Lenny’s heart quivered. Pop, he spoke only to Declan. What’s goin’ on? Why’s Byron actin’…strange?
Ya gotta learn to see on ya own, Declan replied. Listen…think.
Lenny looked around the other catchers. A crew’s bein’ sent out. But it can’t be this group. If our families go with us, what’s to keep the lot of us from runnin’?
August strutted to the edge of the veranda. “Ahem. I’ve called you all here today for a most especial reason. While it's true others have been sent, I’ve selected this crew for the most important assignment! Oscar, my boy,” August waved his son join him. “If you’re to learn the family stock-in-trade, the best teacher is experience. It’s to you I gift this elite team.”
Lenny didn’t like the look Oscar gave the catchers at all. He liked the way Oscar lingered on him even less. It had not been so many years since Lenny had dodged rocks thrown from high atop the hill aimed at his head.
“They’re mine to lead?” Oscar asked.
August chuckled at his son’s enthusiasm. “Er…well, co-lead, as it were.”
“But, Father. I should be the captain!”
Lenny had the urge to laugh then. He thought better of it. Serves the spoiled pup right. Let him learn what it’s like to follow.
“You have the final say,” August assuaged his son’s doubt. “But you’ve never hunted before. The co-captain I’ve chosen will aid your lead.”
Oscar’s gaze fell on Declan. His upper lip curled. “And who will that be?”
August grinned. “Lenny…Lenny Dolan.”
LENNY
Me? A captain?
Lenny reeled, barely hearing the ongoing dispute between August and Oscar.
“But, Father! I’ll be a laughingstock when others discover I’ve been made to follow a nipperkin.”
“No, no, no.” August shook his head and his jowls with it. “I’ve made certain, uh, assurances that won’t happen. Byron…if you’d please.”
At Byron’s whistle, two strangers joined them on the veranda. The first, a balding white man, had a grimness about him that reeked of a former taskmaster, the kind who enjoyed extended punishment rather than a quick drop.
Lenny studied and hated the man all the more for the garb he wore: a sleek grey and charcoal-spotted Leopard Seal, the most prized Selkie coat of all. By the look of him, this stranger had killed to acquire it.
August winked at his son. “Oscar, this is Henry. I’ve hired him as your guardian. He’ll also be happy to take anyone’s tongue who may think to laugh at you. Isn’t that right, Henry?”
Henry unsheathed a black dagger from his boot. For a moment he held it aloft, staring at its blade like nothing but its deadly gleam existed. Then he picked at his fingernails with its tip. “Oui, monsieur,” he said so low Lenny scarcely heard.
Oscar clapped. “Fantastic. What about the rest of them? What do they do?”
August beamed at his son. “Curious, eh? That’s good instincts, son. The hallmark of a great catcher! Lenny will teach you to track and coordinate your crew’s movements. And Racer…he will be your speed.”
Paulo’s earrings flashed. Racer? He’s never been outside the cavern.
Lenny gave the youngest among them a doubtful glance.
The boy seemed dazed by the news. Yet he lifted his chin when he noticed Lenny watching.
Why send a pup? Lenny wondered. Racer’s pop knows the currents betta.
August cleared his throat. “Paulo and Ellie will be your brutes—”
“I know what the big ones do,” Oscar said. “What about her?”
Lenny followed Oscar’s point to the other stranger who had accompanied the balding man, Henry. She had slipped into the shadows, her back flat against the wall. Unlike her owner, she seemed to take great interest in her surroundings. Ebony-skinned and at least half Henry’s age, her suit—a Ribbon Seal’s—rivaled her face for beauty. Cream in color, it had white bands snaking around her body; one hemmed her neckline, others wrapped around her shoulder sockets. Another looped her waist like a belt.
Oscar’s lingering gaze worked up and down her bodice. “What does she do for me?”
Henry took his blade away from picking at fingernails. “She ‘eez your translator and—”
“Nothing more,” said August, stepping between his son and Henry. “She belongs to Henry, son. And he retains all rights to her.”
“Chidi,” said Henry. “’er name is Chidi.”
“Right,” August turned back to Oscar. “Chidi. Anyway, I’m simply leasing their services to see you’re well provided for. Henry boasts the girl knows a host of languages.” August cast a severe look in Henry’s direction. “And for the price, she had better.”
August gave Byron a dismissive wave to carry on.
“Captain!” Byron barked. “Step forward.”
Lenny did so. “Aye, sir?”
“Do you accept the charge of this crew and swear their safe return, as well as your own?”
Like I could say anything but aye.
Before Lenny could answer in the affirmative, he noticed August Collins’ earrings flash. Slave, heed these words with all that you hold dear. My son’s safety is paramount. Should any ill befall him…
Lenny dared to look up.
Oscar remained smug, unaware of the threats Lenny received.
Protect him at all costs, said August. Even from himself.
“Aye, sir,” Lenny said aloud, more in answer to August than Byron.
The overseer wet his lips. “Very well. It’s been suggested by certain sources the girl will be found visiting Dryback aquariums. No one knows what the girl seeks, however. Find her out. Bring her back. And receive your just reward. A word of warning…” Byron paused. “Take notice your loved ones shall be kept behind. By the laws of New Pearlaya, should any slave not return—”
“Let my loved ones pay the price,” Lenny said along with every member of his crew.
Byron nodded. “Set off for the surface at once. We will see to it young Master Collins meets you there. Declan!”
“Aye, sir?”
“Take this group ashore. See them well-provisioned, then return to me.”
Declan bowed his head. He turned on his heel and limped away from the courtyard, his sea otter again following close behind. Lenny fell in with them, leaving the others to visit the slave shacks and say their goodbyes.
“This Silkie, Bourgeois,” Declan said once clear of any listening ears. “I heard her name thrown around the trade towns. Lotta other crews have went after her: Selkies, Merrows, even Orcs. Don’t matta which goes on the hunt. All of ’em came back empty-handed.”
“What’s so special about her?”
“Depends on who ya ask. I heard a Merrow say some highborn made her his bed slave. Said he wanted the pleasure of her company one more time before hangin’ her. Me? I think August and a bunch of ownas wanna see her caught. This girl’s been on the run for a long while to hear ’em tell it. A runna gets away and other slaves don’t see ’em brought back and hung…”
“It gives the rest of us ideas,” Lenny finished.
Declan nodded.
“Pop, if she’s so good at escapin’, why don’t August send ya after her? Ya used to be the best catcha in all the Salt before…” Lenny stopped himself.
Declan sighed. “There’s always someone betta, son.”
Lenny refused to dispute his father’s favorite standby. Anyone else in the Salt could call Declan Dolan the greatest catcher that ever lived, but the wounded Selkie would not permit it from his own son.
They descended the path in all-too-familiar silence. When they reached the Block, Lenny saw the slave cages had been unlocked. He heard a whip crack echoing to the west, past the fish and oyster farms.
“They’ll be here soon,” Declan said, settling on the rickety moss-covered steps leading up the auction platform. His otter bounded up them and into her master’s lap. Declan gave her head a good rubbing. Then he looked at his son.
“Ya ready for this?”
Lenny shrugged.
“That answer won’t do no more,” said Declan. “Bein’ a captain means ya gotta have all the answers.”
“What about when ya don’t?”
“Especially when ya don’t.” Declan said. “A captain sets the tone, ya know that. If he don’t have the answers, his crew makes up their own. That’s no good for nobody.”
The silence returned between them. Despite himself, Lenny could not will his voice to break it. His father had said his piece and would not say more unless to give some advice Lenny had heard half a hundred times before.
It’s always been this way between us. Why should this morn be any different?
While Declan showed the sea rat affection he never showed his son, Lenny puzzled over the morning’s strange events. The most important being why had August named him captain? True, Lenny had the pedigree and a flawless record for capturing runaways but he had never captained before. August Collins had other, more qualified catchers. Why not them instead? Lenny could make no sense of the decision.
“I dunno why he’s sendin’ ya out with Oscar,” said Declan finally, almost as if he read Lenny’s thoughts. “But keep ya guard up. Rememba that worthless stuff I been tellin’ ya all these years.”
Lenny nodded, already hearing his crew approach.
Paulo and Racer came first, the pair of them jawing back and forth about what to spend their reward on first. Initially, Racer argued they would visit a tavern to celebrate. But when he learned Paulo desired a Leopard Seal coat most of all, Racer decided he needed one too.
Ellie lumbered behind them. The freelance newcomers came last, accompanied by August’s master of the docks and auctioneer, Tieran.
“Oi, Declan,” said Tieran. “Yer lot goin’ up?”
“Aye.”
“Righ’ then! Have yer brutes hitch these to their backs.” Tieran kicked the sealed barrels of fish into the water one after the other. “And swim ’em up for me. Save me and the sea’orses a bit o’ time and work.”
Paulo glared at Tieran. “We’re catchers, not delivery pups.”
Tieran reached for the coiled jelly whip hanging at his side. “Wha’s that? You gettin’ smart, boy?”
Lenny bristled. “He’s smart enough to know ya can’t order him around. We’re catchas.”
Tieran spat. “There’s no such thing as a smart slave. Been sellin’ 'em for years so I know betta than most.”
Declan stepped forward. “Smart or not, slaves do what they’re told. Get in the water. Both of ya.”
Tieran used his forearm to rub the dripping snot off his nose. “That’s righ’. Do ya selves a favor and listen to ya gimpy captain there. Go on now,” he motioned to the water. “Be good lil’ sea doggies else I deem it wise to fetch the skin off ya backs.” Tieran’s eyes shifted to Ellie. “Or maybe I oughta do for this cow instead?”
Listen to my Pop, Lenny cautioned as Paulo stiffened.
Why? Paulo asked. Tieran’s a talker, not a taskmaster. And he threatened Ellie.
Lenny sighed. He’ll have ya flogged for disobeyin’. Maybe keel-raked.
Paulo narrowed his eyes at the auctioneer. Don’t matter. He won’t live to see it.
Tieran noticed the slave earrings glittering back and forth. He took a step back. “Oi, Declan,” his voice shook. “T-tell yer brute to stand down.”
A splash came from the waterside. A large, bulky seal head porpoised from the water. Come on, Paulo, Ellie’s voice echoed in all their minds. Let’s see if you can beat me topside.
She swam toward a harness, took the bit in her mouth, and yanked a pair of barrels below the surface as she dove.
“’Ow remarkable.” Henry purred. “Ze light touch of a woman can be, no? Come, Chidi!”
The shy girl joined her master’s side. Both donned their hoods and dove before completing their transformations. Racer followed, his fingers fumbling at his hood with nervous excitement. The Dolans prodded Paulo away and dove in last.
They followed the churning trail of bubbles left by the other three through the dark tunnel. Near the exit of Crayfish Cavern, the water changed from black to grey to blue. Lenny surmised the dawn had come at last by the slight rise in water temperature. Remaining together, father and son ascended thirty feet, surfaced for air, and swam west for the shoreline, a nautical mile away.
Lenny watched the ocean floor steadily rise and change from slimy stones to soft sand. Hermit crabs scuttled to find shelter from the seal shadows cast over them. He raised his seal head to take a deep breath.
Declan seemed to sense his unease. Who are ya?
A Dolan, Lenny answered.
And what’s it mean to be a Dolan?
We look after our own, Lenny said. And we bring back runnas.
Why?
The family mantra ran like blood through Lenny’s very being. ‘Cause to run means ya care for no one. A real man don’t leave others to take his punishment.
That’s right, Declan said. Captain.
Co-cap—
Master Collins made ya captain, Declan insisted. Ya catch this Silkie and bring ya crew back safe. That’s ya job.
The shoreline came quickly. Lenny beached himself, half in the sand, half in the Salt.
Their contact, a local fisherman slave, had just freed Paulo of his Salted form. The fisherman released Paulo’s seal hood, and waded toward the Dolans. He grabbed Lenny’s seal lip, lifted up and back.
I’ll find her, Pop. Lenny felt the familiar changes sweep across his back. The cold rushed in. Grabbed hold and wakened his soul to a life on land. I’ll catch her. Bring her back. Then I’ll buy our freedom.
His change complete, Lenny trudged out of the Salt.
KELLEN
Kellen Winstel strode out of the Tiber High School administration office. He made his way past the school’s glass trophy case. A picture of himself, seated atop a diving block at last year’s Indiana state finals, caught his eye.
Kellen stopped. He looked good in that blue Speedo. The way he had tightened his muscles, the abs he trained so hard to firm up, and those pecs—no wonder the girls of Tiber High lingered around the trophy case just to stare at them. Kellen lacked only an American flag draped over his shoulders to complete the Olympic poster boy image.
It hadn’t been the picture to make Kellen stop, much as he enjoyed admiring himself. He stared at the pool water behind the diving block.
He turned his head left to look at the Tiber High pool, twenty yards away. Three panes of floor-to-ceiling window glass typically allowed anyone walking by to look in. Today the overhead sliding metal gate shielded the pool from view.
All the better. Kellen left the trophy case and rounded the corner, bound for the school cafeteria. He heard the guffaws and trash talking long before he saw his friends.
Two of the football team’s offensive lineman, Eddie Bennett and Ross Owens, sat at a lunch table with a scattered deck of cards in front of them. Both had a stockpile of rainbow colored candies. An even larger pile lay at the table’s middle.
“I’ll see your five and raise you ten,” Bennett said, moving ten of his candies into the center. He cast a sidelong glance at Kellen. “Been waiting on you.”
“You see him leave?”
“Nah. He didn’t come my way. Might’ve got past Owens though. This idiot can’t keep up with the game, let alone watch for Weaver too.”
“Shut up,” Owens growled.
“He should be in Phys. Ed.,” Kellen said. “One of the office assistants looked it up for me.”
“So what you’re saying is—”
“He had to walk through the cafeteria to get there. How could you have missed him?”
“Sorry. Didn’t see him, Kelly.”
Kellen clenched his fists. Don’t call me that.
“Me neither,” Owens said, studying his cards. He looked up at Bennett. “Did you say the bet’s ten?”
“I raised you ten,” Bennett replied. “You bet f
ive. Five plus ten is fifteen, you freaking ogre. You need me to count it out for you too?”
Bennett reached across the table and counted out two additional groups of five.
“There! Now you have fifteen. Show me your cards.”
Owens flipped them over.
“Pocket rockets?” Bennett slammed his fists on the table.
Laughing, Owens scooped up his winnings.
“Listen!” said Kellen. “We have less than thirty minutes to find that punk before next period.”
“If he’s in P.E., he’ll have to come to the locker room sooner or later. We’ll wait for him there,” Bennett said.
“No. Weaver has a pass, same as me. He can roam the halls.”
“Oh.”
“Mell—h-s pr-bly in ma—lock—m,” Owens tried to say through the wad of rainbow candy in his mouth.
“Huh?”
Owens swallowed and cleared his throat. “I said he’s probably in the locker room.”
Bennett straddled the bench he sat on. “Why would Weaver hide there? That’s where we go to dodge class.”
“It’s the last place we’d look for him,” said Owens.
A loud whistle echoed through the cafeteria.
“The heck was that?”
Bennett pointed to the study hall balcony above the cafeteria.
Kellen saw a reedy fifteen-year-old leaning over the open second-story ledge. The freshman insistently pointed to the gymnasium door before he ran down the steps.
“We sent Gao up there to watch while we played cards,” said Bennett.
Jun Gao. Kellen frowned. Normally, Kellen would never allow a gay around him in any circumstance, but he had yet to cross hooking up with an Asian chick off his bucket list. If allowing the little queer to hang out convinced Jun’s older sister, Sydney, to go out sometime…
She’ll come around. Kellen smirked. Just like every other girl in Lavere County.
“Guess you were right, Owens,” Bennett said. “Now we just have to find out which locker room Wee-Wee went into!”
“Hey guys!” Jun called to them with all the excitement of a freshman being allowed to hang out with upper classmen. Half-running, half-prancing, he joined them before they turned the corner and made their way toward the locker rooms. “We going to mess Weaver up bad? What do you have planned this time, Kell?”
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