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“We need precise intel…”
The door opens, and Security Chief Hal Fish strides in. His hair is wet and slicked back. His face is grim but determined. “Apologies for being late, Captain Voss. I have a report of our initial surveillance of Ardan’s research facility.”
He spreads maps on the table, pointing to colorful handmade notations. “My team of orca, walrus, and seal shifters have scouted extensively. We confirm the missing crew are on Lemesurier Island.”
“Chief Fish, were they able to find a viable way in?”
“Yes, Captain. The team entered the underwater facility and left without being discovered. There is no security around the underwater accesses.”
“Excellent. And how may we safely extract our crew?”
“Given that all our crew members are marine shifters, a small group can lead them out through the underwater entrance. My team is currently drafting a rescue plan for your approval, Captain. One point I need to address is the watertight lock separating the underwater and underground sections. After confirming our crew’s location with their bio monitors, my team attempted to initiate a rescue but found a psychic block on the door to the outer lock that my team couldn’t bypass.”
Voss leans back slightly in her chair, her fingers tapping lightly on the wooden tabletop. Her eyes narrow as she processes the information, a furrow forming between her brows. She glances at each officer in turn, weighing their readiness and the gravity of the situation. The tension in the room is high, but her calm presence offers a semblance of order.
She takes a deep breath, nods subtly, and leans forward, resting her elbows on the table. Her fingers interlace, forming a steeple as she thinks. It’s a gesture everyone in the room recognizes as her way of signaling a critical decision in the making.
“Mr. Jenks has suggested a two-pronged attack. I believe we must enact a three-pronged attack.” The captain looks my way.
“First, Mr. Jenks will lead the legal attack on Ardan’s business empire. Second, I will identify and find the saboteurs onboard my ship. Zara, you will assist. And finally, Security Chief Hal Fish and Chief Engineer Cordelia Marin will lead the team to rescue our missing crew members.”
“Tomorrow morning this ship will enter Glacier Bay and sail through it for most of the day providing our passengers with the scenic cruise they are looking forward to. Hal. Cordelia. Your team must be ready to depart the ship by 0500. We will leave Glacier Bay and re-enter the Icy Strait at 1530. Bring our missing crew back to the ship in that timeframe, please.”
Chapter Thirteen
Cordelia Marin
The hum of machinery fills the Engine Control Room, mingling with the sharp tang of oil and saltwater. I stand at the center of it all, a map spread across the table before me. Zara is beside me, her eyes scanning the schematics with a fierce intensity. Around us, the marine shifter team listens, their expressions a mix of determination and concern.
Every detail must be perfect. My fingers trace a route on the map while my gut roils, objecting to but not rejecting the responsibility. Lives depend on getting this right.
Zara breaks the silence. “We need to be swift and silent. Any mistake could expose us.”
Security Chief Hal Fish grunts in agreement. “The interior lab is heavily guarded. We can’t afford any slip-ups.”
My voice is firm, but inside, worry gnaws at me. What if something goes wrong?
The team debates the best approach, each member highlighting their unique underwater capabilities. Hal’s scouting team outlines what they scoped out about guard rotations to bolster our timeline. Hal taps a spot on the map. “This is where we’ll enter. It’s not guarded. They don’t believe anyone can get through the psychic controls and enter through the water to air lock. It’s a weak point in their defenses that we must exploit.”
Zara suggests we use this for cover. It’s a deep trench partially filled with huge boulders. This will get us close and also give us cover for retreat. She traces a route with her finger. “We can use the natural currents to our advantage to create a diversion. There are no shifters in their security forces. Our speed and agility can’t be matched by any human.”
“We’ll split into three groups.” My decision made, I point to strategic points on the map. “Zara’s team will create a distraction here. Draw out as many as you can, Zara, but stay safely covered by the boulders. That trench will be your cover to exit, so be sure not to stray far.”
“Hal, rendezvous with Zara’s team when you have our people out. Both teams will escort our boys home. Do not engage unless your lives are at risk. Is this clear?”
Zara grins and sends me a thumbs up at the same time as Hal.
“My team and Hal’s will infiltrate from this side through the psychic lock. Hal, your team will go silently and fast directly to our crewmen. You must remain undetected, Hal, until you have them safely out and swimming home.”
“BabyDoc, you will go with Hal. Can you camouflage them with magic?”
“I can’t make them truly invisible, Chief, but I have a few tricks that will do the job.”
“Great. My team will distract any security forces who respond to our entry. If they detect us, I want them to believe Zara’s team and my team are the attacking forces and that we don’t know where our people are.”
“It’s a sound plan, Chief Engineer.” Hal leans forward and circles the place on the map where the double lock chamber we must get through is located. “Except for here. Do we know yet how we will get through the psychic protection? BabyDoc, can you handle it?”
I feel a presence behind me—a shift in the air that signals someone’s arrival. Turning around, I see Basil standing in the doorway of the ECR. His tailored suit looks out of place among the grease and gears, but his commanding presence fills the room.
