The files finished transferring and I couldn’t look at William’s computer any longer. I felt violated. I couldn’t be his child nor did I want to be. Who was sick enough to study and observe every private moment of their child’s life? I pulled the memory stick out as the door to William’s office burst open.
“What is going on in here?” William said looking confused. “Mariella, what are you doing?” He ran over to his computer and hit the screen. I jumped back, staring at him as he panicked. I’d never seen him act this way before. “The entire system is malfunctioning!” I slowly inched towards the door. I couldn’t look William in the eye, not after what I’d seen.
“Stop right there!” William yelled. He looked up at me with a scowl on his face. “Why? Why would you do this?” His voice was softer than I’d expected. I clung to the memory stick and avoided making eye contact.
“I had to,” I muttered. “I didn’t have a choice.” William hit the keys on his keyboard.
“Give me the files, Mariella.” William held out his hand and scowled at me again. The sick feeling in my stomach wouldn’t go away.
“No,” I said firmly. “Why should I? You don’t care about me. You give Cynthia more attention than you’ve ever given me.”
“What do you mean?” he asked. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to let William know that I was on to him.
“I know! Okay?” I didn’t mean to yell but I couldn’t help it. William had been keeping secrets from me my entire life. And he’d been violating my privacy!
“You know about what?” William replied. He looked worried again and his eyes shifted from me to the computer.
“You’re not my dad, are you?” I said. The horrified look on William’s face was all I needed to see. Poseidon was right. William wasn’t my dad. He quietly sat down and waved at me to come closer. “I think I’m fine right here.”
“Who told you?” William asked quietly.
“Does it matter? Why didn’t I hear this from you? After all these years, how could you lie to me?” I had to suppress the tears. For sixteen years I could have been getting to know a father who might actually care. William had stolen that chance from me. “You know what? I’m glad I’m not your daughter! Because you’re a terrible dad!”
“I deserve that,” William replied. “And you’re right; I should have told you sooner.”
“You’re really sick, you know that?”
“Mariella, would you mind explaining? I can’t fix anything if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.” William’s worried look had disappeared. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was ‘observing’ my behavior right now.
“I know everything,” I answered. “I saw my file.” William picked up the phone by his desk.
“I’m going to ask you something, and it’s very important that you give an honest answer. Who told you all this?”
“I’ll answer your question if you answer mine.” I inched closer to the door. “What’s going on here?” William looked surprised. He sat up straighter in his chair and cleared his throat.
“First, there’s something you must know. I know you’re angry right now, but I did what I did to protect you. I gave you something you would have never gotten from anyone else – freedom.”
“Freedom? My every move was being watched! Am I some kind of test subject for one of your weird experiments?”
“Of course not,” William said calmly. “I took you in as my own daughter. I’m only trying to help.”
“Who asked for your help anyway?”
“Your mother,” William whispered. “She brought you to me. Your real mother.” I took a deep breath. I was an orphan just like Eric. I felt a tear form. I blinked repeatedly trying to stop it. Now wasn’t the time to cry.
“Why?” I muttered. Tears rolled down my cheeks even though I fought to hold them back.
“You had to be protected. You have no idea what kind of horrible people there are out there.”
“Believe me,” I agreed. “I know.”
“Mariella, please tell me who you called. Tell me who sent you to steal my work.” I sniffed, wiping my face.
“Someone who has been keeping a friend prisoner.”
“And I suppose this someone is the one who told you about your father?” I nodded feeling the urge to run. I needed Eric by my side. He would know how to deal with all this. “What’s the name of the man who sent you? Please, let me help you. There’s a lot at stake here.” I laughed. Poseidon was a lame codename. Why would anyone choose that name?
“I don’t know his real name,” I replied.
“Please. I have to know. We might be in danger. At least tell me what he looked like?”
“Fine,” I replied. “He calls himself Poseidon and that’s all I know.” William cleared his throat again but this time his face looked different. His eyes glossed over and his forehead started to sweat. He looked scared. “So are you going to tell me about that file or not? Why are you observing me? Was I given some weird drug as a baby or something?” William didn’t answer.
“You have no idea what you’ve done. We have to get out of here. Come with me and I’ll explain everything.” William jumped up and rushed towards me. I pressed my hand against the door but stopped when I heard a sudden scream in the lobby. “They’re here! Come this way!” William ran to the massive bookshelf that took up an entire wall in his office. He hit a certain spot on one of the shelves and the bookcase opened. A secret passage?
“Whatever you do, don’t give them those files!” William yelled. He waved at me to follow him though the bookcase but I wasn’t quick enough. William’s doors burst open and once again, I was at the mercy of Eric’s ruthless boss, Commander Z. His cruel gaze made me realize I’d made a mistake. I should have been honest with William from the beginning. The Commander laughed, pointing his gun at William.
“Hands up,” he laughed. “This little game of tag is over.” A shot fired and I screamed as William doubled over. He fell to the floor grabbing his shoulder.
Blood seeped through William’s suit coat. He gasped, struggling to breath. I ran to his side, kneeling on the floor as his chest rapidly rose up and down.
“Don’t get hurt,” he whispered. “It’s the only way to keep it from them.”
“What? Keep what from who?” I bent over and pressed my ear against his chest. “Try to stay awake, okay. You’ll be fine.” I ignored the blood that stained William’s collared shirt.
“Time to go,” Z said excitedly.
“You didn’t have to kill him!” I yelled. I didn’t want William to die, especially not when I had so many questions to ask him. I’d made a mistake. That was clear now but I’d realized it too late.
“He’s fine,” Z laughed. “Just temporarily immobilized. Now move it!”
“Where’s Eric?” I demanded. “Poseidon and I had a deal!”
“Patience, little girl. You’ll get what you asked for. Don’t make me ask again!” Z raised his gun to my head. I would have been more nervous if this hadn’t already happened to me hundreds of times before. William closed his eyes but he was still breathing. I stood up, slowly turning around. Z was more than twice my size. His forearm was thicker than my entire neck.
“Alright,” I agreed. “Just don’t hurt anyone else. Think you can manage that?” Z had a smirk on his face.
“Hand over the files.” He gestured towards the door.
“Not until I see Eric.”
“Have it your way.” He pushed me towards the door. I tried not to scream as I saw a woman’s body on the ground in the lobby. It was one of the receptionists. I had to concentrate and look straight ahead to avoid getting sick. I followed Z and his men to the elevators.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere you’ve been before.”
“Where’s Poseidon? He owes me answers!” We stepped into the elevator.
“If you don’t shut up, I’ll have to silence you myself. That was your first warning, little girl.”
“Watch your mouth. Eric received the punishment he deserved. He was a fool to think I wasn’t aware of your presence on board.” Z’s voice changed, making me uneasy. He looked amused.
“Where did you take him?”
“Your precious Eric is at the bottom of the ocean, drowning as we speak.” I lunged forward. Commander Z was a sick man. He deserved a fat lip and a few other things.
But I was no match for him. All I remember was slapping Z’s face and then everything went black. He must have knocked me out with one bop to the head. When I woke up, I knew all too well where I was. I’d been here before but not as a prisoner. I was trapped on the submarine again.
I looked around, tied to an uncomfortable chair in the corner. There was a large desk in front of me. The room was some kind of office. There were no windows but the floor’s constant shaking assured me we were traveling at sea.
The door opened and I closed my eyes pretending to be asleep. Footsteps entered. They thudded towards me then stopped. I felt a finger poke my arm but I didn’t respond.
“She’s still out,” a familiar voice said. It wasn’t the Commander. This soldier sounded younger, much younger. “Did you find the files?”
“The memory stick was in her hand,” another voice commented. “What an idiot. What are you going to do with her?”
“That’s none of your business, soldier. Now get back to your post. We’ll be surfacing soon.”
“And the research? Did she get it all?”
“She got everything,” the familiar voice replied. “Now, don’t make me ask you again. Get back to your post. I give the orders now.”
Footsteps walked back through the doorway. I looked around the room before fully opening my eyes again. Was William alive? I could see him falling to the ground in my head. He didn’t even have time to defend himself. But what was I supposed to do?
The room was clear. I rocked back and forth in my chair trying to break free. The ropes were too tight. I needed something sharp to cut myself loose. I eyed the desk only a few feet from me and smiled. My chair made a lot of noise when I moved but I was willing to risk it. I wiggled and jerked myself towards the desk, praying there was something sharp within reach. I got closer and closer, and stopped whenever I heard a noise in the hallway.
I was almost there and beginning to have hope. If we really were surfacing soon, all I had to do was hide out for a few hours. When I’d finally inched close enough I sighed. How are you going to open any drawers, moron?
I couldn’t move my hands and leaning forward was difficult. I leaned anyway ignoring the pressure pushing against my ribs. My mouth got so close to the top drawer I could smell the wood. I opened my mouth and grabbed the drawer handle with my teeth.
The drawer opened. I couldn’t contain my excitement. Adrenaline raced through my veins and I looked around at the pencils and pens. A flash of light caught my attention. A pair of scissors sat atop a pile of papers. I caught my breath and leaned forward again, clasping the scissors with my teeth.
I sawed at the ropes holding my wrists to the arms of the chair, cringing as the cold metal touched my skin. I sawed and sawed, teeth tightly clenched around the scissors handle. My forehead was beginning to drip with sweat and my lips were starting to get muscle spasms.
I’d almost given up but a snap filled me with hope again. My first restraint broke. My heart was pounding and I paused to listen to the hallway noises. It was still silent.
It felt good to move my arm. My back muscles were sore and I couldn’t wait to get out of my chair. I reached over and loosened the rest of the ropes. I pulled and tugged until they were loose enough for me to slide free.
What was I doing? If I got caught, I would most likely be killed! It was clear that Poseidon wasn’t going to hold up his end of the deal. Now that he had William’s files, I was disposable. I pressed my hand against my chest. My heart was out of control.
I listened at the door before turning the doorknob. The hall was still clear. I stepped out of the office tiptoeing as far away as possible. The hall seemed like it went on for miles but I knew there would be somewhere to hide. I’d done this before and I was already a little familiar with the submarine layout.
There were footsteps behind me. I desperately searched for a spot to hide. My only option was to run and hope that no one would cross paths with me. I took off at a sprint. I was breathing so loudly, anyone could have heard. I turned the corner and pressed my back against the wall. The footsteps entered the office where I had been tied. Pretty soon the whole submarine would be looking for me.
I looked down the narrow hall and started sprinting again. I was so close to getting away, I could smell the sea water outside. I kept running, but an uneven spot in the hallway made me fall to the floor. Crap! I was so close!
“Not so fast,” a familiar voice snickered. I looked up at the soldier standing over me.
“You,” I gasped. “How could you? Your team is really worried about you!”
“My team could care less about me,” Brian insisted. “I don’t answer to them anymore.”
ERIC
18
A Lot To Lose
“We’re not trespassers,” I shouted. The glowing girl in front of us looked almost unreal. Her skin was pale white and her blue gown looked like flowing silk. Her entire body floated through the cave like a ghost. She smiled. I stared into intense blue eyes that were outlined with black makeup. Her grin looked dangerous but the three of us were still foolish enough to be intrigued.
“What are you then?” the girl asked. The three of us looked at each other. Lou hadn’t mentioned anything about a creepy ghost chick.
“We’re M.E.R. soldiers,” Davis stated. His eyes were wide. He was fascinated by the floating girl beside him. Not that the rest of us were hiding it any better.
“You are, and you’re after the Triton. You’ve come to right place, soldiers. But I’m afraid your journey won’t be simple. Many regenerators have found Atlantis but have left disappointed. If they leave at all.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. The girl’s grin went even wider. Her ghostly body floated closer to me. A cold breeze made me shiver.
“You didn’t think you could just walk in and take it, did you?”
“So you know where it is?” I thought if I asked enough questions, the girl might give me a hint as to where the Triton was.
“Of course I do. I’m its keeper.” So far my interrogation tactic was starting to work.
“What’s your name?”
“I’m called many things,” she laughed. “But you can call me Melora. And your questioning won’t work, soldier. I can see your thoughts.”
“Really?” I asked calmly. I tried to clear my mind and think of nothing. It was easier than I’d have thought, given the cave, the guardian ghost, and the fact that our very existence depended on our securing her charge. “I’ll just ask you straight up then, Melora. Where is the Triton?” The dripping cave seemed like it had grown larger. There were more tunnels now and each one was starting to look different. I could see Davis looking around studying each one.
“You have to search yourselves. Choose a tunnel and good luck, blond one. I’ll be watching.” She slowly started to disappear.
“Wait!” I shouted. “How do we know which tunnel to choose?”
“Remember the power you seek isn’t free. There’s always a price.” She floated back into the darkness.
“But what if someone else finds the Triton first?” I thought about Zero and the Portuguese article. Zero had to be here somewhere. He’d found the Triton map days before we did.
“Your competitor has not yet acquired it,” the girl’s voice echoed. Her body faded away and in an instant, she was gone.
“Alright Davis, what tunnel do we pick? Should we split up?”
“Definitely not,” Davis said immediately. “W
e don’t know what Zero is capable of. What if he’s a psycho? What if he finds the Triton first and kills us off one by one?”
“Yeah okay, we got it Davis.” Frankie said. “And the tunnel? You ever read anything about this in those books of yours?”
“I didn’t know the Triton had a keeper but it makes sense.”
“You think there’s anything dangerous in these tunnels?” I asked. I already knew the answer to my question but I was trying to play it cool. Davis shrugged his shoulders.
“There could be anything,” he answered. “I have no idea. But I don’t expect it to be easy.” Frankie walked over to a tunnel with a glowing white light. It was brighter than all the others.
“What about this one?” Frankie said pointing to the tunnel. Its light shone like a beacon, welcoming us into its depth. It was too bright - unnatural and almost painful to look at now that we’d gotten used to the darkness.
“I don’t think so,” Davis stated. “Only an idiot would choose that tunnel.” Frankie gave Davis a rude look. “Well isn’t it obvious? That’s the tunnel she wants you to choose.”
“Then why can’t we choose it?”
“That tunnel will have the most distractions. It’s best to pick something more plain and conservative – the road less traveled.” Davis looked around and pointed to a small, dark tunnel in the corner. It was narrow and there was nothing glowing inside it to draw attention. If I had to give it a word I’d have said it looked bleak. And I wasn’t too thrilled about heading that way. Naturally Davis felt otherwise. “Let’s try that one.”
“But we don’t have a light,” Frankie protested. Another cold breeze filled the cave and I surveyed the room for the keeper. Although I could feel her watching us, she couldn’t be seen anywhere. Another glitter of white light glowed by our feet. I searched for the keeper’s face but she was still hidden. I knelt down and saw a wide variety of tools.
“You can only take three,” a voice echoed through the cave. Davis and Frankie ran over. Davis picked up and studied each object. There was a lantern, a shovel, a gun, a long rope, some dried food, and a first aid kit.
Mutiny (M.E.R. Series) Page 15