the hull, Esag could hear the sound of water lapping against the vessel, the occasional clang of equipment being loaded, and the muffled voices of Ramirez's crew preparing for departure.
Soon, they would slip beneath the waves and begin the journey to Navuh's island. Forty-something hours in this metal tomb, breathing recycled air, with tons of water pressing down on them.
His stomach churned again.
"First time in a submarine?" Julian asked.
"Yeah. I've never even been on one of those glass-bottom boats for tourists. I'm not a big fan of deep water."
Julian tilted his head. "Perhaps you should bail, then. There's still time. You can wait for Tula in Safe Harbor."
Esag shook his head. "I'll be fine."
For Tula, he would survive forty-something hours in this tube. Perhaps it wouldn't earn him her forgiveness or even lessen his guilt for all his sins, but at least he would know that he had done the right thing for a change.
"Prepare to cast off. All hands to stations," the captain commanded.
The submarine's diesel engines rumbled to life, vibrating through the hull with a deep thrumming that Esag felt in his bones. This was it. No turning back now.
He closed his eyes and tried not to think about the millions of gallons of water that would soon be above them, tried not to think about how fast the submarine would flood if something went wrong, tried not to imagine the crushing pressure that would collapse the hull like a tin can if they went too deep.
The engines' note changed, and he felt the submarine begin to move, sliding away from the dock into deeper water.
"Diving stations. Prepare to submerge," the captain announced.
Esag gripped the edges of his bunk as he felt the submarine angle downward. The sound of water rushing over the hull grew louder, then muffled as they slipped beneath the surface. His ears popped as the pressure changed.
They were underwater. Two hundred and fifty feet of Soviet-era steel and retrofitted technology were all that stood between them and drowning.
"Hey, Esag," Anandur called from his bunk. "Want to hear about our previous submarine adventure?"
"Not really."
Anandur's laugh echoed through the compartment. "Relax. We've got the best submarine crew money can buy, the best Guardians the clan has to offer, and—" he paused dramatically "—Yamanu's lucky socks. What could possibly go wrong?"
4
KIAN
Kian studied the map of the Indian Ocean displayed on the main screen of the war room. The red dot representing the submarine was moving excruciatingly slowly now that it was in stealth mode, and it would take another hour or so before it reached its destination.
"Coffee?" Wonder held the carafe above his still half-full cup.
She'd requested to be in the war room during the critical part of the mission, and he hadn't had the heart to deny her. The most important people in her life would soon meet at the bottom of a cliff, in one of the best-guarded spots on the planet. The problem was that she was vibrating with nervous energy, and it was distracting.
He lifted his cup, letting her pour fresh coffee into it. "You don't need to do that."
