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“Almost there.” Hal whispers after a few tense moments.
I nod and turn my attention to Basil. “Ready?”
He meets my gaze with an intensity that would heat my face were I in human form right now. “Ready.”
Basil’s breathing echoes through the comms, his nerves palpable even through the digital connection. The team assembles at the entrance to the underwater lab, each of us attuned to the unspoken urgency of our mission. BabyDoc floats next to Basil, his focus intense.
“Concentrate on the lock. Feel its energy and push through it.” BabyDoc delivers instructions in a steady voice. “You have the power. Now control it. Bend it to your will.”
Basil nods, though I see the tension in his jaw. Then he smiles, visible around his breather. “Bend it to my will. I know all about that.”
He extends his hand toward the psychic lock, eyes narrowing in concentration. I feel a flicker of doubt—what if he can’t do it? But I shove that thought aside. Come on, Basil. You can do this.
The feel of the water here is different—denser somehow, tinged with an unsettling energy that prickles against my skin. The facility feels alive in a way that’s hard to describe, like it’s watching us with unseen eyes.
The surrounding water vibrates with psychic energy as Basil channels his focus into the lock. I see the strands of energy weaving together, a complex dance of will and power. BabyDoc guides him with murmured instructions, each word a thread pulling Basil deeper into concentration.
The seconds stretch out, each one a heartbeat in this silent underwater world. I watch Basil’s face, noting the lines of strain but also the determination etched there. He’s out of his element, but he’s giving it everything he has.
“Got it. The lock’s open.” Basil’s voice is tight with effort but victorious.
A sense of relief floods me as the psychic barrier dissolves, revealing the dark entrance beyond. “Good job.”
We slip inside silently, our movements deliberate and synchronized. The interior is eerie. Only the distant hum of machinery breaks the stillness. We fill the room quickly. My senses are on high alert, every shadow and flicker catching my attention.
Hal comes in last and punches a button with his tusk, closing the door behind us. It is claustrophobic, but as the water drains out, we each, all but one, turn our focus to shifting back to human form and donning the coveralls carried in our backpacks.
The wait is agonizing and terrifying. This is the moment we are most vulnerable. If we swam into a trap, this is where it gets sprung. Once the water starts draining, we have no way out but forward.
Finally, the slowest two minutes ever pass and Hal, this time in human form, pushes yet another button. The audible click as the door at the opposite side of this chamber unlatches is overshadowed by the resounding sighs of relief.
Hal takes point, his bulky form surprisingly agile in this confined space as he consults his second, who is reading the bio monitor’s output. He motions for BabyDoc to join them and catches my eye.
“You know where they are?” I move closer to keep my voice low.
“Yes. We have their position pinpointed. I don’t like leaving you two alone. Cordelia. You sure you want BabyDoc to come with us?”
“We stick to the plan. Get our people out and back to the ship, Hal. Do not wait for us. Do not wait for Zara’s team. Your number one priority is to get our people home.”
His face is furrowed and grizzled, much like his walrus self, and he’s not any happier about this part of the plan than he was when we originally discussed it. “Aye, Skipper. We will get them home.” His voice is gruff as he grasps both of my arms, knocking his head against mine gently. “You make sure you get yourself home, too. I hate breaking in new officers.”
He spins and trots away, motioning for his team to follow. As they walk away, the air shimmers and they disappear. I smile and nod my head. “Good work, BabyDoc.” I am the last to leave the psychic lock chamber and toggle the door shut. No need to leave evidence for someone to stumble upon. “Zara. Report?”
“In position, Skipper. No evidence yet that we’ve been detected.”
Basil stays close to me. His eyes scan our surroundings constantly, a mix of curiosity and wariness. I catch his gaze briefly and offer a small nod of reassurance. His expression is hard to read, but for all his bluster and bravado, he’s stepping up when it counts.
“Stick to the plan.” I remind everyone through the comms as we move out toward the center of the underground building.
Stepping into the central chamber of the lab is like stepping into a different world. The oppressive atmosphere is suffocating, the hum of machinery fills the air with a constant, low vibration. My every muscle is tense and ready.
Basil is beside me, his presence a solid anchor in this sea of uncertainty. The marine shifter team fans out behind us, their movements silent and deliberate.
Victor Ardan is waiting. His dark eyes gleam with cold amusement as he steps forward. “You really think you can stop me? This lab is my domain.”
He’s underestimating us. That’s his first mistake. I square my shoulders, refusing to let his arrogance intimidate me. “Your domain is about to be dismantled, Ardan.”
He laughs, a chilling sound that echoes through the chamber. “Brave words from someone so out of her depth.”
