Bermuda

by Karim Soliman

  But if that was the Shomrunk, where had her boss gone? Did he still exist?

  "Your boss is here, Heather." The SecNav leaned forward. "I didn't go anywhere."

  "No, you're not," Burke snapped. "You may fool her, but not me."

  "Oh, Burke!" Wearing a weird smile, the SecNav turned to him. "You can't deny we had some exciting time together."

  Heather felt she was having a bad dream. "Somebody tells me what the hell's going on."

  "Now, I can tell you the whole story, Heather." Burke glared at the SecNav as he went on, "This thing, taking the form of your boss, convinced me somehow that I had a lost relative in the USS Proteus, and based on that I made my first journey to the Domus island, as called by those Griseos. Those gray faces captured me, and Akmenios tried to find anything in my mind that could lead him to the Shomrunk's location, but he didn't find any clue. So, he sent me home again after wiping out my memory, hoping he could track my return to the Shomrunk. Somehow, the Shomrunk, which is inside this guy sitting with us, lost their tail. Years later, he sent you and your team, and somehow, again, he convinced you to take me with you. That death mission to Bermuda was only for one purpose: sending a message to the rest of his species to inform them of the location of Earth. And I almost did that, if it were not for Akmenios who interrupted me before it was too late.

  "The plan of this Shomrunk failed. He must be scanning our minds the moment I'm talking to you, trying to find any clue that may lead him to the island location, so he can send another team to Bermuda in the near future with better preparations for the same objective. But he'll find nothing."

  Heather needed a break to absorb all she had just heard from Burke.

  "That was very good indeed, Burke," the SecNav raised his eyebrows, "except for some little details."

  Burke stared at him quizzically.

  "First, I became Heather's boss only yesterday." The SecNav gave Heather a wry smile. "Before that, I used to work for a classified special unit in the Pentagon."

  It was him from the beginning, Heather realized. The charming Mr. Colgate who had persuaded her in their first meeting to take a chopper and visit an NSA prisoner. Now she knew he wasn't that charming.

  "Besides." The SecNav leaned toward Burke. "Who said I would find nothing? I already did."

  "No way." Burke's eyes widened.

  "Don't you believe me?" The SecNav shrugged. "You can ask her."

  "Me?" Heather was confused. Why her? What did she know? This island had always been hidden from satellites. Nothing changed that fact after the mission.

  "The compass, Heather." Her boss looked her straight in the eye.

  "No!" Heather blustered. That blue glass cube was supposed to enable her to locate the island one more time and send reinforcements to help the Atlanteans in their war against the aliens. That damned compass was enough to consider the Bermuda mission as a success.

  For him.

  "I know you still have it," said the SecNav. "You took it out of your wet clothes before you got rid of them, right?"

  Heather was too shocked to deny. This person, this thing, knew what she had exactly done.

  "Didn't you ask yourselves how we found you in the ocean that fast?" the SecNav continued, looking at Heather and Burke. "The moment you escaped from the Storm Shield of Bermuda, we detected a small magnetic field that came out of the blue. For some reason, I felt it was you."

  The compass. Yes, what else? It was the damned compass that had led the Shomrunk to her. What was supposed to be a means of salvation for the Atlanteans would probably accelerate their doom.

  "What are you?" Heather asked in a low impassive voice. "What have you done to the man you're inside now? What have you done to the. . . other guy?"

  "As I told Burke before." The SecNav shrugged. "I'm just a different form of life. I'm like souls to humans, or energy to engines. I did nothing bad to your boss or anybody I occupied before. On the contrary, I made a better person of each one of them."

  "A better person?" Burke echoed in disapproval. "In terms of what? You have replaced the guy himself with something else. The man she has already known for years does not exist anymore."

  "It depends on how you define existence, Burke." The SecNav tilted his head. "At least, he still exists physically."

  "Bullshit!" Burke snapped. "He's gone. The body you're occupying is just a shell for some sort of a virus."

  "We discussed this matter before, Burke." The SecNav's grin faded. "I'm not a virus."

  "Is he aware you're inside his body?" asked Burke. "Like me."

  "Your case is different," replied the SecNav. "It's almost a negligible part of me inside your mind; too tiny to overcome your awareness."

  "I'm lost." Heather held her head with both hands. Her nightmare was getting worse.

  "Your boss is gone," Burke said to Heather, peering at the SecNav. "What you see in front of you is just his body, totally dominated by the Shomrunk. It's the Shomrunk who is talking to us right now."

  Heather was even more scared. "What about you?" She stared at Burke. "How do I know you're not a damn Shomrunk or some shit else? He's inside your mind too, right?"

  "Only a very tiny part of him. That part connects him to me only when I sleep or lose my consciousness. From what I've encountered so far, this is when our minds are most susceptible to invasion by external ideas."

  "Look what you've done with that tiny part." The SecNav leaned toward Burke. "After connecting your mind to Akmenios's, you've learned how to speak Latin and how to steer an alien vessel. That was even beyond my expectations, Burke. And that was what also changed my plan."

  "Your plan?" Burke wondered. She had the same fears when she heard the word. "For what?"

  "I never considered humans as potential hosts." The SecNav gestured with his forefinger. "Humans were nothing but a means to reach those Griseos, as you've concluded. But the synergy your mind showed with this tiny part of mine made me reevaluate the potential of the human brain. The Griseos are slightly advanced than you only because they have been existing thousands of years more than you have. I should have considered the time factor from the beginning."

  The SecNav leaned back in his seat with an excited smile. "You know what the funny part of this issue is? It was Akmenios who drew my attention to this point."

  Heather recalled the conversation with the gray humanoid when he had addressed that point in particular. The Shomrunk, the tiny part of him, must have been listening at that time.

  "What do you want?" Heather was eager to know, yet she was scared to get the answer.

  "We're the catalysts of evolution, Heather." The SecNav kept his confident smile, as if he was enjoying her sight; frightened and confused. "Imagine a new generation of humans who have one thousand times the learning capacity of the previous generation. Will an intelligent race, like yours, refuse that?"

  "Do we look like morons to you?" Burke snapped. "This will be a generation of human spare parts to your race."

  "You're using too big words, Burke," said the SecNav. "Do you feel yourself a spare part right now?"

  "Not for the time being." Burke bit his lower lip. "But who knows what will happen when you send for the rest of your Shomrunk friends."

  "I believe you should listen to Heather." The SecNav nodded toward her. "She has a different perspective from yours."

  Heather was hesitant to express her thoughts, but she recalled the fact that the Shomrunk could know them anyway. "I'm not sure I fully grasp what you both are talking about to get that 'human spare part' thing. Maybe this is why I see the whole notion much simpler than this. Evolution is a natural phenomenon. We can't be sure about the consequences of adding a catalyst to this natural phenomenon. This is not something we may gamble on."

  "Damn, Heather! You're talking as if he cares about our approval," Burke scoffed nervously.

  "Why not?" Heather shrugged. "Maybe we can reach some sort of agreement. This Shomrunk seems to have some logic after all."

&n
bsp; "You don't understand." Burke shook his head. "He's trying to convince you that the Shomrunks' invasion will be something for the good of humanity."

  "Trying to convince you?" the SecNav sneered. "Come on, Burke. You know well I can convince you with all I want without you even knowing it."

  Damn. He's right.

  Then why does he bother talking to us anyway?

  "Sometimes a discussion helps extract some brilliant thoughts, Heather," said the SecNav. "But now I'm done with this one."

  She felt her blood freeze in her veins when he extended his arm. "The compass, Heather." The SecNav stared at her. "Give it to me."

  She had no idea why she was complying, but she did. She tucked her hands into her pocket, pulled the blue cube, and handed it to him.

  "Thanks." The SecNav's smile widened, then he turned to Burke. "Do you have any problems with that, Burke? I guess you don't."

  "No problem, Mr. Secretary." Burke shrugged.

  * * *

  Heather was startled when she checked her watch. She was pretty sure she had been on the helicopter for only a few minutes.

  "I assume we're headed to Virginia, right?" she asked the SecNav sitting in front of her.

  "You're right." The SecNav nodded. "We'll be there in eighteen minutes."

  Eighteen minutes? Had she fallen asleep during the flight? The total duration of the journey was supposed to be almost two hours.

  "You were so exhausted." The SecNav grinned. "You should have seen yourselves when you both fell asleep in your seats."

  Burke's eyebrows rose as if he had just realized what had happened. "Damn!" He glanced at her watch. "Did I miss something?"

  "Nothing at all." The SecNav kept his conservative smile. "It seems I chose the wrong time to discuss the findings of the Bermuda mission. I should have waited until morning."

  "We don't have too much to discuss." Heather shrugged. "All we encountered was that huge storm that almost brought the HG-3 down, but we miraculously survived it. We had no other peculiar observations."

  The SecNav shook his head, pressing his lips together. "Unfortunately, your three-day mission to Bermuda didn't provide us with any new clues about the location of the lost AAL 256 plane, but we couldn't go on any longer for safety issues, especially after you've lost five of your crew members because of the horrendous weather conditions. The HG-3 still needs more upgrades to be up to the ocean unstable condition in the Triangle."

  The failure of the mission she had spent years preparing for. What an announcement. What a waste. All her efforts had gone in vain.

  "I really appreciate your efforts in this mission, Heather," said the SecNav firmly. "With the equipment and expertise you had, no one could do any better."

  Heather heaved a deep breath. "Will be there another expedition, sir?"

  "We're still not sure about that," the SecNav replied. "Anyway, that was your last mission, Heather. I guess your life has been ruined enough by your work, and now all you need is to retire and have a long rest. You still have a chance to mend your life and have a new start."

  Heather sighed. It was true her position in the Navy had torn her fragile personal life apart, yet it was the same thing that kept her alive so far. Had it not been for immersing her mind in her demanding work, she would have committed a suicide.

  Was there a way to feel any pleasure in the remaining years of her life as her boss had just suggested? Alone?

  No, I'm not alone anymore.

  It was really queer. How had she never been aware of her feelings for Burke before this moment?

  Epilogue

  St. George's Airport, St. David's Island, Bermuda

  The governor of Bermuda gazed at the dark-suited Secretary of Navy stepping out of the plane, burly marines surrounding the American commander. It had been a long time since their last meeting.

  A long time, like a century or even more.

  The governor extended his arm to shake hands when the Secretary of Navy approached. "Welcome to Bermuda, Mr. Secretary," he said impassively.

  "Mr. Governor himself." The Secretary of Navy grinned decently. "I really appreciate your coming."

  "The magnitude of the circumstances imposes so." The Governor was irked by these formal reception rituals. "Come on, let's have a walk."

  "You barely waste your time, Stefano." The Secretary of Navy lowered his voice, keeping his smile as he ambled next to the governor.

  Stefano made sure they were out of earshot before he said, "We don't have much time. This is the best place where we can talk."

  "What happened to you?" The Secretary of Navy furrowed his brow. "Can't you really read my thoughts?"

  "Not as clearly as before." The governor sighed. "I see them now only as mere speculations. And my condition is deteriorating."

  "This is strange. Do you have any clue why this is happening to you? You're supposed to improve the intellectual capacity of the human you've become."

  "I didn't improve anything," snapped Stefano. "It's the human who's overcoming me."

  "Haven't you considered occupying another human? Maybe it's time to change."

  "Are you kidding me? This is the fifth human I occupy."

  "Maybe you pick the wrong humans. So far, it has been working for me."

  The governor stopped, staring at the Secretary of Navy. "You use the Shomrunk inside you more than I do."

  The Secretary of Navy slowly looked right and left, as if he was making sure they were out of earshot. "You have a serious problem, Stefano. You're busying your mind with an identity issue. You have to use your Shomrunk abilities without even thinking as one. We're like these waters around this island; we take the shape of our container, yet we're still who we are. Do you get that?"

  Stefano, the governor, didn't reply, and he didn't have to anyway. He averted his eyes away, his fingers crossed behind his back. "I really don't feel I belong here. I don't even know what I am right now."

  "Belonging." The Secretary of Navy grinned. "Good. You're talking like a human without even noticing."

  "Bullshit." The governor curled his lip. "Does this make me even more human now? Come on."

  "Calm down." The Secretary of Navy kept his face steady as he glanced at his guards. "No need to make a scene here."

  "You know what I'm thinking of right now." Stefano lowered his voice.

  "You're hinting at your past as a Griseo, right?"

  "Exactly." The governor noticed the warning glare on his friend's face. He lowered his voice again as he went on, "Over thousands of years, I never felt any trouble in blending with those Griseos."

  "Because you were not alone at that time. You lived in a whole community of evolved Griseos like you."

  "Evolved?" Stefano scoffed. "Is that how you see it?"

  "Sure thing." The Secretary of Navy smiled again. "It's all about evolution. And we're the catalysts."

  "Catalysts? You can't be serious." Stefano jerked his head backward. "We have been here on this planet for decades and yet we're still unable to transmit our location to the rest of us."

  "Because we didn't have the right equipment for such a task." The Secretary of Navy leaned toward him. "But that's not the case now."

  That should be interesting, Stefano thought. "Did your inspection team find any success in their last mission?"

  The Secretary of Navy paused for a moment, peering at Stefano. "How did you know that? That was a classified mission."

  "Officially, Mr. Secretary." The governor tilted his head. "You are not the only one working here."

  "This is not the right time to improvise, Stefano. We're so close, and now we know how to reach the transmission device. We will send the message soon."

  At last, after decades of waiting, the governor heard good news. "When?"

  "In three weeks, the HG-4 will be ready to go with a new team on board. Neither storms nor electromagnetic shocks can stop that mighty machine, so don't worry. Your long wait is about to end, old friend. We are on the verge of the n
ew era."

  "The new era of evolved humans." The governor inhaled deeply, still unable to swallow the idea. "We shall see about that."

  "Fine." The Secretary of Navy gently patted the governor on the back. "Now, take us to your office for some formal talks on behalf of the US government regarding the lost plane."

  Stefano always hated that part. "How long is this supposed to take?"

  "Not more than an hour, I hope. I have a wedding in Miami to attend."

  "A wedding? You are really enjoying this," the governor scoffed. "One of your human relatives I presume?"

  "One of my best subordinates." The Secretary of Navy grinned. "A former one."

  Acknowledgments

  I have been obsessed with the Devil's Triangle since I was a kid. It was a story I always wanted to write, but I was never sure how the sci-fi reader in 2019 would receive it. Were it not for the relentless love the story had received on Wattpad, I wouldn't have the faith to hit "publish." Huge thanks to all who have supported my work for years on the orange cloud.

  Thanks to my wizard Stefanie Saw for her brilliant artwork. Again and again, she did it. She always does.

  Special thanks to the sweet Arabella Higgin (aka Bella Higgin). It's no secret, I'm a fan of her writing. Having her as a reader is something I'm proud of.

  My tireless support team and advisors: Katrin Hollister, Gaby Cabezut, Debbie Joelz, Jessica Fry, Rosa Aimee, Greg Carrico, Rita Kovach, and Sandra Grayson. Writing is a long journey that needs friends like you.

  Last but not least, a million thanks to my family; my wife and cheerleader May whose faith in our dream keeps me going forward, my sweet angel Soojy for tolerating my occasional mental absence, my baby Groot Mostafa for allowing me to work on my own laptop without breaking it, my mother for nurturing my love of books and writing, and my father for providing a five-year-old child with his blank yearly planner to write his first story.

  About the Author

  Karim Soliman earned his first writing commission through his contribution in the first and last issue of his classroom magazine. Twenty years later, he earned his next commission from Sony Pictures.