by Elin Wyn
Krys reached for Elissa’s hand and held it lightly. “No worries on that score.” His voice sent warm tingles through Elissa’s stomach.
Sada’s eyes widened and she shot an unmistakable look at Elissa. “Well then. I’ll just let the two of y’all get on with your dinner.” She waggled her fingers at Elissa as she walked out the front door.
“What a very strange woman,” Krys said frowning slightly. “She seems nice, but I feel as if I was missing part of that conversation.”
As they headed towards their table Ethan called out, “Mr. Gianopoulous, could I have a moment?”
Elissa looked at Krys but he shrugged as if just as confused by the summons as she was. No doubt about it, Ethan Shamsi was an odd but brilliant man. It certainly seemed likely it would be worth finding out what he was interested in.
“Krys, I saw on your application that your research is being sponsored by the International Oceanographic Association of Professionals.”
Krys nodded but Elissa noticed his body tensing slightly.
“Is Luke Belanger still President? I communicated with him once about some interesting discoveries he was making. I thought we could use them for a medical project that I was looking into a while back. It didn’t pan out, but he has interesting theories.”
Krys shook his head slowly. “Offhand I couldn’t tell you. I’m afraid I’m in the field too much to keep up with what’s going on in the association.”
Ethan looked surprised. “I hadn’t realized that there were so many members. Last I heard there was only sixty or seventy members in the entire organization.”
“Give me a fish and I can tell you its name. People, I’m not so good at,” Krys joked.
“Ethan, we all have our quirks.” Leigh said pointedly.
Ethan frowned, then nodded. “Have a good dinner, then.”
They were silent as they seated themselves at their booth overlooking the water. The moon had risen causing streaks of silver light to dance across the top of the waves.
“It’s like someone made a path to the moon,” Elissa murmured.
“What?” Krys looked startled, as if he’d been thinking of other things.
She pointed. “It doesn’t quite reach the beach but I imagine if it did you could just step out onto it like a road that would take you to the stars. Wouldn’t that be something?” She glanced at Krys but he wasn’t looking at the moonlit water, but rather at her, a soft look in his eyes.
Everything on the menu looked good, which helped keep Elissa’s eyes fixed firmly on the menu and not on the far-too-distracting man sitting next to her. Orders finally placed, there was nothing to do but lean back in the booth and meet his eyes.
He was gazing at her, smiling softly and she wondered if he even realized he was doing it.
“So what do you want to do tomorrow?”
He took a long sip of his drink.
“I think that I am finally ready to attempt the bicycle again.”
Elissa goggled. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Other than the two minutes you completely terrified me by streaking down that hill. I think that was the worst time you’ve had in your life.” And then she remembered that his father had recently died and brought her hand to her mouth. “Oh no, I didn’t mean...”
He took her hand and squeezed it. “You know, you are far too hard on yourself. You should trust me to know that you don’t mean harm, I don’t think anyone you’ve ever met honestly thinks that you meant anything maliciously.”
“And I am serious,” his face was stern. “I’ve never had a device that I haven’t been able to master before. I refuse to be conquered by a primitive two-wheeled contraption.”
Elissa burst into giggles. “If you’re going to talk nonsense all night I’m not going to be able to get through the meal.”
But when it arrived the heavenly aroma swiftly changed her mind. She had ordered lightly seared ahi, coated in an espresso rub and served with sea vegetables and a dashi broth.
Krys’ petite crab cakes looked tempting, but not nearly as much as her own plate. She carefully picked up a slice and took a nibble.
“Mmmm…” She groaned, her eyes fluttering with the explosion of taste on her tongue.
“Oh Krys, you really have to try it this.” She placed one of the thin slices on the edge of his plate and then glanced at him.
He sat, eyes closed, back rigid.
She placed her hand on his arm. “Are you alright? What’s wrong?”
“Have we had two lovely days?” He asked softly. She nodded, confused. “And unless I’m terribly mistaken, you are fond of me, even the slightest bit?”
“Yes…” her answer drawn out long. Where was this going?
“Then by the love of anything you hold precious, please do not make those noises in front of me when we’re in a public place. Otherwise I am not certain I can be held responsible for my actions.” He cracked an eye at her and grinned.
She poked him in the side with her finger. “You, sir, are a goofball of the first nature.” They returned to their meal but she was careful not to show her pleasure quite so sensuously.
Dishes cleared and dessert menu on the way, Elissa excused herself. “I’ll be right back. No disappearing, no strange moods, no nothing except maybe that chocolate lava cake,” she teased.
His smile warmed her toes. “As you wish.”
She headed towards the back of the restaurant where she’d seen the sign for the restroom. She turned a corner and out from behind a potted palm stepped Brad. The easy-going surfer guy was gone, he radiated nothing but cold hostility now.
“Hope you had a nice day out with your boyfriend, Miss Haddad. You didn’t think I’d really go haring off after you on your little bicycling expedition, did you?”
Elissa stepped back, startled. “I don’t know what you think is going on, but it's none of your concern what I did with my day.” She started to feel riled. “All I know is I was having coffee and you decided to sit yourself down and interject yourself into the situation. You have no claim on me or what I do.”
Brad stepped towards her, eyes narrowing. “Did you arrange to meet him here, Miss Haddad? We’ve investigated your file and so far we haven’t found a connection, but I’m sure it’s there. I’ll just dig harder. Perhaps it’s something to do with your grandparents?”
“My grandparents?” Elissa had been trying to whisper, to not draw attention to the man hissing at her, but she could feel her voice pitching higher. “My grandparents have nothing to do with this.”
“That’s what you say, but you said you didn’t know him. And for someone you didn’t know you’ve been awfully chummy.” He cocked his head to the side. “Or maybe you honestly don’t know. Maybe you’re just part of his cover.” His voice flattened. “You know, everything he’s told you has been a lie. I would’ve thought you’d been tired of that after your little affair with Professor Thaler.”
Elissa’s heart stopped.
“What. The. Hell. Are. You. Talking. About,” she forced out from between clenched teeth.
“His name, what he does, all of it is a lie,” Brad said blandly, obviously pleased that he’d scored a hit.
“There’s something wrong with you,” Elissa whispered and pushed past him into the sanctuary of the ladies’ room. She stood, leaning against the counter, unable to stop the shaking in her arms.
Was it all a lie? Was Krys just playing with her, just using her to mark time like Alexander had? How did that creep even know about her problems at the University anyhow?
The door swung open and she spun to face it, prepared for Brad to have followed her even here.
But it was Hasana, concern written clearly on her face.
“Are you okay?” She stepped towards Elissa. “You’re white as a ghost. I couldn’t hear what that man was saying, but whatever it was I got the feeling it was fairly inappropriate.”
Elissa moistened a hand towel and pressed it against her throat, willing her heart to stop racing
. “I’m fine, I don’t know what that man’s problem is. I never saw him before this morning. She met Hasana’s eyes in the mirror. “I thought then maybe he was, I don’t know, drunk or hungover from a bachelor party or something. But now I think there’s something wrong with him.”
Hasana’s lips pressed together. “I’ll make sure it’s taken care of. I’ll talk to Hunter, our head of our security, right now. I don’t care who that guy is or what party he’s with, he has no right to make any other guest uncomfortable.”
Elissa watched Hasana as she whipped out her cell phone and spoke briskly to whoever it was on the other end. This Hunter person apparently. It must be nice to be that competent, that sure of yourself and your place in the world.
Her mind wandered back to the things that Brad said. Was it all a lie? She thought about the tension in Krys’ body when Ethan had questioned him about his professional organization.
The small feeling in the pit of her stomach burned, the part of her that she had ignored for too many months hoping that she was misreading things with Alexander. This time she would pay attention to her gut. Krys was lying.
Hasana slid her phone back into her clutch. “Hunter’s on it. He’ll find the guy’s application, and where he’s staying. His team will make sure he doesn’t cause any more trouble between now and when he’s escorted off Catica.”
Her voice softened again. “You sure you’re okay?”
Elissa nodded. “No problems at all.”
And there weren’t going to be. She was going to take a page from Hasana’s book and deal with problems straight on. No over thinking, no worrying, just direct action.
She marched back to the table. Krys looked up. “I asked them to give us a few more minutes. I wasn’t sure if you meant to split that lava cake or if it was all your own.”
“Don’t worry about the lava cake,” she said flatly. “I’ve been thinking about a few things, things that don’t add up. I want to know the truth. Right here, right now.”
She held her hand up to stop him from saying anything. “No, hear me out. You can smooth talk me around to almost anything, you’ve done it before. But this time I want just one word from you and I want the truth. No flattery, just the truth.”
Krys nodded, waiting.
She swallowed hard, terrified of the answer. But she had to know. “Have you been lying to me?”
The question hung between them for long seconds.
Krys closed his eyes and seemed to come to a decision. His shoulders slumped as he looked at her, resignation on his face.
“Yes.”
Chapter 8
Fire burned through Elissa’s veins and only through a supreme effort of will did she keep from screeching her rage and fury at him right there in the middle of the restaurant.
“I see,” she whispered. And turned to walk away.
His soft words stopped her. “I can explain. Will you give me one more chance?”
She was so tired of giving people another chance. But, when she asked him about the lies he had told the truth, hadn’t he? The circular logic made her head hurt. He stood next to her, not touching her but close enough that she could feel his body heat.
“Elissa,” he started and stopped. “I think we have something, maybe something special. Please don’t throw it away just because I was an idiot.”
Her throat too tight to speak, Elissa nodded. She fought for control and finally managed to get out, “You have ten minutes.”
He glanced at the broad silver bracelet on his left wrist and nodded. “May I have fifteen?”
She stared at him. “Really? You think now is the time to negotiate?”
“Five more minutes, I won’t leave your side and you will have all the answers.”
“No more lies, Krys.”
“I promise.”
They walked down the boardwalk to the opposite end of the beach from where the dock jutted into the harbor. They didn’t speak, but Elissa noticed Krys tapping again at the bracelet.
“Time is running out, and I’m not seeing any explanations.”
“But I still have…” he glanced down, “six minutes.”
They stepped into the shadow of a grove of palm trees. He watched the water anxiously. “There,” he sighed.
Elissa followed his gaze out into the blackness. Cutting through the waves and heading straight towards them was the wake of something moving under the water.
She stepped back instinctively. A shark? What would be that size and why would it be trying to beach itself?
“This is my proof, Elissa.” Krys’ hand, warm and large, rested on the small of her back, steadying her. The ripples got closer to shore.
“Do you trust me?”
She looked him flat in the eyes. “You lied to me. You admitted it.”
“I know, and I was wrong. But no more lies, I promise. But for any of this to make any sense, you have to trust me.”
And the crazy thing was, she thought, she did trust him.
She nodded, wondering what would come next.
He tapped the bracelet again and a shape, a dark thing, something she couldn’t quite make her eyes follow the contours of, slid onto the beach before her.
Krys stepped towards it and pressed his hand against the shape. A dull, metallic noise sounded.
The top of the shape slid open, revealing something that looked like a toboggan sled or a tiny submarine or …honestly she couldn’t figure out what it was. She looked at him, questioning.
“Are you ready?” was all he said.
Elissa shook her head. She wasn’t ready, not ready for this, not ready for the strangeness.
His voice softened. “You don’t have to come with me, but I want to show you. I want to tell you the truth. It just won’t make any sense otherwise.”
Elissa took a deep breath. Decisive. She could be decisive and she wanted to know what was happening. She wanted to know the truth. She held her hand out to him.
“Let’s go and see.”
He helped her into the capsule and then sat in the only thing that looked remotely like a chair.
“I’m sorry, but these weren’t exactly built for two. You could try to fit in the storage area, but it wouldn’t be very comfortable. Can you stand to pretend that we're back on the beach, having a picnic before everything went wrong?”
One glance at the unpadded, small compartment behind the seat made up her mind. Elissa sat across his thighs gingerly, overly conscious of where his body met hers.
“Elissa, you have to relax just a little bit or I’m not going to be able to reach the controls around you.”
She took a deep breath and willed her muscles to loosen, sinking, just a bit, into the warmth of his broad chest.
She watched his hands as they rested on a panel in front of them, decorated with glowing colors and broad swaths of gleaming silver.
Another pattern of his fingers and the canopy slid back over them, enclosing them and sealing her in.
Trapped in the capsule, her chest tightened and she wrapped her arms close to her body.
“Krys, I’m scared.”
His arms tightened around her as he bent down to face her. “I will never let anything hurt you.” The fire in his eyes didn’t feel like a lie.
The capsule slid back into the water, silently, only a faint vibration through the hull giving any indication of an engine.
In moments they were underwater heading who-knew-where.
“Tell me what you’re doing. I need to focus on something.”
“This makes the hull secure,” he pointed to a blue glowing stripe the size of her index finger. “These control depth and direction,” a gesture to a section to the side. “On our return, these vents will emit a gas that prevents depressurization illness.” A small row of short nozzles. “And this sets the course back to the last location.” One final touch, and his hands were still.
Elissa waited in the dark, the only illumination that of the control panel as the sled took the
m further into the Atlantic.
Just as she was about to ask him to turn back, that she had enough, with a hum the sea around them was illuminated. Bright colored fish darted before her, and a silver school formed a wall, then spun away from the intruder.
She tilted up to look at him. “Are there lights on this? Are we somehow disturbing them?”
“The skin of the sled is polarized to act like night vision goggles. There’s light down here, it’s just not enough for us to normally use it. This amplifies all of the surrounding light so that we can see out.”
They traveled for a few more moments, her fear at the strangeness of it all swept away in the glory and wonder of the undersea world.
“It’s magical here,” she sighed. Even with the small remote rovers at the lab she’d always had to use an external light source, and she had often spent hours arguing with fellow students that introducing false illumination into the dark undersea world meant that they were no longer observing the animals in their natural habitat.
But this, this was different.
Without warning the canopy slid back, and she gasped, waiting for the rush of water.
Krys chuckled. “I’m sorry, I should’ve told you that we docked. But you were pretty wrapped up in the scenery.”
Elissa glared at him and then looked around. The sled rested in the middle of the floor of a small room. Looking down she could see water beneath them.
“Is it pressurized to keep the water out?”
“No,” he answered, shifting her so that he could stand up. He stepped out of the capsule, and on to the water. He didn’t sink.
“It’s shielded. Come on, there’s more.”
She took his hand and he helped her out. She refused to look down as she walked across the water, there was no way this could be happening. But yet, it was. In a few short steps they reached what looked like a solid wall. Krys’ hand hovered over a panel but then he stopped.
“You’ve said you trust me. But now I have to trust you. No matter what, even if you decide after this that you still never want to see me again, if you don’t think we can make it work. You cannot tell anyone what you’re about to see.”