CHAPTER 34
The Stranger
Finn is watching the water.
He’s standing far enough away from the rest of us to signal it’s intentional. He wants to be alone.
We’re all on the research vessel, now anchored at the Carter’s Drop descent point. Finn made the call to move it closer to the Drop so that we could hold a post-dive meeting as soon as we get back.
Today’s important. We’re making history.
As I gear up, I watch Finn. While I don’t believe he wants harm to come to the coral or the caves, I also don’t think they’re a priority for him. He fought back against the suggestion of easier, more destructive measures, but I don’t think he did so for any ethical reason or out of love for the ocean. It’s something else.
It’s always been about the stone for Finn. That’s why he’s here.
What is that stone made of? It can’t possibly be what I’m thinking, can it?
Where does Dr. Nathan Carter fit into this? I’m a piece of this puzzle. My journals paint a picture. Finn knows I don’t havemy memories, yet he’s done nothing to help me fill in any gaps. Any hints he’s given about the past have been more of a test. So, he can be sure of what I know. My records show I shared information freely with Walter, meeting with him casually, like friends. But with Finn, every interaction was formal. Cautious. After I found the stone, I wanted access to his materials expertise, specifically on exotic matter theory. But I was careful not to share anything I knew with him, including the stone. It was Garrett’s loose lips that opened Pandora’s box when he started talking about the stone Mads found with his colleagues.
I need to confront Finn. But can I trust him enough to even ask him to explain? Or am I going to need backup?
I glance at Scott. I don’t want to bring Mads’s family into this if I don’t have to.
Finn turns from the railing and walks to his Shield.
It’s time to go.
My helmet seal locks into place with a final hiss, and I head to the dive station.
Scott, Finn, and I descend toward Carter’s Drop. As we approach the entrance, we slow down. Most of the coral is ghostly white. With a few small patches of blue and pink scattered amongst them. With the cavern’s water temperatures now over ninety degrees, the coral closest to the Drop’s entrance and its vents won’t survive much longer. We hope to find a solution that won’t cause further damage before the heated water spreads. If it spreads. We don’t know how hot it will get.
We enter the cavern, and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Several patches of stone are shimmering. I make eye contact with Scott, who’s just as unnerved as I am. We’re in over ourheads. Finn approaches one patch to collect data, then swims toward theHecate.
He’s in a hurry.
After Scott gives me another wary look, we follow Finn into theHecatetunnel.
We’re only fifteen yards in this time when we hit ninety-three degrees.
“My stop,” Scott says through the helmet comms. He turns to Finn. “No exceptions in there, Finn. I swear to God, I’ll make you regret it if you go off plan.”
Finn’s unaffected by Scott’s threat, but nods once anyway. “Got it. We’re here for the same reason.”
“I doubt that.” Scott turns to me, grasping my shoulders. “Be careful in there, brother. Call me on the comms if anything goes sideways.”
“If anything happens. Tell all my girls I love them,” I say and think of the picture Mads showed me of Crystal holding Natalie on the beach.
Scott’s eyes pinch, and he nods his head once.
Finn and I move on, leaving Scott behind.
I focus on the guidelines. My job on this dive is to lay a new line where the existing one ends and, where needed, replace the nylon with heat-resistant co-polymer aramid rope. The existing line should hold until temperatures climb above one hundred twenty degrees Fahrenheit. Anything hotter than one-forty can cause the nylon to weaken and break. Hot water or not, we still need a guideline.
Finn glides through the channel flow as if he’s been practicing for this moment his whole life. He darts ahead with childlike vigor, delighting in pulling readings and watching data stream across his screens. Monitoring our dive temperature appears to be the last thing on his mind. It wouldn’t surprise me if he plans to let the suits trigger the coolant automatically.
Very well.
I’ll handle the responsibility part myself.
