Shallow Breath

by Sara Foster

  ‘Meanwhile,’ Carl adds, ‘Isamu will drive the boat out into open water.’

  Maya nods. ‘That’s right. Kate and Carl discovered that, when other groups have cut the nets, it’s been difficult to get the dolphins to leave. No one’s certain why, but there’s a consensus they need to be driven out. We can’t do that, so we’re trying something different … Isamu will lead them out. It’s Kate’s idea. Apparently my dad used to tell this story about a whale in America that got to safety the same way.’

  ‘Humphrey,’ Desi says. ‘I heard that story too.’

  ‘That’s the one. Kate’s sourced the equipment. Isamu will play dolphin calls under the water to encourage them to follow.’

  ‘A benevolent Pied Piper,’ Desi says, studying the map again. ‘So how confident are you?’ She looks towards Carl.

  ‘We’re pretty sure we’ll reach the pens, but after that there’ll be some luck involved. We have to stay hidden. We have to successfully cut the holes. And the dolphins have to choose to leave. But this’ll give them the best shot. It would be too cruel and traumatic to bang things behind them and drive them out, after what they’ve been through already.’

  ‘You’ve mentioned all these pens,’ Desi says, studying the map and pointing to those that form the perimeter. ‘But what about this big one in the middle?’

  Maya looks despondent. ‘Those dolphins are tame. They’ve been there for too long. The consensus is that they’re too used to handouts. They wouldn’t survive at sea any more.’

  Desi seems thoughtful. ‘You’re probably right. You remember the Atlantis stories I used to tell you? Those dolphins had trouble in the wild after people spent a million dollars and a year’s worth of training trying to help them readjust. Once you’ve interfered with nature, it can be difficult to go back.’ Her eyes return to the map, and she frowns. She runs her finger south across the land until it reaches the next inlet. ‘What are these here? Are they dolphin pens too?’

  ‘They are, but they’re in Taiji harbour,’ Maya explains. ‘The dolphins there are still wild. They’ve only just been captured and haven’t yet been sold on. There are quite a few rebels in those ones, refusing to feed and the rest of it. But it’s heavily guarded.’ She points to a car park on the opposite side of the water to the pens. ‘A police van sits there’ – her finger moves slightly to the left – ‘and that’s where the dolphin fishermen gather in the morning, deciding whether it’s a good day to go out to sea and kill more. All those people have a clear view of the harbour pens. They’ve been deemed too risky to attempt – that’s why we’re only doing the ones further north, at Dolphin Resort.’

  Desi continues to study the plans for a moment, then looks up at both of them.

  ‘How long do you think it will take for the alert to go up at Dolphin Resort?’

  Carl is obviously intrigued. ‘The trainers come out not long after first light. They’ll see they’re gone straight away.’

  ‘And what do you think the police and those fishermen are going to do when they find out there’s been an assault on Dolphin Resort?’ she asks. Without waiting for an answer she continues, ‘Isn’t it likely that they’ll all converge over there? And if they leave, surely there’s a window of opportunity that seems too good to miss. Why don’t I try to cut the harbour pens too?’

  51

  Jackson

  Kate catches up with Jackson in the corridor, grabbing his arm. ‘I’m disappointed in you, Jackson.’

  He presses the button to call the elevator. ‘Kate, the whole lot of you are crazy. Your entire plan is way beyond risky. You don’t have to do this.’

  As the lift arrives with a cheerful ding, he steps in, but Kate holds the door. ‘On the contrary, we all have to do this,’ she shoots back. ‘We all have to stand up and be counted. None of us can hide any more. The world is spinning too fast now, Jackson. Every day we wait, we lose more than we can ever replace.’ She hesitates. ‘I saw you in the room just then, when Maya was speaking. You barely glanced at those photos she was showing you. You had your eyes to the ceiling or the window, or wherever. While Desi was staring at them, you weren’t even paying attention. Perhaps it’s time you took a proper look at what’s going on around you, Jackson. Perhaps we’re the ones seeing clearly, while you’re missing the whole point. In order to save them, first you have to care. Here.’ She thrusts a piece of paper at him and releases the door, glaring at him until it closes.

  He glances down to find he’s staring at a leaflet for Osaka Aquarium. ‘Ocean, you meet whale shark’, it says on the front, above a picture of a whale shark with a drooping dorsal fin. He opens it up to another picture, the blurb underneath describing how the whale shark swims comfortably in its nine-metre-deep tank.

  He stares at it. He knows all too well that, in the wild, whale sharks dive to well over nine hundred metres. That they traverse entire oceans, hidden and harmless in those vast cerulean depths.

  Angry and deflated, he stuffs the leaflet into his pocket and concentrates on the lights flashing through the numbers as the lift descends to the lobby. The doors open onto a brightly lit melee of people. He walks distractedly over to a shop and begins to browse random items, with no interest in what they are. All the time, Kate’s voice is buzzing in his head.

  He moves from one shop to another, until he is drawn to a restaurant in the far corner. A group of men sit in front of the bar, joking and laughing loudly, downing shots. He takes a stool near them, hands over his money and points towards a bottle that looks like whisky. The bartender pours it and pushes it across.

  When he takes a slug, he finds it’s not whisky at all, but something foul and bitter. Nevertheless, he brings it to his mouth again, about to knock it back and ask for another one.

  Then he stops and puts the drink down.

  He stares into it, hearing Kate’s furious voice. You’re missing the whole point.

  He bangs his hand on the countertop hard enough to make the men turn around in surprise. He ignores them, pushing the glass away and retracing his steps to the elevators. Kate is right. It is time to put himself on the line. Time to stand up for what he believes in, and be counted.

  52

  Rebecca

  The call comes while Rebecca is strolling on the beach with her family.

  ‘Am I speaking to Rick Carlisle’s daughter?’

  She sighs. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Mr Carlisle has been brought in this morning – he’s done something strange with his tablets, and taken too many of the wrong ones before he realised. I’m afraid he was ranting about being poisoned, so we’ve had to sedate him.’

  Theo is looking at her, his expression concerned. Rebecca pulls a frustrated face at him as she watches Caitlin running ahead, racing in and out of the surging water.

  Suddenly she cannot look away. To her delight, she realises there’s no sign of her daughter’s limp.

  ‘Mrs Bell? Are you still there? I have you here as his next of kin – is that right?’

  As Rebecca listens, she stares off beyond Caitlin towards the ocean. It is tranquil and so pretty today, just one lacework line of breakers flickering delicately a long way offshore.

  ‘I’m afraid we’re not on speaking terms any more,’ she says. ‘Tell him to find somebody else.’ And she hangs up.

  Theo puts his arm around her and pulls her in to kiss her forehead. ‘Well done, sweetheart,’ he murmurs into her hair. ‘Well done.’

  53

  Kate

  Kate is stunned to discover that a new plan has emerged in the five minutes she’s been gone. But the more they discuss it, the more they decide it might work.

  ‘It only takes about ten minutes to drive to Taiji,’ Carl says. ‘I could drop you on one of the quieter roads near the harbour at about midnight, and be back in plenty of time for our raid on Dolphin Resort.’ He points to a small road close to the water, half-hidden by trees. ‘But you’ll be completely alone. You’ll have to make your own way to the pens, and wait i
n the dark for a few hours until it’s time. Are you okay with that?’

  ‘Of course,’ Desi replies.

  ‘Mum’s a really strong swimmer,’ Maya adds. ‘When she’s finished cutting the ropes, where should she aim for?’

  Carl thinks for a moment. ‘I’m not sure – let me study the map for a while and I’ll see if I can figure something out.’

  There’s a knock on the door, and Kate jumps up to open it, finding Jackson waiting. ‘Okay,’ he says when he sees her. ‘I still think this is madness, but I’m in. What can I do?’

  ‘Perfect timing!’ she says, kissing him on the cheek, noticing his smile as he joins the others.

  They tell him about Desi’s plan. ‘Right,’ he says. ‘I’ll join you, Desi. We can drive there ourselves.’

  ‘No, it would still be better if Carl comes with you,’ Kate interrupts. ‘He knows the roads – and there’s plenty of time for him to get there and back before he’s needed in the boat. The last thing you want to do is get lost and run into the police. But you’ll need a car to have a chance of escaping.’

  ‘It’s going to be difficult,’ Carl agrees. ‘I wouldn’t try climbing out on the harbour side – there’s too great a risk that someone will spot you. Your best bet is to head out past the landing pier, circle those rocks and come in somewhere along this small beach here. There’s a road close by that’s hidden from view on the satellite map, beneath the trees. If we could leave a car around there, you might be able to reach it.’ He jumps up. ‘I’ll have to go and find Isamu, see if he can get hold of a vehicle or any equipment.’

  ‘I’ll wait until the surveillance van moves before I go in,’ Desi suggests. ‘Although if I think it’s getting too light, and the police stay put, I might jump in anyway and see how far I get.’

  Kate leans against the wall, thinking. ‘Our biggest hurdle is keeping you hidden. If they find you too early, our whole plan could get blown. They’ll increase surveillance on all the pens.’

  ‘What exactly do they have in the pens at the harbour?’ Maya asks.

  Kate goes to sit in front of her laptop. She clicks through a series of links and says, ‘Two pantropical spotted dolphins, three Pacific white-sided dolphins, two Risso’s dolphins and three false killer whales.’ She swings round in her chair and looks hard at Desi. ‘Those poor creatures. You’re right. If there’s a chance, we have to try. Only four pens are in use at the moment, which will make it a lot easier for you.’

  ‘I’m sure it’ll work,’ Desi says, eyes still on the map. ‘And if I go in soon after you, perhaps the ones I release will latch on to the sounds Isamu plays as he leads the others out. I can’t bear to think of them hearing it, with no way of escape.’

  It is Jackson’s turn to study the plans. ‘I’m sorry to be the one putting a damper on things,’ he says eventually, ‘but you do realise those fishermen will go out tomorrow and do exactly the same thing? They might even recapture the ones you release. Are you sure it’s worth it?’

  Kate folds her arms. ‘I thought you said you were in?’

  ‘I’m simply playing devil’s advocate.’

  ‘Well, I understand what you’re saying, but right now we’re not in the business of sinking boats. We want to give those dolphins a fighting chance. Even if that’s all we can do, it’s worth it. Until the law changes, those fishermen will go out tomorrow whether we do this or not. We need change on a number of levels, big and small. The greater change will have to come later. For now, let’s focus on what we can do tonight. Besides, it’s getting towards the end of the season – perhaps they won’t have time to recoup all their losses.’

  As Kate and Jackson stare at one another in the silence that follows, Maya jumps up. ‘I think I might go for a walk and stretch my legs a bit.’

  Kate spots Maya raising her eyebrows at Desi, who gets quickly to her feet. ‘I’ll come with you.’

  As soon as the door closes, Jackson walks over to Kate and sits on the bed near her.

  ‘So, do you forgive me?’

  She does her best to keep her reply businesslike, while Jackson attempts to disarm her with a hangdog expression and a hopeful smile.

  ‘We’ll see.’

  ‘So, have I finally got to the bottom of all your secrets?’ he asks. ‘Or is there anything else I need to know?’

  She weighs him up carefully as he holds her gaze. ‘Actually,’ she says, ‘there is just one more thing.’

  54

  Maya

  ‘It’s time.’

  Kate is shaking Maya out of her slumber. She comes to with a surge of adrenaline and gets up with purpose, pulling on her swimsuit and a rashie, then struggling into her wetsuit. Her mask and snorkel wait by her bed. That’s all she needs – the rest of the equipment will be in the boat. She rolls up the legs of the wetsuit, and puts one of the hotel dressing gowns over the top, rumpling her hair so she appears less suspicious.

  Carl has returned from dropping Desi off, and has gone ahead to the boat. By the time Maya has finished, Kate is identically dressed, and waiting with one hand on the door handle. Maya glances briefly around the room. She’s not leaving much behind, just a few clothes, and yet it is surprisingly hard to walk out of here. Once over the threshold, she relinquishes this final place of safety. The dim corridor leads only to danger.

  ‘Ready?’ Kate whispers.

  Maya nods and steps outside.

  They tiptoe along the linoleum. A green and red stripe runs centrally down the maze of passageways, and she finds herself fixated on it as they hurry along. With each step, her anxiety increases. A babble of voices comes from a nearby corridor, and they slide into the shadows for a moment until it fades. They rush through a long, empty stretch of arcade games, all unplugged, an assortment of teddy bears staring sightlessly at them, waiting to belong to someone.

  Finally, they reach the lift that will take them to the uppermost floors of the hotel, at the top of the cliff. Although they are a long way from the central lobby, it is well lit here, increasing their edginess. The ping that announces the lift’s arrival makes Maya jump, and she resists the urge to dry-retch as they hurtle upwards. They come out near some conference rooms on the top floor. Kate runs to a nearby door with Maya following, and finally they have reached fresh air.

  The moon is a sliver in the sky, and mostly hidden behind clouds. Maya can only see the broad outlines of what’s around her. A walkway slopes downwards towards the bright lights of a party still going on in one of the upper function rooms, music and laughter intermingling. The view to their right reveals scattered lights glowing along the harbour towards town. The open ocean is on their left, but it is lost to the darkness.

  They hurry away along a concrete path that leads towards the woods, past an array of feature gardens and statues. On another occasion, it would be calming and peaceful to stroll here. Right now, as the formless shadows of the trees loom closer and closer, Maya’s galloping heartbeat invades her head, making her giddy.

  Kate grabs hold of Maya’s hand as they turn towards the ocean and make their way down. Maya struggles to keep her balance and move quickly, stepping on stones and branches, and occasionally slipping on patches of mud. As they get nearer to the bottom of the cliff, she hears the sea crashing against the rocks. Her eyes have adjusted more to the gloom, and she can make out the prow of a boat through gaps in the trees.

  A dark figure steps out in front of them. Maya manages to stifle her shriek as Carl says, ‘It’s okay, it’s me.’

  ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Kate hisses. ‘Do you want to make us scream? Great start that would be.’

  ‘Sorry, but I’ll have to help you down the next section – there are a few steep drops, and the rocks are sharp. I’ll take Maya first and come back for you.’

  Carl grabs Maya’s hand and guides her carefully around tangles of branches. For a moment she is with Luke again, hurrying through the dark. Back then she had been even more frightened than she is now, which does
n’t seem right, considering.

  She wonders when she will next see Luke, and shakes off a surge of sadness. Although Luke says so little, she’s sure he would approve of what she’s doing.

  Carl jumps down a steep drop and turns back to help her. ‘Wait there,’ he says, once she’s joined him, and he scrambles up again to get Kate.

  She crouches in the shadows of the trees and her thoughts turn to Desi, waiting somewhere beyond those distant cliffs. She has never felt as close to her mother as right now. Only a few hours ago, they had found a seat in a quiet corner, by a window that overlooked the harbour.

  Desi had put her arm around Maya as they took in the view. ‘You know that even when I can’t be with you, I’m always with you.’

  ‘I know.’ Maya hesitates. ‘Tell me how you got through when you were in prison?’

  ‘Maya, don’t think like that.’ Desi pauses. ‘But if you must know, I pictured myself where I wanted to be, rather than where I was.’