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He shakes his head in disgust. ‘You just got lucky with that stupid dolphin. LI doesn’tcoddletheir students the way HP does. Destroying HP …’ He gives me a bloodstained grin. ‘That was our senior project, and I’d say we aced it.’
Dru steps forward, raising the butt of his Leyden gun, but Gem stops him with a stern look.
Caleb watches the exchange with obvious amusement. ‘As forwhy you, Ana Dakkar … Youreallydon’t know anything, do you?’ He glances at Dr Hewett. ‘I guess the professor hasn’t told you the truth about HP. Were you even trained in Leyden guns until today? Did you even know they exist?’
An uncomfortable ripple goes through our group.
‘That’s what I thought,’ Caleb says. ‘At LI, we aren’t afraid touseour knowledge. How many world problems could you cowards have solved if you justshared?’
Behind me, Gem says, ‘Shared what, exactly?’
‘You hadtwo years.’ Caleb sounds bitter, even regretful. ‘You could have cooperated with us. You could have negotiated.’
I can’t tell if the ship is pitching or if it’s my own lack of equilibrium.Two yearssince my parents’ death. Two years Hewett has been fearing an attack. Two years in which Caleb says Harding-Pencroft could have negotiated.
I fix my eyes on Dr Hewett. ‘What happened two years ago?’
His gaze is sadder than Top’s when he begs for dog biscuits. ‘We will have that conversation soon, my dear. I promise.’
Caleb snorts. ‘You aren’t really stupid enough to believe Hewett’s promises, are you? He promised us a bunch of stuff, too, when he was at LI.’
Hewett’s knuckles whiten as he clenches his fists. ‘That’s enough, Mr South.’
‘Professor, how about you tell them what you were working on for LI back when I was a freshman?’ Caleb suggests. ‘Before you lost your nerve. Tell them who had the idea for theAronnax.’
He might as well have thrown another flash-bang grenade. My skull rings like a struck bell.
Gem takes a sharp breath. ‘Professor, what is he talking about?’
Hewett looks more annoyed than ashamed. ‘I did many things I wasn’t proud of at LI, Prefect Twain, before I knew what they were capable of.’ He returns his glare to our prisoner. ‘And today, Mr South, Land Institute proved why they canneverbe trusted with advanced technology. You destroyed a noble institution.’
‘Noble institution? You were protecting the legacy of an outlaw.’ Caleb squirms in his pink-ducky inner tube. ‘If you’re going to kill me, go ahead and do it. This thing is uncomfortable.’
Dru and Kiya stare coldly at Dr Hewett. Even Linzi looks shaken. Maybe, like me, they didn’t know before today that Hewett once worked at Land Institute. But it’s worse than that. Dr Hewett had the idea for theAronnax. He helped create the weapon that destroyed our school and killed my brother.
‘We don’t execute prisoners,’ Hewett announces. ‘Dru, Kiya, throw him overboard.’
Caleb’s arrogant expression crumbles. ‘Hold on –’
‘Sir,’ Linzi protests.
‘He’ll be fine,’ Hewett assures her. ‘He has his buoyancy-control vest, his wetsuit, his water wings. Guards, proceed.’
Dru and Kiya look like they’re tempted to dump the professor instead, but, after a glance at Gemini Twain, the Sharks follow orders. They untie Caleb from his chair, then drag him thrashing and cursing to the port side and chuck him into the sea.
My last glimpse of my ex-abductor is his blond head bobbing up and down in our wake, spluttering and yelling unkind things about Harding-Pencroft. I imagine he’ll be picked up by someone soon enough. He’s loud. Also, his pink-ducky floaties make him easily the most colourful thing off the San Alejandro coast.
‘Miss Huang,’ Hewett says, ‘report to the bridge. Maintain our course due west at maximum speed.’
Linzi stirs. ‘Sir, we deserve –’
‘You’ll get your explanations,’ Hewett promises. ‘But first things first. Double-check the camouflage projectors and pulse-dispersion unit. Have the Orcas sweep the ship for any tracking devices. Wemustget away from theAronnax.’ He turns towards me. ‘As for you, Ana Dakkar, you’re coming with me. I think it’s about time you gave us a course heading.’
On the way, I grab Nelinha and drag her along.
I need a friend at my side, even if she has to coexist with Gem for a while. I’m still reeling from … well, everything. I didn’t like Caleb’s warnings. I don’t understand why Dr Hewett thinks I’m the one who should decide our course heading. Why does he keep singling me out like this?He’sthe one with all the secrets. And I’m still not sure I trust Gemini Twain to have my back.
At the end of the corridor, Hewett opens the door to the captain’s cabin. I’ve never been inside before. The place is massive: a full-size bed against the port wall, windows overlooking the bow, a big conference table, and on the starboard side …
